Recipe: Cabbage Cups With Gingery Ground Turkey

Think ground turkey is strictly for chili and burgers? We’ve got delicious news for you! With lean turkey as the base, combining the soy sauce, ginger, scallions, jalapeno and cilantro serves up fantastic flavor, as well as health-promoting phytonutrients. Served in crunchy, healthy cabbage cups and topped with peanuts, these are a treat to eat.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound ground turkey (white meat only)
• 2 tablespoons “less sodium” soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 red jalapeño, halved lengthwise, seeded and sliced into thin half-moons
• 8 cabbage leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro sprigs
• 1/4 cup (1 ounce) peanuts, chopped

Directions

1. In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the turkey and cook, stirring often, until no longer pink, 8 to 10 minutes.
2. Stir in the soy sauce and ginger to combine. Then, stir in the scallions and jalapeño.
3. Divide the turkey mixture among the cabbage leaves. Top with cilantro and peanuts.

Ingredient health benefits

• Extra virgin olive oil: This cooking oil has been a popular culinary ingredient for thousands of years, and with all the benefits it can bring to any recipe, it won’t be going away any time soon. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is rich in unsaturated fats that lower your LDL (“bad”) cholesterol and raise your HDL (“good”) cholesterol. It also has all the fat-soluble vitamins, which support many important organs and body systems from your vision to your blood cells. EVOO is even high in antioxidants, like polyphenols, that keep damaging free radicals in check.
• Ginger: Another food from ancient history, ginger provides a powerful punch and potent perks. An anti-inflammatory compound found in this time-honored root, called gingerol, may help relieve pain for conditions like osteoarthritis and menstrual cramping. Fresh ginger can also help to calm an upset stomach. And though research is ongoing, a study suggests that including fresh ginger in your everyday snacks and meals may lower your cholesterol over time.
• Cabbage: It doesn’t look all that impressive, but each leaf is loaded with nutrients for this delicious dish. Cabbage is high in vitamin C and vitamin K for a thriving immune system and sturdy bones. It also has insoluble fiber and phytosterols for healthy digestion (smooth moves, anyone?) and to reduce your cholesterol levels. Cabbage is a surprising source of potassium, as well, which works alongside anthocyanins to provide benefits for your heart, like regulating your blood pressure and lowering your heart disease risk.
• Cilantro: More than just a garnish, cilantro has some benefits of its own to contribute to this recipe. It has natural antioxidant properties, as well as compounds that can fight off microbial invaders like Salmonella. Cilantro is also a natural diuretic, which means it can help you get rid of excess water in the old-fashioned way. And that’s not all it can do! Like ginger, cilantro can even help ease nausea, which your stomach will thank you for.
• Peanuts: You may be surprised to learn that peanuts are technically legumes. You may also be surprised to learn that they’re chock full of unsaturated fats that also help decrease that “bad” (LDL) cholesterol and increase your “good” (HDL) cholesterol. Plus, there are essential vitamins and minerals, like magnesium for good bone health and vitamin B3 (niacin) for soft, comfortable skin. And who can say no to some plant-based protein that keeps you satisfied for longer?

Nutrition information (per serving)

Servings = 4

Calories: 310
Total fat: 17 g
Saturated fat: 4 g
Protein: 34 g
Carbohydrate: 5 g
Dietary fiber: 2 g
Sugar: 2 g
Added sugar: 0 g
Cholesterol: 145 mg
Sodium: 373 mg

— Developed by Sara Quessenberry for Cleveland Clinic Wellness.