The following recipe is a sneak peak of one of the recipes from the upcoming Simply Real Health Cookbook- easy, delicious recipes for a healthy life, made simple! Order your copy here. 

So, a few of you guys have asked for more recipes with meat involved.

It’s funny- I used to never really eat that much of it. Really, because I didn’t like cooking it (too many rules and precautions with hand washing and cutting boards) and didn’t really miss it. But now, it’s something I do love, when I feel good about the source of it.

And that’s ok. My body will always be changing in terms of what it needs in certain stages, and I think it’s fascinating.

And makes things a lot more fun to mix it up once in a while. There’s always a reason for it.

Eating meat or choosing not to eat meat is a big topic these days, and one that has strong proponents and followers either way. So what’s the deal?

Many people need more meat in their diet to feel energized, while others feel much more energized without it, relying upon vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, seeds and fish. Which type of person are you?

Try a little experiment if you want.

For 3 days, take the meat out. Feel free to eat all other kinds of real foods, like the ones I listed above when you’re hungry. Have some meat on the 4th day.

How do you feel- better or worse? If you didn’t notice a difference, try going meatless more often- it’s cheaper and lot better for the environment for reasons of sustainability.

Like everything else, I think being so strict one way or the other probably isn’t the best, all the time.

Many vegetarians miss a lot vital nutrients if they solely rely upon vegetables, legumes and grains, and many meat eaters miss out on a lot of vital nutrients in the same categories of food if they never expand upon their meat for dinner philosophy.

That said, not all meat is made the same, so just be careful.

In fact, most of it is pretty horrific. Organic is the way to go, even if you do not choose organic for your fruits and vegetables. Hormones, soy and corn feed, antibiotics and massive chemicals are present in most of the sources  of meat in this country today- all fueled by the food industry and funded by the government to produce more quantity, less quality.

Poor quality of life for the animals, on top of the “plumpers”, chemicals and hormones, makes for one large bite of stuff you did not ask for. (If you have not seen the film Food Inc, I do recommend it if this topic intrigues you).

If you’re just here for the food, I’ll get right to it. Because these are my favorite, and no matter how many I make, are always the first to go at any party.

Turkey Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Makes approximately 26 mushroom bites

Notes: Buy the biggest mushrooms you can find for this recipe—they shrink like crazy when they’re cooked. For an extra delicious twist, try adding some extra grated parmesan, gouda, or sharp cheddar cheese; or use quinoa or brown rice instead of meat; or, if you don’t like mushrooms, use tomatoes or bell peppers instead.

26 large white or cremini mushrooms, stems separated and chopped

1 pound organic ground turkey, pork, chicken, or beef

1 granny smith apple, finely chopped

½ yellow or sweet onion, chopped

5 ounces goat cheese (approximately ¼ cup)

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon sage or 3 teaspoons dried sage

2 teaspoons fennel seeds

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Wash and wipe each mushroom dry with a paper towel. Add mushrooms caps to the baking sheet, top-side down. Rub each mushroom with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes.

In the meantime, add a dollop of olive oil to a skillet over medium heat. Add onion and apple and sauté for a few minutes. Add chopped mushroom stems to the pan. Cook for a few minutes, then set aside in a mixing bowl. Add both cheeses to the bowl and stir well to combine.

Add ground turkey to the skillet. Break up with a fork and let all sides cook evenly. Add fennel seeds, sage, sea salt, and pepper.  When fully cooked, add the turkey to the other ingredients in the mixing bowl. Stir well.

Remove mushroom heads from the oven and drain any excess water out of the middles. Turn up the heat to 400°F. Stuff the mushrooms with the turkey mixture and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until they begin to brown. Serve warm.

Other suggestions: grated parmesan, gouda or sharp cheddar as the stuffing finishes cooking; using quinoa or brown rice instead of the meat- just cook it before hand and mix with the apples, onions and spices; using tomatoes or bell peppers if you don’t like mushrooms.

Photo by Jasmine Pulley. 

Order the Simply Real Health Cookbook here!