Sandi Richard is here to get you out of your dinnertime rut with her delicious and simple turkey manicotti!

Easy turkey manicotti with Italian veggies

Prep time: 20 minutes
Total time: 60 minutes

Ingredients for manicotti:

• 1 lb or 450 g ground turkey
• 1/2 tsp table blend seasoning, salt-free
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup,
•   reduced-sodium (10 fl oz or 284 mL)
• 1/4 soup can 1% milk
• cooking spray
• 8 oz or 250 g  manicotti noodles
• 1 cup 1% cottage cheese (8 oz or 250 g)
• 1 can tomato pasta sauce (24 fl oz or 680 mL) I use a spicy blend. (choose a lower sodium brand)
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, light, grated
• 1 cup grated mozzarella cheese, part-skim, shredded

Ingredients for side veggies:

• 2 celery ribs
• 1/2 red bell pepper (or 1 small)
• 1 cucumber (English or field)
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1 tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Method:

Preheat oven to 375º F.

Brown ground turkey in a large nonstick electric or stove-top fry pan or wok at medium-high heat. Add spice and stir. Remove from heat when meat is no longer pink. Add soup to cooked meat then gradually stir in milk. Mix well to combine.

Spray lasagna or cake pan with cooking spray. Tip uncooked manicotti on end, in the pan, and spoon filling into shell until it’s about 3/4 full. It doesn’t matter if the stuff is falling onto the pan and doesn’t look so neat…it looks just beautiful once everything is cooked! When all the shells are filled and side by side in the pan, spoon cottage cheese over top, then spoon pasta sauce over top.

Sprinkle parmesan over top and cover tightly with foil. Bake in preheated oven. Set timer for 50 minutes.

Rinse and chop celery, pepper and cucumber into bite sized chunks. Rinse baby carrots. Place veggies in a medium sized bowl. Toss with olive oil, balsamic vinegar and spice. Let stand in fridge.

When timer rings for manicotti, remove foil. Grate cheese directly over top. Return the pan to oven and set oven to broil until cheese starts to bubble. Set timer for two minutes at a time and watch it very carefully.

Courtesy of Sandi Richard

www.cookingfortherushed.com

@sandi_richard