Lighten up a bit with this American Turkey Goulash Recipe that is filled with vegetables. Comfort food that is better for you than the original – but it’s definitely not lacking on flavor!
Originally posted November 3, 2008: It’s that time of year when everyone is looking to make healthier choices and get in shape. I originally wrote this post nearly 10 years ago, but I still live by the rule of moderation. It’s the only way for me to stay sane! But I try to make healthier dinner choices most nights so that I can splurge every once in awhile, and this American Turkey Goulash is a great, easy, good for you dinner idea. Here’s to a healthy 2018!
The original post from 2008 continues below:
I am not a dieter. I have learned this after going through my 20’s, trying just about every diet out there. I am a very average girl – body wise – but just like most women out there, I’ve struggled with my body image. So in come all of the diets. Some worked, others did not. But even with the ones that worked, I was never able to stick to them. I just love food too much.
So what do you do? Over the last little while, I have been learning to love what I have. And I have learned that I am an “everything in moderation” kind of girl. It would be hard for me to give up sugar, but that doesn’t mean I need it every day, multiple times a day. I try to eat my veggies, and I try to cook healthy for the most part, but I will splurge sometimes and eat something that is really not healthy. It keeps me happy and it keeps me sane. That, along with regular exercise, has also kept me in the same size. (At least until I became pregnant!!) So although I’m still not 100% happy with my body, I have a healthy relationship with food and I’m actually able to enjoy eating.
I bring all of this up because the recipe I’m showing today comes from a cookbook from one of the many different “diets” out there – Body For Life. And I’ve actually tried this diet before, and it worked for me, and I had the lowest body fat percentage of my adult life. But like I said before, I couldn’t stick with it in order to keep the results. But just because I’m not following the diet doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy some of the healthy recipes from it. This cookbook – Eating For Life – actually has quite a few recipes in it that I would love to try. Just because food is good for you doesn’t mean it can’t taste great!
This turkey goulash is an example of that. Great taste, and it’s good for you! I did add some olive oil to the original recipe, because who wants to saute an onion in cooking spray? Plus, olive oil is a heart healthy oil! This is a meal you can feel good about eating!
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American Turkey Goulash
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Main Dish
Description
Lighten up a bit with this American Turkey Goulash Recipe that is filled with vegetables. Comfort food that is better for you than the original – but it’s definitely not lacking on flavor!
Ingredients
- 8 oz uncooked egg noodles
- 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper (any color), chopped
- 1 medium zucchini, sliced into half moons
- 20 oz ground turkey
- 1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
Instructions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the egg noodles according to the package directions, then drain and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the bell pepper to the skillet and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add in the zucchini and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the vegetables from the skillet to a plate and set aside.
Place the ground turkey in the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through, breaking it up as it cooks. Add the tomato sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through and slightly thickened. Add the reserved vegetables back to the skillet and cook until the vegetables are heated through. Add the cooked noodles and toss to coat.
Serve the goulash topped with the fresh basil.
Recipe Notes:
Adapted from Eating for Life
Nutrition information provided as an estimate only. Various brands and products can change the counts.
Nutrition
- Calories: 492
- Sugar: 8 g
- Sodium: 732 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 53 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 37 g
- Cholesterol: 98 mg
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kat says
November 3, 2008 at 3:18 pmDoesn't sound like diet food! I'm with you in that I'm not a dieter. I really believe that diets are just a short term solution & its really about moderation
Caroline says
January 17, 2018 at 3:14 pmSubstitute whole wheat noodles. Delicious
★★★★★
Bellini Valli says
November 3, 2008 at 3:23 pmI totally agree with the everything in moderation philosphy.
Joanne says
March 30, 2019 at 2:25 pmI substituted with penne pasta. Family went back for 2nds. So yummy!
★★★★★
Deborah says
March 31, 2019 at 1:26 amI’m so glad you loved it – and I want to try it with penne now!
Happy cook says
November 3, 2008 at 3:50 pmYou may call what ever you want, it looks delicious.
Yeah i know what you mean, i too have tried most of the diets.
Now i too just say enjoy everything in moderation.
Amanda at Little Foodies says
November 3, 2008 at 5:10 pmI was meant to drop by today… I just bought some minced/ground turkey but didn’t know what I was going to cook – Now I do, Thank you.
Agreed on the everything in moderation. It’s too hard to give some of the bad stuff up forever.
Susan from Food Blogga says
November 3, 2008 at 5:13 pmI commend you for writing this post. I think so many women struggle with body image issues. I agree, the healthiest lifestyle is to eat in moderation, and for me, to exercise. I find regular exercise helps me feel better about myself physically and emotionally.
Katerina says
November 3, 2008 at 5:17 pmGreat recipe! I like your philosophy on the whole diet\exercise thing. I also follow a similar path. I have recently been trying to cook more healthy but it’s about eating more veggies and avoiding mindless eating. If you want the glass of wine, have it. Just make sure you really want it before you have the whole bottle. Those are my thoughts. Of course for you, currently make that a slice of cake rather then a glass of wine.
Patsyk says
November 3, 2008 at 5:17 pmI’ve been on my share of diets… mainly because I have struggled with my body image as well. I’m striving for an everything in moderation lifestyle – like you. I have to keep up the exercise in order to maintain my weight though!
This recipe sounds great… and I’ve got a few cookbooks from various diets that really do have some great recipes in them. Nothing wrong with that!
Maria says
November 3, 2008 at 5:20 pmDiets don’t work, so why try?? I can’t believe how many crazy ones are out there. Everything in moderation is the key and of course exercise!!!
Michelle says
November 3, 2008 at 5:38 pmthat sounds really good!
Becky says
November 3, 2008 at 6:09 pmI’ve done the Body for Life thing…I must say, try the meatloaf in the Eating for Life cookbook…it is DELISH!
MeetaK says
November 3, 2008 at 6:38 pmperfect in every way – diet – no way but it’s good to know i can indulge without feeling guilty!
JodieMo says
November 3, 2008 at 6:55 pmI just finished the Body for Life thing about a month ago. It’s the least diety of all I have tried. The food is good too. I have this cookbook and I recommend the turkey bacon melts for breakfast. Hardly diet food at all! Now if I could just stick to the regular exercise I would be good…
Paula says
November 3, 2008 at 7:47 pmThis is a two-for post: healthy attitude and healthy recipe! Moderation … great philosophy! Do you find yourself craving different foods from usual while you are pregnant?
Mary says
November 3, 2008 at 8:38 pmGood for you for your healthy everything in moderation attitude! That worked for me for several years. But unfortunately, I’m a stress eater and almost 2 years ago I went through an intensly stressful point in my life and packed on 70 pounds. And now with the knee still not cooperating, I can’t exercise either. So I’m dieting. But I’m trying to do it nice and slow and allow myself to splurge once in a while.
The goulash looks fantastic!
Abby says
November 3, 2008 at 9:49 pmThat’s a great outlook – and this looks like a fantastic meal!
Aimée says
November 3, 2008 at 10:34 pmI really respect your mantra! And I totally agree with ‘everything in moderation’, that’s very key.
Lisa says
November 3, 2008 at 11:54 pmThis looks great and the fact that it is healthy is a bonus.
noble pig says
November 4, 2008 at 12:32 amYeah, I agree with the diet thing, moderation is the best thing.
This recipe sounds perfect for helping to maintain weight.
Jenny says
November 4, 2008 at 5:17 amMmmm, looks great to me! Pretty pics too!
Peabody says
November 4, 2008 at 9:36 amI hate diets as you know and we actually cook a lot of our dinners from that book. We love the beef stew.
Grace says
November 4, 2008 at 1:36 pmdiet shmiet. i’m loving your goulash recipe. i tend to shy away from the typical versions, which is unfortunate because i really like to say its name. 🙂
Mary says
November 4, 2008 at 4:10 pmI was looking at this book at Barnes and Noble. I just may bite and buy it. Your philosophy is right on, just remember your metabolism will change over time and that makes ‘all things in moderation’ more difficult.
Cakespy says
November 4, 2008 at 11:25 pmOh my that looks delish. I like the idea of comfort food but with some of the excess fat taken out–it doesn’t look like compromise at all! yea!
Darius T. Williams says
November 5, 2008 at 2:25 amHmmmm – looks good. I’m not a diet dude either. I’d eat this though – lol!
-DTW
http://www.everydaycookin.blogspot.com
Joe Horn says
November 5, 2008 at 5:05 amModeration, hah, I wish I could. I’m all or none, so next time I’m in the eat better side of things, I will try this out. Thanks!!!
Joe
Amanda at Little Foodies says
November 5, 2008 at 5:01 pmI made it after the comment I left you. Well, a variation of it. I added lots of hot sweet smoked paprika – thank you for the inspiration. x
glamah16 says
November 5, 2008 at 7:16 pmOh that looks good. Im like you in the diet attitude.
Rosie says
November 6, 2008 at 11:00 pmI’m with Happy Cook and you may call what ever you want, it looks gorgeous!
Rosie x
Tweety says
February 17, 2009 at 9:51 pmThank you thank you! I love this recipe as well. I have the book eating for Life but packed it because we are getting ready to move. I wanted to make it for dinner because i love zucchini. So I looked it up and found your recipe. Thank you sooo much!