Add lentils to ground beef or turkey

This kitchen tip to add lentils to ground beef or turkey will help you stretch your grocery budget while adding nutrition to favorite recipes.  

Food costs continue to climb and we’re feeling the pinch in the grocery store. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, food prices are anticipated to increase by 3.5 percent this year. You may be clipping coupons, shopping sales, cutting back on take out, and trying other cost-saving measures, but here’s one you absolutely should do: Add cooked lentils with ground beef or turkey.

This hack isn’t new, but holy smokes, it’s effective! Not only will it stretch a pound of ground meat — beef or turkey — to help feed a larger family or get multiple meals for a one- or two-person household, you will add important nutrients to your favorite recipes. Did you know ½ cup of green lentils has 32 percent of recommended daily fiber and 12 grams of protein? Lentils are also a good source of iron and folate (a type of vitamin B). 

If you want to follow the example of our vegan friends, lentils can be a great substitute for ground beef. But if you're not ready for meatless tacos yet, try incorporating cooked lentils into some of your recipes like chili, pasta sauce or casseroles.

Doritos® Taco Salad is a favorite family recipe.

Recently, I bought a pound of ground turkey to make Mom’s Doritos Taco Salad. Because the ground turkey (or beef) is crumbled, I decided to test the lentil addition. Not only did I get enough ground turkey for the salad — which fed my two-person household dinner and lunch for me the next day — I had enough of the turkey/lentil mixture to make a simple red pasta sauce the next day. That pot of sauce provided us with two additional pasta meals. The cooked lentils blended well with the ground turkey, din't impart a strong flavor to the dish, and added a pleasant chew.

Let’s crunch the numbers. A pound of ground turkey in my area averages $5; lean ground is $7.70. A one-pound bag of green (also called French) lentils is $2 and there are 13 servings (¼ cup) per package, which breaks down to about 15 cents per serving.

Not only are lentils inexpensive, they will last up to a year if kept in an air-tight container and stored in a cool, dry spot.

I thought ¼ cup was a little scant for the pound of turkey, so I cooked 1/3 cup. So, for around 20 cents, I effectively doubled the pound of ground meat to use in two recipes! Now, I’m not great at math, but even I see the value of this! Why I'm late to this lentil+ground meat party I don't know, but I've been converted.

If you want to try this kitchen tip, here’s all you do:

• Place lentils in colander and pick through them, removing any shriveled lentils. Rinse well.

• Add 1/3 cup lentils to a medium saucepan and cover with 1 cup water. If desired, add a bay leaf for flavoring.

• Bring water to a rapid boil over medium-high heat then reduce to medium and cook uncovered 15 minutes. Test periodically to ensure the lentils are getting tender but not mushy.

• Drain, return lentils to the pot and stir in a pinch of kosher salt; do not salt before the lentils are finished cooking because this will make them tough.

Meanwhile, brown your turkey (or beef) as you normally would. When the meat is just about finished cooking, stir in the lentils to combine.

The turkey-lentil mixture on the left was used in our taco salad. The mixture in the bowl was reserved to make red pasta sauce the next day.

I separated the turkey-lentil mixture before adding the taco seasoning for our salad. Cooked onion was also an ingredient, but that extra flavor was perfect for the pasta sauce.

The ground meat-lentil mixture is a good to make in batches, too. Use some of the mixture in a recipe now and freeze some for later in a zip-top bag. Thaw at a later date and use in Mom's Hot Dish casserole, Lightened Up Taco Salad or Beefy Greek-inspired Pitas.

More money-saving recipes and tips will be coming! Do you have a tip or recipe for home cooks to help us stretch the food budget? Share your idea and I'll feature it in a future post!

About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Chicken Spanakopita Burgers

Ground chicken, spinach and feta cheese combine for a tasty twist for your next burger night.

Chicken Spanakopita Burger

I have not been up to cooking these last couple of weeks, which explains my pause with recipe posting. A packed volunteering schedule followed by a nasty — and continuing — fight with a spring cold/virus has left me depleted. My daughter and I for a few days lived off canned soups, smoothies and boxed cereal (as well as assorted chips and snacks).

Near the end of this week, I tried to put a meal together and that sapped my low energy. Even with help cleaning up the kitchen, I wanted to go back to bed after dinner. But last night, I felt well enough to make one of our favorite easy suppers, Chicken Spanakopita Burgers. It’s a fun twist for your family’s burger night. Packed with lean protein and good veggies, these tasty burgers also were what my body needed. The recipe isn’t complicated — it’s a lot simpler than traditional spanakopita to make — and dinner is ready in under an hour. But the great flavors of spanakopita — spinach, feta and herbs — are in the chicken patty. I served the burgers with a light tomato, onion and cucumber salad and roasted Greek potatoes that I cooked in my air fryer. (The recipe for that is at the end, too).

You will need the following ingredients to make Chicken Spanakopita Burgers, which yields 4 servings.

• 1 pound ground chicken

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 red onion

• 8 ounces fresh spinach

• 2 teaspoons Greek seasoning blend

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil

• 4 ounces feta crumbs

• 4 Tablespoons prepared tzatziki

• 4 pitas

• Salt and pepper to taste

You’ll see there are no breadcrumbs or egg in this recipe. The first time I made these burgers they fell apart when I flipped them, which wasn’t bad; it even fit better in the pita! But when making burgers, the key is to chill the mixture 20–30 minutes before cooking them.

Most of probably buy the feta crumbles conveniently packaged in the small tub. You’ll see the recipe calls for “crumbs,” so if there are larger crumbles in the tub, break them apart so the cheese mixes easily into the ground chicken. If you don’t have chicken substitute with ground turkey.

I like Penzey’s Greek seasoning blend but if you don’t have that, any brand will be fine. And if that’s not in your pantry, mix about ¼ teaspoon each of kosher salt, dried oregano, lemon pepper and granulated garlic.

We like Aldi’s Park Street Deli Spinach and Artichoke Tzatziki, but feel free to use your favorite brand in the recipe. Of course, the dip is easy to make with plain yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic and salt. A little chopped parsley or dill is a nice touch, too.

Follow these directions to make Chicken Spanakopita Burgers

Cut the onion in half. Finely chop the first half. Mince the garlic cloves. Chop about ¾ of the spinach; leave the rest to add to the pita.

In a large skillet, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and bring up to medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook 2 minutes or until translucent. Add the spinach so it wilts. Add the minced garlic and cook until just fragrant. Remove from heat and allow vegetable mixture to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground chicken, cooled spinach mixture, feta cheese and Greek seasoning. Use your hands and mix until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Wipe the skillet with a paper towel, add 1 Tablespoon olive oil and bring skillet up to medium heat.

Divide the chicken mixture into quarters, lightly press into patties and add to the skillet. Cook 6 minutes on each side, turning only once. If it feels like the burger is sticking a bit, let it cook another minute or two before flipping. Allow burgers to rest on a plate for a few minutes and finely slice the remaining half onion.

Finishing your Chicken Spanakopita Burger

To assemble the burger, spread a tablespoon of tzatziki into the pita, add several spinach leaves, some of the sliced onion and the Chicken Spanakopita Burger. Additional “toppings” might include diced kalamata olives or thinly sliced plum tomato.

Skip the pita, not the flavor

For anyone with gluten sensitivities/allergies or don’t want bread for other reasons, a Chicken Spanakopita Burger patty is delicious on its own! Top it with the tzatziki, a little sliced onion and any other of the above optional toppings.

To make Greek potatoes, rinse the small bag of baby Dutch Yellow Potatoes and slice the larger ones in half. Add them to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with green seasoning (about 2 teaspoons), and toss. Spread evenly on a baking sheet lined with parchment and bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes. If you have an air fryer, cook at 400 degrees F for 8–10 minutes or until golden and fork-tender. Melt 2 Tablespoons of butter, add a pinch of granulated garlic and pour over potatoes. You’re welcome!

I hope you’ll give these Chicken Spanakopita Burgers a try! They are a nice detour from the traditional Greek burger that uses ground beef or lamb (or a combo of beef, lamb or pork).  

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About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.

Easy Carrot Cake from Box Mix

Turn a yellow cake mix into a moist, delicious carrot cake. A few simple pantry items are all you’ll need to bake a beautiful spring dessert.

My Easy Carrot Cake starts with your favorite yellow cake mix!

Wow, it’s Easter weekend and crunch time! If you’re like me, there’s the final run to the grocery store to be made, the house needs a cleaning (or at least a quick freshening) and the meal must be made. I also attend church services Thursday and Friday evening, as well as Easter morning.

So, I’ll keep this recipe brief because we don’t have a lot of time! But I wanted to share my Easy Carrot Cakerecipe with you because it’s a wonderful last-minute dessert for an Easter celebration (you know, when Auntie Janie calls last minute to say she can’t make dinner — and she offered to bring dessert). This recipe is also a good way to use up those last few carrots from the bag after Easter.

You will need the following ingredients to make Easy Carrot Cake, which yields 12 servings

• 1 yellow cake mix

• 2 cups grated carrots

• ½ cup milk

• 3 eggs

• ½ vegetable oil

• ½ crushed pineapple (do not drain)

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 teaspoon orange extract

• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg

• ¼ cup chopped pecans

• Optional: ½ cup raisins

• Optional: 24 bunny Peeps® (recommend if making this cake for Easter)

Directions to make Easy Carrot Cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans. You can also line bottom of pans with parchment and grease sides.

In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs, oil and milk for 30 seconds. Add cake mix, carrots, pineapple in juice, orange extract and spices. Beat with electric mixer until wet, then raise the speed to medium and mix for another 2 minutes.

Divide the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes (you’ll want a toothpick to come out clean when testing the center). Cool on two wire racks for 5 minutes.

Finishing the cake

Let’s face it, the cream cheese icing is the star of this show, am I right? Now, if you’re really pressed for time, prepared cream cheese frosting is acceptable. I prefer Pillsbury’s Creamy Supreme prepared cream cheese frosting; you’ll need to buy two 16-ounce cans if you go this route.

But making cream cheese frosting from scratch is super easy. Here’s the recipe I used from the Kraft Heinz web site.

• 1 (8-ounce) package Philadelphia cream cheese, softened

• ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 (16-ounce) package powdered sugar

1. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended.

2. Add sugar gradually, beating after each addition until blended.

3. Ice top of the cake with frosting and sprinkle with chopped pecans. If not using Peeps in finishing the cake, frost the sides, too.

4. If using Peeps, spread about a teaspoon of frosting onto the back of 4 Peeps and press into side of cake. Continue process until the candy bunnies encircle the entire cake.

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About the blog

Three Women in the Kitchen is an award-winning food blog offering today’s home cooks comforting, hearty recipes with a personal touch. The website also pays tribute to Deborah’s mother, Katie Reinhardt, and paternal grandmother, Dorothy Reinhardt (the “three women” in the kitchen). Whether you’re an experienced or a novice cook, you’ll find inspiration here to feed your families and warm your heart. Subscribe today so you won’t miss a single delicious detail.