Winter Harvest Low Carb (Printable)

Seasonal vegetables and lean turkey baked with melted cheese for a nourishing low-carb meal.

# List of ingredients:

→ Vegetables

01 - 2 cups cauliflower florets
02 - 2 cups chopped kale, stems removed
03 - 1 cup diced butternut squash
04 - 1 medium leek, sliced
05 - 1 cup cremini mushrooms, sliced
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced

→ Protein

07 - 14 ounces lean ground turkey

→ Dairy

08 - ½ cup heavy cream
09 - 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese
10 - ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
11 - 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

→ Pantry & Seasoning

12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 1 teaspoon dried thyme
14 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
15 - ¾ teaspoon salt
16 - ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
02 - Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sauté leeks, mushrooms, and garlic until softened, about 3 minutes.
03 - Add ground turkey, breaking it apart with a spoon. Cook until no longer pink, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Stir in cauliflower, butternut squash, and kale. Continue cooking 4 to 5 minutes until vegetables begin to soften.
05 - Add thyme, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Stir in heavy cream and half of the Gruyère and mozzarella cheeses. Remove from heat.
06 - Transfer mixture to the prepared baking dish. Evenly sprinkle remaining Gruyère, mozzarella, and Parmesan on top.
07 - Bake uncovered for 25 minutes, or until bubbly and golden brown.
08 - Let the casserole rest for 5 minutes before portioning and serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It sneaks in more vegetables than you'd expect, and the cream makes them taste indulgent rather than virtuous.
  • The cheese topping gets genuinely crispy and brown, which somehow makes the whole thing feel like a celebration.
  • Leftovers taste even better the next day, so you're really making two meals at once.
02 -
  • Don't skip the resting time after baking; it's not just about presentation, it's about structure and making sure every bite holds together.
  • If your vegetables release a lot of liquid, let them cook uncovered for an extra few minutes before transferring to the baking dish, or your casserole might be watery instead of creamy.
  • Taste the turkey mixture before you add the cream—once those cheeses are in, it's harder to correct the seasoning.
03 -
  • If you're making this for meal prep, it reheats gorgeously in a 160°C oven covered with foil for about ten minutes, and tastes subtly better the next day as flavors deepen.
  • Don't crowd the skillet when you're sautéing vegetables—if you do, they steam instead of browning, and you lose that caramelized depth that makes the whole dish richer.

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