Indian Spiced Turkey Nourish Bowl (dairy-free, gluten-free)

The Indian culture has so much beauty, vibrancy and tradition. Everywhere you look there’s a boldness that’s unmatched – from the stunning clothing & jewelry to the intensely flavorful (and spicy!) food. Like so many cultures with deep tradition, food – selecting, preparing, cooking, and eating – is at the heart of everything.

Indian traditions bring together so many of the things I love about food and eating. I enjoy adapting the flavors and spices I appreciate about Indian cooking into every day food I can cook and eat. I love that these spices carry health benefits, like turmeric’s anti-inflammatory properties. That’s why here on my blog you’ll find so many recipes with Indian flavors. It’s because the culture has become a part of me, infused into my traditions and cooking.

Today's recipe is Indian food, the Well Fed way. This nourish bowl is inspired by traditional elements in Indian cuisine - spicy meat, cool & crunchy veggies, and a creamy “yogurt” based sauce. And like Indian food FULL of flavor.

What’s a nourish bowl?

The basic idea behind creating a nourish bowl is to layer healthful ingredients together in a bowl. Nourish bowls allow for simple, customizable creation of a balanced meal.

So, what’s in a bowl?

Grain | quinoa, brown rice, basmati rice

Protein | chicken, fish, turkey, eggs, beans or lentils

Veggies| any colorful combo of grilled, roasted, raw or pickled veggies

Healthy Fat | avocado, chopped nuts, or seeds

Dressing or Sauce | add flavor to the bowl

For easy preparation I leave most components of my bowl relatively “plain”. Here the turkey tenderloins are the star of the bowl, getting a flavorful marinade of vibrant spices. Turkey tenderloins are kicked up with flavors of coconut milk, turmeric, ginger, lime juice and red chili. Then the remaining preparation is straightforward: steam the basmati rice, lightly dress the cucumber noodles and slice the tomatoes. The bowl is finished off with a creamy, dairy-free spiced yogurt sauce.

Indian Spiced Turkey Nourish Bowl

Serves: 4

Total Time: 45 minutes

For the turkey:

1 1/4 pounds turkey tenderloins

1 cup canned coconut milk

1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric powder

2 teaspoons ginger powder

2 teaspoons ground Indian red chili or crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

1 lime, juiced

For the cucumber noodles:

1 large English cucumber

1 lime, juiced

For the dairy-free yogurt sauce:

1 container Silk plain almond yogurt

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Additional:

1 cup dried basmati rice

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced

chopped fresh cilantro, for garish

Instructions:

To a medium bowl add coconut milk, turmeric, ginger, red chili, salt and lime juice and stir to combine. Add turkey, cover and place in the fridge to let marinate for 30 minutes.
While the turkey is marinating, prepare the cucumber salad. Use a spiralizer (If you don’t have a spiralizer dice or slice up the cucumber instead), to create cucumber “noodles”. Toss with lime juice. Set aside.
Cook basmati rice according to package instructions. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half.
In a small bowl mix yogurt, salt, cumin and coriander with a spoon. Set aside.
Heat the grill to medium high. With tongs place turkey tenders on the grill, cooking 6-7 minutes on each side, or until internal temperature reaches 165° F.
Remove from heat and let rest for five minutes. Slice turkey.
Divide rice into four bowls and arrange cucumber noodles, turkey, and tomatoes on top. Drizzle with yogurt sauce and garnish with fresh chopped cilantro.