Garlic Ginger Ground Turkey with Peas

If you've followed my recipes on County Meanderings, you know that one of my favorite guilty pleasures is Chinese takeout. For me, it's not about the convenience. I simply love the dept of flavor and the "I can't make this at home" uniqueness that American Chinese dishes have. What I don't love is the MSG and unnecessary fats that come along with that. I've spent the last few months in the kitchen exploring ways that I can zap those cravings with a healthier and more cost effective alternative. Using inexpensive and lean ground turkey, this recipe takes a health spin on the delicious brown sauce that my pallet aches for. If you're a fan of ginger and garlic, I know you'll love my last Asian creation. 

Bonus...This is a one-pot dish - you have to love that, right? Easy prep, easy clean-up. That's my style. 

Ingredients

Turkey
1lb lean ground turkey
1/2 yellow onion
1-2 inch piece of fresh ginger
2-4 cloves of garlic (depending how much you like!  I went 3 medium cloves)
1 cup frozen green peas

Sauce
1/3 cup low sodium soy sauce
1-2 tbsp brown sugar
Pinch of red chili flakes
1 tbsp thai chili sauce
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

1. Dice onion, garlic and ginger (you can also grate the ginger if you aren't a huge fan of it). 
2. Saute the onion, ginger and garlic over medium heat (any oil is fine but I love to use chili oil from the asian food isle) until it becomes very fragrant and the onions are translucent (5-8 mins).
3. Add ground turkey and cook until no longer pink (medium-high heat for about 10-15 minutes).
4. Add frozen peas and cook through (5 mins). 
5. Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, chili flakes, chili sauce (could also add any other heat you like!) until the sugar dissolves. 
6. Cut the heat to medium-low and pour in the sauce. Simmer on low for 10mins - 30 mins depending on how long you want everything to meld together. 
7. Serve over rice, green beans, or in lettuce wraps.