The flavors of this meal turned out so fantastic that I had to write about the whole thing! The sauce I made for the turkey matched so well with the squash! And the coolest thing was that this meal was full of firsts for me! I picked up organic turkey tenderloins on a whim because Publix was out of pork tenderloins. And I’d been fretting over preparing butternut squash, which I’d bought at a local stand, because I’d only ever had the store-bought, already cut up, kind. I also had no idea what to pair it with.

So while I was at Publix, I picked up a helpful butternut squash recipe card with cook times and such. Then I went home and researched what to do with the turkey loins! The green beans were already in my fridge but I was determined to make them fit. And I did!

I took a series of pictures showing the steps taken for the turkey. This is a little time-consuming but totally worth it! First the turkey was laid in a casserole dish (use a size that fits the loins well). Then I covered the turkey with the sauce I made (recipe below) and I broiled it for 10 minutes on each side. After flipping the loins, I covered them in the sauce again and then put them back in the oven for 10 more minutes.

The recipe I used for the sauce was adapted from this recipe by Taste of Home.  I did not have time to marinate my turkey beforehand, so I decided to try covering the turkey with a version of this sauce and broiling it. And it turned out great!

Ingredients:

• 2 organic turkey loins
• 1 butternut squash
• 12 oz organic green beans (I just cooked the whole bag)
• 3 tbsp olive oil (+ 3 tbsp more for the green beans)
• 1 onion diced
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 2 small portobello mushrooms diced
• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple juice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 tsp rosemary
• 2 tbsp parsley
• 1/2 tsp thyme

Directions: (Note: don’t forget to cook your butternut squash ahead of time! These take a while!)

1. Add the olive oil, diced onion, salt and pepper to a medium-sized sauté pan. Simmer on medium-low for 2 minutes or so.
2. Add the diced mushrooms and stir well. Cook for 2 more minutes. Add more olive oil if needed to incorporate mushrooms.
3. Add the minced garlic and 1/2 cup of unsweetened apple juice. Cook for a few minutes.
4. Add 1 cup of chicken broth and 3/4 tsp of rosemary, 2 tbsp of parsley, and 1/2 tsp of thyme. Simmer on low for another 10 minutes or so. All ingredients should be well mixed and mushrooms should be well cooked. The mixture should begin to thicken a little.
5. When satisfied with the look and taste of your sauce (it may need more salt or pepper), remove the pan from heat and set aside. Place the turkey loins in the baking dish and then pour the sauce on top. Use a spoon to scoop chunks of onion, garlic, mushroom, and seasoning onto the loins until well covered. Leave a little sauce in the sauté pan for the green beans. This will incorporate the same flavors.
6. Add 3 more tbsp of olive oil and 1/4 cup of water to the same sauté pan and cook green beans for about 5-10 minutes mixing in the leftover onion, garlic and mushrooms.
7. Place baking dish with turkey loins on a middle rack in the oven and broil for 10 minutes on high.
8. After 10 minutes, pull from oven and flip loins. Repeat covering the loins completely by scooping sauce onto them. *See pictures above. Broil for another 10 minutes on high.
9. While the turkey is broiling and the green beans are simmering, don’t forget to mash up your butternut squash! I previously cut mine in half and baked it in the oven at 350°F for an hour and 15 minutes. My squash was not that large so it took a little less time than usual. When you can easily pierce it with a fork, it is finished. After letting it cool, scoop out the insides with a spoon and place them in a small saucepan. I used an immersion blender to easily mash it up. Warm the squash on medium and add ghee or butter if you’d like. I only added salt and pepper to mine. I found that the flavor of the squash was delicious without needing much!
10. Pull the turkey from the oven when it is finished and use a meat thermometer to make sure it reaches 165°F. I also cut into one piece to make sure it looked fully cooked inside.
11. Place the butternut squash on a plate and add the turkey and green beans. Pour the leftover sauce from the sauté pan on top of everything! *This is my favorite part!! The flavors were magnificent! Oh, the joys of cooking!

Hope you find this recipe as enjoyable as I did! Mix and match with your favorite veggies! But remember, the key is to try something new and get creative!