Spiced Ground Turkey & Cauliflower Rice Skillet

One pan, 25 minutes, and a week's worth of easy lunches if you double the batch. This skillet uses warming fall spices — cumin, smoked paprika, and a touch of cinnamon — to turn two of the most program-friendly ingredients on the Awakening Plan into something that actually feels like comfort food. The Mushroom and Spinach Cauliflower Rice makes an excellent side if you want to stretch this into a larger meal, and Dr. Lara's Turkey Chili is another great batch-cook option for the same weeknight rotation.

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes Yield: 4 servings Categories: Lunch, Dinner, Meal Prep Per Serving: 4 protein servings | 0.6 tsp sugar

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground turkey (white meat)
• 3 cups cauliflower rice (fresh or frozen)
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (white and green parts separated)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions

1. Cook turkey. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the white parts of the scallions and cook for 1 minute. Add ground turkey and break apart with a wooden spoon. Cook for 10–12 minutes until fully cooked through with no pink remaining. Drain any excess fat.
2. Add spices. Reduce heat to medium. Add garlic, cumin, smoked paprika, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes if using. Stir and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add cauliflower rice. Add cauliflower rice directly to the skillet. Stir to combine with the turkey and spices. Cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower rice is heated through and has absorbed the spices.
4. Season and serve. Season with salt and pepper. Top with scallion greens and fresh parsley.

Meal Prep Notes

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheats well in the microwave in 60–90 seconds. Freeze individual portions for up to one month.

Nutrition Info

1 serving = 4 protein servings | 0.6 tsp sugar Sugar breakdown: 3 cups cauliflower rice ÷ 4 servings = ¾ cup per serving at 0.4 tsp sugar per cup = 0.3 tsp. Three scallions total across 4 servings = less than ¼ cup per serving, adding approximately 0.2 tsp sugar. Total: 0.5–0.6 tsp per serving. Note: Do not substitute white onion — at 2.4 tsp sugar per cup, a single onion would consume nearly half your daily carbohydrate budget in one dish.