Regular Foods · Dinner · by Mara
Mara's Loaded Hearth Fries
Turkey Cheese Fries with Cottage-Cheese Queso
This is a small, protein-forward version of loaded cheese fries rather than a large restaurant basket. It belongs to Regular Foods / after recovery only. Use potato, browned ground meat, melted cheese, tomato, green onion, and the finished texture only when cleared by your care team. Potato skins and raw garnishes can be difficult for some people; peel or omit them as needed. Portion the four servings before adding toppings, begin with the turkey-and-queso bites, take small bites, chew thoroughly, and stop when comfortably satisfied.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Yield
- 4 small servings
- Serving
- 1/4 batch, approximately 1/2 cup
- Texture
- Crisp-tender fries with fine, moist turkey crumble and smooth queso
Ingredients
- 8 ounces Yukon Gold or russet potato, peeled if needed and cut into thin fries
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or avocado oil
- 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 4 ounces 93% lean ground turkey
- 1 teaspoon reduced-sodium taco seasoning
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 to 2 tablespoons unsweetened low-fat milk
- 2 tablespoons finely diced tomato or mild pico de gallo, optional
- Finely sliced green onion, optional and only as tolerated
Directions
- 1
Heat the oven to 425°F / 218°C. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Rinse the cut potato fries and dry them thoroughly.
- 2
Toss the fries with the oil, smoked paprika, and garlic powder. Arrange them in one uncrowded layer. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, turning halfway, until browned at the edges and completely tender inside.
- 3
While the fries bake, place the turkey in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Break it into very fine crumbles, add the taco seasoning and water, and cook until no pink remains and the turkey reaches 165°F / 74°C.
- 4
Blend the cottage cheese with 1 tablespoon milk until completely smooth. Transfer it to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 30 seconds. Stir in the cheddar, then continue heating in 15-second intervals, stirring each time, just until smooth. Add the remaining milk only if needed for a spoonable queso.
- 5
Divide the fries among four small plates before adding toppings. Top each portion with one-quarter of the turkey and queso. Add a small amount of tomato or finely sliced green onion only if tolerated.
- 6
One reference serving is one-quarter of the completed batch, approximately 1/2 cup. Begin with the turkey-and-queso bites, take small bites, chew thoroughly, and stop when comfortably satisfied.
- 7
Refrigerate leftover fries, turkey, and queso separately in shallow covered containers within 2 hours. Use within 3 to 4 days. Reheat the turkey to 165°F / 74°C, warm the queso gently, and re-crisp the fries in the oven or air fryer before assembling.
PER SERVING
Nutrition
- Protein
- 11g
- Calories
- 140
- Carbs
- 12g
- Fat
- 5g
- Fiber
- 1g
- Sugar
- 2g
- Sodium
- 300mg
Editorial estimate per one-quarter batch using an 8-ounce potato, 93% lean ground turkey, representative 1% cottage cheese, reduced-fat cheddar, and the listed seasonings. Contains milk. Taco-seasoning, cottage-cheese, cheddar, and pico labels can change the sodium and every displayed value; verify the finished yield and the specific products used.
Source: Inspired by Sarah Lasry's Dirty Queso Fries and Brittany Mullins' Cottage Cheese Queso; independently reformulated and worded with a measured potato portion, lean turkey, less cheese, reduced-sodium seasoning, four small servings, and bariatric-stage guidance.
PASS THE PLATE