Chipotle Salsa Turkey Burgers

Whew! It's time to dust off the cobwebs around here. We've had a busy summer and I took some time to focus on my family, friends, and home. I'm excited to get back to blogging again, especially with fall just around the corner and a new season of Glee and Glee Cupcakes!

Part of the reason for the slow down around here is that I wasn't really making new recipes. To keep things simple in the kitchen, I fell back on things I've made before and knew we loved. This recipe is one that I made many times over this summer. The inspiration came one day when there were a few odd ingredients in the fridge that needed to be used up. This is one of those recipes that, now, I can skip the recipe card and go based on memory - and I love that!

These turkey burgers are a great choice when you are looking for something different than your run-of-the-mill burgers. The chipotle and adobo sauce provide a great smokiness, and the red onion is bright punch of flavor. We love them!

Chipotle Salsa Turkey Burgers

Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey


• 1 chipotle pepper with about 1 tablespoon adobo sauce


• 1/3 cup salsa


• 1/2 cup whole wheat breadcrumbs


• 1/3 cup red onion, diced


• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro


• juice from one large lime, divided


• 2 teaspoons chili or taco seasoning


• 1/2 an avocado


• burger buns, lettuce, sliced tomato, cheese, and whatever else you like to put on burgers

Instructions

1. De-seed and mince the chipotle pepper.


2. Add all ingredients except avocado and half of the lime juice to a large bowl.


3. Mix gently just until thoroughly combined; do not over-work.


4. Shape into four equal burgers. Grill over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes per side, or until no longer pink in the center.


5. Mix avocado and reserved half of the lime juice in a small bowl. Spread avocado mixture on burger bun. Build the burger with your favorite toppings, and enjoy!

Turkey and Chickpea Burgers

I can't believe it's been almost two years since I started eating clean. (For anyone that's new, take a look back at my introduction to clean eating post.) I haven't been perfect - pregnancy did have an effect on my diet, and I did the best that I could during the few months when not much seemed appetizing. Obviously pregnancy throws a kink in one's weigh loss plans, but I am happy to say that renewing my commitment to eating clean after the birth of our son helped me reach my pre-pregnancy weight. I feel great and am happy to be back on track towards reaching my ideal weight.  Sure, I still bake some decadent desserts and a few non-clean meals and side dishes, but overall, adapting recipes to be a almost, if not totally, clean is second nature. I don't miss much about full fat and over processed foods. I rarely enter the aisles at the grocery store; most of my time is spend in the produce section! I have come to a place where clean eating is easy. It's our lifestyle now, and I am so happy to have over 100 clean recipes on this blog to share with you! 



One of my favorite recipes sources is still, two years later, Clean Eating Magazine. I'm not with it enough to know when the next issue is supposed to arrive in the mail, so when it does, it's like Christmas. I have to flip through right away, and check out the newest ideas.  Spring has finally made its way to New England, and that means only one thing to my husband: it's grilling time!  I went back through some old issues for any recipes that were overlooked, and rediscovered this recipe for turkey and chickpea burgers.

Turkey burgers are my favorite, and this is a great twist on them. These are quick to throw together and taste great!

Turkey and Chickpea Burgers

Source: Slightly adapted from Clean Eating Magazine, Jan/Feb 2009
Yield: Serves 5
Preparation time: 10 min
Total time: 25 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 1 can chickpeas (15 oz)
• 1/2 cup scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon cumin (we use coriander)
• 1 teaspoon fresh black ground pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
• 1 pound ground turkey breast
• red onion, tomato, lettuce, and buns, for serving

Instructions

1. In a food processor, combine chickpeas, scallions, cumin, pepper, salt and worchestershire sauce. Pulse until smooth.
2. Transfer chickpea mixture to a large bowl. Add ground turkey and mix until well combined.
3. Divide mixture into 5 equal portions and shape into a patty. Grill burgers over medium heat, about 5 minutes per side, until cooked through.
4. Serve burgers on buns with your favorite burger toppings.

Biscuits and Sausage Gravy

"You've never had biscuits and gravy?"

My husband was shocked, but no, it was not something my parents ever made for breakfast when I was growing up. I'm from the Boston area, and breakfast was usually either cereal, various preparations of eggs, sometimes with bacon, various pastries, or the occasional loaf of Polish rye bread from Alice's Bakery in Southie. My husband is from northern California, which doesn't scream "biscuits and gravy" to me, but his mom grew up in Kansas, so that's probably where it comes from!

What is standard breakfast fare in your neck of the woods?

These tender, flaky biscuits are a fabulous complement to the creamy gravy, which has just the right spice from the fennel in homemade sausage.

Biscuits and Gravy

Source: Slightly adapted from Beantown Baker and Good Things Catered
Yield: Serves 4
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Total time: 27 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (I used Earth Balance vegan butter sticks)
• 3/4 cup milk (I used 2%)
• 8-12 ounces chicken sausage (I chopped up 7 pre-cooked patties, which ranged from 1 to 1.5 ounces each, since that is what we had on hand)
• 3 tablespoons whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 cups milk (I used 2%)
• pepper

Instructions

1. For the biscuits: Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture until the butter pieces are pea sized. Add the milk, stirring just until combined.
2. Turn dough out onto a work surface dusted with powdered sugar or whole wheat pastry flour. Roll out dough to 1" thick.
3. Cut dough into rounds or other desired shape. Top each biscuit with a small cube of butter.
4. Bake biscuits at 450 degrees F for 10 to 12 minutes.
5. For the sausage gravy: Brown sausage in a skillet. Add milk and flour to pan and whisk together to form a gravy. Add more milk to thin the consistency out, more flour to thicken the consistency. Season with pepper to taste.
6. Serve gravy over biscuits.

Turkey-Jack Burgers with Mango Salsa

This recipe combines a super simple turkey burger with a flavorful mango salsa. The magazine didn't give a recipe for mango salsa, but I knew where I could find a great one, so I wasn't deterred. As I noted in the recipe, I prefer to stuff the burgers with cheese rather than cook it on top of the burger. Whatever you like best will work!


Turkey-Jack Burgers with Mango Salsa
Source: Reworded from Clean Eating Magazine, July/August 2010
Serves: 4

1 lb extra lean ground turkey breast
1 1/2 teaspoons chile powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 ounces reduced fat pepper jack cheese or Monterey jack cheese, sliced
4 Romaine lettuce leaves, stems removed
2/3 cup fresh mango salsa (recipe follows)
4 sprouted grain (or whole wheat) hamburger buns

Mist large skillet with cooking spray and preheat to medium (or prepare grill at medium heat).  In a large bowl, combine turkey, chile powder, and salt.  Shape mixture into 4 equal patties, each 1/2 inch thick*.  Add patties to grill or skillet and cook until undersides are deep golden brown, 4 to 5  minutes.  Flip and place 1/2 ounce of cheese on each burger.  Continue cooking until undersides are browned and patties are firm to the touch, 4 to 5 more minutes. 

To serve, sandwich one lettuce leaf, one burger, and 2 1/2 tablespoons of salsa between each bun. 

*Alternatively, divide ground turkey mixture into 4 equal portions.  Working with one portion, shape half into a round patty.  Top with 1/2 ounce of cheese, then with other half of portion.  Seal around the edges of the patty to hold in the cheese.  Repeat with remaining 3 portions of turkey mixture.  Cook as directed above, omitting cheese on top of burger.

Mango Salsa
Source: Good Things Catered
Yield: 3-4 cups

• 2 large ripened mangoes, peeled and flesh cut into 1/2 inch dice
• 1 small jalapeno, seeded and diced extra fine
• 1/2 medium red onion, diced fine
• 1/2 large red pepper, seeded and diced small
• juice of 1 lime
• a teeny pinch of salt
  

In large bowl combine all ingredients and toss to combine.

Barbecue Chicken Burgers

This summer we moved to a relatively rural area, and I was excited about that because I knew there would be great opportunities for a variety of fresh, locally grown produce. I couldn't wait for the Farmer's Market to start up in June, and I've been loving the things I find there.

One of my favorite stands is Wayne's Organic Garden. Attaining organic certification from the USDA is no small task, and on my first visit to the stand I let them know how much I appreciated the effort they put into maintaining their farm.

On one recent trip, they had gorgeous bunches of green onions that I couldn't pass up. I knew I wanted to make something with them as soon as I got home, to enjoy the fresh onion flavor. We already had planned on burgers that day, so I did a quick search and found this recipe for barbecue chicken burgers that sounded delicious. I liked that it incorporated another vegetable (carrots) right into the burger! A great way to get a few more vegetables in our diet.



We really enjoyed the contrasts in these burgers between the smokey, spicy cayenne and chili sauce against the sweet molasses. These are unique burgers that are worth a try!

Barbecue Chicken Burgers
Source: Good Housekeeping via The Daily Green

• 1 pound ground chicken breasts
• 1 medium carrot, grated (1/2 cup)
• 2 green onions, minced
• 1 garlic clove, crushed with garlic press
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon light (mild) molasses
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper sauce
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 hamburger buns, warmed
• Sliced cucumber, lettuce leaves and green onion (optional)

1. In medium bowl, with hand, mix ground chicken, carrot, green onions and garlic until evenly combined.

2. On waxed paper, shape chicken mixture into four 3 1/2-inch round patties (mixture will be very soft and moist).

3. Place patties on grill over medium heat and cook about 12 minutes or until juices run clear when center of burger is pierced with tip of knife, turning over once. (If you have a grill with widely spaced grates, you may want to place burgers on a perforated grill topper to keep them intact.)

4. Place burgers on warmed buns. Serve with cucumber slices, lettuce leaves and green onions if you like.

Chicken Caesar Burgers

We have finally upgraded our grilling equipment! We were chugging along with a lava rock grill, but it's small and cooks slowly (not necessarily a bad thing), and now that we have a home and are closer to family, we wanted something a little larger. We decided on the Weber Genesis E-320, and love it!

It's pricey, but built to last, so we are very happy with it (unlike the aforementioned lava rock grill, which after 1 year is spewing rust out the bottom every time we light it).  Of course, I think my favorite part is the side burner.  This means I now have a total of ONE gas burner at my disposal.  ::shoots evil side-eye at electric stove::

We couldn't wait to use it, and decided on these Chicken Caesar burgers for the inaugural run. We've made them before, so we already knew they were great.  These burgers fabulously present that classic combination of flavors, and I especially love the dressed greens on top. 




Of course, my husband generally takes things a step further, and implored me to post a photo of his version:



Chicken Caesar Burgers
Source: Rewritten from Rachael Ray

• 1 1/4 pounds ground chicken breast (the average weight of 1 package)
• 3 garlic cloves, 2 finely chopped, 1 cracked from skin
• 4 anchovies, finely chopped (optional, but recommended)
• A handful of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
• Salt and coarse black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• A handful flat leaf parsley, chopped (I omitted)
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest plus juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (EVOO), plus some for drizzling
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 heart of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 2 plum tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 4 crusty rolls, split in half

In a bowl, combine the chicken, finely chopped garlic, anchovies, a handful of cheese, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of pepper, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and lemon zest. Mix the meat and form four burger patties.

Heat a large nonstick skillet with one tablespoon of EVOO, a turn of the pan, over medium-high heat. When hot, add the chicken patties and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side.  Alternatively, grill burgers over medium high heat, 3-4 minutes on each side.

Pre-heat the broiler and toast the bread on a cookie sheet or broiler pan. Alternatively, toast bread on the grill.  Once lightly golden in color, remove from oven and rub the breads with cracked garlic. Drizzle bread with the EVOO. 

Combine Dijon, lemon juice and 2-3 tablespoons of EVOO with salt and pepper, and toss the greens with it.
Place the patties on the bun bottoms and top them with a pile of romaine, sliced tomatoes and bun tops.

Italian Chicken and Spinach Patties

I am completely in love with this dish! The flavors are amazing, the sauce is fantastic... I wanted to lick my plate! We will definitely be making this many times in the future. Big thanks to Michele at My Italian Grandmother for the recipe!

Italian Chicken and Spinach Patties
Source: My Italian Grandmother
Yields: 6 patties

• 1 pound ground chicken
• 1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, squeezed and drained
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• approx 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt and pepper
• Italian seasoning
• garlic powder
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup of chicken stock
• wondra flour
• shredded mozzarella (swiss or fontina would be good too), optional.

Directions:

1. Saute onion and 3 cloves minced garlic in olive oil and set aside to cool. In a large bowl combine ground chicken, drained spinach, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, egg and breadcrumbs. Mix with your hands to combine all seasonings. If mixture is very wet add more breadcrumbs. It will remain sticky.

2. Preheat oven to 350. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet. Form patties and gently place in oil and let cook until browned, turn over and cook the other side. When all patties are browned place on a baking sheet and continue to cook in oven (to make sure the chicken is cooked all the way)while you make the sauce.

3. Heat 2 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter in pan, add 2 cloves minced garlic and cook over medium low heat, (do not burn or garlic will turn bitter). Add wine and let reduce by half, then add chicken stock. Let sauce cook down and reduce. Season to taste with salt and pepper. If you want the sauce to be thicker stir in some wondra flour.

4. Return patties to pan with sauce, turning to coat both sides. If desired, top with some shredded mozzarella and put the pan under the broiler to melt.

Chili Turkey Burgers

We love turkey burgers. That much should be clear by now. But turkey burgers aren't like beef burgers - where the heart of the burger is the flavor of the beef. Turkey burgers need... help, a boost.


This recipe packs a wonderful smokey heat from the chipotle peppers, chili powder and cayenne. The cilantro, red onion, and cheddar cheese complement they smokey flavors quite well. So well, in fact, that I decided to skip any of the burger toppings suggested in the original recipe. These are definitely a favorite in our house and I can't wait to make them again!

Chili Turkey Burgers
Source: Adapted from George Stella
Serves 4

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/3 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
• 2 dried chipotle peppers, reconstituted by steeping in boiling water until soft (5-10 minutes), chopped
  
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/3 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon coriander
  
• pinch black pepper
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 large egg white, whisked
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Mix all the ingredients together with your hands, in a bowl. Divide the meat mixture into 4 equal-sized patties.

Heat the a large skillet over medium-high heat, spray with cooking spray or olive oil.  Cook the burgers, turning once, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes per side.(A instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the thickest burger should read at least 165 degrees F.)  Serve on whole wheat buns.

Artichoke Stuffed Turkey Burgers

We love artichokes. We love cheese. We love turkey burgers. This dish was a natural fit for us! I made this recipe ages ago, and for reasons unclear to me now, I did not include it in my blog. We completely fell in love with this burger all over again when I made it over the weekend - it would be a shame to leave it out a second time!


I served the burgers on homemade whole wheat burger buns, and WOW. The combination was fantastic! We hadn't even finished our meal and we were fighting over who would get the leftover burger the next day.

Katie calls for 2 pounds of ground turkey, but I find I can get by just as well with one. You can skip the cheese or choose a lower fat cheese, such as feta, to make this dish clean.

Artichoke Stuffed Turkey Burgers
Slightly adapted from Good Things Catered
Serves: 4

• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 medium sweet onion, diced finely
• 1 large pinch of garlic salt
• ground black pepper to taste
• 2 artichoke hearts, quartered
• 4 oz. aged fontina cheese, sliced into 4- 1 oz. squares (choose lower fat like feta, or omit to make it clean)
• 4 whole wheat burger buns
  

Directions:
-In large bowl, add ground turkey, balsamic vinegar, onion, garlic salt and pepper.
-Work lightly with hands until well blended.
-Heat grill on medium heat. In case your cheese starts to ooze out, a good preventative measure would be to line the grill with some non stick foil, poked with holes for drainage.
-Divide meat into four portions.
-Remove 2/3 of each portion and flatten into 4-5 inch patties.
-Place 1 slice of fontina and two artichoke heart quarters in middle of each patty.
-Lightly flatten remaining 1/3 of each portion into 3-4 inch patties and place on top.
-Work lightly to flatten and seal all edges of patties.
-Cook over medium to medium-low heat *without moving* burger until bottom side is browned and cooked through, about 8 minutes.
-Turn burgers over and continue to cook until bottom side is browned and the burger is cooked through but not dried out about 8-10 more minutes.
-Remove from heat, place on bun and serve immediately.

Moussaka

Wow, this was fabulous! I had a huge sack of potatoes from the sweet potato gnocchi, and this seemed like a good way to use them up. It was somewhat labor intensive and takes about 2 hours to make, but it was definitely worth it! The instructions call for two layers of potato/eggplant, but I only had enough eggplant to make one layer, and the picture in the magazine one looked like it had one. Also, I don't have a 12x9 casserole dish, so I used two smaller corningware dishes and it worked out fine. Naturally, the second slice came out perfect, while the first slice that I got out to photograph looked like crap. Oh well!


Moussaka
Source: Clean Eating Magazine, May/June 2009
Serves: 8

2 lbs white potatoes, peeled, left whole
12 oz extra lean ground beef (I used 1 pound ground turkey)
1/2 onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 cups tomato puree
1/2 t cinnamon
1/4 t black pepper
1/4 t oregano
1 bay leaf
olive oil cooking spray
1 large eggplant (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1/3 inch slices.
1 cup low fat sour cream (or greek yogurt)
1/4 c evaporated skim milk
1 egg
2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425. Fill a large pot halfway with water, cover and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Add potatoes, lower heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 to 18 minutes, until firm but not fully cooked. Strain and set potatoes aside to cool.

2. While potatoes are cooking, brown meat with onion and garlic in a 2-qt pot over medium heat, breaking up meat into little pieces for about 4-5 minutes, until vegetables are tender and meat is no longer pink. Pour in tomato puree and 1 C water. Mix in cinnamon, pepper, oregano and bay leaf. Lower heat to simmer and cook, covered, 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cover 2 cookie sheets with aluminum foil and mist with cooking spray. Lay eggplant slices on sheet and lightly mist again with cooking spray. Bake in oven about 8 minutes. While eggplant cooks, slice potatoes into 1/4-inch slices. Remove eggplant, transfer to plate, raise oven temperature to 475, re-spray foil and lay potato slices on cookie sheets. Lightly mist potatoes with cooking spray and bake in oven for 8 minutes. Remove. Lower oven temp to 350.

4. Make bechamel sauce: In a separate bowl, mix sour cream, milk and egg until blended; mixture should be thick.

5. Spray a 12x9-inch casserole dish with cooking spray. Arrange 1 layer of potatoes in dish, top with layer of eggplant, then pour all of turkey mixture over top. Top again with layer of potatoes and then eggplant. Finish with bechamel. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and bake in oven for 45 minutes, until set and lightly brown. If not brown, raise temp to 400 and bake for another 5-10 minutes.

Number of Servings: 8

Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties

My favorite breakfast, as of late, is a whole wheat english muffin with an egg. I decided to add more protein to the dish with a chicken sausage patty. I looked around at a few different recipes and settled on a savory one from recipezaar for turkey sausage. The reviews said it was very spicy, so I cut back the black and cayenne pepper by half. With those amounts, I found it to be not at all spicy, so I might increase them for the next batch. I was pleasantly surprised to find that fresh boneless skinless chicken breasts, in place of the turkey, were easy to grind up in my mini food processor, and held together very well!




Chicken Breakfast Sausage Patties
Source: Adapted from recipezaar
Yield: about 13 patties

1 lb ground chicken
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons sage
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice

Directions
1. Combine all ingredients (use less pepper if you don't want a spicy taste) and blend well. If time permits, refrigerate overnight to let the meat absorb the flavor of the spices.

2. Form into patties. Heat a non-stick griddle or pan over medium heat. Spray pan with cooking spray. Add chicken patties and cook until brown on one side, about 5-10, then flip and cook through, about 5 minutes. Freeze leftovers. Don't overcook or they will dry out--remove from the heat as soon as they're no longer pink inside, but still juicy. (if you prefer a moister texture, you add a splash of olive oil or an egg to the mixture just prior to cooking).

Tuscan Turkey Burgers

I felt like having burgers again over the weekend, and Cara's Tuscan Turkey Burgers were next on my list to try. One of my basil plants is doing very well, so I picked a handful of leaves to make just enough pesto for this recipe. I skipped the balsamic reduction out of laziness, but I'll try to make it next time because it really would add a lot to the dish. As I made them, we still loved them.


Tuscan Turkey Burgers
Source: Cara's Cravings

1 lb ground turkey
1/4 cup pesto
1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes
1/2 of a small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 hamburger buns
1 plum tomato, sliced
handful of field greens
4-6 oz fresh mozzarella
balsamic syrup (reduction)

Combine turkey, pesto, sundried tomatoes, onion, and garlic and mix well. Place stone on grill and heat up. Form turkey mixture into 4 balls, tightly packed. Drop on hot stone and flatten with a spatula. Cook for about 8 minutes on each side, or until no longer pink in the center. Top with slices of fresh mozzarella and close the grill for a few minutes to warm the cheese. Serve on toasted buns with field greens, tomato slices, and a drizzle of balsamic syrup.

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

I saw these over on Elly Says Opa and knew I had to make them soon. We finally got around to it and I am SO glad we did! These are FAST, easy, and ridiculously delicious. I skipped the mushrooms and used some fresh basil instead of the parsley. Amazingly flavorful!



Chicken Parmesan Burgers
Source: Elly Says Opa!

1 lb. ground chicken (I used breast meat)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup plain bread crumbs
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 cup chopped flatleaf parsley
1 clove garlic, finely minced or pressed
1 shallot, finely diced
salt and pepper

1/2 cup pasta sauce
4 slices mozzarella or provolone (or 1/2 cup shredded)
sauteed mushrooms (optional)
4 buns (brushed with a little garlic butter, they are even better)

Lightly mix together all the ingredients for the burgers. Form into 4 patties. I like to make them about 30-40 minutes ahead of time, to let the flavors meld a little bit.

Preheat & spray the broiler with a little oil (or use the grill, or a pan). Broil the burgers for about 4 minutes on the first side, then flip and broil for 3 minutes. Top each chicken burger with 2 Tbsp. pasta sauce and a slice (or about 2T) of cheese. Place back under the broiler for 30-60 seconds, until cheese in melted and burger is cooked through. Top with mushrooms, if desired. Place the buns in the broiler for about 10 seconds, just until toasted.

Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers

We had some ground turkey to use up, and with the weather finally getting nice, I knew my husband would be itching to use the grill. I was searching for something different than what we usually do with burgers, and I stumbled across this recipe. Cheese? Check. Vegetables snuck in there? Check. New flavor? Check. We haven't ventured much into the Greek flavoring realm, so I decided to ease us in with this recipe. I cut the recipe in half, omitted the yogurt and used one egg instead of the egg beaters. The only thing I'd change next time is to add the yogurt (I was just being lazy when I omitted it) and to increase the Greek seasoning. I thought it could have used a little more. Overall, it's a great burger recipe and I'm excited to make them again!


Spinach and Feta Turkey Burgers
Source: Bakespace

32 oz Extra Lean Ground Turkey
10 oz box Frozen Chopped Spinach, thawed with liquid squeezed out
1/2 C Feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 C onion, grate
2 cloves garlic, grated
2 Tablespoons Plain Fat Free Yogurt
1/2 C plain bread crumbs
1/4 C Egg Beater
1 heaping Tablespoon Greek Seasoning (see below for homemade recipe)

Combine all ingredients. Form 8 equal sized patties. Cook over medium heat, until no longer pink.

Greek Seasoning
Source: Recipezaar

* 2 teaspoons dried oregano
* 2 teaspoons salt
* 1 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
* 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon cornstarch
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
* 1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
* 1 teaspoon paprika
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 1/2 teaspoon thyme

Caribbean Spiced Burgers with Mango Salsa

There is a battle in our house over burger preferences. My husband prefers chicken burgers, while I'd take a turkey burger any day. Katie from Good Things Catered has single-handedly settled this debate with this recipe, and turned me into a chicken burger lover! The burger has great flavor and the mango salsa is a fantastic complement - don't skip it! (Though, I cut the recipe in half and it was plenty for 4 burgers.)
(oh, and let's just pretend I didn't almost burn mine, mmmkay?)



Caribbean Spiced Chicken Burgers with Mango Salsa
Source: Good Things Catered
Makes 4 burgers

For the Burgers:
1 lb. ground chicken
4 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
4 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 Tbsp packed brown sugar
2 tsp fresh thyme
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp ground ginger

Directions:
-In small bowl, combine thyme, salt, garlic, onion, paprika, pepper, allspice, ginger and set aside.
-Divide ground chicken into four 1/4 lb rounds. Shape rounds into 1/2 inch thick patties (about 5 inches wide).
-In high sided dish or airtight storage bag, combine soy sauce, vinegar, and brown sugar.
-Mix to dissolve sugar into liquids.
-Coat both sides of chicken patties with spice mixture and place into liquid.
-Seal and place in fridge for about 1 hour to marinate.
-Turn grill on medium high.
-Remove chicken patties from marinade, shake to remove excess and place onto grill.
-Cook, flipping once, until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
-Remove from grill and let sit, covered by foil, for 5-10 minutes before serving.

For the salsa:
2 medium ripe mangoes
1/4 c. red onion, finely diced
2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, minced
1 Tbsp fresh mint, minced
1/2 tsp fresh ginger root, grated
juice of 1/2 small lime
1/8 tsp garlic salt

Directions:
-Peel and cut mango off of seed.
-Cut mango sliced into 1/2 inch cubes.
-In small bowl, combine mango, red onion, cilantro, mint, ginger, lime juice and garlic salt.
-Mix lightly to combine thoroughly and refrigerate 15min - 1 hour before serving.

Platinum Chef 9: Apple Pumpkin Chili

I'm BACK! I've been quite busy in the last month preparing for a huge exam. It is OVER now, so I can finally get back in the kitchen and start sharing recipes again. YAY! I also happen to think this is the perfect way to come back... with the Platinum Chef Challenge! I love this event, as it seems to be the only way to get creative juices flowing in the kitchen.

This time, Lisa of Lime in the Coconut chose GREAT ingredients for fall! This round we had to create something with sage, bacon, apples, shallots, and mushrooms. All I have been able to think about since the arrival of fall is CHILI, and I decided that all these ingredients definitely belonged in a chili together. We already have a favorite red chili, so I decided this should go the white chili route. We're a no beef household, so I use either ground turkey or chicken and, for this challenge, turkey bacon (which really is nothing to write home about. I would have much prefered real bacon or some pancetta or something, but alas, those are off the list, too). The flavors really came together nicely in this, and the best part is that it's just an easy throw-together recipe for the crockpot. Love it!

Apple Pumpkin Chili

• 1 pound ground turkey or chicken, browned in a skillet
• 2 cans (15 oz each) white beans, I went for one can northern and one can navy
• 1.5 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, cleaned, and sliced
• 4 slices bacon, browned and crumbled or chopped
• one medium shallot, diced
• 1 granny smith apple, diced
• 1/2 of a 14oz can pumpkin puree (about 1 cup)
• 2.5 cups chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon dried sage
• 2 teaspoons coriander
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• (optional) equal parts arrowroot or cornstarch and chicken broth, for thickening
• grated gouda cheese, for topping

Combine all except thickener and cheese in a crockpot. Stir to mix ingredients. Cook on high for 4 hours or low for 6. Add thickener if desired and heat on high for a few minutes to thicken sauce. Serve, topping with grated gouda.

Chicken Cobb Burger

I made this as a part of Dinner Divas (though I am apparently a little late). I am *always* looking for new burger ideas, as we don't eat red meat and grilled chicken gets a little old after a while! Though the burgers themselves were barely seasoned, the combination of all the other flavors was great! I will definitely keep this recipe around. :-) One word of caution... these are TALL! I handed them to my husband and said, "good luck!"

Chicken Cobb Burgers
from Bobby Flay

For the burgers:
~8 (1/2- thick) strips bacon (we omitted)
~1 1/2 pounds ground chicken, 90 percent lean (we used one pound of ground turkey)
~2 tablespoons canola oil (we omitted)
~Salt, Freshly ground black pepper
~1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (we used gorgonzola)
~4 burger buns, split
~1 large ripe beefsteak tomato, cut into 4 slices
~1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 8 slices

For the vinaigrette:
~2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
~1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
~1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
~1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
~1 clove garlic, finely chopped
~1/4 teaspoon sugar
~1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
~1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
~3 tablespoons olive oil (we used 2 tbsp)
~1 cup finely shredded romaine lettuce

For the burgers: Heat the grill to medium. Place the strips of bacon on the grill (lay them across the grate so they don't fall through) and grill for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels. Increase the heat of the grill to high. Form the meat into 4 (8-ounce) burgers, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Grill the burgers until golden brown on both sides and cooked completely through, about 5 minutes per side. Top the burgers with the blue cheese, close the cover, and continue cooking until the cheese begins to melt, about 1 minute longer. Place the burgers on the bottom half of each bun and top with a slice of tomato, 2 slices of avocado, 2 slices of bacon and some of the dressed romaine. Cover each burger with the bun tops and serve.

For the vinaigrette: Whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, sugar, salt, pepper and oil in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using to allow the flavors to meld. Just before assembling the burgers, place the romaine in a medium bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

Stuffed Zucchini

My parents were visiting us for a long weekend, and my Dad's garden is notorious for overproducing tomatoes, cucumbers and zucchini. Much to my surprise (as they spent 4 days driving out to our place), he brought some zucchini and cucumbers for us to enjoy. I decided to take advantage of the larger zucchini (they ones in the store are so tiny!) and make stuffed zucchini. A friend had sent me a recipe that I struggled to find (unsuccessfully), so I turned to google.

We thought they were great, and certainly something different. They came together quite easily, as well. I can't wait to make them again! (which will probably be a long time from now, since I typically can't find zucchini big enough to stuff!)

Stuffed Zucchini
from Kalyn's Kitchen

~2 large or 4 small round zucchini (or use regular shaped zucchini)
~1/2 onion, chopped
~1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (we omitted)
~2 tsp. olive oil
~1 lb. very lean ground beef (less than 10% fat) (we used ground turkey)
~1 tsp. Spike Seasoning (we used Mrs. Dash)
~1 tsp. chopped garlic
~1/2 tsp. ground fennel seed
~1 cup cooked brown rice
~1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil
~3/4 cup coarsely grated parmesan cheese
~1/4 cup chicken stock (we used white wine)
~1/4 to 1/2 cup sliced shiitake mushrooms (our addition)

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cut stem and flower ends off zucchini, trimming off the smallest possible amount of the skin and taking care to cut it off evenly, since this will show. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then using a pointed teaspoon or melon baller, scoop out and discard most of the zucchini flesh and seeds, leaving an even 1/2 inch of flesh attached to the skin. If your zucchini are rolling around a lot, you can cut a thin slice on the bottom side of each to make them sit up. Microwave zucchini 3-4 minutes on high. (I think I forgot to microwave them - we had no issues after accidentally skipping this step!)

Heat olive oil in heavy frying pan and saute chopped onions and peppers until they are just starting to soften, about 5 minutes. (They will cook more in the oven, so they don't need to be fully cooked at this point.) Remove onions and peppers to large mixing bowl, then add ground beef to hot pan and cook until starting to brown. When meat is about half cooked, season with Spike Seasoning and ground fennel and add garlic, and continue to cook until meat is well browned, breaking it into small pieces with the side of your turner. Remove cooked ground beef to mixing bowl. Add cooked brown rice, chopped basil, parmesan cheese, and chicken stock to meat and vegetable mixture, and gently combine.

Choose a roasting pan with slight sides, just big enough to hold the zucchini. Spray pan with nonstick spray or a light misting of olive oil. Stuff zucchini with stuffing mixture, packing in as much as you can into each zucchini, and mounding it up as high as you can, until all stuffing is used. Put zucchini into roasting pan, putting them close together so they hold each other stuffing-side up. Roast uncovered 20-30 minutes, until zucchini is tender-crisp, and filling is hot and slightly browned. Serve hot. This will keep well for a few days in the refrigerator and can be reheated in the microwave.

Chicken Burgers with Peanut Sauce

We are a No-Beef household, so burgers come one of three ways: chicken, turkey, or black bean. I have to admit, chicken burgers are my least favorite of the three. My husband has always made them in the past, and maybe he just made them too big or something, but I couldn't really get into them. We had some ground chicken to use (since he just bought 4 more packs at the store), so I went off in search of a recipe that would change my mind about them. I certainly found it! The peanut sauce on this is *great*, and the burgers themselves were really good. Chicken burgers had definitely pushed themselves back up in the burger ranking. ;-)

Chicken Burgers with Peanut Sauce
Source: My Recipes
Yield 4 servings.

For the sauce:
~2 tablespoons peanut butter
~2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
~1 1/2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
~1 teaspoon water
~1 teaspoon rice vinegar
~1 garlic clove, minced

For the burgers:
~1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
~1 tablespoon chile paste with garlic
~2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
~2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
~1/4 teaspoon salt 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, chopped
~Cooking spray
~4 (2-ounce) sandwich rolls with sesame seeds
~1 cup onion sprouts or alfalfa sprouts

To prepare sauce, combine first 6 ingredients, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Prepare grill.

To prepare burgers, place onions and next 5 ingredients (onions through chicken) in a food processor; process until coarsely ground. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 4 minutes on each side or until done. Place rolls, cut sides down, on grill rack; grill 1 minute or until toasted. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each roll; top each serving with 1/4 cup sprouts, about 1 tablespoon sauce, and top half of roll.

Nutritional Information:
Calories - 341(28% from fat)
Fat - 10.6g (sat 3.2g,mono 3.5g,poly 3.3g)
Iron - 2.7mg
Cholesterol - 49mg
Calcium - 67mg
Carbohydrate - 32.8g
Sodium - 769mg
Protein - 28.5g
Fiber - 2.5g

Cheesy Baked Tortellini

Tonight I made something I know my fiance enjoys: Giada's Cheesy Baked Tortellini.  It's a gooey comfort dish that always hits the spot for us.  I have found that we like to use a little more cheese and add in some ground turkey or chicken, whatever we have on hand, to add some extra protein.  

Cheesy Baked Tortellini
Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis

• Olive oil or cooking spray
• 2 cups marinara sauce, we like to use Puttanesca sauce
• 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley or 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme leaves, or 1 teaspoon dried
• 8 ounces purchased cheese tortellini
• 6 ounces thinly sliced fresh mozzarella 
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 pound ground turkey or chicken
  

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly oil an 8x8x2-inch baking dish.  Brown the ground turkey or chicken in a skillet over medium heat, until no longer pink. Meanwhile, whisk the sauce, mascarpone cheese, parsley and thyme in a large bowl to blend. Cook the tortellini in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes.  Drain. Add the tortellini and browned meat to the sauce and toss to coat. Transfer the tortellini mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top the mixture with the smoked mozzarella and Parmesan. Cover and bake until the sauce bubbles and the cheeses on top melt, about 30 minutes.

Here is mine, ready for the oven:

And fresh out of the oven....

aaaaand on the plate:


YUM :-)