Greek Turkey Burgers

Thanks to this gorgeous weather, it finally feels like spring! I went out and saw the cherry blossoms last night, and I must say, they were stunning. This warmer weather is getting me so excited for the weekend! I cannot wait to spend all day Saturday outside.

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And with the warmer weather, I am more inspired to cook lighter, healthier, food. I already shared my healthy Greek yogurt dip which I love paring with veggies. It also works as the perfect sauce for this Greek-inspired Turkey burgers! 

I love the feta, dill, and red onion filling in these turkey burgers. I made the burgers without spinach, but feel free to add it in for an extra iron and vitamin boost. 

Check back tomorrow for some interesting weekend reading links! 

Greek Turkey Burgers

Serves 4

From Ellie Krieger

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/2 small onion, chopped

2 cups lightly packed baby spinach, roughly chopped

1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese

1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1 1/4 lean ground turkey breast

1/4 teaspoon salt

Greek yogurt dipping sauce

Heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the feta cheese, dill, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. 

Divide the turkey into 4 equal-sized rounds. Make 2 equal sized patties out of each round so you have 8 patties total. 

Put 2 tablespoons of the spinach-feta mixture onto half of the patties. Top with remaining patties, and seal the edges of the burgers closed. Season the burgers on both sides with the remaining salt and pepper.

Spray a nonstick pan with cooking spray, and heat over medium high. Grill patties until cooked thoroughly, about 5 minutes on each side.

I served mine on a slice of toasted whole wheat bread with avocado, roasted red peppers, and the Greek yogurt dipping sauce.  Enjoy!

Chili for Super Bowl Sunday

Super Bowl Sunday is quickly approaching!  Though I am not an NFL fan, I will be watching the game with friends. For me, the Super Bowl is all about the game-viewing party--seeing friends, judging the commercials, and, of course, indulging in some great bar food.  

With the polar vortex still plaguing DC, nothing seems more satisfying for Super Bowl Sunday than a big bowl of chili and all the fixings. Lay out a few bowls of chopped green onions, shredded cheese, avocado, tortilla chips, etc, and let your friends add their own toppings.  I prefer to eat my chili with rice, but this chili is hearty enough that it does not need it.

I know it can be tempting to make chili from a mix, but I promise this version will have a lot more flavor, and it will be ready in about an hour. Instead of placing a bet on the winner of this Sunday's game, I'll make you a different bet; I bet your friends won't believe you made this chili from scratch!  

Turkey Chili

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Serves about 6-8 people

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces

6 medium cloves of garlic, chopped very finely either by hand or with a garlic press

1/4 cup chili powder

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 pounds of 93% lean ground turkey

2 15.5-ounce cans of red kidney beans, rinsed thoroughly

1 28-ounce can of diced tomatoes

1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes

2 cups low sodium chicken broth

1 teaspoon table salt

2 limes, cut into wedges

• Heat oil in a large non-reactive pot over medium heat, until the oil is shimmering but not smoking, about 3 to 4 minutes.
• Add in onions, bell pepper, garlic, chili powder, cumin, pepper flakes, oregano, and cayenne.  Stir the vegetables and spices occasionally, and cook until the vegetables are softened and beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.

• Increase the heat to medium-high and add the turkey.  Break up the pieces of turkey with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is no longer pink and just beginning to brown, about 3 to five minutes.

• Add the beans, diced tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, and salt to the pot.  Simmer for about 40 minutes longer, stirring occasionally.  The chili should be darken and thicken while it is simmering.
• Serve with lime wedges (and any other topping you prefer).

Grilled Sandwiches

Like a lot of people, I have a 40+ hour a week job, which means I often come home late or do not have the time to make an elaborate dinner every night.  Not being one to sacrifice taste for convenience, I really dislike frozen meals or ready-made soups that often leave me feeling a little bit disheartened after eating them.  My latest go-to quick meal has been a grilled sandwich and side salad.

Below is my one of my favorite grilled sandwich combinations--turkey, Gruyere cheese, apple slices, sautéed onions, and Dijon mustard.  Feel free to use whatever cheese and toppings you like though! Another favorite is pesto + Parmesan + turkey.

Grilled Turkey Sandwich

Makes 1 sandwich

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 onion, chopped

2 slices of bread of choice (I like whole wheat, but choose whatever you like)

Dijon mustard

2 slices of deli turkey

Thinly cut slices of Gruyere cheese

1 Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Gala apple, cut into slices no more than 1/2 inch thick (As you can tell from the pictures, I cut my apple slices a little too thick!)

Sometimes, you got to be a little bit creative. 

1. Heat a medium-sized fry pan over medium heat on the stove.  Add 1 tablespoon of butter.  When butter melts, add in chopped onions.
2. Stir onions every once in a while until they turn brown (about 10-15 minutes). Remove onions from the pan.
3. Swipe one side of each slice of bread with mustard.  Then build your sandwich,  adding the turkey, caramelized onions, apples, and then cheese to your sandwich.  
4. Place fry pan on the stove, and begin heating the pan on medium heat.
5. Coat one of the outer sides of bread with butter.  Place the sandwich buttered-side down on the pan.
6. Now, you need to apply pressure to the sandwich in order to get a golden brown and crispy exterior.  I often place a plate on top of my sandwich to add pressure, as seen in the picture.
7. When the bottom of the sandwich is brown and crispy (about 5 minutes), add butter to the top piece of bread, then flip the sandwich.
8. Continue cooking until the other side of the sandwich is golden and crispy (about 5 minutes).

Enjoy!