Turkey Burgers with a Mediterranean Twist

These Mediterranean turkey burgers are juicy and delicious. The secret is the spinach. It helps to hold them together but also keeps the turkey tender as it cooks. The sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, oregano, and feta cheese give them their yummy Mediterranean flavor.

Ingredients

• 1lb lean, ground turkey 
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• ¼ cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water and finely chopped
• 2 oz frozen spinach thawed, excess liquid squeezed out using paper towel
• 6 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup whole grain bread crumbs
• sea salt and black pepper to taste 

Instructions

• Combine turkey, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, chopped onion, feta, garlic, oregano, bread crumbs, and egg in a medium bowl. 
• Season with salt and pepper 
• Mix well with clean hands 
• Form turkey mixture into six evenly-sized patties 
• Turn broiler to high (or preheat grill) 
• Grill or broil patties for 5 minutes on each side, until they have an internal temp of 165°F
• Serve on sprouted grain bread with hummus and tomato 

These burgers are my favorite, because they make 6 patties we can have them for dinner and leftovers for lunch or dinner again the next day. We always roast veggies or have carrot fries as a side with these burgers to make it a full meal. 

Almond Crusted Chicken with Sauteed Vegetables

This Almond-Crusted Chicken is a perfect and quick meal for dinner on a busy weeknight. The recipe makes 6 servings, so we often have it for dinner two nights and I'll bring leftovers in my lunch. It's just as yummy reheated! 

Ingredients for Chicken

• 1 cup almond flour 
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon zest 
• 1 tsp garlic powder 
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 
• 1 large egg, beaten 
• 1/4 cup water 
• 6 raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 

Ingredients for Vegetables 

• 6 cups fresh vegetables of choice (we used Onion, Pepper, Asparagus, and Carrots) 
• 1 tbsp olive oil 
• 1 tsp minced garlic

Instructions for Chicken

• Preheat oven to 425°F
• Combine almond flour, lemon peel, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl; mix well and set aside 
• Combine egg and water in a shallow bowl; whisk to blend 
• Dip each chicken breast into the egg mixture, move it to the flour mixture and evenly coat the chicken, set aside.
• Heat Olive Oil in in a large skillet over medium-high heat
• Add chicken breasts and cook for 4 minutes on each side
• Move chicken from the skillet to a parchment-lined baking sheet; bake for 12-15 minutes until a cooking thermometer reads 165°F

Instructions for Vegetables

• While the chicken is baking, heat olive oil and garlic in skillet over medium heat
• Add chopped vegetables
• Cook the veggies, stirring frequently for 3 to 5 minutes, or until tender crisp. 

Serve one chicken breast and one cup of vegetables per serving.  Remember, these make great leftovers and lunches! It's a healthy meal, husband approved!

Carrot Fries

When we go out to eat at a restaurant french fries are something I love to treat myself with. Admittedly, they're my weakness. I LOVE any type of fry but I especially love Sweet Potato Fries. I also love that they're somewhat of a healthy alternative to regular, deep-fried french fries. They were my go-to at restaurants and I was always on the hunt to find the best ones in town. They were also our go-to when we grilled burgers. Until I met the carrot fry. I tried a few recipes and finally tailored one to my liking. I don't even miss regular fries OR sweet potato fries now. These are so delicious that they hit the spot. They're crispy, have a punch of flavor, and come with a side of greek yogurt dipping sauce. Win, win, win! 

Carrot Fries (serves 2)

Ingredients: Carrot Fries:

4-6 Large Carrots

1 ½  Tbsp Olive Oil

2 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp pepper

¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Dipping Sauce:

4 Tbsp Greek Yogurt (0% plain)

1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

½ tsp minced garlic

½ tsp pepper

Instructions Dipping Sauce:

• Place all ingredients into a bowl and stir to combine

Instructions Carrot Fries:

• Preheat oven to 450°
• Line baking sheet with parchment paper
• Slice the top and bottom off of carrots then slice them in half, slice each half into thirds lengthwise.

• In large bowl mix together oil, garlic powder, pepper, and parmesan cheese with carrots

• Once thoroughly seasoned, move the carrots from the bowl to the parchment-lined baking sheet, place in the oven 

• Bake for 25-30 minutes (flipping/stirring at 15 minutes), depending on how crispy you want them.
• Serve with dipping sauce
  
  

These are honestly one of my favorite side dishes to serve when grilling food. We've shared the recipe with our families who also wholeheartedly approve. I can't wait for you to try them!