Greek Rice Bowls

There is a little fast food restaurant near my apartment called Tzatiki Grill. I haven't been, but I hear it is like Chipotle with Greek flavors. I was intrigued by the idea of a "Greek bowl" and after my recent success with Greek nachos, I was ready to try the ingredients in a more portable lunch offering. This is an excellent diversion from the chicken and rice and salsa I normally tote to work for lunch and it feels food to change things up. The rice is based on a recipe I used to make with my mom. She made it in a similar way to fried rice, stir frying day old rice with spinach and plenty of garlic, but I have found a simpler way to make it though chopping spinach never really gets easier. Instead of having the tomatoes, cucumber, olives, and onion as separate toppings, I whipped them together for a simple relish/salsa that is excellent on it's own with tortilla or pita chips.


One year ago: Brunch at Cecconi's
Two years ago: Grilled Sausages with Figs and Mixed Greens
Three years ago: Cubano Sandwiches
Four years ago: Sweet Chili Shrimp with Sesame Soy Rice


Greek Rice Bowls
(By Esi)

Makes 4 servings

2 cups spinach rice (recipe follows)
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces ground turkey
1 tablespoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sprinkle with salt. Cook until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the ground turkey cumin. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cook until the turkey has cooked through, about 7 minutes.

Spinach Rice
(By Esi)

Makes 2 cups

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup white rice
1 3/4 cups water or low sodium chicken stock
Salt to taste
1 cup finely chopped fresh spinach (you can use frozen spinach, but make sure the water is completely squeezed out)

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Add the onion and cook until the onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice and toss to make sure it is coated in the onions, garlic, and oil. Stir constantly until the rice is toasted, about 2 minutes. Add the water and season to taste with salt. Let the mixture come to a boil then reduce to a simmer over low heat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes until the rice is cooked through. Add the chopped spinach to the pan and use a fork to simultaneously fluff the rice and mix in the spinach.

Toppings:
Tomato, Cucumber, Olive relish (recipe follows)
Tzatziki (homemade or store bought)
Crumbled Feta
Sliced pepperoncini

Tomato, Cucumber, Olive Relish
(By Esi)

Makes about 2 cups

4 Roma tomatoes, seeds scooped out and diced
1 cup peeled, seeded, and diced cucumber
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup roughly chopped black olives
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Juice from 1 lime
Salt to taste

In a large bowl, mix the tomatoes, cucumber, red onion, olives, parsley, and lime juice. Season to taste with salt.

To assemble the bowls: Place 1/2 cup cooked spinach rice at the bottom of each bowl. Top each bowl with 2 ounces of the turkey mixture. Top each serving with tzatiki, tomato relish, feta, and sliced pepperoncini.

Printable Recipe

Greek Nachos

Sometimes I find a recipe and make it right away. Other times, I hold on to recipes for years and a memory will spark my desire to make it. Lately, I have been looking way back into my archive of saved recipes and I have had some fun playing around with them. This recipe isn't that old. It dates back to the summer of 2009, but that was a time in my life when I wasn't doing much cooking. The summer mix of ingredients made me hang on to it until now. It is a quick and fun dinner and absolutely great for a party. I couldn't find ground lamb at my market so I used ground turkey. Beef would work as well. Store bought pita chips ensured I would not have to turn on my oven on a hot day. The tangy feta and yogurt sauce is great, and the toppings were just as good on spinach rice the next day. Summer is quickly winding down so I encourage you to find the best tomatoes and cucumbers and not wait three years to make this recipe.



Other bloggers who love Greek nachos:
Closet Cooking
Vanilla Sugar
Macheesmo
Not Without Salt

Greek-Style Nachos
(Adapted from the New York Times)

Makes 4 servings

For the sauce:
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I used 2%)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped mint leaves
Zest and juice of one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

8 ounces pita chips (homemade or store bought)

Toppings:
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, chopped
1/2 pound ground turkey (or ground lamb or beef)
1 tablespoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup tomatoes
1/2 cup cucumber
1/2 cup red onion
1/2 cup sliced black olives (or kalamata olives)
Sliced pepperoncini
Crumbled feta

To make the sauce, combine the feta, Greek yogurt, olive oil, mint, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a food processor or blender. Mix until smooth and season with salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey and cumin. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the turkey is cooked through, about 7 minutes.

Divide the pita chips among plates. Top each plate with a bit of turkey, the feta sauce and a mix of the other toppings.

Printable Recipe

Turkey, Shiitake, and Asparagus Noodles

I normally keep things nice and light here on this site, but something has been on my mind lately. With about a gazillion food blogs existing in the blogosphere, I'm noticing that fewer and fewer bloggers are giving credit on where there recipes come from. I think everyone should read this article by David Lebovitz and then re-read it immediately. I do disagree on point three that changing just three things in a recipe makes it yours, but I am curious to know what other bloggers feel about this issue. Take this recipe for example: I used turkey instead of pork, added red pepper flakes, and added asparagus. I guess I could claim this as my own now, but I followed everything else almost exactly and I certainly didn't come up with the combination of ingredients that produced a healthy, filling, and tasty lunch for me last week. Personally, I will always state in a clear way with a link if this recipe is adapted from or inspired by another source. If I feel I have spent time in the kitchen, coming up with something new and testing it's results, I will say it is by me. Of course with millions of recipes out in the world, there are bound to be similarities and I will always write the directions for every recipe in my own voice, the way I made the food. I know this is an issue that comes up from time to time in the food blogging community, and as I said before, I am interested to hear what others think. Add your thoughts in the comments. 




Here are other articles dealing with recipe attribution:
Wild Yeast Blog
The KitchenMaid
La Phemme Phoodie
Will Write For Food


Turkey, Shiitake, and Asparagus Noodles
(Adapted from Appetite for China)

*Note: I made this in a large nonstick skillet so I greatly reduced the amount of oil called for in the original recipe. If you are cooking in stainless steel, you may need to increase the oil to up to one tablespoon

Makes 2-3 servings

8 ounces ground turkey, 93% lean
1 teaspoon canola oil
5 shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps finely chopped
2 large shallots, finely chopped
8 asparagus stalks, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, tips whole
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons sake
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 ounces soba noodles
Salt
1 scallion, sliced for serving

Heat a large wok or skillet over nonstick heat. If you are not using a nonstick pan, add the oil to the pan and heat before adding the turkey. Cook the turkey for 6-8 minutes or until it is completely cooked through. Remove the turkey from the pan with a slotted spoon a set aside.

If you are using a nonstick skillet, add the oil to the pan. Add the mushrooms, shallots, asparagus, and red pepper flakes to the pan. Cook, stirring often until the vegetables have softened and browned slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the turkey back to the pan as well as the sake and soy sauce. Cook for about 3 minutes, tossing well to combine. If your pan is not nonstick, make sure to scrape up any bits from the bottom of the pan with your spatula.

While the turkey mixture is cooking, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously and cook the soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain the noodles well. Divide the noodles amongst bowls, and top with the turkey mixture. Top each bowl with some of the green onion.

Printable Recipe

Spicy Turkey Burgers

I always seem to have ground turkey in my freezer. I decided to use some up and make turkey burgers. These are simple for any night of the week. I love using those sandwich thin thingies instead of a bun so I don't feel so full. Arugula has been my green of choice lately. I have it almost daily on sandwiches or as a side with a spritz of Meyer lemon juice and some olive oil. These are spicy, but not overwhelmingly so. It's more like a gentle heat that won't have your mouth on fire. Even the biggest spice wimps can handle this.





Spicy Turkey Burgers
(Adapted from Blue Kitchen)



Makes 2 burgers

Olive oil
1/2 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup diced onion
1/2 pound ground turkey
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon ground Aleppo chili
1/2 teaspoon salt

Saute jalapeño pepper and onion with a little olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl to cool slightly.

In a large bowl, gently mix turkey. cilantro, cumin, chili powder, salt and cooled pepper and onion mixture with your hands until just combined. Form into 2 patties.

Heat a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Add a bit of olive oil and saute turkey patties for 5 minutes on each side until cooked through. Serve on a bun with whatever toppings you would like.

Printable Recipe

Asian Turkey Cabbage Cups

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!! You may be still looking for something fast and easy to try with your menu today. If so, may I suggest these cabbage cups. Even if you're not, I still suggest them because they are fabulously easy and wonderfully flavorful. With my time being extremely limited lately, the major draw of any recipe is how much time it will take. I am getting a bit better with my knife skills so this recipe basically just takes the time to chop the herbs while the turkey is cooking. It's the perfect light lunch for Sunday afternoon or an appetizer if you have another dish planned for later in the day like I did. As always, I like my spice so I used one whole jalapeno, seeds and all. If you cannot tolerate spice like me (and there are many who cannot), just take out the seeds or use less of the jalapeno. Even though this is just turkey and lettuce, the protein is enough to fill you up and keep you feeling energized throughout the day which is just the kind of thing I need lately.

Asian Turkey Cabbage Cups
(Adapted from Cooking Light)



Makes 2 servings

1/2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil
1 small jalapeño pepper, finely chopped (you can omit the seeds if you want it less spicy)
6 large napa cabbage leaves
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add ginger and turkey to pan; cook 7 minutes or until turkey is done, stirring frequently. Drain turkey mixture; place in a large bowl. Add green onions, sugar, cilantro, mint, lime juice, fish sauce, olive oil, sesame oil, and jalapeno; toss well. Spoon a bit of the turkey mixture into each cabbage leaf. Top with peanuts.

Printable Recipe

Turkey Black Bean Chili

Despite the rest of the country suffering from a deep freeze, the year has gotten off to an insanely warm start here in So Cal. I have had to turn on my air conditioner almost daily to cool my apartment down when I get home and yesterday at the farmers market everyone was wearing shorts and t-shirts (as evidenced by this adorable pic of Raul). In spite of these facts, I have been craving chili lately. I am trying to clear some room in my freezer so this was a great way to use up the turkey I had leftover from the Italian Wedding Soup. There were many, many recipes to sift through for chili, but not a lot for black bean chili so I had to come up with something I liked on my own. For my first try, I think this came out pretty well. I love spice and this came out smoky and tangy and full of wonderful flavors. Lucky for me, I have plenty of leftovers for my work lunches this week because I know the flavors will come together even more and be even better.


Turkey Black Bean Chili
(By Esi)



Makes 2.5 servings

8 ounces ground turkey meat (93% lean)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
7 ounces fire roasted tomatoes in their juices
1 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons Aleppo pepper
2 chipotles in adobo, chopped
1-15 ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup chicken stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, green onions, etc for garnish.

In a large saute pan or Dutch oven heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the turkey. Use the back of the spoon to break up the turkey meat. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook until the turkey is cooked through. Remove the turkey from the pan with a slotted spoon.

Add the onions to the pan and cook until they have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cumin, Aleppo pepper, and chipotle. Stir to combine adjust seasoning as necessary. Add the turkey, black beans, and chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and let the mixture simmer for about 30 minutes. Serve warm with whatever garnishes you like.

Printable Recipe

Turkey Burgers with Smoked Gouda and Grilled Onions

I'm still hard at work clearing out my freezer with each passing day. Recently I found some ground turkey and the last few remaining slow roasted tomatoes (can you believe it?). I really got a lot of mileage out of the tomatoes. I will have to try that technique again soon as tomatoes are starting to pop up at the farmers market. In my most recent cookbook sweep, I found the recipe for Martha's favorite turkey burgers. Since her beef burgers rocked my world a few months ago, I decided to try the turkey burger. They were so good, easy to make and quite fast too! Rather than mix gruyere into the turkey mixture, I topped the burgers with some smoked Gouda. While the burgers were cooking up, I grilled some onions as a topper. I cooked these on the grill pan since I am waiting until after my move to really start proper grilling. The finishing touch was a bit of arugula and the pepper leaves were great with the flavors of the burger.



Favorite Turkey Burgers
(Adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast)

Makes 2 burgers

3/4 pound ground turkey (93% lean)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons dried breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Hamburger buns
Shredded smoked Gouda
Slow-roasted tomatoes
Arugula
Grilled onions

Heat the grill to high. In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine the turkey with the scallions, breadcrumbs, Dijon, garlic, salt, and pepper. Dive the mixture evenly and gently form it into 1-inch patties.

Lightly oil the grill. Place the patties on the hottest part of the grill; sear until browned, 1-2 minutes per side. Move the patties to the cooler part of the grill; continue grilling until cooked through 5-10 minutes per side.

Split the burger buns and toast on the grill if you like; place a burger on each bun and tip with the desired accompaniments.

Printable Recipe

Asian Meatballs

This past Saturday after a nice walk through Beverly Hills in the beautiful SoCal sunshine, I had a hankering for something good. Seriously, this past weekend was so gorgeous I am still thinking about it and wishing it didn't end. Unfortunately it did end, but at least I had this dish to enjoy. It definitely takes some time with the prepping of the meatballs, but once they are in the oven, it is easy peasy to get the rest of it ready and it's really good. I would definitely recommend serving it with a side of soy sauce and one of the best things about this is that it is even better the next day. To lighten it up just a bit I used turkey instead of ground beef for the meatballs and keeping with the poultry theme, I used chicken stock for the noodles instead of beef stock, because I don't usually keep beef stock on hand. I think meatballs are kind of fun to make. Definitely messy, but I love playing with the flavors.

Many thanks to those who have already contributed to my fundraiser. If you would like to donate, please click here to find out how.

Asian Meatballs
(Adapted from Blog Chef)

Makes 10 meatballs

For the meatballs:
1/2lb ground turkey
1/4 cup grated white onion
1 egg
3 fresh garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red chili pepper flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons flour

For the noodles:
3 ounces rice sticks (also called vermicelli rice noodles)
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1-2 fresh carrots, peeled into strips
4 green onions, sliced into strips
7 ounces chicken broth
Soy sauce to serve

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Combine meatballs ingredients in a bowl, mix well and form 1 to 1-1/2 inch meatballs.

Place the meatballs on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes or until fully cooked.

Rinse the rice noodles until they go slightly soft and set aside. Slice the green onions into 1” strips. Peel the carrots and then use your peeler to peel all the way down the carrot making long thin strips.

Heat sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat and stir fry vegetables for 3 minutes until the carrots go limp.

Add chicken broth and rice noodles to the skillet and bring to a boil. Cook while stirring until the broth is absorbed and the noodles are soft. Put meatballs on top of noodles or mix them together and serve with soy sauce if desired.

Greek Turkey Burgers

Blech, Monday again. This weekend went by way too quickly as usual. Before I forget, I should let you guys know that we are heading into the busiest time of the year at work so it may take me longer than normal to respond to your comments. Know that I appreciate all of them and I promise to try and respond as fast as I can. Well, unlike many people, I didn't attend any Superbowl parties. I feel like I only watch the Superbowl for the commercials and when you go to a party, there are usually too many people who talk over the important parts (the commercials) so you can't pay attention. Instead, I stayed home, cooked, cleaned, and also enjoyed one of these burgers. I actually made them on Saturday, but had enough left over for me to enjoy for the big game. I had a little turkey left over from the turkey meatballs over greens and I found the Greek inspired recipe on Closet Cooking. Once again, I made my own buns because it's way cheaper than running to the store to buy some buns. Plus, I think they are really easy to make. Last week I got some really awesome feta from the farmers market. I was a little dubious when the vendor claimed it would be the best feta I had ever tasted, but it kind of was. I prefer a chunkier tzatziki so instead of shredding the cucumbers, I just chopped them into smaller pieces. The overall combination of the burger and toppings was fantastic! It was filling without me feeling weighed-down and the flavors were excellent.

Update, the bun recipe is here.


Greek Turkey Burgers
(Adapted from Closet Cooking)

1/2 pound ground turkey
1/2 small onion, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh spinach (you can also use frozen, but make sure it is drained very well)
1 tablespoon crumbled feta
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Mix all of the ingredients in a bowl until well combined, but do not overmix. Form the mixture into patties. Grill, broil, or pan fry the patties.

Toppings:

Tzatziki (recipe follows)
Sliced tomatoes
Baby spinach
Thinly sliced red onions

Tzatziki
(From Closet Cooking)

1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
1/2 cup cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons mint, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons dill, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a small bowl, mix the yogurt, cucumber, lemon juice, garlic, mint, and dill. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Turkey Meatballs Over Greens

So by now you guys know that I have some OMFG moments with some of the recipes I try. Remember the pumpkin cinnamon rolls? Or how about the bacon and tomato hash? This is one of those recipes where you know it will be good, but will still be awesomely surprised by it's flavor. I've said it before, and I will say it again, and repeat it until the cows come home, I don't believe in diets. I much prefer finding ways to lighten up recipes or finding healthy, hearty recipes that do not sacrifice flavor. Besides eating healthfully, I am also 20 days in to 30 straight days of Pilates workouts. Coincidentally, that is one of my 101 goals. Boo-YEAH! This recipe is a wonderful combination of light yet hearty, and so insanely delicious, you won't believe it's good for you. For the greens I went with a combination of kale, spinach, and broccoli. I have never made meatballs before, so that was a fun experiment. These are really good meatballs. I may add just a touch more salt next time. I went with a jarred roasted garlic tomato sauce. I think that may have been what put this recipe over the edge. How can you go wrong with sweet garlic? Also, in my grand tradition of loving spicy foods, I added some red pepper flakes to the sauce once it was simmering. Holy YUM!! I loved this so much, I did a Facebook update about it and I have been bad about updating my status lately (minus yesterday in my excitement with the inauguration). So, really...back away and go make these meatballs now. Easy, delicious, and healthy. Could you ask for anything more?


Turkey Meatballs Over Greens
(Adapted from The Kitchn)

3/4 lb ground turkey (93% lean)
2 tablespoons grated onion (a little bit less than 1/2 a small onion)
1 egg
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound greens (I used broccoli, kale, and spinach), washed, de-veined, and roughly chopped

Combine the turkey, onion, egg, breadcrumbs, cheese, garlic, salt, pepper, and parsley in a large bowl. Mix with your hands until all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Roll portions of the mixture into 1 1/4-inch balls and place on a cookie sheet. You should have between 15 and 18 meatballs.

Heat olive oil on moderately high heat in a large skillet. Place the meatballs in the skillet and allow to sit until browned on one side, about 3 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, gently rotate the meatballs so that they brown on the other side, and continue cooking them for about 12 minutes total, rotating them carefully every few minutes so that all sides are brown.*

Reduce the heat to medium, add the tomato sauce, and red pepper flakes. Taste and season with salt and pepper if necessary. Cover the pan. Simmer the meatballs and sauce for another 10 minutes, until meatballs are cooked through.

Meanwhile, heat a small amount of olive oil in a separate large skillet. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the broccoli and cook for about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and kale and a splash of water. Cover immediately and cook until the greens have wilted, about 5-10 minutes.

Put greens on the plate and top with meatballs and sauce.

*If your pan isn't large enough to brown all of the meatballs without them touching, cook them in batches and place them back on the cookie sheet once they've been browned. Then add them all to the pan before pouring in the tomato sauce and simmering.

Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Saturday + the birthday celebration of my dear friends = One hungover girl on Sunday. I got up just long enough to crawl to the farmer's market and then came back home and got back into bed. I finally managed to get my butt into gear and get cooking. I was really in the mood for some greasy spoon, but I didn't want to go anywhere and I thought I should be kinder to my waistline and do a healthy twist on a burger and fries. Enjoyed with a prickly pear mimosa and The Breakfast Club, it was a great end to the weekend.





Stuffed Turkey Burger
(Adapted from Ellie Krieger)

1/2 lb lean, ground turkey
4 sundried tomatoes, drained and sliced
2 tablespoons shredded, part skim mozzarella, divided
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper

In a medium bowl mix together turkey, salt and pepper until well combined. Divided the meat into four equal rounds. Form each round into equal sized patties. Sprinkle two patties with sundried tomatoes and 1 tablespoon of cheese. Top with the other patties and work the edges to seal.

Grill each burger for 5 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Turkey Burgers Part Deux

I re-tooled the turkey burgers. I knew I would. Well, part of the problem was that this was the first time in history I didn't EAT at Chaya...what the WHAT?! I know. So I was a little hungry when I got home and had food on the brain (as I normally do). Anyway, I added some honey to the turkey mixture and carmelized the rest of my red onion...I cannot wait for lunch tomorrow. Turkey burger for lunch and the ADELE concert tomorrow night. Have a feeling it's gonna be the Best Day Ever!

Chipotle Day

For our Quatro de Mayo feast I made this deliciousness but it left me with a lot of leftover chipotle in adobo. It sat in my freezer while I thought of a way I could use it. Then last week it came to me...chipotle turkey burger!! My friend Raul makes amazing turkey burgers and instead of using a bun, he wraps them in cabbage. It's great because cabbage is sturdier than lettuce and you don't miss the bun at all. After my trip to the Beverly Hills Farmer's Market I concocted my creation. I don't remember the exact measurements because I rarely measure anything unless I am baking (which is rare), but this was one tasty, spicy burger. Enjoy!

Chipotle Lime Turkey Burger

1/2 lb ground turkey
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 small red onion, chopped
2 or 3 chipotles in adobo plus extra sauce
pinch of cumin
salt
pepper
2 cabbage leaves
whatever toppings you desire on your burger - for mine I used tomato slices from the market, colby cheese and bacon (mmmm...bacon)

Combine all the ingredients in the turkey and grill till done. Seriously, it's that simple. Like I said, this came out amazing, but I may make a couple of changes. I craved a little sweetness with this burger so maybe next time I will use some ketuchup as a topping or carmelize the onions, or some honey to the turkey mixture. I still have more than half of this burger mixture left and I can't wait to use it!

Chipotle Orange Shrimp Skewers
(adapted from Food Network)

1 lb shrimp peeled with tails on
2 oranges - zest and juice one and just juice from the other
1 tbsp chopped chipotle in adobo plus extra sauce
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 c cilantro plus extra for garnish

Combine all ingredients and let shrimp marinate for about 20 minutes. Skewer shrimp (if using bamboo skewers make sure they have been soaked in water for at least 30 minutes so they don't burn) and grill on a hot grill for about 2 minutes on each side. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro if desired.