This RD Eats!

Beef: A part of a healthy diet.

Posted on February 27, 2013 by April Graff

I have welcomed a fellow dietitian and blogger, Jen Haugen, to share her thoughts with you today. You can follow her at http://jenhaugenrd.wordpress.com

Hi, I am Jen and I am a registered dietitian, and most importantly a mom to two awesome kids. Are they the healthiest eaters? No. Do I keep trying each and every day to offer them healthy choices? Why, YES! I’ve even made over my husband’s eating habits after about 13-plus years. So I know there is hope for my kids! Clean slates are easier to work with compared to teaching an old dog new tricks – sorry honey. I love working in the supermarket as a retail dietitian where each and every day I get to promote healthy choices. I love to garden with my family and work in the kitchen together creating a healthy meal my family will love while creating special memories all at the same time. You can find recipes, nutrition tips and real life advice you can trust from a nutrition expert in my Down-To-Earth Dietitian Blog.

And because April so graciously allowed me to be her guest – I wanted to honor our profession as supermarket dietitians by tackling one of the most common questions we receive in the aisles – “Can I eat red meat as part of heart-healthy diet?”
Why, it’s a resounding YES!

Lean beef can be part of a heart-healthy diet. The key here is “part of”. Many people think that eating beef causes their cholesterol to rise therefore increasing their risk of heart disease. But they are surprised to learn that there are 29 cuts of lean beef that meet the criteria of “Lean”. Here are the 29 cuts:

What is lean? Lean means that a 3-ounce cooked portion has less than 10 grams of total fat, less than 4.5 grams saturated fat and less than 95 mg cholesterol. And when you incorporate up to 4 ounces of lean beef every day as part of a heart-healthy diet, research shows you can lower your cholesterol by up to 10%.

What does “part of a heart-healthy diet” mean? Heart-healthy diets are just that, they are healthy for your heart. They incorporate lots of fruits and vegetables – five cups a day – and whole grains as well as low-fat dairy. They also include good-for-you monounsaturated fats. In fact, half the fat found in lean cuts of beef is from monounsaturated fat – the same type of fat found in olive and canola oil.

What would a heart-healthy meal look like for a family with kids? This is a super easy meal that my family loves. The flavor is excellent and the meat is tender (if you don’t overcook it!).
• Easy Asian Stir-Fry (lots of veggies and lean protein)
• Brown rice (whole grain) – I cook up a whole batch of brown rice and freeze it in 3 cup portions in my freezer for easy use in meals.
• 1 medium apple (fruit)
• 1 cup fat-free milk (dairy)

Easy Asian Stir-Fry

Serves 4.
What it takes:
• 1 pound beef top sirloin steak, cut ¾-inch thick
• ¾ cup prepared Asian Sesame Ginger salad dressing
• 1 package (16 ounces) frozen Asian vegetable blend (such as carrots, broccoli and sugar snap peas)
• ¼ cup water
• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
What to do:
1. Cut beef steak lengthwise in half, then crosswise into 1/8-inch thick strips. Place beef and ¼ cup of salad dressing in food-safe plastic bag; turn beef to coat. Close bag securely and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes to 2 hours.
2. Heat large non-stick skillet over medium heat until hot; add vegetables and water. Cover and cook 7-8 minutes or until crisp-tender. Stir occasionally. Remove vegetables and keep warm.
3. Remove beef from marinade; discard marinade. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in same skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add ½ of the beef and garlic. Stir-fry 1 to 2 minutes or until outside surface is no longer pink (okay on the inside). Do not overcook. Remove from skillet and repeat with remaining oil, beef and garlic.
4. Return vegetables and beef to skillet. Stir in remaining ½ cup salad dressing. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes or until heated through. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Recipe adapted from www.beefitswhatsfordinner.com
For more healthy meal ideas for your family, visit http://jenhaugenrd.wordpress.com

Posted in Meal Planning, Recipes, Uncategorized | Tagged asian, beef, menu, recipes, stir-fry | 1 Comment

Lemon Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

Posted on February 25, 2013 by April Graff

I am always looking for ways to jazz up our vegetable side dishes. I can only eat frozen vegetables for so many days before I crack. Don’t get me wrong, frozen vegetables are magnificent in the fact that they are convenient, inexpensive and quick to prepare. But there are days I just crave something, well, fresher!

A vegetable that has been making its appearance on my table lately is Brussels sprouts. My love of these miniture cabbages is relatively new and happend unexpectantly. I have my friend, Jessi, to thank for this nutritious addition to our table.

Brussels sprouts.

It all started the spring we moved into our house (2009). I wanted a garden so badly that the weekend after we moved in I had my husband till up a patch in our backyard and we planted. I say that like it was no big thing, when in reality, I was pretty naive. Growing up we had a garden that I helped harvest, but I never paid attention to spacing, soil quality and other necessary attributes of successful gardening. This is where my friend, Jessi, came in. She used to work for a local garden center and moved into a new house just a couple months before we did, so they were also planing their own garden for the first time.

Jessi did all the research and pretty much brought everything over that we needed (including plants). I requested tomatoes, peppers, peas and green beans. Jessi brought those, plus some orphan cabbage plants that didn’t fit into her garden (at least I thought they were cabbage). She came, planted everything, and left. I wasn’t thrilled about the cabbage, but hey, I like coleslaw. So I rolled with it.

The rest of the summer I was watering, weeding and nuturing my produce. Soon the “cabbage” was growing like crazy and crowding my beloved tomato plants. I cursed those “cabbage” plants and vowed to never take Jessi’s “orphan” plants again.

Brussels sprouts plant

Well, lo and behold, those “cabbage” plants kept growing taller and taller, fuller and fuller. Then one day I noticed little baby “cabbage” balls along the stalk of the plant. That’s when it hit me, “these aren’t cabbage, these are Brussels sprouts”!
I nearly ripped them up. What was I going to do with Brussels sprouts? The only sprouts I had ever had were over-steamed and mushy. Nothing I ever wanted to try again.

Thankfully the vegetable-loving dietitian in me kicked in and left them alone. That year was a great year for the sprouts (we had 4 plants) and I was determined to find a tasty way to prepare these. After a couple botched recipes, I came up with something so delicious that even my 2 and 3 year old kids request.

So I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jessi for introducing me to one of my favorite vegetables!

Lemon Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet and preheat over medium-high heat.

Trim the bottoms of the sprouts and cut in half.

Lay the sprouts, cut side down, in the preheated skillet. Sprinkle with salt (I prefer sea salt) and pepper.

Beautiful, browned brussels sprouts.

Roast for 5-7 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip to brown the back sides. Immediately squeeze the lemon juice over the sprouts and sprinkle with cheese. Let cook until the juice evaporates (up to 1 minute).

Lemon Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

Remove from the skillet and eat.

Lemon Parmesan Brussels Sprouts

All you need:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 pounds Brussels sprouts
Salt and pepper
Juice of half a lemon
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese.

All you do:
1. Drizzle olive oil in a large skillet. Preheat the skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Cut off the bottom ends of the Brussels sprouts and discard. Cut the remaining part in half.
3. Lay the sprouts, cut side down, in the preheated skillet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
4. Roast for 5-7 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Flip to brown the back sides.
5. Immediately squeeze the lemon juice over the sprouts and sprinkle with cheese. Let cook until the juice evaporates (up to 1 minute).
6. Remove from the skillet and eat.

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized | Tagged brussels sprouts, garden, recipe, recipes, vegetables | 3 Comments

The solution: Baby Kale

Posted on February 21, 2013 by April Graff

We have all heard how great kale and other dark, leafy green vegetables are for us, the problem comes when we try to use them. What does one do with Kale and leafy greens (that doesn’t include lard or bacon grease)? Kale tastes similar to spinach, but the texture is firmer and the taste a bit stronger and more bitter. One of my favorite ways to use kale is baked kale chips. They are a crispy (whispy is a good adjective) and delicious snack that my family loves. They aren’t hard to make, but because they don’t keep for very long, you have to make them as you want to eat them.

That is great, in theory, but as a working mom of 2 young kids, perfect timing isn’t always realistic. Plus, the added steps of washing, drying and tearing the kale into pieces slows us down when we really want a snack.

My second favorite way to eat kale is to add it to soups. It adds a beautiful green color, great nutrients and it holds up well to cooking. But again, let me remind you that I work fulltime and have two young children. Time is at a premium.

I have recently (okay, it has been nearly 1 year) discovered a wonderful product that helps me use kale without all the fuss. What is this nutritious and convenient product, you ask? Baby Kales! Tah-Dah!!!

Pre-washed Organic Baby Kales

Isn’t it beautiful? This product is great for so many reasons.
1. It is in a plastic clamshell so smashing is minimized.
2. Organic
3. Pre-washed (and dried)
4. Baby-size means that it is less bitter tasting and not as tough textured
5. Adorable! I mean, what isn’t to love about baby kales?

Plus, since discovering this great treat in the produce section we have been adding it to our fresh lettuce and spinach salads and haven’t looked back since. Even my 2 and 3 year olds dig in.

How do you eat your green leafy vegetables?

Posted in Products | Tagged kale, kale chips, leafy greens, products | Leave a comment

Freezer Meals and Seafood Recipes

Posted on February 7, 2013 by April Graff

I finally got around to publishing my February 2013 nutrition newsletter today. I admit, with my week-long Caribbean cruise last week, I wasn’t really motivated to get it done before I left. (Yes, that is my sneaky way of saying “Neener, neener, neener, I went on a Caribbean cruise!”).

February 2013 Newsletter

Now that I am all tanned and refreshed, I was able to focus on the task at hand. This month’s Mankato Hy-Vee newsletter focuses on getting organized. I will always preach the importance of meal planning, but there are those days that even with the best intentions, meal plans are the last (and often neglected) item on the agenda (drive-thru or frozen pizza, anyone?) Convenience foods don’t have to be unhealthy. You just have to make healthy foods convenient.

Freezer meals are the simple solution to the problem. I’m not talking about the salt- and fat-laden meal kits you find in the freezer section (we’ll talk about how to make those a better choice another time). I’m referring to meals that you assemble ahead of time and put in the freezer to be taken out and used a different day. Most of us have used freezer meals at some point (who hasn’t taken extra chili and put it in the freezer for another meal later in the month?), but freezer cooking can take on a life of its own. If you search the web, you will find websites dedicated to nothing besides freezer cooking. There are people out there that do all of their meal prep on one day for an entire month! Wowzers! I’m not there yet. I like to have a couple freezer meals made up for those busy days or days I just don’t feel like cooking. They key to success is to be realistic and plan for those times, instead of acting surprised and trying to deal with the chaos. I have included 3 delicious freezer-friendly recipes in this newsletter.

Do you make freezer meals? If so, I’d love to hear your sucess stories (or flops).

Posted in Meal Planning, Newsletter, Recipes | Tagged freezer, freezer cooking, freezer meals, newsletter, recipe, recipes, seafood | 1 Comment

Monk Fruit

Posted on January 14, 2013 by April Graff

As a supermarket dietitian, I am frequently asked questions about food and healthy eating. I have decided to share some with you, along with my response. Enjoy-

Monk Fruit

Q. I just saw a monk fruit sweetener next to the stevia I usually purchase. What is it and is it a safe sugar alternative?

A. Like stevia, monk fruit sweeteners are derived from natural, plant sources. Monk fruit recently made its debut in the US appearing in a range of products from granola to cocktails. Monk fruit is a small, dark-green melon containing mogroside, an intensely sweet compound which is the star ingredient in this new generation sweetener. Mogroside, in its pure form is 300 time sweeter than sugar.
The fruit is crushed, mixed with hot water, filtered, and dried to form a sweet, zero-calorie powder. There are several brands of monk fruit-based sweeteners available. One of the most common brands is Nectresse, which is a blend of monk fruit, erythritol, sugar and molasses. It contributes 1-2 calories per packet and is a great, natural option for people looking for a natural sugar alternative.

Nectresse

According to the Nectresse website, monk fruit extract is heat stable, so you can bake and cook with it. It is perfect for sweetening savory sauces like tomato sauce, entrees like chili, homemade jams and jellies and desserts like rice pudding. It is important to note, however, that Nectresse is more concentrated than sugar. Use ¼ teaspoon Nectresse to replace 1 teaspoon of sugar. When substituting in baked goods, it is recommended to start out substituting a small amount of Nectresse for sugar to test the outcome and adjust as needed.
As for its safety, people in Asia have enjoyed monk fruit for centuries with no observed negative health outcomes. It gained its name from the Buddhist monks who cultivated it and provided folk remedies for numerous ailments such as coughing, constipation and sunstroke. The scientific research on the fruit’s potential benefits is still very new. In 2010, the FDA granted monk fruit GRAS status (Generally Recognized as Safe) for use as a sweetener and flavor enhancer. One specific study from 2009 found that mogroside might have potential benefits for diabetes, in that it has a low glycemic index and may stimulate insulin secretion. However, much more research needs to take place before recommendations can be made concerning monk fruit’s potential health benefits.

Posted in Questions | Tagged monk fruit, nectresse, questions, sweetners | Leave a comment

Meal Plan Monday: December 31st – January 6th

Posted on December 31, 2012 by April Graff

Well, we survived Christmas. Barely, but we survived. The two kiddos and I each took turns fighting with the flu bug. ICK! But we are now back to our normal selves and even managed to put the Christmas decorations and most of the new toys and presents away.Any parent out there will attest to the knee-deep piles of toys, clothes and random packaging that ~~litters~~ takes over your house after Christmas. It has taken us a few days, but for the most part, everything has found a new home. Yay!

This week’s meal plan went together rather quickly thanks, in part, to my craving for Fish Tacos and my need to free up freezer space by cooking up my whole turkey.

My beautiful roasted turkey from the last go-around. Isn’t it beautiful?!

Monday:

Leftovers
I wanted to keep it simple for New Year’s Eve. We are heading over to our neighbor’s and will be bringing fresh fruit and dip as well as homemade crab rangoons (I’ll post the recipe tomorrow).

Tuesday:

Fish Tacos
Officially my new, favorite meal! You can find the recipe in my previous post.

Wednesday:

Roasted Turkey, Acorn Squash and Frozen Vegetables
Since my previous roasted turkey attempt was so successful, and I had another FREE turkey in my freezer to use up, turkey is on the menu again. I’ll take pictures this time and add my recipe. YUM!

Thursday:

Spaghetti and Fresh Salad
Maxwell’s weekly pick of noodles.

Friday:

Loaded Turkey Spinach Pasta Salad
I have seen several recipes on Pinterest using chicken and pasta on top of a spinach salad. So I thought I would give it a try and add my own twist(s). I’ll keep you posted on the success of the recipe once we try it out.

Saturday:

Turkey Pizza
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble. It has been a while since we made homemade pizza (hey, 2 weeks is a long time for us!) I have a new crust recipe that I want to try (as well as a new pizza stone from Christmas). This crust I am planning on topping with pesto instead of sauce, turkey, green onions, spinach and cheese (and probably whatever random food I find in my fridge that needs used up!)

Sunday:

Turkey Salad Sandwich
Yum. I really like chicken/turkey salad sandwiches on fresh croissants. Not the lowest-fat option out there, but it is SO good. I’ll serve it with some fresh fruit and maybe a lettuce salad. Can’t wait for this one. It has been way too long!

Posted in Meal Planning, Recipes | Tagged fish tacos, loaded turkey spinach pasta salad, meal plan, meal planning, recipes, salad, turkey | 2 Comments

Bloody Mary Cocktail Dip

Posted on December 20, 2012 by April Graff

Here is the Bloody Mary Cocktail Dip that I promised you earlier this week. A perfect snack for the holiday weekend. It is simple to put together and tastes great!

Bloody Mary Cocktail Dip

All you need:
1 cup Hy-Vee cocktail sauce
½ cup Spicy Hot V8™ (or Original if you don’t like spicy)
½ cup finely chopped Hy-Vee green olives
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1.5 lbs shelled and deveined cooked shrimp

All you do:
1. In a medium bowl, stir together cocktail sauce, V8™, green olives, celery and Worchestershire sauce.
2. Serve with shrimp.

Serves 17 (2-tbsp servings)
Nutrition Facts per serving: 30 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 320 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 2 g sugar, 0 g protein.

Posted in Recipes | Tagged appetizer, Bloody Mary, bloody mary shrimp dip, Dip, recipe, recipes, Shrimp Cocktail, Shrimp Dip | Leave a comment

Pomegranates: Wild Rice Pomegranate Salad

Posted on December 19, 2012 by April Graff

As a supermarket dietitian, I am always getting questions about produce items. This is one section of the store that foods don’t come with labels or preparation instructions. The produce section intimidates many people. Part of my job at Hy-Vee is to help educate people and make fruits and vegetables a positive experience. Pomegranates are one of the fruits that look great, but most people shy away from. Like the beautiful red Christmas lights and decorations sprinkled everywhere, pomegranates have a lot of Christmas spirit.

Pomegranates have a NuVal score of 91, so you know they are good for you. They are rich in antioxidants, fiber, potassium and vitamin C. Choose pomegranates that are brightly colored and heavy for their size. Heavy pomegranates are packed full of juicy seeds. You can store your pomegranate on the counter for up to one month and in the fridge for up to two months. Pomegranates make a great, festive addition to holiday arrangements and centerpieces.

Once you get the pomegranate home, you may wonder how to eat it. The edible part of the fruit is called the aril. This is the seed surrounded by a juice sac. When you bite the aril, the sweet-tart juice will pop in your mouth and then you are left with a crunchy seed to chew. The flavor is similar to a raspberry.
To get the seeds out, cut off the top about a half-inch below the crown. Quarter the fruit then submerge in a bowl of water. Loosen all the remaining seeds. The arils will sink to the bottom. Discard the peel and the white membrane. Using a bowl of water will help to keep juice splatters off of you and your kitchen.

To eat, add to yogurt, salads, oatmeal, cold cereal or even ice cream. Or one of new new, favorite pomegranate recipes is Wild Rice Pomegranate Salad from our very own Sara Passante.

Wild Rice and Pomegranate Salad

Wild Rice Pomegranage Salad

All you need:
1 ½ c. wild rice (uncooked)
5 c. boiling water
1 tsp. salt
1 bunch green onions
1 Pomegranate, seeded
2 oranges, peeled and sliced
½ c. dried cranberries
¾ c.-1 c. Pomegranate or raspberry dressing
½ c. chopped pecans

All you do:
1. Rinse wild rice under cold water. Add rice to boiling water in a medium sauce pan and add 1 tsp. salt.
2. Simmer for 45-55 min, or until rice is tender and starting to open. Drain any excess water from pan and rinse rice under cold water.
3. While rice cooks combine finely chopped onions, pomegranate seeds, sliced oranges, dried cranberries, and dressing in a large serving bowl. Add cooked rice and stir to combine well. Sprinkle with pecans and serve immediately or chill for up to 6 hrs.

Posted in Recipes | Tagged pomegranate, pomegranate salad, pomegranates, recipe, recipes, salad, wild rice pomegranate salad, wild rice salad | Leave a comment

Meal Plan Monday: December 17th – 23rd

Posted on December 17, 2012 by April Graff

Fa La La! The holidays are here! Christmas is about 1 week away. What does your meal plan look like? “What meal plan?” you say? As your time gets busier, menu planning can help you be more efficient with your time and help you enjoy this festive time. No fly by the drive-thru or frozen pizzas for me! This week’s meal plan is packed with new recipes and exciting flavors. If you just haven’t made meal planning a priority, then check out this great resource.

Monday

Baked Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls with Salsa and Fruit.

Baked Southwest Chicken Egg Rolls
All you need:
1 chicken breast
1 tsp taco seasoning
1 cup frozen corn, thawed
1 (15 oz.) can no salt added black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 (4 oz.) can diced green chiles, drained
4 green onions, chopped
2 tbsp minced red bell pepper
1 tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
1 package egg roll wrappers

All you do:
1. In a medium skillet, cook chicken breast on medium high until internal temperature reaches 165˚F. Shred and season with taco seasoning.
2. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients with the exception of the egg roll wrappers. Stir in cooked chicken mixture. Mix well to blend.
3. Lay an egg roll wrapper out on a work surface so that one of the corners is pointing toward you and place ¼ cup of the filling in the center. Fold the tip closest to you up over the filling, roll a bit, then take the points pointing outward and fold them in toward the center. Continue rolling into an egg roll shape until a small part of the remaining point is still free. Dip a finger in water lightly brush on the edges of the top corner. Finish rolling and press to seal closed. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling.
4. Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. Lightly oil a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the sealed egg rolls on the baking sheet seam side down and spray the tops of the egg rolls with cooking spray. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly brown, turning halfway through baking.

**Note, I have also found that broiling for 1-2 minutes after cooking really helps to crisp up the edges. Be sure to check ever 30 seconds to avoid burning them.
Adapted from Annie Eats

Tuesday

Chicken Pasta with Yogurt Sauce and Salad

Wednesday

Chili and Homemade Bread

Thursday

Crab Cakes, Roasted Squash and Frozen Vegetables

The rest of this week through Wednesday of next week will be spent celebrating Christmas with family in Iowa. I am planning on bringing two AMAZING recipes to share. One is a Wild Rice Pomegranate Salad and a Bloody Mary Shrimp appetizer dip (recipes to come later this week). And of course, no Christmas celebration is complete without wine. My two favorites are Montebuena and Menage a Trois wines.

Montebuena

Menage a Trois

In true holiday form, we have another kitchen appliance down. Our microwave went down a couple weeks ago and last night the dishwasher finally quit. Actually it still runs, it is just the handle that is broken. Thankfully it is an easy (and inexpensive) fix. However, this means that while we wait for our part to arrive, we are without a dishwasher. Boooo…

For most of my childhood we didn’t have a dishwasher, but since about middle school I have been blessed to always have a machine to wash the majority of my dishes. Even through college (with the exception of my freshman year in the dorms) I had a dishwasher. I will tell you that with 4 people in the house, two being kids, there are ALWAYS dishes. It seems that as soon as the dishwater has been drained, a dirty dish magically appears on the counter.

This is not a new phenomenon,it is just that with a working dishwasher you can simple slip the dirty dish right inside and poof, it magically disappears! It has only been a day since our dishwasher broke and I am already tired of the prepetual supply of dirty bowls and cups sitting on the counter. Next week can’t come fast enough!

Posted in Meal Planning, Recipes | Tagged Baked Chicken Egg Rolls, Baked Egg Rolls, Baked Southwest Egg Rolls, Black Bean Egg Rolls, Crab Cakes, meal plan, meal planning, recipe, recipes, Southwest Egg Rolls | Leave a comment

Leftover Turkey Bacon Burgers with Avocado Slaw

Posted on December 13, 2012 by April Graff

So, on last week’s menu I made Turkey Burgers with leftover turkey. When I originally made the menu, I didn’t take into consideration that the turkey would be pre-cooked. Duh! So when I found the recipe for Jack and Guac Turkey Bacon Burgers, I was picturing everything going per the recipe. Well, when the recipe calls for ground turkey, they were actually meaning UNCOOKED ground turkey. I had a slight predicament. I had a bowl full of leftover turkey and all the fixins for delicous burgers (plus a hungry family anxiously waiting….). So, I did what all moms do. I improvised! I’m not sure what the original recipe would have tasted like, but we were very happy with how these tasted. A must-keep for leftover turkey (or chicken).

I appologise for not having many photos. The family was hungry and I was trying to rush the burgers along. I started by grinding up my turkey in my food processor. I had to do this in a couple different batches because I have a small machine. I ended up grinding up about 1.5# of cooked turkey.

I needed something to bind the meat together, so I added 1/2 cup grated Monterray Jack cheese and 8-10 crushed Triscuits. Now, I had planned on adding an egg to this mixture to hold it all together, but the Hubby had taken the rest of my eggs to school for a science experiement. So there I was, already improvising by using cooked turkey and now I had not eggs. Hmmm… what can I use instead of eggs? And then I remembered one of my little “Dietitian Tips”. I mixed together 2 Tbsp ground flaxmeal with 6 T water and let it works its magic for about 5 minutes. Voila! Instant egg replacer. I mixed the flax mixture with the meat and added chopped onion and in 1/4 cup Turkey Bacon bits. I had enough mixture to make 6 patties.

I have found that when cooking burgers inside, I really love our George Foreman grill. Nothing beats the taste from the outdoor grill, but the Foreman is much quicker and easier than a skillet or the oven. I especially love it for cooking our black bean burgers and because of the loose texture of these burgers, I figured that the Foreman would help the “smush” the patties into place. The burgers were grilled for around 10 minutes (until they were crispy on the outside).

While they were grilling, I decied that instead of making up guacamole, I would make up the slaw from my fish tacos (I still had a bit of leftover cabbage) and throw the avocados on top. After the burgers were done, I sliced up some ciabatta rolls and layered the burger, then slaw then avocados. YUM, YUM, YUM!!

Turkey Bacon Burger with Avocado Slaw

Turkey Bacon Burgers with Avocado Slaw
All you need:
1.5# cooked turkey, ground coarsely
1/2 cup shredded Monterray Jack cheese
8-10 crushed Triscuits (your choice of flavor)
2 eggs OR 2T flaxmeal mixed with 6 T water
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup turkey bacon bits
6 ciabatta rolls
1 avocado, peeled, seeded and diced
Lime Coleslaw Recipe

All you do:
1. Combine turkey, cheese, crackers, eggs (or flax), onions and bacon. Form into 6 patties. Cook for 10 minutes on an indoor grill (or until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees).
2. While the burgers cook, prepare the coleslaw.
3. Slice open ciabatta rolls. Put 1 cooked patty on the roll. Top with slaw and avocado.

Posted in Recipes | Tagged avocado, avocado slaw, coleslaw, recipe, recipes, slaw, thisrdeats, turkey bacon burger, turkey burger, turkey burger recipe, turkey burgers | Leave a comment

This RD Eats!