Grass-Fed Beef Burgers

It has been a really long time since I made a hamburger.  Turkey and chicken burgers, sure, but not beef.  I limit my beef consumption to once a month, and a contributing reason for that is the difficulty in finding grass-fed beef (which is healthier and more environmentally friendly) in grocery stores.  Well I have good news, people.  It is becoming more common.  I happened upon a 1-pound package of organic, grass-fed ground beef at Trader Joe's this weekend!  Miracle of miracles.

The beauty of grass-fed beef, among other things, is that it has a unique flavor of its own that doesn't require a lot of doctoring.  This burger recipe seemed like the best way to use it, since it is so uncomplicated.  A simple combo of Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce, some salt and pepper, and voila.  Sure you can top it with ketchup, mustard, whatever you like after you're done.  Some good quality aged white cheddar is a nice addition (as pictured above).  But the burger itself has a fantastic depth of flavor that is hard to compete with.

Now that I've found grass-fed ground beef I'm not going to start eating it every week, but it definitely makes me feel good about my monthly beef consumption.  Eco-conscious meat eaters (no that is not a paradox), rejoice.

Grass-Fed Beef Burgers

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound organic, grass-fed lean ground sirloin or chuck (85:25)

1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

cooking spray

2 thin slices of aged white cheddar (or other cheese)

2 whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted if desired

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Heat a grill pan over high heat.  While it preheats, use a fork to gently combine the ground beef, mustard, Worcestershire, and salt and pepper (to taste) in a bowl until well combined.  Divide into two patties no thicker than an inch each, and create a slight indentation in the middle of each patty so they don't puff up too much in the middle.

2.  Spray the preheated grill pan with cooking spray and add the patties to the pan.  Sear for about one minute on each side, then reduce heat to medium-high and cook for about 5-8 minutes per side, to desired doneness.  

3.  When burgers are just about done, place a slice of cheese on each patty and tent with foil.  Turn off the heat and let sit for a couple of minutes.   Place the patties onto the buns and serve.

Enjoy!

Open Face Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

I try not to post too many recipes of the semi-homemade variety, but this one is just too good to keep to myself.  It's so ridiculously easy, half the work is already done before you even start.  Just buy yourself some good quality items so it doesn't taste like you didn't make it. 

Chicken parmesan is a delicious yet decadent proposition, so I had to try Ellie's healthy version and see what it was like.  To be honest, I don't know that the die-hard chicken parm fans (like my husband) will be fooled, but it covers the biggest criteria in my opinion - the cheese and the marinara sauce.  The spinach is a nice touch to round out the meal.  Bottom line is, it will work in a pinch, and it's tasty.

Open Face Chicken Parmesan Sandwich

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 whole grain Italian loaf or baguette

1 cup jarred marinara sauce

2 cooked chicken cutlets (I poached mine - grilled would be great)

2 cups baby spinach leaves

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Preheat broiler and place foil on the broiler tray.

2.  Slice the bread in half lengthwise to make two pieces.  Scoop out the bread to remove the soft inner portion and save for another use (like breadcrumbs).  Place the bread scooped side up on the broiler tray.

3.  Spoon 1/4 cup of sauce into each piece of bread.  Lay a piece of chicken on top and cover with 1 cup of spinach leaves.  Pour another 1/4 cup of sauce over the spinach, then sprinkle each sandwich with 1/4 cup mozzarella and 1 tablespoon parmesan.

4.  Broil until spinach is wilted and cheese is bubbly and browned, 4 to 5 minutes.  Serve hot.

Enjoy!

Curried Chicken Salad (CEIMB)

This week's Craving Ellie in My Belly pick was this fantastic chicken salad.  I like chicken salad sandwiches on occasion, but I really am not a mayo fan.  So when I saw that this version had barely any mayo, I decided to cut it out altogether and see how it came out.  And it was delicious!  To top it off, there's a gorgeous hint of curry spice, fresh juicy grapes, and crunchy toasted almonds to provide a wealth of flavor.

The salad is meant to be served over lettuce with pita chips, but I opted to serve it with fresh whole wheat pitas and make little sandwiches out of it.  I can't even express how delicious it was.  Yum. 

So here it is, the seemingly mythical healthy, mayo-free, curried chicken salad.  It's the figure friendly counterpart to that menu item that seems to be popping up in restaurants everywhere.  What a great pick!

A note: I left out the cilantro merely because I didn't have it, but I think it would be an excellent addition, so I've included it below.

Curried Chicken Salad (CEIMB)

adapted from Ellie Krieger's So Easy

serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons sliced almonds

1/4 cup lowfat plain yogurt

1/2 teaspoon curry powder

1 1/4 cups cubed cooked (and cooled) chicken breast

1/2 cup halved grapes (I used green, Ellie uses red)

handful finely chopped cilantro

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

3 cups lightly packed mixed salad greens

2 whole wheat pitas, warmed and cut in half

DIRECTIONS:

1.  Toast almonds in a small skillet over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and beginning to turn golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

2.  In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt and curry powder.  Fold in the chicken, grapes, almonds, and cilantro and season with salt and pepper.  This salad will keep in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

3.  Serve over a bed of lettuce along with pita bread; or pack the pita halves with lettuce and chicken salad.

Enjoy!

Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers

It was good to get back into the kitchen, even though I'm still not well. I couldn't stand eating takeout or going out to eat every meal, and I finally gave into the siren song that was coming from my grill pan to make this dinner. It was incredibly satisfying to have something healthy and filled with flavor that I made with my own hands again. Nothing like a few days without cooking to make you remember why it is such a therapeutic process.

These burgers are simple and delicious. The yogurt sauce is pretty fantastic too, and its creamy mildness serves a great contrast to the sharp spice of the burger. We had ours on sandwich thins, which have been popping up in the supermarket lately, but the original recipe called for pitas. Either way, I recommend the hearty whole wheat, so it can stand up to the intense flavor and juiciness that it will have to contain.

Indian Spiced Chicken Burgers
adapted from Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound ground chicken
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
cooking spray
3 whole wheat pitas
1/2 hot house cucumber, thinly sliced
1/4 cup plan low-fat yogurt (pref. Greek)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, scallions, ginger, lemon juice, paprika, 1 teaspoon cumin, cardamom, cayenne, and salt and pepper. Stir until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for 20 to 30 minutes to let the flavors marry.

2. Preheat grill pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, spray with cooking spray. Divide the chicken into three patties, about 3/4 inch thick, and cook until done, about 5 minutes each side, until juices run clear when the patties are pierced.

3. While the patties cook, make the yogurt sauce by stirring yogurt with remaining cumin, a pinch of salt, and cilantro. Assemble the burgers by putting about a tablespoon or so of yogurt sauce into each pita, along with a chicken patty and cucumber slices.

Enjoy!

Open-Faced Apple Gruyere Melts

This is more of a tasty idea than a recipe. It was born out of my coming down with a cold, combined with the glorious McIntosh apples we have in our fridge thanks to a trip to Oak Glen this past weekend. The cold comes in because I needed some soup for dinner tonight, and I wasn't up to making it for myself. My husband gallantly went out to pick up Panera's low fat chicken noodle (yum), and I made this lovely little open-faced sandwich with the whole grain baguette half that came with my soup.

The general idea is to take wonderfully crusty bread, cut it in half, and decorate the innards with delicious tart apples and nutty cheese. The combination here just happens to work particularly well, but I'm confident that your favorite cheese and apple would substitute just fine. (If you haven't tried Gruyere with apples, though, I strongly encourage you to do so).

Open-Faced Apple Gruyere Melts
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

6 inch whole grain baguette, halved length-wise and cross-wise
1 medium sized McIntosh apple, cored and cut into thin slices
2 ounces Gruyere cheese, very thinly sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat toaster oven to 350. Line a baking sheet with foil.

2. Top the baguette halves with a thin layer of cheese, followed by the apple slices, followed by the remaining cheese. Place on the baking sheet and cook until cheese is melted, starting to bubble and brown, about 5 minutes.

Enjoy!

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

This week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe was the lovely and simple Ellie Krieger variation on grilled cheese. There is something timeless and indescribably fantastic about a well-made grilled cheese sandwich. Whether you're a purist who just wants the cheese + bread + butter formula, or someone who likes a bit of zing in her grilled cheese, you can't deny that it's simply wonderful. Of course its best friend is tomato soup, but since this was a slightly fancier grilled cheese, I thought it would go well with yesterday's carrot salad.

This grilled cheese tastes like something you'd get in a diner or a deli. It has some serious oomph, for lack of a better word. And it's all thanks to the grilled onions. As I virtually inhaled this sandwich, I marveled at the fact that it actually felt like there was meat in there, thanks to the melty cheese and the grilled onions conjuring up memories of In-n-Out cheeseburgers of yore. But there is no meat, folks. None. Vegetarians, check it out.

A lot of things can go into a grilled cheese sandwich to jazz it up, but this one doesn't take it too far. Grilled onions, tomato slices, and some peppers give enough flavor to make everyone happy. Ellie's version used cheddar and pepper jack, but I decided to use cheddarella (cheddar and mozzarella mixed, for those of you unenlightened folk) with some diced pimiento peppers. Yum!

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 medium onion, diced
salt and pepper
4 slices whole wheat bread
2 slices of cheddarella (or similar) cheese
1 tablespoon diced pimiento peppers
1 medium heirloom or plum tomato, sliced
cooking spray

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. When hot, add the onion. Cook, stirring, until onion is golden and brown around the edges. Season with salt and pepper and remove from heat.

2. Assemble the sandwiches: place a slice of cheese on two of the slices of bread, top with the onion (half each), the pimientos (half each), and the tomato slices. Top the sandwiches with their missing bread slices.

3. Clean the skillet and coat with cooking spray. Heat over medium-high and then place the sandwiches in the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low. Place a panini press or another skillet on top of the sandwiches to weigh them down while they cook. Cook until the undersides are brown but not burned, and cheese is mostly melted, about 5 minutes.

4. Flip the sandwiches over, replace the weight, and cook on the other side for about 4 minutes, until browned on both sides. Cut in half and serve.

Enjoy! You know you will.

Pulled BBQ Turkey Sandwich (CEIMB)

I think I died and went to BBQ heaven. Seriously.

I had a bit of trepidation about this week's Craving Ellie in my Belly recipe, as many people commented that the recipe didn't have enough flavor. Taking this into account, I tweaked the ingredients to add a bit more zing and sweetness - I reduced the molasses and water, added honey and red pepper flakes. I also slightly increased the ratio of liquid smoke. And I don't know if it was my tweaks, or what, but there was so much flavor in this sandwich, I don't even know what to say.

This BBQ sauce is packed with spice and smokiness. I am officially a convert to the magic of liquid smoke. I bought the bottle just for this recipe, thinking I'd probably never use it again, but I was soooo wrong. I can foresee all sorts of recipes featuring liquid smoke in the future.

The original recipe called for a rotisserie chicken, but I opted for a roasted turkey breast, since both my husband and I steer away from brown chicken meat, and I thought this way I could use the entire thing and not waste any of it. It made the sandwich feel a little bit extra special, and I think come Thanksgiving time we should all remember this recipe for using the leftover turkey meat. You can certainly use chicken meat here if you prefer.

I can't say enough about the beautiful flavor combination in this sauce. Please, just try it. Words cannot express how good it is.

Pulled BBQ Turkey Sandwich
adapted from Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger (2008)
serves 3

INGREDIENTS:

2 teaspoons canola oil
1/2 large red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon molasses
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2 roast turkey breast, skin removed, shredded into thin strips (about 2 cups)
3 whole wheat hamburger buns
3 large green lettuce leaves

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

2. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste, honey, water, vinegar, molasses, pepper, liquid smoke, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Add the shredded turkey meat and stir to combine well. Bring back to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Serve on buns with lettuce leaves.

Enjoy!

Sauteed Red Pepper Sandwich

I debated whether to post this recipe or not, as it is more an idea for a sandwich than an actual recipe. I had some lovely vegetables that were feeling neglected, and decided to saute them up and make a sandwich out of them. This combination would also work well on pasta.

Almost any kind of cheese would work here, but goat cheese lends itself well to anything with red bell peppers for some reason. Feel free to substitute something else, of course!

Sauteed Red Pepper Sandwich
makes 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
3 small red bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 bunch thin asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons oil-packed sun dried tomatoes, chopped
pinch of salt
a handful of goat cheese crumbles
4 slices of whole grain or multi-grain bread

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat oil and garlic over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook for about 1 minute, or until garlic is starting to turn golden. Add peppers, asparagus, and sun-dried tomatoes and stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes, or until vegetables are just starting to soften.

2. Put goat cheese crumbles on two sices of bread, and top each with half the vegetable mixture. Close up your sandwich and eat!

Enjoy!

Stuffed Turkey Burgers (CEIMB)

I've really been looking forward to this week's recipe for Craving Ellie in My Belly. Not a lot of people seem to really appreciate a well-made turkey burger. I realize that there are many turkey burgers that are not so well made - underseasoned, too dry, or too tough. But I am a big fan of the turkey burger. I try not to eat a lot of beef, so it's a great way to get a burger fix without venturing into beef territory too often.

This recipe seems almost too simple to be a tasty turkey burger. Somehow Ellie worked her magic, and these just work. Some of the other bloggers mentioned it wasn't flavorful enough, so to be on the safe side I added a little bit of cracked red pepper flakes. It was fabulous, but honestly I think I would have loved it even without the addition.

These are big, satisfying burgers with just the right amount of roasted red pepper and melty cheese inside. They are juicy, filled with flavor, and best of all, relatively guilt free. I had mine with just some lettuce, but if you feel like dousing it with your usual burger toppings, you can certainly feel free. I promise you, though, it doesn't need it.

Stuffed Turkey Burgers
adapted from Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave
makes 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pounds lean ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped roasted red peppers
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
1 teaspoon cracked red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
cooking spray
4 whole wheat buns

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat.

2. Divide the ground turkey into four even sections. Divide each section in half, and form 8 small(ish) patties, keeping them pretty flat. Top four of the patties with 2 tablespoons chopped red pepper, 2 tablespoons cheese, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes each. Cover with the remaining patties, and work the turkey around the edges to seal the burgers closed. Season fairly generously with salt and pepper.

3. Spray grill pan with cooking spray. Cook the burgers until cooked through, about 5 minutes each side. (Trust me, when you're eating turkey, medium rare is not a good idea). Put burgers in buns and serve.

Enjoy!

Grilled Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. When you restrict your beef intake to a once a month thing (as I do), you'd better make that once a month experience really worthwhile. Here is an excellent and easy recipe that certainly accomplishes this. It's absolutely brimming with intense flavor, and is so satisfying you won't believe it. Yes, it's that good.

Chimichurri is Argentina's answer to pesto, and I have to say, I think it wins. Pesto is fabulous too (and will be featured later this week), but chimichurri is simply incredible. It's spicy and herby, and with good quality extra virgin olive oil, it's a heavenly sauce to dollop on grilled meat or veggies. And it's super cheap to make!

So here it is, grilled steak with bell peppers and chimichurri, placed inside a beautiful crusty roll. Friends, meet dinner.

Grilled Steak Sandwiches with Chimichurri
adapted from Bon Appetit Fast Easy Fresh Cookbook
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/4 teapsoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons quality EVOO
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 bell pepper, seeded, cut into 3/4-inch strips
10 ounce rib-eye steak (3/4 to 1 inch thick)
2 crusty rolls, warmed

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a food processor, process the parsley, cilantro, vinegar, garlic, red pepper, and 1/3 cup EVOO until almost, but not quite, smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2. Preheat grill pan (or outdoor grill) over medium-high heat. Brush the steak and bell pepper strips on both sides with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the peppers for about 4 minutes on each side, until just tender. Grill steak about 5-6 minutes on each side for medium-rare, or to desired doneness. Set aside and let the steak rest a few minutes.

3. Slice the steak thinly. Assemble sandwich as follows: steak slices on bottom bun, topped with chimichurri sauce (up to 1/4 cup per sandwich), then peppers, then put on the top bun. Serve immediately.

Be warned that you might get messy eating this. But it is sooo worth it. Enjoy!

Sausage with Peppers and Onions

When you grow up in a British family, you eat bangers. You just do. If you don't, you're missing out. You eat them with mashed potatoes and gravy, or in a sandwich with grilled onions. You eat them slathered with HP sauce. You eat them however you can get them.

I can only imagine that if you grow up in an Italian-American family, the same is true of Italian sausage (only perhaps without the HP sauce). I have long heard about the quintessential Italian sausage + peppers + onions combination. Tonight I decided to try my hand at making it (only with shallots instead of onions). I bought some lovely crusty rolls to make it into a sandwich.

It was really good. I didn't see stars, but I could definitely see why this is a tradition of sorts. The sweetness of the peppers, the spiciness of the sausage, and the occasional crunch of sweet grilled shallot, all gathered together in a freshly baked roll - it definitely gets the job done.

And yes, I did put HP sauce on mine (not pictured). Couldn't resist.

Sausage with Peppers and Onions
inspired by Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

Cooking spray
2 links of hot Italian sausage (preferably turkey sausage)
1 tablespoon EVOO
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
1 bell pepper (any color), cored and sliced into strips
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat up a small skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Puncture the sausages a few times with the tip of a sharp knife and cook, browning on all sides. Add a few tablespoons of water to the skillet after the sausages have browned and cover with a lid. This will steam the sausages so they cook faster. (I learned this from Rachael Ray). Cook until done, about 10 to 15 minutes.

2. While sausages are steaming, heat EVOO in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add shallot and cook for a 4-5 minutes, until just starting to brown. Add the peppers and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook all the veggies together, tossing around occasionally, until tender, about 5 more minutes.

3. Transfer the sausages from the watery skillet to join the peppers and onions, just to brown them up a bit more. Serve.

Easy. Tasty. Good. Enjoy!

Lime-Cilantro Grilled Chicken Sandwich

This is another one of those recipes that you don't really need a recipe for. It's more a great suggestion of something to make for dinner. But I will still supply the recipe for you as I made it, because that's what I do. I'm a giver.

This is another Mexican-inspired meal. It's so easy, quick, and satisfying. And if you're not a fan of the avocado salsa, you can skip the topping and just have it with lettuce. My husband assures me it was just as delicious that way.

So imagine, if you will, slices of spicy grilled chicken breast in a big crusty roll, topped with a delicious, cool avocado salsa. Well now you don't have to imagine it. Here's how you make it.

Lime-Cilantro Grilled Chicken Sandwich
adapted from Rachael Ray's Big Orange Book
serves 2

INGREDIENTS:

1 handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
3 sprigs thyme, leaves finely chopped
1 lime
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons grill seasoning
1 tablespoon EVOO
2 chicken cutlets, pounded to 1/4 inch thick
1 medium ripe avocado, pitted and gently chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 small plum tomato, seeded and chopped
a few leaves of green leaf lettuce
2 crusty rolls, warmed

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a shallow dish, combine half the cilantro with chives, thyme, zest and juice of half the lime, hot sauce, grill seasoning, and EVOO. Coat the chicken and marinate for about 10 minutes.

2. While chicken is marinating, preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Prep remaining ingredients. Combine avocado, juice of remaining 1/2 lime, jalapeno, tomato, and remaining cilantro and gently toss to combine in a small bowl. Set aside.

3. When grill pan is preheated, spray with nonstick spray and then grill chicken cutlets, about 5 minutes per side. Remove when done and set aside to rest for a few minutes. After resting, slice the chicken into pieces about 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick.

4. Build your sandwich - split the rolls, put lettuce leaves on the bottom, then chicken pieces, and then the avocado salsa. Cover with the top of the bun and serve.

Enjoy!