Grilled Guacamole Turkey Burger Sliders w/ Chipotle Tomato Relish

Hi-Ya !

Summer is fastly approaching, by date anyways, because North Cackalacky has been hitting 90 degree temperatures all this week and the hot temps are forecasted throughout the weekend.

Memorial day is day of remembrance for those who have died while serving in U.S. military. It is also the kick-off to Summer where cookouts will be happening throughout the weekend. You probably won't be able to drive through your neighborhood and not see smoke coming from somebody's backyard from their grill.

I love grilling during the summer months....wait, let me change that statement.  I don't grill per sa, but thank God for my wonderful hubby who will fire up the grill for me anytime and even cook my meat and/or veggies.

I love a good ol' juicy, lip smacking, piled high beef burger, but since eliminating red meat from my diet about 2 years ago I have had to experiment with other protein to make my own American burger. I've replaced the Beef  burger with Turkey burger, Chicken burger and Veggie burger.

Check out the Grilled Guacamole Turkey Burger Sliders recipe.  It has only a few ingredients, but this burger is outta sight delicious....I call em' my lil' gourmet burgers !!!

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Only 5 key Ingredients in this Spectacular Burger !

Mixed together with TLC !!

Ready for the Grill............

Ingredients 
makes 8 sliders

1 lb of ground turkey
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 slices of red onions, diced
2 avocados
Juice of 1/2 a lime
1 tsp of Cayenne pepper
Salt
Pepper
Extra-Virgin oil cooking spray for skillet or table top electric grill


Instructions
1.  Combine all ingredients in bow. and mix together. If you like chunks of avocado in burger then            carefully fold scooped avocado into turkey mixture.  
2.  Form your turkey mixture on a plate and mold into a meatloaf type form.
     Then score into 8 sections to make your sliders.
3.  Spray your heated non-stick skillet or a table top grill (I used the George Foreman Grill).
4.  Cook slider under medium heat for about 10-15 minutes or until completely done.
5.  Place cooked burgers on slider buns and pile on high the Chipolte tomato relish.

***Side Note***

These burgers pair well with my Rosemary Parsnip Fries.  Click here for recipe

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Chipolte Tomato Relish
1 Roma tomatoes, diced
2 tablespoon of dried sun-dried tomatoes, courseley chopped
1 handful of organic baby Spinach, thinly chopped
2-3 tablespoon of Chipolte mustard
Salt, to taste

Mix all ingredients in small bowl and let chill in fridge while the burgers are a grillin' !!

Fried Cauliflower Rice

Hi-Ya !

I challenged myself to have Meatless Mondays every week in the month of May, so with that being said I think I should experiment with recipes and create some "out of the box" meals.

I've gotten burnt out on the same ol' sauteed, stir fry and oven roasted veggies.  I want to take the same veggies and make a dish that would normally be considered the "side"- be the star of the meal.

The first dish on the cutting board is an impersonator of a Chinese favorite, "fried rice"... the one exception to this dish is the rice is substituted with cauliflower.  Yep, Cauliflower !!

Ingredients (inspired by the kitchen)
Serves 1-2

1 cup of Green Giant Cauliflower Crumbles
1/4 cup of fresh pineapple, chopped
1 tsp ginger, minced
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup of kernel corn, frozen
1/3 cup of peas, frozen
1 egg
2 green onions, sliced
1 1/2 tbs low-sodium soy sauce
1 tbs of coconut oil

Instructions

1.  Whisk egg in small bowl.  In a heated 12-inch non-stick skillet spray extra virgin olive oil cooking spray.  Pour egg in skillet and quickly scramble.  Remove from skillet and let cool on cutting board. When egg is cool chop and set aside.

2.  Wipe skillet clean and add coconut oil over medium heat.  When oil is melted add ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant.  Stir in carrots and saute until crisp-tender.  Stir in corn, peas, pineapple and cauliflower "rice" crumble.  Mix all ingredients well.

3.  Lower heat to medium-low and cover pan.  Cook until cauliflower is tender, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in cooked egg, green onions and soy sauce. Taste and add more soy sauce if desired.
Serve immediately.

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*Side Note*
This dish can easily be meal all on its own and if you want to add a little more protein and keep it "meatless" why not add some tofu. If meatless is not your forte then add chicken or shrimp.
This meal is easy and healthy - meatless or not !  

Avocado Chocolate Mousse, SAY WHAT ?

Hi-Ya !

A couple of weeks ago I attended Charlotte's Annual Health and Fitness Expo.  I was able to try new healthy products, food and otherwise, collect literature on tons of topics, sat in on speaking seminars, food demonstrations, and even participated in TWO workout classes, Pi Yo and Cardio Dance, plus at the end of my day I had a Swag bag of healthy goodies.

I'm always trying to make healthier desserts and this one may be one of my favorites !
And here is a Bonus:  I think it would be a great dessert for Valentine's Day !


So fast forward.....

I made a batch of this Avocado Chocolate Mousse and all I can say is ....
Holy Cow !

I totally believe that "sharing is caring", so  I decided to share with you the recipe for this creamy, airy, and chocolaty goodness.

It's a only a few ingredients and it takes less than 10 minutes to whip up, but the best part of this recipe is that you can get your chocolate fix in at about *128 calories a serving .
(*based on My Fitness Pal recipe importer)

I like to give props due when props are due, but I honestly don't know who created this recipe as it was posted at the Expo on a life size cardboard.


Ingredients
Servings 6                                                                          

 
1 cup Silk unsweetened vanilla almond milk
2 ripe avocados
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp unsweetened cacao powder        
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp cinnamon
pinch of salt
strawberries, to garnish.

Instructions
Combine all ingredients (with the exception of the strawberries) in a blender or food processor.
Blend until smooth.  Chill and serve with fresh strawberries or any fruit of your choice.

*Raspberries or Blackberries would be a great garnish too.

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Grab a spoon and be ready to get chocolate wasted !!!!!!

I love to get emails or comments from my readers, please feel free to drop me a line and let me know if you enjoyed this sweet treat as much as I did !

Spicy Italian Sausage White bean - Kale Soup

Hi-Ya !

It's official.... Soup Season is in full effect !

It has gotten to the point that I have to defrost my car before I can pull out of my driveway because of the thin ice covering my windshield and all other windows for that matter.  That was my #1 indicator that it was time to pull out my dutch oven pot and cook some Soups !

I love making soups and eating them.  My two cents on soups is that you can add your favorite ingredients and call it soup.  You have some leftover rotisserie chicken ? Remove the skin, cut it up and its an ingredient in a soup.  You have have a stalk of celery on its last leg? chop it up and you have yourself yet another ingredient to a pot of soup.  So, lets clean house (the refrigerator) and make a homemade pot of soup !

Here are some of my favorite reasons for making/eating a bowl full of liquid heaven:

• Its a one pot wonder meal
• It's perfect on a cold day/night
• It can be MEATLESS
• It's the BEST meal planning meal EVER, huh ? Yea, that''s right !
• You control the sodium input
• You can pair a bowl of soup with a salad or sandwich
• It's very economical to make
• Freezable
• A healthy soup promotes weight loss

One of my "cream of the crop" soups that I tend to make at least twice a month is my Spicy Italian Sausage White bean Kale Soup.  That's a mouthful, huh ? Well, literally it is.

Here are few key ingredients.......

Ground Italian sausage rolled into bite-size meatballs and browned to perfection

Kale (yep, I went the bagged way, but hey, it organic)

and....your favorite white bean 

Ingredients (Inspired by PopSugar)
Serves: 4 hearty bowls or 6 smaller bowls

1 lb of ground hot Italian sausage
2 cans (14.5 oz) of white beans, rinsed and drained (Navy, Cannellini or great Northern beans)
1 10 oz bag of organic kale ( I typically go with Trader Joe's Organic Tuscan Kale)
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 small onion, diced
1/2 cup of chopped carrots
1/2 cup of chopped celery
2 tablespoon of tomato paste
1 tablespoon of fennel seeds
5 cups of low-sodium vegetable or chicken stock
Salt to season
Shake or two of red pepper flakes
Shredded Parmesan cheese (garnish)

Instructions

1. Roll the ground Italian sausage in bite size meatballs.

2. Add 1 tablespoon of  EVOO to a nonstick skillet and brown the meatballs over medium heat until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove and drain on paper towel.

3. Add 1 tablespoon of EVOO to a dutch oven pot and add the onions, celery, pinch of salt, carrots and cook until the veggies begins to soften about 5 minutes or so.  Stir in tomato paste, garlic and fennel seeds and cook approximately 1 minute, being sure not to burn garlic.

4.  Add the stock and bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Add Kale and cook for about 1 minute and then add beans and cooked Italian sausage meatballs. Season with salt and red pepper flakes and cover with lid.

5.  Spoon soup into bowls and garnish with Parmesan cheese.


*Side Note*

• You can substitute the Italian sausage with cubed chicken breast or ground chicken rolled into meatballs.
• If you prefer a milder soup swap out the hot Italian sausage with mild sausage.
• You have options with the cheese garnish.  One of my other cheese choice is:  Shredded Gruyere  
• This soup taste GREAT the next day and it freezes well.

T.J. Maxx: A Hidden Gem of Specialty Foods

Hi-Ya !

Besides cooking I have another love....Shopping !  What girl doesn't, right ?
I am frequent shopper of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls.  Normally my shopping cart includes the latest pair of jeans, a comfy sweater, the sexiest pair of pumps, and if I'm lucky a Micheal Kors purse.

Lately....I find myself making a special trip to T.J. Maxx or Marshalls to the back of the store where I can find a treasure trove of specialty and gourmet foods.  This aisle is in the back of store near the kitchen cookware, bedding and other housewares. It is indeed a foodie's dream !!!

I have a few items that I specifically go looking for, but I also like to roam the aisle for inspiration for a new recipe.  And.....not only can you discover some gourmet items ( such as saffron), but you can find your everyday pantry items at a fraction of the price you would pay at your local grocery store.

Check out some of my food finds

I make my own green smoothies on a regular basis, so I was ecstatic to find some of my healthy additions at a fraction of the price of my local grocery store.  I typically add, chia seeds, flaxseeds and hemp seeds, but every once in a while I'll find a specialty blend, like the hemp & fiber smoothie blend.

I tend to cook with extra virgin olive oil ~b.k.a.~ EVOO, but my new favorite cooking oil is coconut oil.  I found an array of coconut oil selections at T.J. Maxx and again at a lower price than my neighborhood stores.  Besides cooking with coconut oil it has countless uses for everything from a body or face moisturizer, lip balm, natural hair conditioner, many medicinal uses, as well as an aid in weight loss. Check out 77 coconut oil use here.
 *Tidbit* I started using coconut oil in place of butter. When I'm craving that ooeey gooey grill cheese sandwich I tend to feel a tad bit better about my sandwich since I'm spreading on the coconut oil.  Check out my Grown -n- Sexy Grilled Cheese recipe.

I must admit my kitchen cabinets and pantry has some very interested products.  I am fascinating with spices.  I feel you can take a piece of protein and/or veggies for that matter and make it to something tantalizing by simply adding the right seasonings/spices.  The Gourmet Collection has tons of different types of spice blends.  Honestly I think I find a different spice blend every time I visit the specialty aisle.
Come on' ....Step outta the box and try a new spice then let your imagination run wild and create something spectacular.

When I'm craving a salty and crunchy snack, I tend to reach for popcorn, which by chance is my FAVORITE snack.  As you can see on this particular day they had an abundance of crunchy healthy snacks to choose from. You will find some of the most strangest flavors, but admittedly I have tried a lot of them and quite surprisingly I've liked them.  For example, the Himalayan Pink Salt popcorn.

 I ran ( I mean, trotted) in a 5K earlier this year and I finished successfully, but the next day {Whoa Momma}, my knee was not a happy camper ! Since I am allergic to Ibuprofen I had to find an alternative to some type of relief.  I did some research and found out that that turmeric (yes, that spice in your pantry) is an anti-inflammatory herb. I started taking turmeric daily in the pill form that I purchased from the Vitamin Shoppe.  Slowly, but surely my knee inflammation started to go down and I was able to resume my exercise activities (Yay!).  I now keep turmeric (in pill form) in my medicine cabinet.  While on one of my shopping escapades at T.J. Maxx I came across an organic powder of turmeric, which I bought and that I add to some of my green smoothie concoctions.


Other golden nuggets I have found at T.J. Maxx are:  Saffron, truffle oil, avocado oil, walnut oil, coconut water, all types of nuts, teas, coffee, pure honey, Vermont maple syrup, and an array of tomato sauces. I have even lucked out and found drastically reduced items.  I suggest the next time you are in a T.J. Maxx to be sure to visit the culinary gourmet aisle. Keep in mind that some stores stock more or less, so if your 1st visit doesn't reap a basket of goodies, don't fret, keep looking.  It took several  visits to different T.J. Maxx stores until I found the one that I frequent more often than other locations.  

  Happy Shopping !!



* I am not getting paid for this post or am I in any way associated with T.J. Maxx or Marshalls.  I was just blown away at the specialty food aisle and wanted to share some love to my readers.
#SharingIsCaring

Rosemary Parsnip Fries w/ Sriracha dipping sauce

Hi-Ya!

On my "Healthier Me" journey one of my goals is to eat as healthy and clean as possible. I'm human, so I may cave into food temptations from time-to-time, but overall I consider myself to be very conscious of the food I eat.

I've been on a mission to find healthy and quick side dishes.  Don't get me wrong I love salads and fresh veggies, but I tend to get burned out pretty quickly, which leads me to this blog post.  The next couple of weeks I will be exploring foods that I can create as a side dish.  This post I will share my new fond love........ Parsnips !

I was inspired to try parsnips from one of my friends who posted her dinner on the Facebook group, Getting to Goal & Staying at Goal.

A little history of Parsnips
Parsnips is a root vegetable and its siblings are the carrot, celery and parsley. This root veggie contains a plateful of nutritional perks, such as fiber, folate, potassium, and Vitamin C.  You can eat this in its raw form or for a more healthier meal I thought roasting them would be the better choice.
Read more about Parsnips here.


This was my first time cooking with parsnips, so I didn't know what to expect, but after the first taste of my finished dish I knew that it would definitely be one of my "go-to" sides.

Rosemary Parsnip Fries ~a.k.a~ "Tee's Gourmet Fries"

One Skillet Breakfast: Baked eggs w/ avocado and spicy tomoates

HI-YA !


It's been a minute since I've been in the blogosphere.  My day-to-day life has been quite consuming lately, but I have been brainstorming, creating, and concocting recipes; as well as exploring some new foods. This week I decided to keep it simple and share a breakfast that I enjoy at least once a week.  If you want an easy, delicious and healthy breakfast then I suggest you try this one !