ESBS: Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Burgers
PIN IT!Last week I had an incredible craving for a big, juicy hamburger. However, since I can’t really stomach red meat anymore, a turkey burger was the closet thing I could actually get to a real hamburger.
And after one bite, I didn’t even miss my old time favorite. But what really made this juicy burger absolutely incredible was the ooey-gooey mozzarella center. Why just slap a piece of cheese on a burger when it’s so much more decadent stuffed inside? I don’t think I’ll ever go back to a regular burger again.
And if that’s wrong, than I don’t wanna be right.
Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Burger
What You’ll Need:
- 1 pound of lean ground turkey, defrosted
- 1/2 cup of part skim mozzarella cheese
- 1/2 medium onion, chopped
- 2 teaspoons of Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 cup of bread crumbs
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons of fresh basil, chopped
- 2 teaspoons of freshly minced garlic (about 1 clove)
- 2 teaspoons of dried oregano
- Dashes of salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 buns, toasted
- Sliced tomato, lettuce and onion as garnish
How to Make Them:
- Preheat your grill.
- In a medium bowl, mix turkey, egg, Worcestershire sauce, bread crumbs, basil, oregano, onion, garlic and salt and pepper with your hands. Mix until evenly distributed.
- With the mixture, form 8 small patties. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and place an equal amount in the center of 4 patties. Cover with the remaining patties and crimp the edges closed.
- On a preheated grill, cook patties until brown and cheese is slightly oozing out of the center, about 8-10 minutes.
- Serve with your favorite toppings and enjoy!
You can’t have a burger without tomatoes, lettuce and bacon, duh. I also like to add ketchup, mustard and a bit of mayo.
Nutrition information per patty (no bun or toppings): 299 calories, 13 grams of fat, 14 grams of carbohydrates and 28 grams of protein.
My Realistic Life: The Pros and Cons of Unemployment
Let me first preface this by saying I know how lucky I am. I know I’m blessed to have any amazing husband, the cutest puppy in the world & the best family and friends a girl could ask for. I know this. And I’m grateful for that. But at this moment in my life, I know that things could certainly get better.
Last week, on Wednesday, I lost my job. I hate that term, because it’s not like I misplaced it. I just hate the alternative, that I was let-go, laid off. Although I’ve known for months that I wasn’t happy and was actively looking for a more fulfilling position, it was still a big shock to hear them say that I was being let go. I was there for two years and even though they weren’t the best, it was still a stable two years. Now, I’m the big U word and it completely terrifies me. I know thousands of people are in the same boat, the economy is still recovering and it’s completely normal, I know that. But I’ve never had this happen to me. I’ve never gone through something like this. It kind of makes me feel like a failure, like I didn’t do enough right. I have 8 hours of my day to myself now to think about what I want to do, what kind of job interests me and when I’m going to apply to graduate school. Real thoughts. It’s not that I didn’t think about this while I was working, but it wasn’t as necessary then. I didn’t HAVE to. Now I’m stuck thinking about my future, OUR future, and it’s kind of overwhelming.
As discouraging as all of this can be, I am trying to look at this situation with a more optimistic lens. I’m trying to be a glass half full person, no matter how hard that may be. So I’m trying to focus on the plus sides of this, the good things that can come from this sabbatical.
One, I get to play with this little furry ball of love every second of the day.
Two, I have time to blog. Which is HUGE. When I was working, I would either write the posts the night before or write them during my lunch break. Although on the days I had time, it worked perfectly. However, working where I did, time for lunch was never a guarantee. I like having time to write without feeling like I’m “cheating” on my work. I know this isn’t permanent, but for the time being, it’s nice to really put time into what I love to do, which is writing.
Third, I can workout!!! This is a huge, huge, HUGE plus. When was working 9-5, I was out of the door by 7:30 and home anytime from 6-7. Working out wasn’t impossible in this time frame, but it also wasn’t ideal. If I woke up early I was always utterly exhausted by 3pm. When I would wait until I got home to work out, I wouldn’t have time to cook, which meant, I wouldn’t have anything to blog about. I know I’m going to have to figure out a proper workout schedule for when I go back to work, but for now, when all I need to do is apply for jobs and write, I workout anywhere from 1-2 hours, 3-4 days a week! I’m working on a very detailed post about my new fitness regime, so you’ll see that next week 🙂
Fourth, I get to spend more time on my photography. We got an amazing DSLR for our wedding (see our honeymoon pictures here!) and taking pictures has become more to me than just pointing and shooting. Photography is a true art form and it takes years to really get the handle of what makes a beautiful photograph. But I’m really into it and I’m having fun learning the ins and outs. I’m still very, very novice, but it’s nice to have a hobby that I can really throw myself in when I’m feeling down. Plus, our backyard is perfect for trendy plant photos.
Lastly, I have more time to bake, cook & experiment in the kitchen. The only time I really had to spend playing in the kitchen before was on the weekends. And to be honest? It wasn’t really something I wanted to do after working 45 hours. Although he doesn’t show it, E is quite happy with this new arrangement because dinner is usually ready by the time he gets home. He’s home early from work today, though, so I think I’m going to make the first actual dinner we had at our new place, margherita pizza!
I’m certainly not trying to glorify unemployment, I’m just trying to look at it through a different lens. It’s one of those situations that can swallow you whole if you let it. I’m just trying to get by, day by day, and trying to figure out what I’m supposed to be doing in this life of mine.
Gluten Free Apps: Maple Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you may have noticed these updates:
Although mostly everything I make is delicious (key word, mostly), this concoction completely blew my mind. Oh and E was obsessed too. He came home, looked at the plate, and shoved about 4 in his mouth. Who knew something SO easy, a relationship made of just beans, bacon, syrup & brown sugar could be so incredibly delicious? Okay, I knew, as soon as I saw the recipe posted on How Sweet It Is. Thank you Jessica for sharing this incredible recipe.
Holy, freakin’ NOM. The bacon was crispy, salty & sweet and the beans were incredibly flavorful. I can’t tell you how many we ate (all of them), but I will tell you that you absolutely have to make them. Right now. Stop what you are doing and make these bundles of sweet, sweet heaven. Need another photo?
I’m convinced that I must make them again. Probably in a week, though, since it’s not exactly healthy to eat a pound of bacon in one day. As unhealthy as they look, though, they aren’t all that bad for you. For starters, they are completely gluten-free. Secondly, if you use turkey bacon, you cut the fat grams by nearly half. Third, green beans are naturally low in calories. Even more reason to make them! Just, try not to eat all of them in one day.
Once again, that is why God made treadmills. And bikes. And liquid cleanses.
Maple Bacon Wrapped Green Beans
What You Need:
- 1 pound of fresh green beans
- 8 slices of bacon (you can use turkey or regular)
- 1 tablespoon of maple sugar, warmed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of unsalted butter
- Salt and Pepper
- Cooking spray
How to Make Them:
- Grease a cookie sheet with cooking spray.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Wash beans and salt & pepper them, lightly. Grab 5-6 beans and group them together.
- Wrap the cluster with a piece of bacon and place them, seam side down, on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the beans.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat butter, brown sugar and maple until melted. Using a brush, liberally apply the butter mixture over the green bean bundles until covered.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until the edges of the beans and bacon is crispy and brown.
Seriously, these are absolutely incredible. Totally mind blowing. Make them ASAP. Then invite me over. What, it’s not like I’d be MAKING them again. I never said anything about coming over to taste test the ones you make, right?
Yes, I have a problem. I know that.
Nutritional information per bundle: 170 calories, 8 grams of fat, 19 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams or protein.
ESBS: Summer Vegetable Linguine
How did you spend the first official day of summer? Laying by the pool? Grilling steaks on an open flame? Drinking margaritas? Sailing on a yacht in the Carribbean? Sigh. If you answered yes to any of those, I’m coming to stay with you. Okay? Okay. I took my little pup on a very long and very sweaty walk. It was definitely more fun for him.
This is his “walk me mother” look.
And this is his Vogue look.
When we got back, Oscar immediately plopped down on the cold tile floor and fell asleep. Such a rough, hard life he leads. While Oscar was snoring away on the middle of the kitchen floor, I chopped, minced and grilled my stash of summer vegetables.
Unlike a lot of my normal peers, I’m OBSESSED with vegetables. I love them. Although the thought of eating a giant serving of grilled and carmalelized vegetables for dinner was incredibly appetizing, I knew my husband wouldnt’ share the same enthusiasm. So I decided to re-create a pasta dish I found on How Sweet It Is since my husband is a major carbi-vore. The end result was an absolutely perfect mix of pasta + fresh summer vegetables.
It was a win-win for both of us 🙂 The perfect dish to kick off a beautiful summer!
Fresh Vegetable Linguine
What You’ll Need:
- 1/2 box of linguine
- 1/2 zucchini, chopped
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3/4 can of basil soaked tomatoes
- 2 ears of corn, grilled
- 1 cup of mushrooms, chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon of freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon of basil
- 1 teaspoon of oregano
- Dashes of salt and pepper
How to Make It:
- Boil 6-8 cups of water. Once water is rapidly boiling, add salt and pasta and cook until al-dente. Set aside.
- While pasta is cooking, peel the skin away from the corn. Brush oil on ears and stick on the grill and cook until browned. Once corn is completely cooled, use a knife to cut off the kernels and set aside.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium size sauce pan over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, and cook until soft. Add zucchini & mushrooms, cook until vegetables are browned and soft.
- Mix vegetables, kernels, olive oil, Parmesan cheese, herbs and pasta. Serve while still warm and enjoy!
This is the perfect summer dinner. It’s light, incredibly satisfying and perfect with a glass of Chardonnay. I may have found my go-to summer staple. That is, until tomorrow when I fall in love with something else.
I’m fickle, what can I say?
Nutritional information per 1 cup of pasta: 350 calories, 7.5 grams of fat, 32 grams of carbohydrates and 4 grams of protein.
ESBS: Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins
…with strawberries!
I know, they should be called “everything but the kitchen sink” muffins. I’ll admit, things got a little crazy in the kitchen and I couldn’t stop adding ingredients. But the end result was totally worth it. Imagine a bowl of oatmeal paired with a peanut butter and banana sandwich with a few fresh strawberries as garnish.
Now that I re-read that, it’s kind of hard to imagine. So just imagine one of the best muffins you’ve had. That should be easier, right? 🙂
These are as healthy as they are delicious with 8 grams of protein and 5 grams of fiber. I made these for breakfast but ended up eating them for lunch and dessert too. I have a problem with portion control when my food is portable. I don’t know why, I just can’t control how many I eat. This is also why I can’t make these, these OR these anymore. This is why I should probably veer away from cookies, muffins and cupcakes and bake more giant cakes and pies. Those are harder to over eat. (ha, who am I kidding?)
I guess this is why man invented treadmills, right?
Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins (with strawberries!)
What You’ll Need:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup quick cooking oats
- 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 cup low fat milk
- 1/2 cup low fat peanut butter
- 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
- 1 egg, beaten
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh strawberries
How to Make Them:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.
- Combine 1 cup flour, oats, 1/3 cup brown sugar, and baking powder.
- In another bowl, whisk together milk, peanut butter, banana, egg, oil, and vanilla. Once mixed, add in mashed banana.
- Add wet mixture to the dry mixture, stir well, but careful not to over mix.
- Pour mixture into muffin pans, fill cups about 3/4.
- Bake for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out dry. Serve with some fresh strawberries and enjoy!
The key to the best tasting muffins is to use the freshest and most natural ingridients, including fresh strawberries and organic peanut butter. These are fabulous summer muffins for those hot mornings when you really don’t feel like cooking and can’t stomach another bowl of cereal. (We all have them, I know I’m not the only one!)
Nutritional information per muffin: 226 calories, 8 grams of fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 8 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber.
