Simply Authentic: Diary of a Local Foodie

Turkey burgers, an alternative for BBQ season

Shopping list:
• Ground turkey
• Spinach
• Onion
• Garlic
• Salt & Pepper
• Egg
• Ground flax seed
• Parsley
• BBQ sauce
• Avocado
• Cheddar cheese

Now that barbeque season is upon us, it’s helpful to change up what’s on the grill from time to time. Today, I want to share with you a recipe for turkey burgers. To be completely honest, I made turkey burgers for the first time last week, typically choosing to go with my tried and true beef & pork medley, or my best-ever veggie burgers (which I developed before a camping trip years ago, and they were delicious). These turkey burgers met all the requirements and had one extra bonus – they consisted of plenty of health benefits.

Let’s get started. First, I got out a cutting board and a large mixing bowl and placed the ground turkey in the bowl. Then, I finely chopped one small cooking onion and added it to the bowl, following it up by mincing three cloves of garlic. Next, I ventured out to my deck and grabbed a handful of parsley, which I rinsed, chopped up, and added to the bowl. For added colour and nutritional value, I grabbed a handful of spinach from my fridge, rinsed it and roughly chopped it up, and added it into the bowl with the other ingredients. After that, I added in one tablespoon of ground flaxseed (which I substituted in for bread crumbs), and added in a light dusting of salt and pepper. Next, I cracked a locally sourced egg and added it to the mixture.

Then, it was time to mix everything together and hope for the best! I separated the mixture bit by bit with the use of a large spoon and rolled the mixture into balls approximately the size of the palm of my hand. I laid out a piece of parchment paper and flattened the balls into patties one by one. The mixture held together perfectly, and the patties were ready to be placed on the grill.

While the patties were cooking, I decided to cook up a few slices of peppercorn bacon, thinly slice some red onion, and slice an avocado. Once the burgers were cooked, I added a nice applewood smoked barbeque sauce and allowed some old cheddar to melt overtop. Dinner was ready to be served.

I laid out the plates, sliced freshly baked burger buns and placed a burger on each, topped with the peppercorn bacon, sliced avocado, and red onion. Not only were they delicious, they were visually appealing – a real treat when wanting to switch up the barbeque routine. Delicious!