Healthy Turkey & Zucchini Burgers Galore

Since last week was a little aggressive on the calories at SXSW, I thought to tone it down a bit by cooking up something healthy and wholesome.  Looking through my Healthy Eating Pinterest board, I picked out this awesome looking recipe for spicy turkey and zucchini burgers, reminding me of my mom's fasirky, which are essentially just that minus the spice and the zucchini.

If you fancy a good meatloaf, you'll love this dish, as it's essentially made in the same way - by mashing all the ingredients together and enjoying their individual uniqueness.  The zucchini really added something special and made each bite moist and vibrant.  The lemon zest, which went into this as well as the yogurt sauce injected a bit of freshness and zing - and eliminated the need for extra salt.  You can very well have this dish on its own or pair it with a nice, wholesome quinoa like we did.  Enjoy!

Spicy Turkey & Zucchini Burgers, recipe courtesy of Simply Recipes

BareBurger Always Hits the Spot

On our way back home from a lovely weekend in DC, we made a pit stop at BareBurger, before coming back to home base.  Tired and hungry after a long car ride, we had a feeling BareBurger would do the trick to satiate us.  It so did.

It was a lovely, warm night outside and the place was buzzing.  Outside tables had a wait, but given that we were starving and also because the floor to ceiling windows were wide open, we were happy to sit inside.  Although we've already tried many burger options here, I picked a variety that was new to me and that I'd love to tell you about, the Pesto Red Pepper Burger.

Pesto Red Pepper Burger - After a weekend of gorging on a lot of not-so-healthy foods, I was in the mood for something earthier and healthier than your traditional beef burger.  I chose this fresh tasting pesto burger with turkey meat. 

BareBurger's brioche bun is always a plus in my book, so sinking my teeth into this baby was a pleasure - once you got a full bite of the moist burger meat with the melted smoked mozzarella cheese, roasted red peppers, baby spinach and creamy pesto mayo, your tastebuds went to town.  I loved that overall, the burger didn't feel heavy but still left you very satisfied.

Service and Cost:
BareBurger's service is always consistent and this time around was no different.  Our order was taken just a few minutes after we sat, our water was always refreshed and the burgers came out in good time, as did the check.

For two burgers and a side salad, we paid $33 with tax and tip.

3 Mmmms

BareBurger - 33-21 31st Avenue, Astoria NY 11106
718.777.7011
N/Q Train to Broadway
www.bareburger.com

Foodista's Turkey Fasirky

What on earth are fasirky, you might ask? Although the name and its spelling might be unfamiliar to you, the actual food is quite complimentary with our culture, as it's essentially  mini burgers that are prepared a bit differently. 

Fasirky are a Slovak dish and they refer to ground meat patties that are combined with egg, breadcrumbs, sometimes scallions and anything else you can think of.  It's usually a quick, stand-by dish that a lot of Slovak people turn to when they want a home cooked meal that doesn't take long to prepare.  I grew up eating it at home and Dan quickly came to love them, to the point where he asks my mom if she can make them all the time.

I decided to try my own version last night - just by process of improvisation and from watching my mom, grandmother and uncle make them over the years.  Mine incorporate turkey meat, but you can also use ground beef, chicken, lamb or a mix of them.

Foodista's Turkey Fasirky:

Ingredients (serves 2):
1 lb of ground turkey meat
1 - 1 1/2 chopped scallions
1 egg
1/2 garlic clove, minced (optional)
Handful of breadcrumbs
Salt and pepper to taste
Vegetable or canola oil

Directions:
Combine the meat with the scallions, egg, garlic, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper.  Fully incorporate with your hands until you get a consistency that's firm enough to form a patty.  If you need to add more breadcrumbs, then do until you get the right consistency.

Form meat mixture into 3 inch oval patties and flatten them out a little.  Not as much as you'd flatten a burger but just so they don't resemble large meatballs.

Then prepare your sautee pan with a generous glug of oil on medium heat.  Give it some time to get super hot and then drop in your meat patties.  Turn over after about 4 minutes or until golden brown on the outside.  Repeat with the other side and make sure the sides are cooked too.  If you need more time for the sides, lower the heat and just leave the patties to cook several minutes longer.  If you're unsure about the doneness of your meat, cut one patty in half to make sure you're in the clear.

Enjoy with some cous-cous, mashed potatoes, a veggie salad - whatever you please.  For my side dish, I used round cous-cous and added chopped scallions and really tiny pieces of radish. It was good!

5 Napkin Burger – Liberty, Justice and Burgers for All

After my initial brief visit to the new 5 Napkin Burger during their preview party, I was compelled to come back and have a real taste of the menu. Dan came with me of course, being the burger lover that he is, and together we enjoyed an evening of delicious, hearty burgers and some of our favorite diner-style snacks. Here are the highlights of our meal:

Deep Fried Pickles & Pastrami – This dish was so memorable from the preview party that we just had to get it again. Let me just say that whoever thought of this was a genius because it consists of the most comforting, delicious, and somewhat sinful combination. I’ve never had pastrami fried and wrapped around a pickle no less but the combination worked beautifully. It was a little bit tart, meaty and crunchy from the tempura batter. I also loved that it rested on a bed of sauerkraut and some spicy mustard.

Lobster Roll Sliders and Fries – We ordered this as an appetizer, but it could absolutely be an entrée because it’s quite large. I was pretty happy with it, and even though it was a tad much mayonnaisey, the quality of the lobster was wonderful and it had good spice. The fries were crunchy and addicting but a bit salty for my taste.

Italian Turkey Burger with Onion Rings – This was Dan’s favorite burger from the preview party, so he couldn’t wait to have some more. Wow, it was a beauty, packed with spicy tomato sauce, vinegar peppers and fresh mozzarella. The burger meat was tender, juicy and wonderful—together, the combination worked well to create an exciting and colorful turkey burger.

The onion rings were yummy too, but for some reason Dan remembers them being better at the party. I enjoyed them though and liked the cornmeal crust, which had a slight sweetness. Mmmm….

Lamb Kofta Burger – What can I say… I’m sometimes a creature of habit too, and I reordered this, as it was my favorite the first time I tried it. The lamb itself was fragrant and wonderful and (excuse the redundant adjective) very lamby. Topped with creamy tahini sauce that tasted like tzatziki, I enjoyed it very much and would highly recommend it. My side salad that came along with it was fresh, light and a nice way to couple this hearty burger.

Dessert – We got two desserts, a s’mores shake and an espresso brownie sundae. Both were good and very, very rich. We didn’t mind and basically finished both, including the mounds of thick whipped cream on top of the sundae. I liked the espresso brownie in the sundae and you could definitely taste the coffee flavor that seemed to give us a jolt after a big, filling meal.

The shake was good too, with some amazing, slightly-burnt marshmallows on top. I wish there was more of those in the shake because they were pretty spectacular and Dan and I fought over them viciously.

Apricot Fizz Cocktail – Besides all the food, 5 Napkin has an extensive cocktail menu. I ordered this really yummy, fruity drink because it reminded me of a bellini and I absolutely love those. It was fizzy and refreshing with little bits of apricot floating in it. A perfect way to start this meal for sure, I’d recommend it for all you ladies. Gentleman, be my guest too but just know this drink is a bit on the feminine side.

Service and Cost:
The service at 5 Napkin was on-point and especially given that it’s a new joint, I think they’re being super attentive. We were paid attention to at just at the right moments and all our food came out piping hot and perfect. The manager came over to check on us to make sure all was good. It was a nice gesture and he wasn’t too pushy.

Costs are moderate to a bit expensive for a burger place, but know that you are getting great quality, a fabulous atmosphere and good service. I think it’s money well spent.

Starters: $7.25 -$10.75
Burgers: $11.95 - $22.50 (burger for 2)
Salads: $14.95 - $16.95
Entrees: $13.50 -$19.75
Sushi: $10.95 - $15.95
Sides: $2.75 - $7.25

3 Mmmms

5 Napkin Burger - 35-01 36th Street, Astoria NY 11106
718.433.2727
N/W Train to 36th Avenue or R/V/G Train to Steinway Street
www.5napkinburger.com

Turkey Slider Dinner - Perfect for Game-Time

Sundays are fun, as I've slowly but surely adopted the many American rituals that go along with it, including watching football, lounging around and eating comforting game-time food. I always look forward to making a creative, hearty yet healthy meal on Sundays and this one's a good example.

Dan and I tag teamed it with preparation, as he took care of the turkey sliders and I did the sides. You can easily make this at home in under and hour and be back on your couch watching that next touchdown.

Foodista's Sunday Night Football Dinner:

Turkey Sliders - Use Dan's recipe for turkey burgers but cut the size of the burger in half to roughly 2 1/2 inch discs

At the end of the grilling process, Dan topped the sliders with a thin slice of fresh mozzarella cheese. You can use this or substitute with any cheese or toppings of your choice. I used a delicious, tangy SAGA blue on my sliders. We also put caramelized onions on top. If you need guidance on how to make them, click here.

For the buns, look for mini potato buns in the supermarket. We used Martin's brand, which is inexpensive and good.

Herbed Potato Salad (serves 2)

Ingredients:
2 large new potatoes (I used red), quartered
Small bunch of fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbs of unsalted butter
1 splash of low-fat milk
1 tbs or less of crispy bacon
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Boil potatoes in water for about 7 minutes or until they get tender. Drain and place back into the pot. Add rest of the ingredients and toss gently with a wooden spoon - make sure to incorporate all ingredients but try not to break the potatoes too much. Serve alongside turkey sliders.

Honey Mustard Apple Salad (serves 2)

Ingredients:
1 package of mesculin greens
2 handfuls of grape tomatoes (red or yellow), halved and seeded
1 apple of your choice - I used Fuji - peeled and sliced into 1 inch cubes
1 cucumber, seeded and chopped into 1 inch cubes
Cheese of your choice to sprinkle on top (optional)
The juice of 1 lemon
1 tbs of olive oil
1 generous squirt of whole grain mustard
1 tbs of honey - I used clover honey
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine the greens, tomatoes, apple, cucumber and cheese (if using) in a large bowl. If you have left over bacon, you can sprinkle that on top too.

In a separate small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, honey and salt and pepper until combined. Pour over the veggies and toss to coat. Serve alongside the turkey sliders and the potatoes.

Enjoy these game-time treats!

Indigo - Bar Food That Doesn't Disappoint

Indigo - 28-50 31st Street, Astoria NY 11102
718-728-0050
N/W Train to 30th Avenue
www.indigobarnyc.com

The first place that we hit after our big trip was Indigo. We were absolutely starving after our long flight--and with nothing in the fridge, we decided to elongate our honeymoon fried food gorgefest. We headed to Indigo to catch the remains of the Giants game and to have ourselves a good ol' fashioned American burger.

There were lots of burger, club and wrap choices but we decided to go for the semi-healthy, semi-gluttonous turkey burger with bacon. To say that it was the best turkey burger that I've had in a while would not be a lie. Here are the deets:

Turkey Burger (with a side of bacon) - This dish was a feast, complete with homemade fries with crunchy skins, thick slices of tomato and onion as well as cranberry mayonnaise on the side, giving it that Thanksgiving-ey touch.

The meat itself was wonderful--juicy and thick, this was no small burger. It was a generous portion that filled you up nicely and the lightly toasted sesame bun was also a plus. The bacon, perfectly crispy and chewy was pure indulgence--once you bit into it, the smoky crunch was just divine. It brought a smile to our tired, jet-lagged faces.

The cost of the burger was reasonable. It's normally priced at $8 but we payed $10 a piece because of the bacon.

We were so impressed by Indigo that we've already made plans to go again this Sunday with Josh and Diana for Football watching and maybe some yummy brunch. I've had their waffles before and they're damn gooood--I'm already looking forward to it.

Gargantuan Turkey Burgers with Avocado Salad

Trying to use ingredients in our fridge and pantry, Dan and I cooked up a gargantuan turkey burger feast. We paired the meat with two zesty salads--avocado and potato-apple. It was easy, fun and made for an enjoyable group-cook. So...be prepared to do some chopping and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty!

Giant Turkey Burgers: Serves 4

Ingredients:

1.5 lbs of ground turkey

1 large egg

1/4 cup of chopped onions

2 cloves of minced garlic

1 generous handful of breadcrumbs (with Italian seasoning, if possible)

4 large Kaiser rolls

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Defrost the turkey and place into a medium to large bowl. Add the rest of the ingredients and combine with your hands. Make sure to incorporate everything evenly but do not overmix--you'll know when the consistency is right. Take a generous handful of meat in your hands and form it in the shape of round-oval patty. Continue doing this until you've used up all the meat.

When the patties are ready, place them on a pre-heated and slightly oiled grill pan. Grill on high for 4-6 minutes per side or use your judgement depending on the thickness of your patties. The burgers should have a slightly charred exterior and a well-done interior.

When finished, place each patty between a lightly toasted kaiser roll.

Avocado Salad: Serves 4

Ingredients:

2 large, ripe avocados, cubed (1 inch cubes or however you like it)

1/3 cup of chopped onions

1 handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

The juice of 1 good lime

Salt and pepper to taste (more salt than pepper)

Directions:

Place all prepped ingredients in a small to medium bowl and mix with a fork. It's OK if the avocado gets slightly crushed. Make sure to keep tasting the mixture periodically and adjust salt and pepper as needed. Don't be shy to use a lot of salt--it really enhances the taste of avocados.

When ready, top burger with avocado salad or you can serve it on the side.

Potato-Apple Salad: Serves 4

Ingredients:

4 large Idaho potatoes

1 large Granny-Smith apple, chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1/4 cup of onion, chopped

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons of soy sauce

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Cook the potatoes with the skins on until soft (about 20 minutes). Be careful not to overcook them--check their texture with a fork. Let potatoes cool for 10 minutes and then peel and cube them into 1 inch squares.

In a medium to large bowl, mix the potatoes, apples, celery and onions. In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise with the soy sauce and then transfer it to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients. Season with salt and pepper and mix thoroughly. Make sure to keep trying and adjusting the seasoning, as needed. This dish should be savory with an unexpected sweet crunch from the apples.

Happy Eating!