In all honesty, I almost didn’t make it to the computer today. I almost lost myself with spring and sunshine and having nothing really to do but to go for a nature walk. It was really, really lovely.
Everything looked just as it should on the first day of spring. Exciting. Fresh. Rich and clean. With promises of warmer weather to come.
In order to fully embrace spring—and all of the brilliant excitement that comes along with—the few green, plastic chairs sitting inside our shed were pulled out from hibernation, and the charcoal grill was fired up. A fun, spring inspired meal was planned. The deck was turned into our own private cafe.
Spring deserves such a bright, cheery welcoming, wouldn’t you say?
And then I overcame one of my most ultimate fears (aside from public speaking and roller coasters, of course) which was dunking my hands into a bowl of cold, raw turkey meat, squishing and squeezing the burger mixture together into one cohesive mess. Shudder.
It didn’t kill me. I didn’t grimace or groan or make (too) many faces.
But I certainly didn’t enjoy it half as much as hand-stirring a batch of vegan cookies, in which I can wholeheartedly lick my fingers afterwards. Just being honest.
Dad took over as soon as the patties hit the grill, which is when I finished up with the sweet potato fries and threw together a warm kale salad.
The kale could not have been simpler: Chop an onion. Throw it in about 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large pot. Heat over medium until browned; add 1 bunch of chopped kale, 1 can of diced tomatoes, garlic powder and lemon juice. It’s as delicious as it is simple and goes well with most anything.
The burgers were spectacular. Well worth the occasion of having to hand stir (wow, I am such a wimp when it comes to raw meat!)
They’re moist and juicy, thanks to the red bell pepper, and they’re spiked with rich flavor throughout. I sandwiched mine in between a whole wheat hamburger bun, topping it all off with swiss cheese, chopped garden cress, tomato and ketchup.
The main highlight was that, despite the 40 degree temperatures, we ate outside on the deck for the first time this year. It felt like the right thing to do. It was as if we were welcoming spring home, after its been gone away somewhere for a long, long while.
Really, I love each new season for its own unique reason. But I tend to think that spring is one of the most delicious.
Ultimate Turkey Burgers—as seen in Clean Eating Magazine, with slight modifications
This is such a delightful recipe. Don’t let its simplicity fool you! The bell peppers lend the burgers a moist, rich flavor, and the garlic offers just enough pizazz to really excite things. Serve with your favorite garnishes and sides for a fun, spring-inspired meal. 😀
- 1 lb. ground lean ground turkey
- 1 medium red bell pepper, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 Tbsp. parsley, finely minced
- 1/8-1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Divide into four balls and place each in between wax paper, flattening to about 1/2 inch thick. Chill in freezer for 30 minutes before grilling time.
- Place patties carefully on grill over medium-high heat. Grill 3-4 minutes and flip. Grill for another 3-4 minutes or until burgers are golden brown and firm in the middle. Enjoy!
QUESTION: What is a warm weather activity that you’re most looking forward to this year?
Running To Slow Things Down 