Dessert/ Dinner

American Girl

Hi everyone!

I am feeling a little less tired this afternoon and ready to tackle my night at school! Woohoo! Upon arriving home from work I poured a small glass of red wine to “unwind” after a hectic start of the week.

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Tonight for dinner I made a lightened up American classic: turkey cheeseburgers!

Here’s what I used:

1 lb 99% fat free organic ground turkey

1 tsp old bay seasoning

pinch cayenne

pinch sea salt and pepper

1 diced bell pepper (I used this tiny purple bell pepper one of the chefs at work gave me from his home garden)

 1. Heat up a cast iron or non-stick skillet and coat with cooking spray.

2. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients and mix together with hands. Form four patties.

3. Cook on skillet for about 6 minutes on each side or until cooked through.

This makes 4 four ounce burgers, which is the recommended serving size. I cooked two burgers and froze two to cook later. These are really easy to freeze and defrost in the fridge overnight then cook whenever you feel like it. I topped my burger with about an ounce of goat cheese (YUM), a thick slice of tomato, red onion, ketchup and dijon and used a whole wheat Rudi’s bun. And, as you can tell from the picture, this thing was monsterous!!! I really couldn’t fit it into my mouth and it ended up being quite messy but delicious and worth it. I also cooked some corn on the cob and finished my meal with a plum. The corn on the cob was especially tasty since I simmered it with a smashed garlic clove, salt, pepper and a pat of butter. Mmm!

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Tonight will be fun because it is a “free” night where we can use the 5 hours to just test recipes for our final practical and project (remember the peanut butter smores?). I’m planning on testing my peanut butter cookie recipe along with homemade marshmellows!! I’m bringing two fig newmans for later but probably will just end up having a peanut butter cookie…or two instead.

Talk to you soon!

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  • cb
    July 16, 2008 at 9:43 pm

    Hi Jenna! I just want to say your blog has always been a joy to read. You show a great example of a healthy lifestyle and eating what your body craves. You seem extra happy these days! Have a great night at school

  • Foodie
    July 16, 2008 at 10:04 pm

    That turkey burger looks so good. Have fun at school!

  • Maureen
    July 16, 2008 at 10:11 pm

    I love turkey burgers. I usually add gorgonzola cheese and dried cranberries, but I think I will try goat cheese next time. Looks delish!

  • kat
    July 16, 2008 at 10:52 pm

    Hi Jenna,
    I was just wondering, I feel like you talked a lot about how much better you felt (lighter, healthier, etc) when you went vegetarian earlier this year. Do you feel any negative effects of eating meat again? Just curious.

  • VeggieGirl
    July 16, 2008 at 11:57 pm

    I have dibs on those peanut-butter s’mores you’re making!!! :0)

  • CourtneyS
    July 17, 2008 at 12:58 am

    Wow, that burger looks great! (I love turkey burgers and everything is better with goat cheese.) I look forward to reading about your test recipes tonight…I’ve always wanted to go to culinary school!

  • Becca A
    July 17, 2008 at 1:08 am

    Yum, goat cheese.

  • Kath
    July 17, 2008 at 1:22 am

    Your burger looks awesome!!! Smart to make 4 at once.

    Thanks for my text!!!

  • ModelBehavior
    July 17, 2008 at 3:02 am

    Ooohh I haven’t had a nice burger in too long! Thanks for the idea!

    http://modbehav.wordpress.com

  • Chef Erin
    July 17, 2008 at 4:42 am

    Mmm… turkey burgers! I like to mix some thawed frozen spinach to mine!
    Oh, and those peanut butter cookies were so yummy. Seriously. That, with some marshmallow would be like dying and going to fluffernutter heaven.

  • C
    July 17, 2008 at 10:34 am

    I have never tried a burger with goat cheese. Now I can’t decide to try out the pasta you made or the burger!

  • Meghan
    July 17, 2008 at 12:07 pm

    I was actually wondering the same thing as kat. Although I still eat meat, chicken, fish, and so on when I feel like it, the vegan and vegetarian ways of eating interest me so much that I often find myself opting for animal-friendly meals more and more. I’m pretty sure I can say that I will never become vegetarian or vegan (my love for fage and would stand in the way!) but I think that by being conscious about the whole meat industry and reducing how many animal products I consume on a regular basis, I’m at least trying to help out a little.
    I really applaud those that can commit to a veggie lifestyle. I know how great I feel physically now that I’ve really cut back on consuming so many animal products (I used to consume A LOT), so I can only imagine how great all you vegan and vegetarians feel.
    Basically, you have to do what’s right for you at this certain time in your life. Wow, I can’t believe I typed all this! Sorry for the long post, these ideas have been churning in my head for quite some time now and this just happened to be the place where I spilled!

    S’mores sound GREAT!

  • jenna
    July 17, 2008 at 1:18 pm

    kat,

    Honestly, I really don’t feel different. Granted, I only took a meat hiatus for about 5 months so it wasn’t as extreme as people that have been veg. for 15 years. Also, I still don’t eat a ton of red meat (I think I’ve only had it once since I started eating meat again). Chicken and turkey are pretty light and lean and I’ve felt fine, if not more satisfied, since I started adding them back into my diet. I think the most important thing for girls is to listen to their bodies and not deprive it. Eat what feels right for you and listen to yourself. I have weighed the exact same for the past two years, give or take a pound or two, so I haven’t gained or lost weight throughout this little “experiment”.

  • Evan
    July 17, 2008 at 10:30 pm

    Hi Jenna-
    I’ve been reading your blog for a month or so now and how funny is it today that I saw you commented on Happy Herbivore’s blog. She had commented on MY blog because I was attempting to go vegan for a week and had a piece of cheese. Apparently I misidentified myself and then I went on to read comments on her site, one from you. I don’t want to get into the whole “what is a vegan/what’s not a vegetarian” debate, but I just realized what a small blog world it must be.
    I love your site and I eat quite similarly to you, if not as structured. I probably pig out more than I should, but you, and Kath too, seem to be able to reign that in. Some day perhaps! Check out my blog too and I will be interested to read updates. I am also now seeing how my little essay went over on the Happy Herbivore site. We shall see!
    Evan
    http://www.muffinsmuffins.blogspot.com

  • Tammy
    July 18, 2008 at 7:45 pm

    Wow, I think even I could make this. Looks delicious!