Warning: This picture was meant to make you laugh. Do not attempt. Results ARE typical.
Specialty hamburgers are sooooo much better than throwing a plain old hunk of meet on the grill. You can put almost anything in a burger to make it better. I make up a bunch of burgers for my lunches and eat them several days a week. That way I am always prepared... okay, that's a bold faced lie. The truth is I am never prepared. I struggle everyday with a schedule that is way to full for one woman. I am a hamster on the wheel of life. It seems like every day I am faced with a snake in my hamster cage, trying to devour my hamster self. Some days it's a little Garter snake, while others may as well be an Anaconda. But since Anaconda's usually eat Water Buffalo, I figure I am too scrawny to be too much of a meal. So I may hide my head for a moment but ultimately I come out of my hamster hiding, eyes bulging and ready to face what the Universe has to offer.
So the latest Primal Mama news is that both of our twins have to have their tonsils out and tubes put in their ears. They haven't been well for more than a week since November. We've been put on house arrest by the Pediatrician. Gone are our days of going to Knott's Berry Farm, the bounce house, petting zoo... preschool, you know... all those things that break up the day and keep mom sane. So if anyone out their has an idea for me to help pass the day indoors or in our yard while cut off from society, I would welcome it with open arms. The boys are two-years old but keep in mind they are behind a bit... so nothing too complicated please!
Alright! Back to burgers. Not much in life makes me happier than seeing a huge burger on my plate. Just because you remove the bun does not mean all the burgery goodness is gone. So let's take a walk down the lane of burger possibilities. The following are a couple of choices you can make. Now her comes the big news:
Primal Mama is having a burger recipe contest!
rules:
Starting right now through 10pm pacific time on March 13, post your best burger recipe to the comments section of this post. It can be anything you come up with but must follow the primal rules. So no dairy, no gluten, no grains. I'm not a purist so if you want to use vinegar or soy sauce like I do, that's perfectly fine. Just make sure they are gluten free. The winner will be chosen at random by a secret panel of judges. (Oooohhhh sounds so intriguing) The winning burger recipe will be posted on my FaceBook fan page. The winner will also get a little Primal Mama kitchen gift pack. Items to be determined by.... ME!
Sooo, Here are my best burgers:
Meat loaf burger:
one pound grass fed ground beef
one egg
1/2 small can tomato paste
1 T. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 green onions, sliced into little rounds
1 tsp soy sauce (gluten free)
Guacamole
Mix all ingredients together with your hands and shape into patties. Grill or pan fry and serve with guacamole on top.
Greek Burger:
1/2 pound ground lamb
1/2 pound grass fed beef
2 T. dried mint
1/4 cup pine nuts
4 chopped pepperoncinis (Greek peppers)
1 minced roasted red bell pepper (in the jar or do your own)
1 or 2 fresh cloves of garlic, crushed
one egg
sliced tomato and cucumber to top burger
Dressing:
1 T. tahini (sesame paste, looks like peanut butter available at TJ's or health food stores)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon
1/2 tsp garlic powder
Mix all burger ingredients together and grill or pan fry. Make dressing by whisking all dressing ingredients together. Top the burger with slices of tomato and cucumber. Top with dressing.
These are just two of many variations on the burger. Let's see what you come up with!
Enjoy!
Uh, ground turkey, pepper, minced onion and minced garlic...grilled.
ReplyDeleteThat's all I have. This is why I read your blog.
As for entertaining the boys:
Radio Flyer 3-wheel scooters ROCK and require very little coordination (both of my kidlets were using them around 18 months old).
ZhuZhu pets provide HOURS of entertainment (though they may creep you out).
Money bribes silence...so pay them a penny to do something (or nothing...just leave you alone).
Cut out kite-shapes and let them decorate. Staple a string/ribbon on the end and then let them run wild "flying" them through the air.
Play hide and seek.
We actually hung an outdoor swing inside (we had a decorative arch) when our twins were two. Our neighbors had IKEA rings hanging from the same arch. Very Crossfit for young ones :)
ReplyDeleteMar-lago Turkey Burger
ReplyDeleteIngredients
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and diced
• 1/8 cup live oil
• 4 pounds ground turkey breast (lean)
• 2 Tbsp. black pepper
• 2 tsp. Tabasco® chipotle pepper sauce
• 1 lemon , juiced and grated zest
• 1/2 bunch parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup Mango Chutney, pureed
• 2 slices avocado
• 1 cup Alfalfa sprouts
Instructions
1. Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the olive oil until tender and slightly carmelized. Let cool.
2. Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and pepper, lemon, Tabasco, and parsley
3. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.
4. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.
5. Top patty with sprouts avocado and drizzle mango chutney over the top(recipe below)
Major Grey Type Mango Chutney
• 2 semi-ripe mangoes
• 10-15 packets stevia
• 2 oz fresh ginger
• 1.5 oz garlic
• 1/2 level teaspoon chili powder
• 6 cloves
• 1 or 2 sticks cinnamon
• 2 oz slivered almonds (optional)
Skin mangoes and slice flesh into one- to two-inch thin slices. Then cook together with stevia until stevia is dissolved. Add all other ingredients and let boil gently for approx. half an hour. Remove cloves and cinnamon sticks and puree remaining ingredients.
I stole this from my ex-wife who stole it from Oprah. I paleod it but I hope the tabasco sauce still works.
Crazy as it sounds, simple is best in my book. I know you might not go for dairy, and I didn't either for over a year, but then I found raw, grass-fed butter. OMG it was love at first bite... The smell alone is like cheese. This butter actually has a taste!
ReplyDeleteHere's my recipe for the best burgers on the planet:
First, I heat a skillet over medium-high heat (I know, no grill, but these aren't missing out, trust me). Then, I add raw, grass-fed butter to the skillet and allow it to brown (swirl to coat pan). Meanwhile, I take out defrosted grass-fed ground beef. I pull apart hunks and smash them gently between my palms, no need to form circles--the more manipulation, the tougher the meat. Salt and pepper them, both sides. Then, add them to hot skillet. I turn them once the cooked color has crept half-way up the sides, then allow the other side to brown. The result? OMG. Butter makes everything better. Seriously.
Hope you enjoy them!