The Turkey Burger - Can It Get Any More Boring?
Being gluten-free can sometimes get you into a dinner rut. Being gluten-free, meat-free, and fish-free can REALLY get you into a dinner rut (doesn't that make you want to invite me over for dinner!). In our house, the turkey burger wrapped in lettuce has become a staple. A very boring one. So I am constantly experimenting in order to bring some life to this rather dull dish. Tonight's attempt was a steamed turkey burger with colby jack cheese, mango chutney, and carmelized onions on a bed of spinach.
In the past I have had a love-hate relationship with mangoes. I love the flavor, but have never successfully cut one. Even after Zach's aunt gave me an awesome demonstration, I had forgotten it by the time I needed to cut one. My favorite mango story is that when I bought one for the first time, I had never cut one. I've eaten them off of buffet trays and in fruit salads, but have never prepared one myself. So I asked my husband, who knows everything, if he knew what to do. "I'm pretty sure you just cut it into wedges and eat it", was his answer as he gave me a look that said I clearly didn't know anything about fruit.
"Really?" I asked, "Peel and all?"
"I'm pretty sure."
"Ok..." So I sliced my mango and as I bit through the fibrous peel (imagine eating a banana peel) I thought that there definitely had to be something wrong. Sure enough, I later found out that people typically (I'm trying to nicely say that Zach was very wrong) peel their mangoes and enjoy the sweet soft fruit in the middle. And don't try to eat the pit! But I do need to give Zach some credit - he has spent quite a bit of time in Africa, and as it turns out, many Africans do eat mangoes whole. But I don't recommend it unless you seriously feel that your intestines need a good cleaning.
So back to dinner. Here's my mango chutney, made of fresh mango, onion, jalepenos, white vinegar, brown sugar, lime juice, cayenne pepper. And now that I've tried caramelized onions, I can't have a burger without them!
I love oven fries! They are a nice and easy healthy alternative to french fries. Tonight I have drizzled them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Typically we grill our turkey burgers, but they often come out dry and tasteless. After a bit of research I decided to try steaming them in a steam basket over simmering water. This is supposed to yield a juicy yet lean burger.
This creates a very different burger from a chargrilled one! It was very juicy and not at all tough. Next time I would add a little more salt. But it was a delicious alternative to push us out of our dinner rut!
In the past I have had a love-hate relationship with mangoes. I love the flavor, but have never successfully cut one. Even after Zach's aunt gave me an awesome demonstration, I had forgotten it by the time I needed to cut one. My favorite mango story is that when I bought one for the first time, I had never cut one. I've eaten them off of buffet trays and in fruit salads, but have never prepared one myself. So I asked my husband, who knows everything, if he knew what to do. "I'm pretty sure you just cut it into wedges and eat it", was his answer as he gave me a look that said I clearly didn't know anything about fruit.
"Really?" I asked, "Peel and all?"
"I'm pretty sure."
"Ok..." So I sliced my mango and as I bit through the fibrous peel (imagine eating a banana peel) I thought that there definitely had to be something wrong. Sure enough, I later found out that people typically (I'm trying to nicely say that Zach was very wrong) peel their mangoes and enjoy the sweet soft fruit in the middle. And don't try to eat the pit! But I do need to give Zach some credit - he has spent quite a bit of time in Africa, and as it turns out, many Africans do eat mangoes whole. But I don't recommend it unless you seriously feel that your intestines need a good cleaning.
So back to dinner. Here's my mango chutney, made of fresh mango, onion, jalepenos, white vinegar, brown sugar, lime juice, cayenne pepper. And now that I've tried caramelized onions, I can't have a burger without them!
I love oven fries! They are a nice and easy healthy alternative to french fries. Tonight I have drizzled them with olive oil, salt, pepper, and paprika.
Typically we grill our turkey burgers, but they often come out dry and tasteless. After a bit of research I decided to try steaming them in a steam basket over simmering water. This is supposed to yield a juicy yet lean burger.
This creates a very different burger from a chargrilled one! It was very juicy and not at all tough. Next time I would add a little more salt. But it was a delicious alternative to push us out of our dinner rut!
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