Burgers - Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's yummy double post deals with that iconic American food, burgers, for a reason: it's also Memorial Day here in the U.S. While it's the unofficial start of summer - a time to for grilling and/or picnics, Memorial Day is so much more. If you – or anyone in your family – is/was in the Armed Services – Thank You!

Okay, so this means it's a three-day holiday weekend. I've got six recipes to help you celebrate the day, including yummy Aloha Chicken Burgers and Bistro Onion Burgers. Enjoy!

POWER CHEESEBURGER

This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Maura Egan and Christine Muhlke developed this recipe in 2004, around the time of the Olympic Games in Athens, after talking with Shane Hamman, then the No. 1 weight lifter in America, capable of squatting more than 1,000 pounds. He ate two for lunch, amid his 5,000 calorie day. It’s pretty delicious.”

Yield: 1 cheeseburger, Time: 20 minutes

This was featured in “Food; Athens on 5,000 Calorires a Day”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10971-power-cheeseburger.

Ingredients

8 ounces ground beef, like chuck

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 slices sharp Cheddar cheese

1 sesame bun, halved and toasted if desired

Pickles

Ketchup and mustard

Preparation

In large bowl, combine beef, egg, paprika and salt. Mix well and form 1 large patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patty and cook 4 minutes; turn over and top with cheese. Continue to cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare.

Place the burger cheese side up on bun and top with pickles, ketchup and/or mustard. Place other bun half on top and serve.

BLACK BEAN-QUINOA BURGERS

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Here's a delicious veggie burger you can whip up from scratch. Any steak seasoning (which is just a combination of herbs and spices) will work to give the patties a rich, hearty flavor. Stash a few in the freezer for busy weeknight meals. For super-easy cookouts, bake the patties ahead, then reheat them on the grill. Serve with your favorite burger fixings.” Makes 8 patties.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa

1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1-1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 tsp. dried steak seasoning

8 whole-grain hamburger buns

Instructions:

Stir together quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan, and season with salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. (You should have 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.)

Meanwhile, place onion and sun-dried tomatoes in medium nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat. (The oil left on the tomatoes should be enough to sauté the onion.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in 3/4 cup black beans, garlic, steak seasoning, and 1-1/2 cups water. Simmer 9 to 11 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Transfer bean-onion mixture to food processor, add 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup quinoa and remaining 3/4 cup black beans. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and generously coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape bean mixture into 8 patties (1/2 cup each), and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top. Flip patties with spatula, and bake 10 minutes more, or until both sides are crisp and brown. Serve on buns.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 215; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 438 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g; Yield: Serves 8

ALOHA CHICKEN BURGERS

This is from Chris McDaniel at AllRecipes. Chris wrote, "This tasty sandwich is like a luau on a bun!”

Time: 1 hr 20 minutes; Prep: 20 min; Cook Time: 30 min; Makes 2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 slices thick cut bacon

2 large hamburger buns, split

1 tablespoon softened butter

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 slices pineapple

2 slices tomato

2 slices of iceberg lettuce

Directions

Place chicken breasts into a plastic zipper bag with soy sauce, seal the bag, and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Spread cut sides of hamburger buns with butter.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Remove the chicken from the soy sauce, and discard the excess soy sauce. Place the chicken breasts onto the preheated grill, and grill until chicken shows good grill marks, is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

When chicken is almost done, brush each piece generously on both sides with teriyaki sauce to finish grilling. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast, and cover with a lid to help the cheese melt onto the chicken.

While chicken is grilling, spread the buns open on the grill and cook until toasted and showing grill lines, about 2 minutes. Set the buns aside.

To assemble, spread the grilled sides of each bun with mayonnaise, and top each bottom bun with a cooked chicken breast, 1 1/2 slices of bacon, a slice of pineapple, a slice from a head of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and the top bun.

Footnotes

Cook's Note:

If you don't want to grill, loosely roll up marinated chicken breast with teriyaki sauce in foil, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Then open foil, and melt cheese on top.

Tip

Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

TURKEY BURGERS

Recipe Yield: 4 Servings

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

Book Title: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/turkey-burgers.

Ingredients

1 egg white

1 thin slice whole-wheat bread

1 small onion, grated

1 pound ground turkey

2 teaspoons ground coriander

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons virgin olive oil

Directions

In a large bowl, lightly beat egg white.

Tear bread into small pieces; soak in egg white 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, except oil and thoroughly mix. Shape into four patties.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil. Cook patties over medium heat about 10 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 208; Fat: 14 g; Sodium: 195 mg; Cholesterol: 48 mg; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Meat

BISTRO ONION BURGERS

This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch.”

Serves: 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 envelope (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup and recipe mix

3 tablespoons water

6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted

lettuce leaves

tomatoes slices

Directions

Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.

Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.

Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.

JUICY GRILLED CHEESEBURGERS

This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These quarter-pounders are lightened up with 90-percent lean beef and a mere half-ounce of Cheddar, and they're served on wholesome whole wheat English muffins.”

Total Time: 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy.

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/juicy-grilled-cheeseburgers-recipe-2120370.

Ingredients

Canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray, for oiling the grates

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

4 whole wheat English muffins, split

1 medium ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 thick slices

1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef

2 ounces 50-percent reduced-fat sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Pickles, for serving, optional

Directions

Heat a grill to medium-high direct heat and lightly oil the grates using a paper towel soaked in canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray.

Spread a 16-inch-long piece of nonstick aluminum foil on a cutting board (or mist a piece of regular aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray). Top with the onions, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Bring two sides of the foil together, fold over twice to create a seal and then seal the remaining two ends. Put on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. The onions should be tender with only a bit of charring. Carefully open the top of the foil to let all the steam out and continue to cook the onions, tossing, until browned and lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

While the onions cook, mix the ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Season with pepper and set aside.

Lightly toast the English muffins on the grill and place one top and bottom on each of 4 plates. Spread some of the ketchup sauce on the bottom half of each muffin and top with a slice of tomato.

Divide the beef into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter and just under 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with a total of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the burgers on the grill. Cook until the edges of the burgers are browning, 3 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Brush the burgers with the remaining ketchup sauce and evenly top with the shredded cheese. Cover the burgers with the grill lid or a large heatproof bowl and continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the burgers are still a bit pink on the inside, about 3 minutes more.

Put one burger on top of the assembled muffin bottom and top with some of the grilled onions and the top of the muffin. Serve with pickles if desired.

Meatless Monday

It's Monday, time to get the week started. It's also time for another Meatless Monday. Here are six meatless recipes to help you through the day, including Mediterranean Veggie Burgers and Chocolate Tofu Ice Cream. Enjoy!

BLACK BEAN-QUINOA BURGERS

This recipe comes from page 60 of the July/August 2011 of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Here's a delicious veggie burger you can whip up from scratch. Any steak seasoning (which is just a combination of herbs and spices) will work to give the patties a rich, hearty flavor. Stash a few in the freezer for busy weeknight meals. For super-easy cookouts, bake the patties ahead, then reheat them on the grill. Serve with your favorite burger fixings.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa

1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 tsp. dried steak seasoning

8 whole-grain hamburger buns

Directions

Stir together quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan, and season with salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. (You should have 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.)

Meanwhile, place onion and sun-dried tomatoes in medium nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat. (The oil left on the tomatoes should be enough to sauté the onion.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in 3/4 cup black beans, garlic, steak seasoning, and 1 1/2 cups water. Simmer 9 to 11 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Transfer bean-onion mixture to food processor, add 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup quinoa and remaining 3/4 cup black beans. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and generously coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape bean mixture into 8 patties (1/2 cup each), and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top. Flip patties with spatula, and bake 10 minutes more, or until both sides are crisp and brown. Serve on buns.

nutritional information Per Burger: Calories: 215; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 438 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g; vegan

BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Yield: 16 servings

Source: "Forbidden Foods Diabetic Cooking" by Maggie Powers

Book info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/12.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound dried navy beans

1 large onion, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 tomato, chopped

1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions

Place the beans in a strainer and sort through the beans to remove stones, discolored beans, or any other objects. Rinse with cold water until beans are clean, about 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the beans, onion, salt, and enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Let stand 8 hours or overnight at room temperature; do not refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In a strainer, drain and rinse the beans and onion. Place in a 4-quart saucepan and add the tomato, sugar, molasses, vinegar, ketchup, ginger, mustard, and pepper; stir until blended. Add enough water to cover the beans, about 2 cups. Cover and bake until bubbly and the beans are soft, 5 hours.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/2 cup): Calories: 110, Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 50 mg, Carbohydrate: 21 g, Dietary Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 6 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch

MEDITERRANEAN VEGGIE BURGERS

This comes from the July/August 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 62, and begins, “Eureka! We’ve found the secret “glue” that holds homemade veggie burgers together on an outdoor grill: purée the ingredients with overcooked pasta. A couple of other tips for success: be sure to pat the beans dry before you add them to the patty mixture, and use a stainless steel grill topper for a more stable grilling surface. Serve these mouthwatering miracles with your favorite burger buns and toppings.” Makes 6 burgers.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 oz. rigatoni

1/2 cup red quinoa

7 oz. low-sodium vegetable broth

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

9 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, or 1 15-oz. can white beans, rinsed, drained, and thoroughly patted dry

1/2 cup steamed broccoli

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. finely shredded green cabbage

3 Tbs. finely chopped red bell pepper

2 Tbs. Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)

6 kalamata olives, sliced

2 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

2 Tbs. canola oil for oiling patties and grill topper

Directions

Cook rigatoni in large pot of boiling salted water 19 minutes, or until very soft. Drain, measure out 1 1/2 cups very tightly packed rigatoni, and set aside.

Bring quinoa and broth to a boil in saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 13 minutes, or until slightly undercooked; some of the white germ will have opened, but much of the quinoa will still have a slight bite. Drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 1 minute. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Set aside.

Process rigatoni and white beans in food processor 1 minute, or until smooth and paste-like (it’s OK if there are a few small bits of pasta still intact). Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in 3/4 cup quinoa, broccoli, cabbage, bell pepper, tomato sauce, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and onion-garlic mixture. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Mash to combine. Form 6 1/2-cup-sized patties. Brush tops of each patty with canola oil.

Heat grill to high heat. Brush grill topper with canola oil. Place each patty oiled-side down on grill topper. Set grill topper on grill, close grill cover, and cook 6 to 7 minutes. Brush each patty again with oil, and carefully flip. Close grill, and grill 3 to 4 minutes more.

nutritional information Per Burger: Calories: 276; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 41 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 257 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

CHOCOLATE TOFU ICE CREAM

This comes from the August 2000 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “You’d never guess that this rich, dense, fudgy ice cream contains considerably less fat than the classic version.” Makes 5 cups.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 lb. soft tofu, drained

1 cup sugar

1 cup plain soy milk

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Directions

In blender, puree all ingredients in 2 equal batches until very smooth.

Pour mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve right away or transfer to airtight container and freeze up to 3 days.

nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 126; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Sodium: 25 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Vegan

ROCKY ROAD CAKE

This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. I'm currently updating Off the Wall Cooking, adding more recipes, as well as photos.

I was taking a speech class at a local junior college. One week we had to give a demonstration speech; one lady demonstrated how to make this cake, passing out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake!

Ingredients

1 C chopped nuts

4 eggs

1 C raisins

1 C mayonnaise

1 C mini-marshmallows

1 C water

6 oz. package of chocolate chips

1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix w/pudding

Directions

Grease & flour 2 9-inch pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl. In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, may & water until blended. Increase speed to medium & beat for 2 minutes. Stir in nut mixture. Pour into greased & floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.

Ingredients

Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick butter

8 oz. cream cheese

1 box confectioners sugar

Directions

Place ingredients in bowl & cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!

TWO-TONE POTATO SALAD WITH WALNUT-TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

This comes from the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 44. It starts out, “When half of the vinaigrette for this meal-size salad is poured over the hot potatoes, it soaks into the spuds and flavors them before the final layer of dressing is added.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Walnut-Tarragon Vinaigrette

2 Tbs. cider vinegar

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

4 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. walnut oil

1 tsp. dried tarragon

1/2 tsp. salt, optional

1/4 cup finely chopped shallot or red onion

Two-Tone Potato Salad

3 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 cups arugula

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup finely diced celery

1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

Directions

To make Walnut-Tarragon Vinaigrette: Whisk together vinegar and mustard in small bowl. Whisk in olive oil and walnut oil. Whisk in tarragon and salt (if using). Stir in shallot. Set aside to allow flavors to develop.

To make Two-Tone Potato Salad: Place boiling potatoes in pot with enough salted water to cover by 1 inch, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and transfer to large bowl.

Place sweet potato in separate pot with enough salted water to cover by 1 inch, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and transfer to bowl with boiling potatoes.

Toss both types of hot potatoes with half of Walnut-Tarragon Vinaigrette in large bowl. Cool salad completely. Stir in arugula, tomatoes, celery, walnuts, and remaining vinaigrette just before serving.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 293; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 191 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

Burgers - Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's yummy double post deals with that iconic American food, burgers, for a reason: it's also Memorial Day here in the U.S. While it's the unofficial start of summer - a time to for grilling and/or picnics, Memorial Day is so much more. If you – or anyone in your family – is/was in the Armed Services – Thank You!

Okay, so this means it's a three-day holiday weekend. I've got six recipes to help you celebrate the day, including yummy Aloha Chicken Burgers and Bistro Onion Burgers. Enjoy!

POWER CHEESEBURGER

This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Maura Egan and Christine Muhlke developed this recipe in 2004, around the time of the Olympic Games in Athens, after talking with Shane Hamman, then the No. 1 weight lifter in America, capable of squatting more than 1,000 pounds. He ate two for lunch, amid his 5,000 calorie day. It’s pretty delicious.”

Yield: 1 cheeseburger, Time: 20 minutes

This was featured in “Food; Athens on 5,000 Calorires a Day”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10971-power-cheeseburger.

Ingredients

8 ounces ground beef, like chuck

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 slices sharp Cheddar cheese

1 sesame bun, halved and toasted if desired

Pickles

Ketchup and mustard

Preparation

In large bowl, combine beef, egg, paprika and salt. Mix well and form 1 large patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patty and cook 4 minutes; turn over and top with cheese. Continue to cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare.

Place the burger cheese side up on bun and top with pickles, ketchup and/or mustard. Place other bun half on top and serve.

BLACK BEAN-QUINOA BURGERS

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Here's a delicious veggie burger you can whip up from scratch. Any steak seasoning (which is just a combination of herbs and spices) will work to give the patties a rich, hearty flavor. Stash a few in the freezer for busy weeknight meals. For super-easy cookouts, bake the patties ahead, then reheat them on the grill. Serve with your favorite burger fixings.” Makes 8 patties.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa

1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 tsp. dried steak seasoning

8 whole-grain hamburger buns

Instructions:

Stir together quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan, and season with salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. (You should have 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.)

Meanwhile, place onion and sun-dried tomatoes in medium nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat. (The oil left on the tomatoes should be enough to sauté the onion.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in 3/4 cup black beans, garlic, steak seasoning, and 1 1/2 cups water. Simmer 9 to 11 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Transfer bean-onion mixture to food processor, add 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup quinoa and remaining 3/4 cup black beans. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and generously coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape bean mixture into 8 patties (1/2 cup each), and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top. Flip patties with spatula, and bake 10 minutes more, or until both sides are crisp and brown. Serve on buns.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 215; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 438 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g; Yield: Serves 8

ALOHA CHICKEN BURGERS

This is from Chris McDaniel at AllRecipes. Chris wrote, "This tasty sandwich is like a luau on a bun!”

Time: 1 hr 20 minutes; Prep: 20 min; Cook Time: 30 min; Makes 2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 slices thick cut bacon

2 large hamburger buns, split

1 tablespoon softened butter

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 slices pineapple

2 slices tomato

2 slices of iceberg lettuce

Directions

Place chicken breasts into a plastic zipper bag with soy sauce, seal the bag, and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Spread cut sides of hamburger buns with butter.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Remove the chicken from the soy sauce, and discard the excess soy sauce. Place the chicken breasts onto the preheated grill, and grill until chicken shows good grill marks, is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

When chicken is almost done, brush each piece generously on both sides with teriyaki sauce to finish grilling. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast, and cover with a lid to help the cheese melt onto the chicken.

While chicken is grilling, spread the buns open on the grill and cook until toasted and showing grill lines, about 2 minutes. Set the buns aside.

To assemble, spread the grilled sides of each bun with mayonnaise, and top each bottom bun with a cooked chicken breast, 1 1/2 slices of bacon, a slice of pineapple, a slice from a head of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and the top bun.

Footnotes

Cook's Note:

If you don't want to grill, loosely roll up marinated chicken breast with teriyaki sauce in foil, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Then open foil, and melt cheese on top.

Tip

Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

TURKEY BURGERS

Recipe Yield: 4 Servings

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

Book Title: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/turkey-burgers.

Ingredients

1 egg white

1 thin slice whole-wheat bread

1 small onion, grated

1 pound ground turkey

2 teaspoons ground coriander

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons virgin olive oil

Directions

In a large bowl, lightly beat egg white.

Tear bread into small pieces; soak in egg white 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, except oil and thoroughly mix. Shape into four patties.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil. Cook patties over medium heat about 10 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 208; Fat: 14 g; Sodium: 195 mg; Cholesterol: 48 mg; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Meat

BISTRO ONION BURGERS

This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch.”

Serves: 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 envelope (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup and recipe mix

3 tablespoons water

6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted

lettuce leaves

tomatoes slices

Directions

Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.

Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.

Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.

JUICY GRILLED CHEESEBURGERS

This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These quarter-pounders are lightened up with 90-percent lean beef and a mere half-ounce of Cheddar, and they're served on wholesome whole wheat English muffins.”

Total Time: 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy.

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/juicy-grilled-cheeseburgers-recipe-2120370.

Ingredients

Canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray, for oiling the grates

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

4 whole wheat English muffins, split

1 medium ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 thick slices

1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef

2 ounces 50-percent reduced-fat sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Pickles, for serving, optional

Directions

Heat a grill to medium-high direct heat and lightly oil the grates using a paper towel soaked in canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray.

Spread a 16-inch-long piece of nonstick aluminum foil on a cutting board (or mist a piece of regular aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray). Top with the onions, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Bring two sides of the foil together, fold over twice to create a seal and then seal the remaining two ends. Put on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. The onions should be tender with only a bit of charring. Carefully open the top of the foil to let all the steam out and continue to cook the onions, tossing, until browned and lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

While the onions cook, mix the ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Season with pepper and set aside.

Lightly toast the English muffins on the grill and place one top and bottom on each of 4 plates. Spread some of the ketchup sauce on the bottom half of each muffin and top with a slice of tomato.

Divide the beef into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter and just under 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with a total of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the burgers on the grill. Cook until the edges of the burgers are browning, 3 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Brush the burgers with the remaining ketchup sauce and evenly top with the shredded cheese. Cover the burgers with the grill lid or a large heatproof bowl and continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the burgers are still a bit pink on the inside, about 3 minutes more.

Put one burger on top of the assembled muffin bottom and top with some of the grilled onions and the top of the muffin. Serve with pickles if desired.

Meatless Monday

It's Monday, time to get the week started. It's also time for another Meatless Monday. Here are six meatless recipes to help you through the day, including Mediterranean Veggie Burgers and Chocolate Tofu Ice Cream. Enjoy!

BLACK BEAN-QUINOA BURGERS

This recipe comes from page 60 of the July/August 2011 of Vegetarian Times. It begins, “Here's a delicious veggie burger you can whip up from scratch. Any steak seasoning (which is just a combination of herbs and spices) will work to give the patties a rich, hearty flavor. Stash a few in the freezer for busy weeknight meals. For super-easy cookouts, bake the patties ahead, then reheat them on the grill. Serve with your favorite burger fixings.” Serves 8.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1/2 cup quinoa

1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 tsp. dried steak seasoning

8 whole-grain hamburger buns

Directions

Stir together quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan, and season with salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. (You should have 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.)

Meanwhile, place onion and sun-dried tomatoes in medium nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat. (The oil left on the tomatoes should be enough to sauté the onion.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in 3/4 cup black beans, garlic, steak seasoning, and 1 1/2 cups water. Simmer 9 to 11 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Transfer bean-onion mixture to food processor, add 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup quinoa and remaining 3/4 cup black beans. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and generously coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape bean mixture into 8 patties (1/2 cup each), and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top. Flip patties with spatula, and bake 10 minutes more, or until both sides are crisp and brown. Serve on buns.

nutritional information Per Burger: Calories: 215; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 438 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g; vegan

BOSTON BAKED BEANS

Yield: 16 servings

Source: "Forbidden Foods Diabetic Cooking" by Maggie Powers

Book info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/12.shtml

Ingredients

1 pound dried navy beans

1 large onion, chopped

2 teaspoons salt

1 tomato, chopped

1/3 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons molasses

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoons ketchup

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper

Directions

Place the beans in a strainer and sort through the beans to remove stones, discolored beans, or any other objects. Rinse with cold water until beans are clean, about 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the beans, onion, salt, and enough water to cover them by 2 inches. Let stand 8 hours or overnight at room temperature; do not refrigerate.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

In a strainer, drain and rinse the beans and onion. Place in a 4-quart saucepan and add the tomato, sugar, molasses, vinegar, ketchup, ginger, mustard, and pepper; stir until blended. Add enough water to cover the beans, about 2 cups. Cover and bake until bubbly and the beans are soft, 5 hours.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (1/2 cup): Calories: 110, Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 50 mg, Carbohydrate: 21 g, Dietary Fiber: 4 g, Sugars: 4 g, Protein: 6 g, Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch

MEDITERRANEAN VEGGIE BURGERS

This comes from the July/August 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 62, and begins, “Eureka! We’ve found the secret “glue” that holds homemade veggie burgers together on an outdoor grill: purée the ingredients with overcooked pasta. A couple of other tips for success: be sure to pat the beans dry before you add them to the patty mixture, and use a stainless steel grill topper for a more stable grilling surface. Serve these mouthwatering miracles with your favorite burger buns and toppings.” Makes 6 burgers.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

4 oz. rigatoni

1/2 cup red quinoa

7 oz. low-sodium vegetable broth

1 1/2 tsp. olive oil

3/4 cup chopped onion

9 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 1/2 cups cooked white beans, or 1 15-oz. can white beans, rinsed, drained, and thoroughly patted dry

1/2 cup steamed broccoli

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. finely shredded green cabbage

3 Tbs. finely chopped red bell pepper

2 Tbs. Tomato Sauce (recipe follows)

6 kalamata olives, sliced

2 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped

2 Tbs. canola oil for oiling patties and grill topper

Directions

Cook rigatoni in large pot of boiling salted water 19 minutes, or until very soft. Drain, measure out 1 1/2 cups very tightly packed rigatoni, and set aside.

Bring quinoa and broth to a boil in saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 13 minutes, or until slightly undercooked; some of the white germ will have opened, but much of the quinoa will still have a slight bite. Drain, and set aside.

Heat oil in small saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook 1 minute. Add garlic, and cook 1 minute more. Set aside.

Process rigatoni and white beans in food processor 1 minute, or until smooth and paste-like (it’s OK if there are a few small bits of pasta still intact). Transfer mixture to large bowl. Stir in 3/4 cup quinoa, broccoli, cabbage, bell pepper, tomato sauce, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and onion-garlic mixture. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Mash to combine. Form 6 1/2-cup-sized patties. Brush tops of each patty with canola oil.

Heat grill to high heat. Brush grill topper with canola oil. Place each patty oiled-side down on grill topper. Set grill topper on grill, close grill cover, and cook 6 to 7 minutes. Brush each patty again with oil, and carefully flip. Close grill, and grill 3 to 4 minutes more.

nutritional information Per Burger: Calories: 276; Protein: 10 g; Total Fat: 9 g; Saturated Fat: 1 g; Carbohydrates: 41 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 257 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 3 g; Vegan

CHOCOLATE TOFU ICE CREAM

This comes from the August 2000 issue of Vegetarian Times, and begins, “You’d never guess that this rich, dense, fudgy ice cream contains considerably less fat than the classic version.” Makes 5 cups.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 lb. soft tofu, drained

1 cup sugar

1 cup plain soy milk

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Directions

In blender, puree all ingredients in 2 equal batches until very smooth.

Pour mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to manufacturer’s directions. Serve right away or transfer to airtight container and freeze up to 3 days.

nutritional information Per 1/2-cup serving: Calories: 126; Protein: 3 g; Total Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 25 g; Sodium: 25 mg; Fiber: 1 g; Vegan

ROCKY ROAD CAKE

This recipe can be found in my e-cookbook, Off the Wall Cooking. I'm currently updating Off the Wall Cooking, adding more recipes, as well as photos.

I was taking a speech class at a local junior college. One week we had to give a demonstration speech; one lady demonstrated how to make this cake, passing out copies of the recipe along with pieces of cake. It’s absolutely delicious. The icing can be used on almost any kind of cake; it would be really good on carrot cake!

Ingredients

1 C chopped nuts

4 eggs

1 C raisins

1 C mayonnaise

1 C mini-marshmallows

1 C water

6 oz. package of chocolate chips

1 package (18.25 oz) Devil’s Food cake mix w/pudding

Directions

Grease & flour 2 9-inch pans. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix first four ingredients in medium-size bowl. In large bowl at low speed, mix cake mix, eggs, may & water until blended. Increase speed to medium & beat for 2 minutes. Stir in nut mixture. Pour into greased & floured pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes on cooling rack.

Ingredients

Icing (for Rocky Road Cake)

1 tsp. vanilla

1 stick butter

8 oz. cream cheese

1 box confectioners sugar

Directions

Place ingredients in bowl & cream together. When cake is cool, ice. ENJOY!

TWO-TONE POTATO SALAD WITH WALNUT-TARRAGON VINAIGRETTE

This comes from the September 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times, page 44. It starts out, “When half of the vinaigrette for this meal-size salad is poured over the hot potatoes, it soaks into the spuds and flavors them before the final layer of dressing is added.” Serves 6.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

Walnut-Tarragon Vinaigrette

2 Tbs. cider vinegar

1 Tbs. Dijon mustard

4 Tbs. olive oil

2 Tbs. walnut oil

1 tsp. dried tarragon

1/2 tsp. salt, optional

1/4 cup finely chopped shallot or red onion

Two-Tone Potato Salad

3 medium boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice

2 cups arugula

1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup finely diced celery

1/2 cup toasted walnut pieces

Directions

To make Walnut-Tarragon Vinaigrette: Whisk together vinegar and mustard in small bowl. Whisk in olive oil and walnut oil. Whisk in tarragon and salt (if using). Stir in shallot. Set aside to allow flavors to develop.

To make Two-Tone Potato Salad: Place boiling potatoes in pot with enough salted water to cover by 1 inch, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 5 to 6 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and transfer to large bowl.

Place sweet potato in separate pot with enough salted water to cover by 1 inch, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until just tender. Drain, and transfer to bowl with boiling potatoes.

Toss both types of hot potatoes with half of Walnut-Tarragon Vinaigrette in large bowl. Cool salad completely. Stir in arugula, tomatoes, celery, walnuts, and remaining vinaigrette just before serving.

nutritional information Per 1-cup serving: Calories: 293; Protein: 4 g; Total Fat: 19 g; Saturated Fat: 2 g; Carbohydrates: 28 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 191 mg; Fiber: 4 g; Sugar: 5 g; Vegan; Gluten-Free

Double-Post Monday - Burgers (Memorial Day)

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's yummy double post deals with that iconic American food, burgers, for a reason: it's also Memorial Day here in the U.S. While it's the unofficial start of summer - a time to for grilling and/or picnics, Memorial Day is so much more. If you – or anyone in your family – is/was in the Armed Services – Thank You!

Okay, so this means it's a three-day holiday weekend. I've got six recipes to help you celebrate the day, including yummy Aloha Chicken Burgers and Bistro Onion Burgers. Enjoy!

POWER CHEESEBURGER

This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Maura Egan and Christine Muhlke developed this recipe in 2004, around the time of the Olympic Games in Athens, after talking with Shane Hamman, then the No. 1 weight lifter in America, capable of squatting more than 1,000 pounds. He ate two for lunch, amid his 5,000 calorie day. It’s pretty delicious.”

Yield: 1 cheeseburger, Time: 20 minutes

This was featured in “Food; Athens on 5,000 Calorires a Day”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10971-power-cheeseburger.

Ingredients

8 ounces ground beef, like chuck

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 slices sharp Cheddar cheese

1 sesame bun, halved and toasted if desired

Pickles

Ketchup and mustard

Preparation

In large bowl, combine beef, egg, paprika and salt. Mix well and form 1 large patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patty and cook 4 minutes; turn over and top with cheese. Continue to cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare.

Place the burger cheese side up on bun and top with pickles, ketchup and/or mustard. Place other bun half on top and serve.

BLACK BEAN-QUINOA BURGERS

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Here's a delicious veggie burger you can whip up from scratch. Any steak seasoning (which is just a combination of herbs and spices) will work to give the patties a rich, hearty flavor. Stash a few in the freezer for busy weeknight meals. For super-easy cookouts, bake the patties ahead, then reheat them on the grill. Serve with your favorite burger fixings.” Makes 8 patties.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa

1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 tsp. dried steak seasoning

8 whole-grain hamburger buns

Instructions:

Stir together quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan, and season with salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. (You should have 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.)

Meanwhile, place onion and sun-dried tomatoes in medium nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat. (The oil left on the tomatoes should be enough to sauté the onion.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in 3/4 cup black beans, garlic, steak seasoning, and 1 1/2 cups water. Simmer 9 to 11 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Transfer bean-onion mixture to food processor, add 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup quinoa and remaining 3/4 cup black beans. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and generously coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape bean mixture into 8 patties (1/2 cup each), and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top. Flip patties with spatula, and bake 10 minutes more, or until both sides are crisp and brown. Serve on buns.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 215; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 438 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g; Yield: Serves 8

ALOHA CHICKEN BURGERS

This is from Chris McDaniel at AllRecipes. Chris wrote, "This tasty sandwich is like a luau on a bun!”

Time: 1 hr 20 minutes; Prep: 20 min; Cook Time: 30 min; Makes 2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 slices thick cut bacon

2 large hamburger buns, split

1 tablespoon softened butter

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 slices pineapple

2 slices tomato

2 slices of iceberg lettuce

Directions

Place chicken breasts into a plastic zipper bag with soy sauce, seal the bag, and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Spread cut sides of hamburger buns with butter.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Remove the chicken from the soy sauce, and discard the excess soy sauce. Place the chicken breasts onto the preheated grill, and grill until chicken shows good grill marks, is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

When chicken is almost done, brush each piece generously on both sides with teriyaki sauce to finish grilling. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast, and cover with a lid to help the cheese melt onto the chicken.

While chicken is grilling, spread the buns open on the grill and cook until toasted and showing grill lines, about 2 minutes. Set the buns aside.

To assemble, spread the grilled sides of each bun with mayonnaise, and top each bottom bun with a cooked chicken breast, 1 1/2 slices of bacon, a slice of pineapple, a slice from a head of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and the top bun.

Footnotes

Cook's Note:

If you don't want to grill, loosely roll up marinated chicken breast with teriyaki sauce in foil, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Then open foil, and melt cheese on top.

Tip

Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

TURKEY BURGERS

Recipe Yield: 4 Servings

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

Book Title: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/turkey-burgers.

Ingredients

1 egg white

1 thin slice whole-wheat bread

1 small onion, grated

1 pound ground turkey

2 teaspoons ground coriander

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons virgin olive oil

Directions

In a large bowl, lightly beat egg white.

Tear bread into small pieces; soak in egg white 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, except oil and thoroughly mix. Shape into four patties.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil. Cook patties over medium heat about 10 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 208; Fat: 14 g; Sodium: 195 mg; Cholesterol: 48 mg; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Meat

BISTRO ONION BURGERS

This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch.”

Serves: 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 envelope (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup and recipe mix

3 tablespoons water

6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted

lettuce leaves

tomatoes slices

Directions

Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.

Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.

Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.

JUICY GRILLED CHEESEBURGERS

This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These quarter-pounders are lightened up with 90-percent lean beef and a mere half-ounce of Cheddar, and they're served on wholesome whole wheat English muffins.”

Total Time: 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy.

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/juicy-grilled-cheeseburgers-recipe-2120370.

Ingredients

Canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray, for oiling the grates

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

4 whole wheat English muffins, split

1 medium ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 thick slices

1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef

2 ounces 50-percent reduced-fat sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Pickles, for serving, optional

Directions

Heat a grill to medium-high direct heat and lightly oil the grates using a paper towel soaked in canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray.

Spread a 16-inch-long piece of nonstick aluminum foil on a cutting board (or mist a piece of regular aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray). Top with the onions, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Bring two sides of the foil together, fold over twice to create a seal and then seal the remaining two ends. Put on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. The onions should be tender with only a bit of charring. Carefully open the top of the foil to let all the steam out and continue to cook the onions, tossing, until browned and lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

While the onions cook, mix the ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Season with pepper and set aside.

Lightly toast the English muffins on the grill and place one top and bottom on each of 4 plates. Spread some of the ketchup sauce on the bottom half of each muffin and top with a slice of tomato.

Divide the beef into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter and just under 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with a total of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the burgers on the grill. Cook until the edges of the burgers are browning, 3 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Brush the burgers with the remaining ketchup sauce and evenly top with the shredded cheese. Cover the burgers with the grill lid or a large heatproof bowl and continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the burgers are still a bit pink on the inside, about 3 minutes more.

Put one burger on top of the assembled muffin bottom and top with some of the grilled onions and the top of the muffin. Serve with pickles if desired.

Double-Post Monday - Burgers

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's yummy double post deals with that iconic American food, burgers, for a reason: it's also Memorial Day here in the U.S. While it's the unofficial start of summer - a time to for grilling and/or picnics, Memorial Day is so much more. If you – or anyone in your family – is/was in the Armed Services – Thank You!

Okay, so this means it's a three-day holiday weekend. I've got six recipes to help you celebrate the day, including yummy Aloha Chicken Burgers and Bistro Onion Burgers. Enjoy!

POWER CHEESEBURGER

This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Maura Egan and Christine Muhlke developed this recipe in 2004, around the time of the Olympic Games in Athens, after talking with Shane Hamman, then the No. 1 weight lifter in America, capable of squatting more than 1,000 pounds. He ate two for lunch, amid his 5,000 calorie day. It’s pretty delicious.”

Yield: 1 cheeseburger, Time: 20 minutes

This was featured in “Food; Athens on 5,000 Calorires a Day”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10971-power-cheeseburger.

Ingredients

8 ounces ground beef, like chuck

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 slices sharp Cheddar cheese

1 sesame bun, halved and toasted if desired

Pickles

Ketchup and mustard

Preparation

In large bowl, combine beef, egg, paprika and salt. Mix well and form 1 large patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patty and cook 4 minutes; turn over and top with cheese. Continue to cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare.

Place the burger cheese side up on bun and top with pickles, ketchup and/or mustard. Place other bun half on top and serve.

BLACK BEAN-QUINOA BURGERS

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Here's a delicious veggie burger you can whip up from scratch. Any steak seasoning (which is just a combination of herbs and spices) will work to give the patties a rich, hearty flavor. Stash a few in the freezer for busy weeknight meals. For super-easy cookouts, bake the patties ahead, then reheat them on the grill. Serve with your favorite burger fixings.” Makes 8 patties.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa

1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 tsp. dried steak seasoning

8 whole-grain hamburger buns

Instructions:

Stir together quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan, and season with salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. (You should have 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.)

Meanwhile, place onion and sun-dried tomatoes in medium nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat. (The oil left on the tomatoes should be enough to sauté the onion.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in 3/4 cup black beans, garlic, steak seasoning, and 1 1/2 cups water. Simmer 9 to 11 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Transfer bean-onion mixture to food processor, add 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup quinoa and remaining 3/4 cup black beans. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and generously coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape bean mixture into 8 patties (1/2 cup each), and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top. Flip patties with spatula, and bake 10 minutes more, or until both sides are crisp and brown. Serve on buns.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 215; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 438 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g; Yield: Serves 8

ALOHA CHICKEN BURGERS

This is from Chris McDaniel at AllRecipes. Chris wrote, "This tasty sandwich is like a luau on a bun!”

Time: 1 hr 20 minutes; Prep: 20 min; Cook Time: 30 min; Makes 2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 slices thick cut bacon

2 large hamburger buns, split

1 tablespoon softened butter

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 slices pineapple

2 slices tomato

2 slices of iceberg lettuce

Directions

Place chicken breasts into a plastic zipper bag with soy sauce, seal the bag, and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Spread cut sides of hamburger buns with butter.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Remove the chicken from the soy sauce, and discard the excess soy sauce. Place the chicken breasts onto the preheated grill, and grill until chicken shows good grill marks, is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

When chicken is almost done, brush each piece generously on both sides with teriyaki sauce to finish grilling. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast, and cover with a lid to help the cheese melt onto the chicken.

While chicken is grilling, spread the buns open on the grill and cook until toasted and showing grill lines, about 2 minutes. Set the buns aside.

To assemble, spread the grilled sides of each bun with mayonnaise, and top each bottom bun with a cooked chicken breast, 1 1/2 slices of bacon, a slice of pineapple, a slice from a head of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and the top bun.

Footnotes

Cook's Note:

If you don't want to grill, loosely roll up marinated chicken breast with teriyaki sauce in foil, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Then open foil, and melt cheese on top.

Tip

Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

TURKEY BURGERS

Recipe Yield: 4 Servings

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

Book Title: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/turkey-burgers.

Ingredients

1 egg white

1 thin slice whole-wheat bread

1 small onion, grated

1 pound ground turkey

2 teaspoons ground coriander

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons virgin olive oil

Directions

In a large bowl, lightly beat egg white.

Tear bread into small pieces; soak in egg white 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, except oil and thoroughly mix. Shape into four patties.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil. Cook patties over medium heat about 10 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 208; Fat: 14 g; Sodium: 195 mg; Cholesterol: 48 mg; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Meat

BISTRO ONION BURGERS

This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch.”

Serves: 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 envelope (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup and recipe mix

3 tablespoons water

6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted

lettuce leaves

tomatoes slices

Directions

Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.

Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.

Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.

JUICY GRILLED CHEESEBURGERS

This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These quarter-pounders are lightened up with 90-percent lean beef and a mere half-ounce of Cheddar, and they're served on wholesome whole wheat English muffins.”

Total Time: 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy.

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/juicy-grilled-cheeseburgers-recipe-2120370.

Ingredients

Canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray, for oiling the grates

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

4 whole wheat English muffins, split

1 medium ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 thick slices

1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef

2 ounces 50-percent reduced-fat sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Pickles, for serving, optional

Directions

Heat a grill to medium-high direct heat and lightly oil the grates using a paper towel soaked in canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray.

Spread a 16-inch-long piece of nonstick aluminum foil on a cutting board (or mist a piece of regular aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray). Top with the onions, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Bring two sides of the foil together, fold over twice to create a seal and then seal the remaining two ends. Put on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. The onions should be tender with only a bit of charring. Carefully open the top of the foil to let all the steam out and continue to cook the onions, tossing, until browned and lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

While the onions cook, mix the ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Season with pepper and set aside.

Lightly toast the English muffins on the grill and place one top and bottom on each of 4 plates. Spread some of the ketchup sauce on the bottom half of each muffin and top with a slice of tomato.

Divide the beef into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter and just under 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with a total of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the burgers on the grill. Cook until the edges of the burgers are browning, 3 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Brush the burgers with the remaining ketchup sauce and evenly top with the shredded cheese. Cover the burgers with the grill lid or a large heatproof bowl and continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the burgers are still a bit pink on the inside, about 3 minutes more.

Put one burger on top of the assembled muffin bottom and top with some of the grilled onions and the top of the muffin. Serve with pickles if desired.

Burgers - Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's yummy double post deals with that iconic American food, burgers, for a reason: it's also Memorial Day here in the U.S. While it's the unofficial start of summer - a time to for grilling and/or picnics, Memorial Day is so much more. If you – or anyone in your family – is/was in the Armed Services – Thank You!

Okay, so this means it's a three-day holiday weekend. I've got six recipes to help you celebrate the day, including yummy Aloha Chicken Burgers and Bistro Onion Burgers. Enjoy!

POWER CHEESEBURGER

This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Maura Egan and Christine Muhlke developed this recipe in 2004, around the time of the Olympic Games in Athens, after talking with Shane Hamman, then the No. 1 weight lifter in America, capable of squatting more than 1,000 pounds. He ate two for lunch, amid his 5,000 calorie day. It’s pretty delicious.”

Yield: 1 cheeseburger, Time: 20 minutes

This was featured in “Food; Athens on 5,000 Calorires a Day”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10971-power-cheeseburger.

Ingredients

8 ounces ground beef, like chuck

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 slices sharp Cheddar cheese

1 sesame bun, halved and toasted if desired

Pickles

Ketchup and mustard

Preparation

In large bowl, combine beef, egg, paprika and salt. Mix well and form 1 large patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patty and cook 4 minutes; turn over and top with cheese. Continue to cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare.

Place the burger cheese side up on bun and top with pickles, ketchup and/or mustard. Place other bun half on top and serve.

BLACK BEAN-QUINOA BURGERS

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Here's a delicious veggie burger you can whip up from scratch. Any steak seasoning (which is just a combination of herbs and spices) will work to give the patties a rich, hearty flavor. Stash a few in the freezer for busy weeknight meals. For super-easy cookouts, bake the patties ahead, then reheat them on the grill. Serve with your favorite burger fixings.” Makes 8 patties.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa

1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 tsp. dried steak seasoning

8 whole-grain hamburger buns

Instructions:

Stir together quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan, and season with salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. (You should have 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.)

Meanwhile, place onion and sun-dried tomatoes in medium nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat. (The oil left on the tomatoes should be enough to sauté the onion.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in 3/4 cup black beans, garlic, steak seasoning, and 1 1/2 cups water. Simmer 9 to 11 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Transfer bean-onion mixture to food processor, add 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup quinoa and remaining 3/4 cup black beans. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and generously coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape bean mixture into 8 patties (1/2 cup each), and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top. Flip patties with spatula, and bake 10 minutes more, or until both sides are crisp and brown. Serve on buns.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 215; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 438 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g; Yield: Serves 8

ALOHA CHICKEN BURGERS

This is from Chris McDaniel at AllRecipes. Chris wrote, "This tasty sandwich is like a luau on a bun!”

Time: 1 hr 20 minutes; Prep: 20 min; Cook Time: 30 min; Makes 2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 slices thick cut bacon

2 large hamburger buns, split

1 tablespoon softened butter

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 slices pineapple

2 slices tomato

2 slices of iceberg lettuce

Directions

Place chicken breasts into a plastic zipper bag with soy sauce, seal the bag, and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Spread cut sides of hamburger buns with butter.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Remove the chicken from the soy sauce, and discard the excess soy sauce. Place the chicken breasts onto the preheated grill, and grill until chicken shows good grill marks, is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

When chicken is almost done, brush each piece generously on both sides with teriyaki sauce to finish grilling. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast, and cover with a lid to help the cheese melt onto the chicken.

While chicken is grilling, spread the buns open on the grill and cook until toasted and showing grill lines, about 2 minutes. Set the buns aside.

To assemble, spread the grilled sides of each bun with mayonnaise, and top each bottom bun with a cooked chicken breast, 1 1/2 slices of bacon, a slice of pineapple, a slice from a head of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and the top bun.

Footnotes

Cook's Note:

If you don't want to grill, loosely roll up marinated chicken breast with teriyaki sauce in foil, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Then open foil, and melt cheese on top.

Tip

Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

TURKEY BURGERS

Recipe Yield: 4 Servings

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

Book Title: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/turkey-burgers.

Ingredients

1 egg white

1 thin slice whole-wheat bread

1 small onion, grated

1 pound ground turkey

2 teaspoons ground coriander

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons virgin olive oil

Directions

In a large bowl, lightly beat egg white.

Tear bread into small pieces; soak in egg white 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, except oil and thoroughly mix. Shape into four patties.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil. Cook patties over medium heat about 10 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 208; Fat: 14 g; Sodium: 195 mg; Cholesterol: 48 mg; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Meat

BISTRO ONION BURGERS

This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch.”

Serves: 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 envelope (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup and recipe mix

3 tablespoons water

6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted

lettuce leaves

tomatoes slices

Directions

Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.

Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.

Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.

JUICY GRILLED CHEESEBURGERS

This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These quarter-pounders are lightened up with 90-percent lean beef and a mere half-ounce of Cheddar, and they're served on wholesome whole wheat English muffins.”

Total Time: 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy.

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/juicy-grilled-cheeseburgers-recipe-2120370.

Ingredients

Canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray, for oiling the grates

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

4 whole wheat English muffins, split

1 medium ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 thick slices

1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef

2 ounces 50-percent reduced-fat sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Pickles, for serving, optional

Directions

Heat a grill to medium-high direct heat and lightly oil the grates using a paper towel soaked in canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray.

Spread a 16-inch-long piece of nonstick aluminum foil on a cutting board (or mist a piece of regular aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray). Top with the onions, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Bring two sides of the foil together, fold over twice to create a seal and then seal the remaining two ends. Put on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. The onions should be tender with only a bit of charring. Carefully open the top of the foil to let all the steam out and continue to cook the onions, tossing, until browned and lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

While the onions cook, mix the ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Season with pepper and set aside.

Lightly toast the English muffins on the grill and place one top and bottom on each of 4 plates. Spread some of the ketchup sauce on the bottom half of each muffin and top with a slice of tomato.

Divide the beef into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter and just under 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with a total of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the burgers on the grill. Cook until the edges of the burgers are browning, 3 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Brush the burgers with the remaining ketchup sauce and evenly top with the shredded cheese. Cover the burgers with the grill lid or a large heatproof bowl and continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the burgers are still a bit pink on the inside, about 3 minutes more.

Put one burger on top of the assembled muffin bottom and top with some of the grilled onions and the top of the muffin. Serve with pickles if desired.

Burgers - Double-Post Monday

Besides being Meatless Monday, it's also Double-Post Monday. Today's yummy double post deals with that iconic American food, burgers, for a reason: it's also Memorial Day here in the U.S. While it's the unofficial start of summer - a time to for grilling and/or picnics, Memorial Day is so much more. If you – or anyone in your family – is/was in the Armed Services – Thank You!

Okay, so this means it's a three-day holiday weekend. I've got six recipes to help you celebrate the day, including yummy Aloha Chicken Burgers and Bistro Onion Burgers. Enjoy!

POWER CHEESEBURGER

This is from The New York Times cooking e-newsletter. The recipe begins, “Maura Egan and Christine Muhlke developed this recipe in 2004, around the time of the Olympic Games in Athens, after talking with Shane Hamman, then the No. 1 weight lifter in America, capable of squatting more than 1,000 pounds. He ate two for lunch, amid his 5,000 calorie day. It’s pretty delicious.”

Yield: 1 cheeseburger, Time: 20 minutes

This was featured in “Food; Athens on 5,000 Calorires a Day”, and can be viewed online at https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/10971-power-cheeseburger.

Ingredients

8 ounces ground beef, like chuck

1 egg yolk, beaten

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon salt

2 to 3 slices sharp Cheddar cheese

1 sesame bun, halved and toasted if desired

Pickles

Ketchup and mustard

Preparation

In large bowl, combine beef, egg, paprika and salt. Mix well and form 1 large patty.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add patty and cook 4 minutes; turn over and top with cheese. Continue to cook an additional 3 to 4 minutes for medium rare.

Place the burger cheese side up on bun and top with pickles, ketchup and/or mustard. Place other bun half on top and serve.

BLACK BEAN-QUINOA BURGERS

This comes from Vegetarian Times, and begins, “Here's a delicious veggie burger you can whip up from scratch. Any steak seasoning (which is just a combination of herbs and spices) will work to give the patties a rich, hearty flavor. Stash a few in the freezer for busy weeknight meals. For super-easy cookouts, bake the patties ahead, then reheat them on the grill. Serve with your favorite burger fixings.” Makes 8 patties.

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup quinoa

1 small onion, finely chopped (1 cup)

6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped (1/4 cup)

1 1/2 cups cooked black beans, or 1 15-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained, divided

2 cloves garlic, minced (2 tsp.)

2 tsp. dried steak seasoning

8 whole-grain hamburger buns

Instructions:

Stir together quinoa and 1 1/2 cups water in small saucepan, and season with salt, if desired. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 20 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. (You should have 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa.)

Meanwhile, place onion and sun-dried tomatoes in medium nonstick skillet, and cook over medium heat. (The oil left on the tomatoes should be enough to sauté the onion.) Cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until onion has softened. Stir in 3/4 cup black beans, garlic, steak seasoning, and 1 1/2 cups water. Simmer 9 to 11 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated.

Transfer bean-onion mixture to food processor, add 3/4 cup cooked quinoa, and process until smooth. Transfer to bowl, and stir in remaining 3/4 cup quinoa and remaining 3/4 cup black beans. Season with salt and pepper, if desired, and cool.

Preheat oven to 350°F, and generously coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Shape bean mixture into 8 patties (1/2 cup each), and place on prepared baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes, or until patties are crisp on top. Flip patties with spatula, and bake 10 minutes more, or until both sides are crisp and brown. Serve on buns.

Nutrition Information: Calories: 215; Protein: 9 g; Total Fat: 3 g; Saturated Fat: less than 1 g; Carbohydrates: 40 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 438 mg; Fiber: 6 g; Sugar: 5 g; Yield: Serves 8

ALOHA CHICKEN BURGERS

This is from Chris McDaniel at AllRecipes. Chris wrote, "This tasty sandwich is like a luau on a bun!”

Time: 1 hr 20 minutes; Prep: 20 min; Cook Time: 30 min; Makes 2 servings

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1/4 cup soy sauce

3 slices thick cut bacon

2 large hamburger buns, split

1 tablespoon softened butter

1/4 cup teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 slices pineapple

2 slices tomato

2 slices of iceberg lettuce

Directions

Place chicken breasts into a plastic zipper bag with soy sauce, seal the bag, and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Spread cut sides of hamburger buns with butter.

Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.

Remove the chicken from the soy sauce, and discard the excess soy sauce. Place the chicken breasts onto the preheated grill, and grill until chicken shows good grill marks, is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

When chicken is almost done, brush each piece generously on both sides with teriyaki sauce to finish grilling. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast, and cover with a lid to help the cheese melt onto the chicken.

While chicken is grilling, spread the buns open on the grill and cook until toasted and showing grill lines, about 2 minutes. Set the buns aside.

To assemble, spread the grilled sides of each bun with mayonnaise, and top each bottom bun with a cooked chicken breast, 1 1/2 slices of bacon, a slice of pineapple, a slice from a head of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and the top bun.

Footnotes

Cook's Note:

If you don't want to grill, loosely roll up marinated chicken breast with teriyaki sauce in foil, and bake at 400 for 20 minutes. Then open foil, and melt cheese on top.

Tip

Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.

TURKEY BURGERS

Recipe Yield: 4 Servings

Source: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

Book Title: Light and Easy Diabetes Cuisine

View this online at https://diabeticgourmet.com/diabetic-recipes/turkey-burgers.

Ingredients

1 egg white

1 thin slice whole-wheat bread

1 small onion, grated

1 pound ground turkey

2 teaspoons ground coriander

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons virgin olive oil

Directions

In a large bowl, lightly beat egg white.

Tear bread into small pieces; soak in egg white 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, except oil and thoroughly mix. Shape into four patties.

In a large non-stick skillet, heat oil. Cook patties over medium heat about 10 minutes on each side until cooked through.

Nutritional Information Per Serving: Calories: 208; Fat: 14 g; Sodium: 195 mg; Cholesterol: 48 mg; Protein: 17 g; Carbohydrates: 5 g

Diabetic Exchanges: 3 Meat

BISTRO ONION BURGERS

This comes from FamilyTime, and begins, “Are you looking for a quick and easy dinner that everyone will love? Try these burgers that use dry onion soup mix to add a savory touch.”

Serves: 6 servings; Prep Time: 5 minutes; Cook Time: 10 minutes

To view this online, click here.

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1 envelope (about 1 ounce) dry onion soup and recipe mix

3 tablespoons water

6 Pepperidge Farm® Farmhouse™ Premium White Rolls with Sesame Seeds, split and toasted

lettuce leaves

tomatoes slices

Directions

Thoroughly mix the beef, soup mix and water. Shape the beef mixture into 6 (1/2-inch thick) burgers.

Cook the burgers in batches in a 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat until well browned on both sides, 10 minutes for medium or to desired doneness.

Serve the burgers on the rolls. Top with the lettuce and tomato.

JUICY GRILLED CHEESEBURGERS

This comes from the Food Network Kitchen, and begins, “These quarter-pounders are lightened up with 90-percent lean beef and a mere half-ounce of Cheddar, and they're served on wholesome whole wheat English muffins.”

Total Time: 40 minutes; Prep Time: 15 minutes; Cook Time: 25 minutes; Yield: 4 servings; Level: Easy.

To view this online, go to https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/juicy-grilled-cheeseburgers-recipe-2120370.

Ingredients

Canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray, for oiling the grates

1 medium red onion, thinly sliced

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons yellow mustard

4 whole wheat English muffins, split

1 medium ripe tomato, cored and cut into 4 thick slices

1 pound 90-percent lean ground beef

2 ounces 50-percent reduced-fat sharp Cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)

Pickles, for serving, optional

Directions

Heat a grill to medium-high direct heat and lightly oil the grates using a paper towel soaked in canola oil or nonstick grilling cooking spray.

Spread a 16-inch-long piece of nonstick aluminum foil on a cutting board (or mist a piece of regular aluminum foil with nonstick cooking spray). Top with the onions, 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper and 1 tablespoon water. Bring two sides of the foil together, fold over twice to create a seal and then seal the remaining two ends. Put on the grill and cook for 12 minutes, flipping once. The onions should be tender with only a bit of charring. Carefully open the top of the foil to let all the steam out and continue to cook the onions, tossing, until browned and lightly charred, 3 minutes longer. Remove from the heat.

While the onions cook, mix the ketchup and mustard together in a small bowl. Season with pepper and set aside.

Lightly toast the English muffins on the grill and place one top and bottom on each of 4 plates. Spread some of the ketchup sauce on the bottom half of each muffin and top with a slice of tomato.

Divide the beef into 4 patties about 4 inches in diameter and just under 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle with a total of 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Place the burgers on the grill. Cook until the edges of the burgers are browning, 3 to 5 minutes, and then flip. Brush the burgers with the remaining ketchup sauce and evenly top with the shredded cheese. Cover the burgers with the grill lid or a large heatproof bowl and continue to cook until the cheese has melted and the burgers are still a bit pink on the inside, about 3 minutes more.

Put one burger on top of the assembled muffin bottom and top with some of the grilled onions and the top of the muffin. Serve with pickles if desired.