Recipe: Herby Turkey Sliders (using ground turkey)

HERBY TURKEY SLIDERS

"Every once in a while a girl has to do what a girl has to do. Many years ago, I was working fourteen hours a day as a cook in a vegetarian restaurant in northern California. Let's just say the owner was a tad obsessed with keeping his restaurant "pure." I swear that if you had a tuna fish sandwich in your car, an alarm would go off in his office. Every once in a while I got a hankering for something that required a field trip. There weren't many choices in town, but one place we all escaped to had awesome mini burgers made with grass-fed beef. A few bites was all it took to satisfy my cravings, and back I could go to the land of milk and honey (and tofu, polenta, and brown rice)."



"In this recipe, I opted for dark meat turkey because it's so flavorful, and because the tryptophan in turkey is a natural stress buster-and isn't that what indulging a yen is all about? Serve these with pita pockets or buns."

1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cu p finely chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds, toasted and crushed
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground dark-meat turkey meat or ground turkey breast
FOR SERVING:
Lettuce leaves
Sliced tomato
Sliced avocado
Pita pockets or mini whole grain burger buns (optional)

Put the onion, basil, parsley, tomato paste, garlic, fennel seed, oregano, lemon zest, salt, red pepper flakes, and pepper in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the turkey and gently mix with your hands or a spatula until well combined.* Shape the mixture into eight (2-ounce) patties (about the size of your palm).

Heat a grill pan to medium heat. Brush with olive oil, then put the patties on the grill and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes on each side. Cover and cook for 3 more minutes, or until an instant read thermometer registers 165 degrees F. (Alternatively, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add just enough oil to coat the skillet, then put the patties in the skillet and cooked until browned all. both sides, about 3 minutes on each. Decrease the heat to medium low, add 1 tablespoon of water, cover, and cook for about 3 minutes. to steam the inside about 3 more minutes.)

Serve with lettuce, tomato, and avocado. If desired, serve with pita pockets or for a "burger" look, use mini whole grain burger buns.

STORAGE: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer individually wrapped for up to 3 months.

*When mixing the turkey with the other ingredients, use a light hand. If you overwork the turkey, the burgers will be tough. That may seem counterintuitive, but trust me, it's true.

Makes 8 patties, 4 servings (2 patties each)

PER SERVING (just the burger): Calories: 195; Total Fat: 10 g (2.5 g saturated, 4g monounsaturated); Carbohydrates: 3.5 g; Protein: 23 g; Fiber: 1 g; Sodium: 274 mg

Used with permission to Recipelink.com from Ten Speed Press
Adapted from source: The Longevity Kitchen by Rebecca Katz with Mat Edelson