God bless barbecue season! There is nothing like spending time with friends and family in the summer sun, grill sizzling in the background. It is a fact – the barbecue, or BBQ for short, brings people together.
I did a quick Google search and discovered that no one is really sure where the erm barbecue originated. According to Time.com, “the conventional wisdom is that the Spanish, upon landing in the Caribbean, used the word barbacoa to refer to the natives’ method of slow-cooking meat over a wooden platform.” Regardless of its origin, the BBQ has become a Canadian staple!
I have fond memories of watching my Dad expertly BBQ meat and fish at home during my childhood and luckily, he has passed on his passion for the grill to my husband. Now we carry on the tradition of this outdoor form of cooking in my family.
Not the biggest carnivore in my family, I do imbibe in the odd backyard beer and BBQ burger, one of my favourite summer indulgences. I wanted to find a tasty alternative to beef as I try to limit my family’s red meat consumption (I gave it up for 8 years while living in England) so I opted for organic ground turkey for these summer burgers. Instead of ground beef, ground turkey is a low fat yet tasty alternative. Adding vegetables to the burger packs more nutrients and my kids don’t even notice they are there (even my British husband approves!).
So why not shake up your summer BBQ regime and give these healthier turkey garden burgers a try?
Healthy Turkey Garden Burgers Recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 6
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 lb organic ground turkey meat
- 1 tsp garlic powder or 1 large clove of garlic, minced
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ¼ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
- 1 small red pepper, diced
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, finely grated
- 1 cup chopped kale (I used frozen, pre-chopped)
- Salt and pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine ground turkey, diced peppers, chopped kale and grated carrots
- Add garlic, eggs, breadcrumbs and salt/pepper (optional) and mix well
- Form meat mixture into large balls and flatten into patties, about 1 inch thick
- Baste with olive oil and grill or pan fry on medium heat, about 4 minutes per side
- Top with your favourite garnishes. We love feta, tzatziki, avocado and fresh micro greens!
