The summer is primetime for grilling… except that I don’t have a grill. Doesn’t mean that I can’t enjoy cookout food! This week, I made three different types of burgers and pasta salad… for my own little cookIN.
Using 90% lean meat, I made:
Sun dried tomato basil burgers (using finely chopped sundried tomatoes and freshly chopped basil)
Cilantro chili lime burgers (using finely chopped cilantro, lime zest, and chili powder)
Barbeque bacon onion burgers (using cooked turkey bacon cut into very small slices and chopped onion).
Talk about taste explosions! I love my red meat, and if I can’t have cheese on my burger (or a bun for that matter!), I am going to turn up the burger flavor.
To make each burger, I put each set of chopped ingredients in bowls and mixed in the meat with the flavor combinations using my hands, until well incorporated. Then form into patties. Instead of a grill, I simmered the burgers in my Giada pan with a dash of olive oil, covered, for just a few minutes on medium heat.
For a side, I made corny confetti pasta salad. I cooked gluten free pasta al dente and let it cool for a few hours. I then added frozen corn kernels, chopped cherry tomatoes, and red, yellow, and orange pepper slices. Toss with basil seasoning, olive oil, white wine vinegar, lemon juice, a dash of sugar, salt, and pepper. Let the flavors combine in a bowl for a few hours in the fridge and then enjoy!
Happy Allergy Free Eating!
Balanced Fork, Healthy Life 