Greek Chicken Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce

This is a super-fast meal that is perfect for busy weeknights.  I served the burgers over a bed of arugula, but you could also use burger puns, pita bread, or tortillas.  Top the burgers with a generous amount of the tzatziki sauce!

Greek Chicken Burgers with Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients:

1lb ground chicken

1/2 red pepper diced

1/4 cup Kalamata olives, diced

1/4 cup red onion, diced

1/4 cup feta cheese

1/4 cup of plain breadcrumbs 

1 egg, beaten

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp coriander 

1/2 tsp cayenne

1 tsp dill

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp fresh mint, chopped

salt, pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Mix all ingredients together and form into 4 burgers.  Press the burgers with a spatula so that they aren't too thick.  Coat a skillet with olive oil and heat over medium.  Cook the burgers approximately 3 minutes per side until crisp.  Transfer the burgers onto a baking pan and cook for another 10 minutes in the oven.  

Sauce:

In a medium bowl combine the following:

1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 of a lemon, juiced

1 8 oz container of plain greek yogurt

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp dill

1 tsp fresh mint, chopped

1/2 tsp paprika

salt, pepper 

Spiked Pumpkin Soup

Now that it is officially October, I figured it was time to jump on the pumpkin bandwagon!  Most pumpkin recipes fall under the dessert category, but I was looking for something a little different.  In my recipe binder I came across this soup recipe from a past issue of Cooking Light and adapted it.  This soup is simple to make and it will give your tastebuds a chance to savor those fall flavors that you have been craving!  Happy Cooking!

Spiked Pumpkin Soup

Serves 9

Ingredients:

2 T coconut oil

1 cup chopped onion

1/2 tsp peeled, minced ginger

1/2 tsp ground cumin

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 cups apple cider

1/3 cup bourbon (optional)

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

1 29oz can of pure pumpkin

1 14 oz container of low sodium chicken broth

2 cups milk (can sub almond, soy, etc)

1 tsp flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

9 T plain Greek yogurt

3 T chopped parsley 

Directions:

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Coat the pan with 2 T of coconut oil.  Add ginger, cumin, and garlic; sauté for 5 minutes or until lightly browned.  Stir in cider, bourbon, syrup, pumpkin, and broth; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.  

Place half of the pumpkin mixture in a blender and process until smooth.  Pour pureed mixture into a large bowl.  Repeat the process with the remaining pumpkin mixture.  Return mixture to the pan.  Stir in milk, flour, salt, pepper, and cook until heated (do not boil); stir frequently.  Serve with Greek yogurt and parsley.  Serving size=1 cup soup