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

Chicken, Brie, and Apple Quesadillas

This recipe is adapted from one in the October 2010 issue of Cooking Light. I like how this recipe uses apples in an unexpected way, and it can be modified to fit your own tastes. I used Brie cheese like the original recipe calls for, but a cheddar cheese would be great as well. If you aren't fond of the peppery taste of arugula, try spinach. All in all, this is a great recipe to welcome the tastes of fall.

Chicken, Brie, and Apple Quesadillas

Ingredients:


1 lb of chicken tenders


2 T olive oil


2 T Dijon mustard


1/4 cup + 2 tsp apple cider (divided) (or 100% apple juice)


4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

6 ounces Brie cheese, rind removed and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices, divided


1 honey crisp apple, cored and cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (about 1/2 pound), divided


4 cups arugula, divided


3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided

Directions:

Heat olive oil over medium high heat. Season chicken tenders with salt and pepper and add to the pan. After a few minutes of cooking add 1/4 cup of apple juice or cider, cover to steam. Cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until cooked through. Let cool and then cut up into 1/2 inch cubes.


Combine mustard and cider in a small bowl; stir well.
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spread each tortilla with about 1 1/2 teaspoons mustard mixture. Place 1 tortilla, mustard side up, in pan. Arrange one-third of cheese slices over half of tortilla; cook 1 minute or until cheese begins to melt. Top the cheese with 2-3 T of the cooked chicken. Arrange one-third of apple slices over the chicken and then top with 1 cup arugula. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Fold tortilla in half; press gently with a spatula. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Remove from pan. Repeat procedure twice with remaining 3 tortillas, cheese, apple slices, 2 cups arugula, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cut each quesadilla into 4 wedges.

Vegan Chocolate Pudding

The other day I was looking for some recipes to use some leftover avocados.  I wanted to do something different than guacamole, or adding it to a sandwich.  In the past I have seen recipes that use avocados to add moisture to brownies and cakes, so I figured that I would try a dessert.  This pudding recipe is adapted from one that I found in Self magazine.  It takes about 5 minutes to make and tastes sinful!  Enjoy!

Vegan Chocolate Pudding

Ingredients:

2 avocados

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg

4 T pure maple syrup

4 1/2 T unsweetened coco powder

4 T unsweetened almond milk

Directions:

Combine the above ingredients into a blender, adding more milk if needed to achieve desired consistency.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.  Top with raspberries or blackberries before serving.  

Against All Grain's Banana Bread

Last week I got the copy of the cookbook by Danielle Walker called Against All Grain.  The cookbook focuses on recipes that are Paleo, so grain free, gluten free, and dairy free.  The reason that I was so intrigued by Danielle's book was because she and I share a very similar health story.  Through diet, Danielle was able to get her UC symptoms under control.  I am not advocating a Paleo diet for everyone, but going grain free can help a lot of people with digestive disorders.  The first recipe that I decided to make was the banana bread.  My family loves banana bread, so I figured that this would be a good one to start with.  I was amazed that a bread that has absolutely no flour or sugar could turn out this good!  Next time I will make two loaves, since my husband and son ate most of the first loaf in less than a day!  So, whether you typically eat grain free, or you just want to try something new, give this recipe a try!

Against All Grain's Banana Bread

Ingredients:

2 T coconut oil, melted (plus some extra for greasing the pan)

4 large eggs

3 T honey

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar

1/2 cup coconut flour, sifted

1/4 cup blanched almond flour, sifted

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 cup coconut milk

3 large very ripe bananas

* Optional add ins: chocolate chips, walnuts, dried cranberries, or raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F.  

Grease the sides and bottom of a loaf pan with coconut oil.

Place 2T of coconut oil, eggs, honey, vanilla, and vinegar into a mixer and beat on high for 30 seconds.  (You can use a stick blender or hand mixers as well).

Combine the coconut flour, almond flour, baking soda, and sea salt in a bowl, then add them to the wet ingredients, beating on high until combined.  

Place the coconut milk and bananas in a separate bowl and mash until it resembles baby food.

Add the banana mixture to the batter and beat on medium until thoroughly combined.  

Mix in optional add ins if desired.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 40-45 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and allow the loaf to cool for about 15 minutes.