Chipotle Salmon Burgers

Chipotle Salmon Burgers

Shape the patties up to eight hours in advance, and cook just before serving. Use a grill pan or nonstick skillet to cook them since they may not hold up on a standard grill. If you have a mini food processor, use it to prepare the mayonnaise mixture. You can use regular hamburger buns instead of English muffins.

Mayonnaise:
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mango
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh pineapple
1/8 teaspoon finely grated lime rind

Burgers:
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (1 1/4-pound) salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 1-inch pieces
Cooking spray
4 English muffins (whole wheat for me)
4 butter lettuce leaves

1. To prepare mayonnaise, combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor or blender; process until smooth. Transfer to a bowl; cover and chill.

2. To prepare burgers, place onions, 1/4 cup cilantro, chile, and juice in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add salt and salmon; pulse 4 times or until salmon is coarsely ground and mixture is well blended.

3. Divide salmon mixture into 4 equal portions; shape each portion into a (1-inch-thick) patty. Cover and chill 30 minutes.

4. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add patties to pan; cook 6 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness.

5. Wipe skillet with paper towels; recoat with cooking spray. Place 2 muffins, cut sides down, in pan; cook 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Repeat procedure with cooking spray and remaining muffins.

6. Place 1 muffin bottom on each of 4 plates; top each serving with 1 lettuce leaf and 1 patty. Spread about 1 tablespoon mayonnaise mixture over each patty; place 1 muffin top on each serving.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 burger)

CALORIES 408 (33% from fat); FAT 15g (sat 2.6g,mono 4.5g,poly 6.6g); IRON 3.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 94mg; CALCIUM 124mg; CARBOHYDRATE 28.9g; SODIUM 595mg; PROTEIN 37.4g; FIBER 2.9g

Cooking Light, JUNE 2008
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Rants continued......

Turkey Tacos with Lettuce Wraps

Turkey Lettuce Wrap Tacos with Chiles, Cumin, Cilantro, Lime and Tomato-Avocado Salsa

Makes about 8 tacos

For tacos:
1 T olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1-2 T diced green chiles
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground chipotle chile powder or cayenne
1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 large bunch cilantro, finely chopped (about 1 1/4 cups chopped cilantro. I used 1 cup in tacos and 1/4 cup in salsa. Use more or less cilantro to taste.)
2 T fresh lime juice
2 large heads romaine lettuce (or use iceberg, Boston lettuce, or butter lettuce)


Heat olive oil in heavy frying pan then add minced garlic and diced green chiles and saute about 1 minute. Add cumin and ground chipotle or cayenne and cook about 1 minute more. Then add turkey and salt and cook over medium-high heat, breaking apart with the back of the turner as it cooks. Cook about 5 minutes, or until turkey is starting to brown.

While turkey cooks, thinly slice green onions and set aside, then wash cilantro, spin dry or dry with paper towels, and finely chop cilantro. Cut off root end of lettuce, discard tough outer leaves, and wash lettuce and spin dry in salad spinner or dry with paper towels.

When turkey is lightly browned, add sliced green onions and cook about 2 minutes. Turn off heat, then stir in 1 cup chopped cilantro and 2 T lime juice.

For salsa:
2 medium avocados, diced
1 1/2 cups finely chopped cherry tomatoes
2 T fresh lime juice
2 T olive oil (optional)
sea salt to taste

Peel and dice avocado, place in glass or plastic bowl and toss with lime juice. Stir in chopped tomato and olive oil, season to taste with salt.



To assemble tacos:
Spoon 2-3 large spoonfuls of turkey mixture into each piece of lettuce. (I used the inner more folded pieces of lettuce and saved the flatter outer pieces for using in salad.) Top meat mixture with salsa. You could also eat this mixture inside whole wheat tortillas or pitas.

Source: Kalyn Denny
Thanks Kalyn love your kitchen!

Rants continued......

Journaling

No workout today raining and nasty, had a lot of things to do.

b- oatmeal 1 cup cooked , splenda and cinnamon

s- banana

l- salmon burger on whole wheat sandwich thins, veggie cheese and 1/2 cup canned peaches-light syrup rinsed off

s- rf string cheese and granny smith

d- chicken and veggies

Rants continued......

Journaling

This is my day:

b-1 cup cooked oats, splenda, cinnamon, 1 T dried organic cranberries, slash milk and 1/2 oz walnuts

s-banana

L- whole wheat sandwich thins, salmon burger, veggie cheese and 1/2 cup canned peaches-light syrup rinsed off

s-low fat string cheese. granny smith apple

d-chicken and veggies sauteed

25 minute walk on the bike and hike

Rants continued......

Chicken and Strawberry Salad

Chicken and Strawberry Salad
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients
Dressing:
1 tablespoon splenda (original used sugar)
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salad:
4 cups torn romaine lettuce
4 cups arugula
2 cups quartered strawberries
1/3 cup vertically sliced red onion
12 ounces skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast, sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted cashews, halved
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese (I would sub feta)
Preparation

1. To prepare dressing, combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl. Gradually drizzle in oil, stirring constantly with a whisk.

2. To prepare salad, combine romaine and next 4 ingredients (through chicken) in a bowl; toss gently. Place about 2 cups chicken mixture on each of 4 plates. Top each serving with 1 1/2 teaspoons cashews and 2 tablespoons cheese. Drizzle about 4 teaspoons dressing over each serving.


Jackie Mills, MS, RD, Cooking Light, MAY 2009

Rants continued......