We had another sausage-making adventure this weekend (Charles had a few friends over to watch a videogame tournament final) and they were fantastic! We used this recipe, but next time I will up some of the flavorings. While it was delicious, I wish the sun-dried tomato flavor had been far more pronounced. And the cheese kept melting out of the sausages on the grill!
I also made this very refreshing quinoa salad to go with it, which was a big hit, even among the men! Quinoa is not one of my favorite things, as I often find it very bland. But this came out very flavorful with a great crunch! Definitely going in my mental book of things I will make over and over again.
A fun weekend was had by all, and I hope that you all had a great Labor Day! I managed to run/walk a mile yesterday and today with no worsening foot pains, so hopefully *knockonwood* I'm on the road to total recovery!
Now, after a weekend of semi-indulgent eating and drinking (mostly the drinking part--GF beer, you will be my downfall!), I'm looking to make something lighter. Yesterday morning, it was an omelette that was essentially a ton of vegetables with a little bit of egg mixed it (and, of course, Sriracha dumped on top). Didn't eat lunch (one of those odd days where you're just not hungry at all), had the tiny bit of that quinoa salad left for a snack, and then leftovers for dinner. Today, chicken burgers!
Chicken Burger
Ingredients:
1 pound of ground chicken or turkey (I home-ground 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. fresh basil, minced
2 green onions, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, crushed (I, for once, used my garlic press to get a paste-like consistency)
1/4 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 t. lemon juice, plus a little zest
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. Kalamata olives, finely minced (I did not have these, but they're in the original recipe)
1 t. brine from olives
Black pepper to taste
Buns and toppings
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients for the patties together in a bowl. Cover and let marinate in the fridge for an hour.
Divide into four equal patties.
Preheat your grill, broiler, or stovetop grill-pan to medium-high heat and cook for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until juices run clear.
Top with tzatziki and your other toppings and enjoy!
Tzatziki
Ingredients:
1 head of garlic (yes, one HEAD of garlic...you can reduce that if you're not a garlic-nut like me!)
1 500-g container of Greek yogurt (thickest you can find)
1 English cucumber, seeded and peeled (if you so desire, I didn't)
2 T. red wine vinegar
1 T. lemon juice (start there, add more if you wish)
Salt & pepper, to taste
Many recipes include a bunch of parsley and mint, but I didn't have either on-hand.
Instructions:
Process the garlic and cucumber in a food processor until finely minced (use liquids from the recipe to aid in the processing). Also, add herbs, if you are using them.
In some cheesecloth or a fine strainer, squeeze out all the water possible from the cucumber.
Mix everything together in a small-to-medium bowl and cover, refrigerating for at least an hour. Taste after letting it sit, and correct any flavors to your taste.
Braised Chickpeas with Radish Greens and Spinach
So, I bought some radishes over the weekend, and they came with a large bunch of greens attached. I thought, "I can't just throw this out! This has to be edible!" Lo and behold, it is! Others compare to flavor to that of other bitter greens, like Swiss chard or kale, so use accordingly.
Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil
1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 bunch radish greens (or other greens!), washed and dried
1 cup baby spinach, washed and dried
2 shallots (or 1 large), finely chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup dry white wine
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
Instructions:
Heat 1 T. oil in a deep saute pan over medium heat. Cook shallots until translucent, then add lemon zest.
Add in chickpeas and saute for a minute or two.
Add in your liquids and bring to a simmer. Allow liquid to cook down for about 10 minutes, and then add the greens. (I did the opposite and my greens ended up way overcooked). Salt & pepper to your tastes.
Dinner is served! Really, really delicious and healthy!
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