Bison Cheeseburger

June 9, 2014

When we lived in Dallas, my husband’s and my favorite burger was from Twisted Root. Not only did they offer fairly unique burger varieties, they also offered other different meats. Some typical, some exotic (like kangaroo, crocodile, etc). Twisted Root was the first place I ever had a bison/buffalo burger. At the time I really thought I was branching out and being adventurous. Really, bison tastes a lot like beef, maybe a little gamier, but also a heck of a lot leaner. Did you know that bison has less fat than chicken? It is one of the healthiest meats you can eat, which is surprising to some people since it is a “red meat”.

After having my first bison burger at Twisted Root, I never went back to beef. If we are at a burger place and bison is on the menu I will order that without a second thought and with a lot less guilt.

My only issue with bison is that it is not very readily available. In Texas we could buy it from the butcher counter at Central Market. Here in North Carolina, the only place I have seen it is Whole Foods (Trader Joe’s sells frozen burger patties, but I just want raw, ground meat). And it’s not cheap, around $10 a pound, which means that you probably can’t eat it every day. For us, though, it’s nice to splurge on bison every few months to be able to indulge, but also be a bit healthier.

If you have never had a bison burger, I encourage you to try one. Or if you are too intimidated to cook bison yourself, don’t be! Treat is like very lean beef. You may want some extra seasoning to make up for the lack of fat, but I doubt you will miss it!

So for Father’s Day, instead of grilling up Dad a hamburger, why not splurge a bit and make Dad a bison burger?

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Baked Mini Chimichangas

May 21, 2014

This little recipe has several different names in our house. Mini burritos, burritoitos (small burritos, if you will), and the most recent favorite, mini chimies (for mini chimichangas). We make a version of this recipe quite often. Then beauty of it, is that you can really play around with the filling and make it to fit your taste or whatever you have in your pantry. For this particular recipe, I just used lean ground turkey, onion, bell pepper, taco seasoning, and tomato paste.

The wrap is just an egg roll wrapper that you can get at your local super market near the refrigerated produce or dairy (look for the tofu or vegan foods and it is probably nearby). They are easy to work with if you work quickly, because they can dry out. First I place the filling in the center, fold in the sides, then roll it up. To make sure that the roll stays together, wet one end with water using your finger and press it together.

To ensure that they get egg roll wrapper gets nice and crispy, I like to bake them on a wire rack placed on top of a cookie sheet and brush them down with olive oil. And because the filling is already cooked, they only need to bake until the wrapper gets nice and golden brown.

As I mentioned, these can be filled with just about anything you want. Below are some of the combinations that I have tried that are always a big hit with my husband.

Bean & Cheese

Black Beans, Onion, Cheddar Cheese, Taco Seasoning, Tomato Paste

Pepperoni Pizza

Mozzarella Cheese, Pepperoni, Green Bell Pepper, Basil, Marinara Sauce

Apple Pie

Diced Apples, Lemon Juice, Cinnamon & Sugar

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Light and Healthy Chicken Alfredo

April 25, 2014

I can honestly tell you I have no idea when the last time I ate fetuccini alfredo. My husband orders it fairly often when we go out to eat, but I never make it, because it is typically so unhealthy. All that cream and fat. No thanks!

This Alfredo sauce is made with pureed cauliflower, sauteed garlic and onions, Greek yogurt, a bit of non-fat milk, salt, pepper, and parsley. Other than the oil I used to sautee the garlic and onions, there is no fat in this sauce at all.

To make it extra light and healthy, I served my sauce over spaghetti squash (full disclosure, I made whole wheat pasta for my husband). I substitute spaghetti squash in almost all my pasta dishes. I find that it just as easy to make as pasta, and takes less time. First I cut the squash in half, length-wise, then place the squash cut-side down into a shallow microwavable dish with just a bit of water. I cover the dish in plastic wrap and microwave for 7-8 minutes. After it’s done microwaving, I let it sit and steam for an extra 1-2 minutes then it easily forms little “spaghetti noodles” when pulled at with a fork.

If you are a vegetarian, the chicken is totally optional. I this dish is hearty even without the added meat. Because I have to feed a 6’6″ man, I need to add in some extra protein or else he will still be hungry (and whiny).

Despite being “light” and healthy, this meal didn’t feel light. I was pleasantly full and felt completely satisfied. And because the sauce and the pasta are so healthy, I didn’t feel guilty about piling my plate high. And believe me, I did.

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