Western Churkey Burger

picture forthcoming!

Ingredients

• 1 lb ground “Churkey” (1/2 lb extra lean ground turkey + 1/2 lb ground chicken breast)
• 1/4 C chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp salsa (I used homemade salsa, so it was very chunky, not so pureed)
• 1/2 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 egg
• 2 Tbsp chopped onion

Directions

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Pan-fry, grill, or even bake these puppies. Serve them on whole wheat buns, pita thins, corn tortillas or chopped over a fresh salad.

Tip:

To create great flavors, mix several kinds of meats!  Extra lean ground pork+ground sirloin+extra lean turkey is a tasty combo as well. I use this method in many styles

I made a double batch and shaped them into either 1/2 pounder patties (man size) or 1/4 pounders.  Wrapped them individually in plastic wrap and put them all into a ziploc so I could pull them out for a quick meal depending on who I will be serving.

Salmon in Brine

Brine is a salt and seasoning solution used to saturate meat or other foodstuffs with flavor and moisture. Brining is often done with turkey and other poultry since it has the tendency to be dry. Salmon benefits from the process too, since there is a fine line between perfectly grilled salmon and the shoe leather that often comes off the grill.

FAITH’S BRINE

For about 2 pounds of salmon

1. Heat 4-6 cups of water in a large saucepan
2. Add the following, then bring to optimal heat to allow salt and sugar to dissolve (No rolling boil!):
   • 1 C kosher salt
   • 1/2 C organic sugar
   • 2 tsp ground cumin
   • 1 tsp crumbled, dried oregano leaf
   • 3/4 tsp garlic powder
   • 3/4 tsp chili powder
   • 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3. Remove brine from heat and allow to cool. The brine then needs to be refrigerated. Place about 2 pounds of salmon in the brine. The fish should be completely covered with the brine solution. Let the fish soak for about 2 hours.
4. Remove the fish from the brine with a slotted spoon and rinse. Let the fish sit on a plate that has been covered in a few layers of paper towel.
5. Brush salmon with a coating of extra virgin olive oil -this will prevent the fish from sticking to the grill/pan.
6. Grill or bake as desired. “Firm but not solid”

Served this with Broiled Baby Eggplants with miso dressing

[Recipe Inspiration from The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook]