Happy Summer Suppers!

What is it about hot, sticky summer days that makes me not want to cook anything?  I am currently only stocking my kitchen with fresh produce, organic yogurt, fish, turkey, and chicken so most anything that I was going to eat for supper needed to be cooked tonight!  The oven was off limits because of the heat and so was my usual hot weather go-to: raw tomato sauce and brown rice pasta.  I am down to one last heirloom tomato and I didn't work out today (sorely needed rest day!) so I wanted to stick with protein and veggies only. 

I ended up making turkey burgers and garlic kale.  Yum!  I was able to make it in 20 minutes, it didn't heat up my entire apartment, and it was so healthy!  Here's a (low quality - sorry) photo and the recipe in case you'd like to try it out for yourself! 

Note that the recipes that I post will always be gluten free as I cannot eat gluten (topic for another day!), so you won't see buns in my recipes for items like turkey burgers.  I have yet to find a really decent gluten free bun that is worth the calories and lack of nutrition without actually having to make them myself and  I cannot bake to save my life.  So, no buns it is!



Turkey Burgers

Makes 1 serving

Mix 1/4 lb 98% fat free ground turkey with 1 Tbsp McCormick Grill Mates 25% Less Sodium Montreal Steak Seasoning until combined.  Form two burgers out of the mixture.  In a small skillet, sprayed lightly with olive oil, cook the burgers on medium-high for about 5 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the other, or until cooked completely through.  Top with condiments of your choice.

(Yeah, it's that easy!  And so good!)

Garlic Kale

Makes 1 large serving

Ingredients:

1/3 c. sliced baby portobello mushrooms

1/2 small onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp olive oil

1/4 c. chicken -or- vegetable stock

2 large stems -or- 4 small stems curly-leaf kale, large stems removed and chopped into 1.5" pieces

Add the olive oil to a large skillet and add the onion, mushrooms, and garlic to the pan.  Allow the vegetables to sweat over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until just starting to soften.  Add the kale and stock to the skillet and stir the ingredients together.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook on medium until the vegetables are cooked through, the kale is dark green, and most of the liquid is cooked out, about 8-10 minutes.  Do not overcook the kale, it should still have some integrity left to it.  Enjoy!

Challenge Update

I was doing so well running!  Then, my knees starting complaining.  And so did one of my hips.  I'm getting old.  This all sucks.  Majorly.  Even though I haven't been running lately, I have been averaging working out 6 days a week for the past month, though last week I only made it to 5 because of the move.  Either way, my health is good, my weight is heading in the right direction, and I am still working out.  Hopefully when the weather cools a bit I can try running again.  I do miss it!

Until I can get back to running, I am revising my challenge to be "work out six days a week".  Yes, I have been doing this already but I also haven't been teaching these past few weeks.  I start a new class next Monday and it will be tough to keep up this schedule but I am going to challenge myself to do so!  Does anyone want to volunteer to call me every morning at 5am so I get up to workout?  No?  :)