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Greek Turkey Burger with Cucumber, Dill & Red Onion Salad

Posted on June 22, 2012 by Terry

Click on the "In the Kitchen with 11 Magnolia Lane" Button to read about our new series

Nothing is more satisfying than a charbroiled burger during the summer months! My husband and kids love a juicy burger, but I personally need to mix it up to make it a bit more healthy. These turkey burgers are delicious and satisfying. The feta cheese topping seems indulgent yet is full of good healthy fats that satisfy any appetite. Feel free to skip the bun (pictured below) to ensure you avoid an insulin rush- I promise you will not miss the bread after one bite of “my big fat (but good fat) Greek burger”

Greek Turkey Burger with Feta and Pepperoncini Cream Cheese Topping

Greek Turkey Burgers Ingredients

2 lbs ground turkey
1 egg
1/2 panko bread crumbs
1/2 finely diced red onion
6oz feta cheese
4 oz cream cheese
1/4 plain Greek yogurt
6-8 pepperoncinis
1 chopped scallion
1 lemon, zested
salt & pepper to taste

Directions

In a food processor combine the feta cheese, cream cheese and yogurt until smooth.
Add in peperoncinis, scallion, zest and salt & pepper. Pulse until coarsely chopped.
In a medium bowl combine the ground turkey, red onion, egg, bread crumbs, salt and pepper. Let sit for a few minutes to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
Form 6-8 patties and grill medium low for 6 minutes
Flip burgers and place the cream cheese mixture on top of cooked side. Let burgers cook and the cheese melt for another 4 minutes.
Serve with cucumber salad, tomato slices and kalamata olives

Cucumber, Dill and Red Onion Salad

Cucumber, Dill and Red Onion Salad

Ingredients

1 English cucumber (sliced very thin, use a mandoline)
1 red onion, finely sliced
3 T fresh dill
3 T rice vinegar
1/2 T sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions

Slice cucumber and onion using a mandolin.
Whisk sugar, vinegar and olive oil in a large mixing bowl. Toss in the onion, cucumber and herbs, coating well.
Refrigerate for 1/2 hour and enjoy alongside the Greek Turkey Burger!

Greek Turkey Burger and Cucumber, Dill and Red Onion Salad

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Posted in Cooking/Recipes, Entertaining, In the Kitchen Series | Tagged Cucumber Salad, Greek, Grilling, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating, Low Carb, Paleo, Turkey Burgers | Leave a comment

In the Kitchen with 11 Magnolia Lane, Tomato Basil Bisque Soup & Avocado Chef’s Salad

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Terry

Click on the "In the Kitchen with 11 Magnolia Lane" Button to read about our new series

So…. how are you all liking the Spring Menu so far?

I have really been enjoying the meals on the new spring menu and all the staples the spring harvest offers. I continue to be amazed by the power of real food and how much I enjoy cooking it.

Here is a recipe from my Spring Menu that you are sure to love. The salad is light & healthy and the soup is creamy & comforting. The perfect combo for those chilly spring showers.

Avacado Chef's Salad with Ranch Dressing

Avocado Chef’s Salad

Ingredients

1 large bunch Arugula
1 large bag of pre-washed spinach
1 ripe avocado, sliced
2 Roma tomato, sliced
1 English cucumber, sliced matchstick style
1 yellow pepper, diced
1/4 lb deli ham, diced
1/2 sweet onion, sliced thin

Directions

Wash all veggies, spinach and arugula
Toss the spinach and arugula to combine leaves. Place in a large serving bowl.
Place tomatoes in each corner
Place cucumber in opposite corners
Sprinkle the peppers and onions over the top of the salad
Neatly lay the avocado slices in the center of the salad and sprinkle with the diced ham
Serve with your favorite ranch dressing (this is mine if I don’t have time to make it from scratch).

Tomato Basil Bisque

Ingredients:

5 Ripe Roma tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
1/2 cup heavy cream (omit and double broth if you are Paleo)
One 12 ounce can of diced tomatoes
1 cup tomato juice (I used Mrs. T’s bold and spicy bloody mary mix)
1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar
1 bay leaf
Fresh Basil, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
Red chili flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan Cheese, grated for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat grill and brush grate with a bit of canola oil
Brush tomato halves with olive oil. Grill them until nicely charred and soft on both sides, 2-3 minutes.
In a deep saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat. Cook onion until soft, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add in garlic and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Add tomato paste, stir well and cook for 2-3 minutes. Mix in broth, and scrape off all the goodies stuck to the bottom of the pan. Bring the liquid to a low boil.
Add in the grilled tomatoes, canned tomatoes and tomato juice and bring it up to a simmer. Add sugar, bay leaf, Italian seasoning, chili flakes (optional) and salt & pepper. Simmer for 20-25 minutes until soup is combined and flavorful.
Remove from heat and remove bay leaf.
With an immersion blender (a regular blender or food processor will also work), puree soup until smooth.
Return soup to the pot and medium. Mix in cream, bring soup to a simmer and cook for another 5-10 minutes. You want the soup to be a beautiful shade of deep orange.
Remove from heat, garnish with basil and Parmesan cheese.
Enjoy

{While you are here, don’t forget to enter our giveaway for a Printable Party Package by leaving a comment on this post HERE–giveaway ends 5/3!}

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Posted in Cooking/Recipes, In the Kitchen Series | Tagged Avacado, Healthy Eating, healthy recipes, Low Carb, Low-carb recipes, Paleo, Recipe, salad, Spring Menu, Tomato Bisque | 1 Comment

In the Kitchen: Spring Menu Reveal

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Terry

Click on the "In the Kitchen with 11 Magnolia Lane" Button to read about our new series

My Spring Menu has “hatched” and I am so excited to share this healthy but satisfying menu that truly captures the essence of spring (at least I think so!). This menu offers a ton of fresh veggies, light and fluffy fritattas, and energy-packed protein shakes that will get you through a busy morning. Click here for to download our tasty spring monthly calendar as well as the spring shopping week 1

Spring Menu Reveal

Here are just a few of my favorites from the Spring Menu so far:

1. Fish Cakes with Remoulade Sauce

2. Red Bliss Potato Salad with Mojito Braised Pork

3. Soy Marinaded Skirt Steak with Asparagus and Sugar Snap Pea Stir Fry

4. Romaine and Carrot Slaw

Our “In the Kitchen Series” is designed to make your life easier, providing a healthy, easy to follow meal plan and shopping list. No more drive-throughs, frozen nuggets or unhealthy boxed macaroni and cheese!

I personally feel that spring is a time to refresh, renew and rejoice. It is the perfect time to focus on your health and possibly a good time to begin spring cleaning–not your closets, I am talking about your diet and your body.

So many of us rely on carbohydrates, caffeine and sugar to make it through the day. We poison our bodies with excess and wonder why we feel so tired. Trust me, I know how hard it is to change bad eating habits. I have been there and done that! In fact, I have been there and done that so many times that I constantly need to remind and challenge myself to stay on a healthy life track. There are so many ways to spring cleanse but I wanted to share a story recently shared with us from our good friend and guest blogger Kara Pfau, we thought it was an important message and we asked her if she would share it here too.

Kara is an expert when it comes to good healthy eating habits and she, like most of us, was sick of living in the fog of unhealthy eating and caffeine dependence. She was searching for clarity, energy and of course wanted to feel and look great. Here is what Kara has to share about cleansing our bodies:

: Stock image

Kara…Why do we need to detox and cleanse our bodies?

It’s simple, we are a product of our environment and we are exposed to toxins in the air we breathe, the foods we eat and the products we use on our skin. You are a subtotal of those toxins and these toxins stay in our tissues and fat for long periods of time. Unfortunately, these toxins we let into our bodies really don’t want to leave. In fact, they love to live in our tissue and fat cells. When this happens, it causes inflammation which can lead to more serious health problems such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Stock Image

Here is the good news, we can do something about this! By simply detoxing our systems daily you can reclaim your health. First, I suggest you avoid hurtful toxins, take supplements that support your liver/ kidneys and of course, exercise!!

Last year I decided to do this 30 day challenge and it has changed my life. I did note that my intense cravings for sugar, carbohydrates, coffee and wine were a result of an imbalance of blood sugar in my body as well as an indication of a sensitivity to several of these allergenic foods. As a result of this program I began working out 4-5 times a week, picked up a new sport of tennis, lost my strong sugar cravings, had a much clearer mind ridding that foggy state I had been in from the overload of sugar and toxins, and had an enormous amount of energy to get through all the events of the day with 2 small children.

The program I followed was Arbonne’s 30 Days to Fit which is an overall body cleanse that encompasses eating whole fresh foods, eliminating allergenic foods, balancing your blood sugar, increasing nutrient intake, and supporting the body’s 4 elimination pathways (the liver, kidneys, intestines and your largest detoxifying organ, your skin).

Arbonne 30 Day Fit Program

Your liver regenerates every 45 days, your brain regenerates every 60 days, your bones regenerate every 90 days, and your skin every 30 days.

Balancing your blood sugar is crucial to your health and balancing your PH is essential as diseases grow in acidic environment. Every food is either alkaline forming or acidic forming and next post I will go into which foods to eliminate, how they impact your blood sugar and ph imbalance and how these foods might be causing you to hold on to pounds you wouldn’t mind parting with!

The 30 days of detoxing and cleansing helped me accomplish all 5 things above. The program includes eliminating inflammatory type foods an help your body automatically release toxins. Weight loss is a by-product of this cleanse. 80% of your immune system is in your gut as well as 80% of your serotonin so the main goal of this cleanse is to help you feel as good as you can, reclaim your teenage like energy, and have clarity and release those toxins that may have been building in your system for quite some time!

I invite you to take the plunge and challenge yourself to a 30-day spring cleanse!

In wellness and good health,

Kara

(If you want more information on how to begin a 30 day detox, you can email Kara directly at karapfau@yahoo.com)

Thanks so much for your insight Kara, we are so excited to have you on board as our health guru:). I tried to keep all this useful information in mind while creating the spring menu. My goal is to keep me, my family, and our readers healthy and well-balanced so we too can enjoy the “feel-good” life Kara describes above. I will continue to featured recipes from the Spring Menu over the next couple of months so please stay tuned (either via Linky Tools, Facebook or email subscription) as you don’t want to miss a thing.

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy!

**The information contained in this website is for general information purposes only. While we endeavour to keep the information up to date and correct, we make no representations or warranties of any kind. Any reliance you place on such information is therefore strictly at your own risk. Please always consult your doctor/dietitian prior to making any health related changes**

Posted in Cooking/Recipes, In the Kitchen Series | Tagged Fish, Healthy Eating, healthy recipes, Low Carb, Paleo, Pork, Potato Salad, Steak | Leave a comment

Sneak a Peek at the Spring Menu: Fish Cakes with Remoulade Sauce and Romaine and Carrot Shredded Slaw

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Terry

Lemon Fish Cakes with Remoulade

As you all know the Spring Menu/Meal Plan is almost ready to be revealed and I have been testing the recipes and enjoying every bite. This particular recipe may be a family staple as it is light, crispy and wonderful for spring and summer. The remoulade sauce is a favorite and goes with just about any seafood but I also love it on burgers and sandwiches (with or with out the bread). This meal has lots of vinegar and the fresh herbs which makes it vibrant, fresh and perfect for spring…ENJOY!!

Lemon Fish Cakes: (Adapted from Everyday Food Light)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil
6 tilapia fillets
salt & pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup Helmans mayo
1/2 cup parsley
1/2 cup dill
2 lemons, zested and juiced
3 tbsp prepared horseradish
1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray or use 1 1/2 teaspoons of olive oil to coat. Place tilapia fillets on pan, season with salt and pepper and bake for approx. 8 – 10 minutes. Let fish cool, then flake with a fork.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, mayo, parsley, dill, lemon juice/zest and horseradish. Fold in the fish and add in 1/2 cup bread crumbs. (Paleo/no carb folks can substitute nuts or even coconut would be tasty). Mix with everything together with your hands and form 1/4 cup sized patties
Dredge each patty in the remaining panko crumbs, pressing down to adhere.
Heat a large skillet on medium high with the remaining olive oil. Place the fish cakes in the hot skillet and cook on each side until golden brown (4-6 minutes per side). Serve with remoulade and slaw.

Cook the fish cakes until golden brown

Remoulade Sauce (Adapted from Ina Garten)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Helmans mayo
5-6 small dill pickles or cornichons
1 tsp mustard (ground or Dijon)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar
salt/pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
Few sprigs of fresh parsley

Directions

Place all ingredients in the food process and pulse several times until all is incorporated. Do not over mix- you want this to be the consistency of slightly thinned mayonnaise.

Romaine and Carrot Shredded Slaw

Ingrediants:

1 head romaine lettuce, shredded finely
4 carrots, shredded in cheese grater
1/2 cup fresh dill
1/4 fresh parsley
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp red-wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place shredded lettuce, carrots and finely chopped herbs into a large bowl.
In a mason jar, mix together the orange juice, vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper and olive oil. Shake vigorously until incorporated and slightly emulsified.
Pour the dressing over slaw and toss.

Linking up to~ Six Sisters Stuff

Posted in Cooking/Recipes, In the Kitchen Series | Tagged Cooking, Fish, Healthy, In the Kitchen with Magnolia Lane, Lemon, Paleo, Recipe, Sauce | 5 Comments

My new favorite Salad…..

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Terry

I am so excited to share that the Spring Month of Meals Calendar is almost complete and everything looks so yummy. I have to admit that I have been doing lots of taste testing over the past month to ensure the menu is healthy, nutritious and of course tasty. It is full of spring fare so get ready to hit your local farmers markets and take advantage of what this delightful season has to offer.

I stumbled upon this amazing salad while taste testing my way through a recent Martha Stewart magazine. It has become my go to meal this past week, I just cannot get enough of it. I don’t think it will make the spring menu cut so enjoy it while you can as an alternative under the winter menu - Yummm!!

Roasted Green Beans, Sweet Potato and Walnut Salad

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Ingredients

2 sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium red onion, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 package Ready to Eat green beans (I like the microwavable bags of green beans- they are so easy)
1/3 cup walnuts
1 head (10 ounces) red-leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
One bottle of Marzetti “Simply Dressed” Ranch Salad Dressing

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. On a large rimmed baking sheet, toss together sweet potatoes, onion, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Roast until sweet potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
Add green beans and walnuts to sheet; toss. Roast until green beans are tender, about 5 minutes.
Toss with a couple spoonfuls of Ranch Dressing and enjoy!

Adapted from Martha Stewart Red-Leaf Salad with Roasted Sweet Potatoes Here is another recipe that pairs wonderfully with this salad. I hope you enjoy this as much as I do.

Roasted Lemon Chicken

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Roasted Lemon Chicken

We recently had a terrific sale on chicken leg quarters at our local super marker so I decided to stocked up. Of course, the dilemma is how to cook them as I personally prefer chicken breast to dark meat. I know that there are many health benefits to adding dark meat to your diet. Legs and thighs have a tad bit more fat than breast meat but it is minimal and shouldn’t deter you from eating it. The benefits of dark meat over white is that it is richer in zinc, riboflavin, niacin, thiamin, vitamins B6 and B12, amino acids, iron. It is also cheaper so if you are on a budget or cannot pass up a sale (like me:), this is the perfect recipe for you.

Ingredients

3-4lbs of Chicken leg quarters
2 tbsp. of butter
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp EVOO
2 lemons, sliced
2 tbsp. fresh minced chives and mint
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. salt and pepper

Direction

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Heat a large skillet and melt butter. Place chicken skin side down and brown 3-5 minutes
Transfer chicken (skin side up) to roasting pan and place sliced lemons on top each piece.
Place roasting into pan oven and bake for approx. 45 minutes.
While the chicken is baking, add the lemon juice, evoo, mint, chives, salt and pepper to skillet. Mix well and serve with chicken and additional lemons.

Feel free to combine the two recipes for a wonderfully balanced meal.

: Roasted Lemon Chicken and Green Bean Salad

Posted in Cooking/Recipes, In the Kitchen Series | Tagged Chicken, Healthy Eating, in the kitchen series, Low Carb, Paleo, Recipe, salad | Leave a comment

Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Squash

Posted on February 6, 2012 by Terry

Spice Rubbed Grilled Tenderloin

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I hope you all have found some spare time to print off the February Menu Calendar as well as the shopping list week 1 . If not, no worries! Just click on the “In the Kitchen with 11 Magnolia Lane” button below to read the introductory post in this series and get up to speed.

CLICK HERE for our new series: "In the Kitchen with 11 Magnolia Lane"

This is one of my favorite meals because I love to grill. It is a fast way to create a tasty meal with very easy clean up. My husband recently bought a combo charcoal & gas grill. I have to admit, we use the charcoal more often than the gas because it adds so much flavor. Don’t worry, if you do not have a grill because you can also bake your pork loin in the oven alongside the tasty squash.

Spiced Grilled Pork Tenderloin

(Click here for spice grilled pork tenderloin printable recipe)

Spices make all the difference in this meal

Ingredients

1 (4 pound) boneless pork top loin roast (single loin)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons paprika
1 1/2 teaspoons onion salt
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

Directions

Place boneless pork loin on large cutting board or platter; brush oil over all sides. Set aside. Meanwhile, stir together dry rub seasoning. Rub over pork to cover.
Prepare charcoal grill to cook over direct and indirect heat. Place pork loin over medium-hot coals (direct heat) or on medium-hot (about 400 degrees F.) gas grill. Cook for 10 minutes on each side to brown. Move pork to area on grill over indirect heat. Cook, covered for 70-90 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. On gas grill, move pork to one side of grill; turn off the gas directly under the pork. Leave the rest of the grill on medium heat. Cook, covered for 70 to 90 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 160 degrees F. Serve with your favorite sauce.

Low on time, just cook on direct heat until internal temps reach 160, approx. 20-25 minutes No grill, no worries. Just bake pork loin in oven at 400 degrees until internal temps reach 160, approx. 25-30 minutes In my opinion, the perfect compliment to something spicy is something sweet so that is why I selected roasted squash to accompany this dish. Most varieties of squash is very low in carbohydrates and very high in vitamins. The butternut and acorn squash are more similar to a sweet potato when it comes to carbs so I usually eat these two sparingly. Since the pork is a very lean meat and because of all the spices in the rub, I choose to indulge with a butternut squash for this particular meal. I hope you enjoy each and every bite as much as I do!

Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients for Squash

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the parsley, oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Add squash and toss to coat.
Transfer to an ungreased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F for 50-55 minutes or until squash is just tender. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and serve.

Thanks for stopping by and cheers!

Posted in In the Kitchen Series, Uncategorized | Tagged Healthy Cooking, Low Carb, Paleo, Pork Loin | 7 Comments

In the Kitchen at Magnolia Lane {New Series}

Posted on January 23, 2012 by Terry

One of my resolutions this year was to get more organized in the kitchen and to eat healthier. I have been toying around with the idea of planning a month of winter meals and decided it was time to try it. Knowing each and every day what I am going to make for breakfast, lunch and dinner has taken away so much stress, it has also saved us money and I have unintentionally lost a few pounds (who doesn’t want to lose weight without trying?)

Meal planning does take some time, especially if you plan out the entire month. While it takes me a few hours to write out a plan for 1 full month of meals as well as a weekly grocery list, I have basically earned all that time back now that I have each and every meal accounted for. I spend less time stressing about meals, spending money on last minute runs to the grocery store and I really have curbed some unhealthy eating habits (We have not gone through a drive through in a month!!)

So, I will be sharing my menus with Magnolia Lane readers in our new series “In the Kitchen at Magnolia Lane,” as well as weekly shopping lists, recipes and instructional videos. I hope that by sharing my meal plan I will take the stress out of everyday cooking, save you some money, and help you feel healthier than ever.

Most of the food I cook is low in carbohydrates, high in “good” fat and yummy. I don’t follow one specific diet plan and I am not saying that my way should be your way. I simply shop and eat low carb which seems to work for me and my family. I read a lot labels at the grocery store (more on this in my videos) and I also read quite a few Primal and Paleo cooking blogs. I do not consider my meal plan to be Primal, Paleo, Atkins and/or South Beach although elements of each are incorporated into my meal plan. I know the words “high-fat” must sound crazy but I assure you, they are all good fats and I have lost 7lbs without any extra focus!

I have also been cooking for my good friend and neighbor as she is interested in eating healthier and hoping to lose a few extra pounds. When I began my meal plan, I included her food as well. I cook breakfast, lunch and dinner 6 days a week for my dear friend who works long hours and is a single mom of two wonderful girls. Since January 2nd, she has lost 12 pounds and she has not missed carbs/sweets and she has not felt a need to over indulge (that is where all that good fat comes into play). She has been loving the meal plan and is losing weight without even hitting the gym. As much as I hate to say it… your diet is everything when you are trying to lose weight.

Today I am sharing one of my meals off the January Calendar. The way the system will work is that I will be repeating this menu again in March. In April I will share a “spring-inspired” menu that will carry us through the end of June. I will, of course, do the same for Summer and Fall. In order to shop smart and save money I always take advantage of weekly sales as well as seasonal produce.

So, here the first recipe to give you a preview:

*Cilantro Chicken Salad*

2 oven roasted chicken breast, shredded or diced
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 scallion, chopped
1/2 red pepper diced
1 lime zested and juiced
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon of cumin
pinch of chile powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 beefsteak tomatoes (optional)

To Roast Chicken:

Pre-set oven 350 degrees. Place chicken breast on baking sheet, coat with olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Juices will run clear and chicken will be lightly browned.

Combine chicken, mayonnaise, scallions, lime zest and juice, and cilantro. Season to taste with salt, pepper, garlic powder, cumin, and chile powder to taste.

Core out the top of each tomato, remove the internal pulp and seeds. Fill with chicken salad and enjoy! Pictured are roasted sweet potato discs and steamed green beans.

(Inspired by skinnytaste.com)

{Click here on the cilantro chicken recipe to print a copy}

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