Turkey Zucchini Burgers with Truffle Mac n' Cheese

 I made a special dinner for my father this week for his birthday. He is not a herbivore by any means, in fact, he is the exact opposite...more like a meat and fast food extremist. When I asked him what he wanted me to cook him for dinner, he said "burgers and hot dogs." Really?! Of all the yummy creations I can make, you want a burger and a hot dog. OK, I will give you a burger and a hot dog...just not the kind loaded with red meat and sodium :) I decided I might be able to trick him into eating healthier by using ground turkey and adding veggies like zucchini and carrots. The zucchini and carrots added a lot of flavor to the burgers and also kept them moist inside. My parents called this meal "Augi food" which basically means "fancy food." They used to know a man by the name of Augi that cooked gourmet meals.

I absolutely loved this dish, it is not the healthiest by any means when you add in the truffle mac n' cheese but you could always substitute another side if you prefer. That was my way of giving him something more familiar...buttery and cheesy! Yum! I also made a quick Apple Slaw as another side dish and I would highly recommend you making it as well. It ended up being a great topping for the burgers too, added the sweet to the savory.

To finish it off I made some delicious homemade Chocolate Raviolis with different fillings like sauteed bananas and peanut butter for dessert. Be on the lookout for that recipe in my next post.

Turkey Zucchini Burgers with Truffle Mac n' Cheese and Apple Slaw

Prep Time: 20 Min

Cook Time: 35 Min

Ingredients

Turkey Burgers

- 1 3/4 lb ground turkey

- 1/2 package of medium soft tofu (you can make without if you prefer)

- 2 zucchini, grated or shredded

- 2 carrots, grated or shredded (I bought store bought shredded to save some time)

- 1/4 onion, diced

- 3 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 tsp of Worcestershire sauce

- salt/pepper to taste

- 1 egg or egg substitute

- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

- hamburger buns (I used whole wheat and english muffins, toasted)

- Pesto

- Brie Cheese

- Spinach or lettuce leaves

- Dijon mustard

Apple Slaw

- 2 apples, peeled and julienned

- 1/2 cup grated carrots (I used some that I had leftover from the store bought bag)

- 1/4 cup cider vinegar

- 3 tbs maple syrup

- 2 tbs dijon mustard

- 1/3 cup honey

- 2 tbs mayo

- salt/pepper to taste

Truffle Mac n' Cheese

- 3/4 box of elbow pasta

- 2 cups of hazelnut milk (1 cup of milk and 1 cup of cream will also substitute)

- 3 tbs of truffle butter (you can find at local market like Fresh Market or Whole Foods)

- 2 tbs of flour

- 2 chopped portobello mushrooms

- 1 package of fontina cheese (you could also substitute another creamy cheese like a havarti)

- parmesan

- panko breadcrumbs

- truffle oil

Directions

Turkey Burgers

- In a mixing bowl, combine the first 10 ingredients. Mix well. Shape into patties.

- I shaped my patties the night before and put them in the fridge in between layers of wax paper. That way all I had to do was throw them on the grill right before our guests came over.

- Grill for about 4 minutes on each side until blackened and not pink on the inside

- Top burgers with some brie cheese right before they are done

- Spread some pesto and dijon mustard on the toasted buns

- Put the burgers on the buns, top with spinach and apple slaw if you prefer.

Apple Slaw

- Combine all of the ingredients in a small mixing bowl. You can add more honey, maple or dijon to your liking if the cider vinegar is too tart. Place in the fridge until ready to use. 

Truffle Mac n' Cheese
- I recommend preparing this first, then you can put in the oven about 30 minutes prior to dinner time.
- Bring a medium saucepan with salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to directions
- Preheat oven to 350 F
- In a large saute pan, saute flour and truffle butter on medium heat with a whisk to form a roux
- Add the hazelnut milk and bring to a boil for a couple of minutes
- Reduce to low and add mushrooms and fontina cheese
- Let simmer to thicken for about 5 minutes
- Drain pasta and mix with sauce
- Pour in a lightly greased casserole dish
- Top with parmesan and breadcrumbs. Drizzle with truffle oil.
- Bake for 25 minutes, covered with foil
- Broil on low for 2 minutes uncovered to brown the topping
- Serve with turkey burgers and apple slaw. Enjoy!

Barbecue Tofu and Pumpkin Mac n' Cheese

I should have titled this blog, How Not To Make Your Own Shell Pasta. When I decided I wanted to make Pumpkin Mac n' Cheese this week, I also decided I would try to make my own shell pasta. If you are going to make your own pasta for the first time 1) follow a recipe and 2) always have some backup store bought pasta. I had a lot of fun making the shell pasta but unfortunately, I did not follow a recipe, I made it the same way I make ravioli dough. First mistake. Ravioli dough ends up getting run through a pasta maker which thins it out really well. If you decide to shape it into little shells, the dough ends up being really thick. Most shell/orecchiette pasta recipes require no egg. Second mistake. I also used a combination of wheat and semolina flour, third mistake, regular unbleached white would have worked best. Although my shell pasta looked really nice, it was just a little too thick to enjoy or use. Lucky for me I did buy some gluten free elbows just in case :)

Making my own Shell Pasta

I have made Pumpkin Mac n' Cheese in the past with your basic cream and milk and some Fontina cheese (which is delicious by the way!) This time I used some alternative milks and a Havarti with Peppadew Peppers from Whole Foods. The peppers give the sauce a nice spice and the Havarti makes it gooey and creamy, yum! The Barbecue Tofu was easy and very tasty. I sauteed it in the pan with the veggies but you could also just put it right on the grill and baste it with barbecue sauce which would be equally as tasty. Make sure you buy the firm/extra firm tofu so it stays intact. I served it all with some grilled corn on the cob which I topped with some homemade Jalapeno Lime Butter. Just mix some butter, chopped jalapenos, garlic and lime. Put in the freezer on wax paper until ready to serve. Slice and spread on the hot grilled corn, so good!



Barbecue Tofu, Pumpkin Mac n' Cheese and Grilled Corn with Jalapeno Lime Butter

Barbecue Tofu, Pumpkin Mac N' Cheese and Grilled Corn with Jalapeno Lime Butter



Prep Time: 10 Min

Cook Time: 40 Min

Ingredients

Pumpkin Mac n Cheese

- 10 to 12 ounces of pasta (elbows or shells) about 3/4 a box

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 2 tbs butter

- 2 tbs flour

- 2 cups of hazelnut milk (any milk would do, you could also do 1 cup of cream and 1 cup of milk)

- 1 cup of cheese (I used Havarti with Peppadew Peppers, Fontina is also a good choice)

- 1 can of organic pumpkin

- 2 tsp of cinnamon (optional)

- salt/pepper to taste

- Panko breadcrumbs

- Parmesan/Pecorino grated cheese (optional topping)

- 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts

Barbecue Tofu

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 1/4 onion, chopped

- 2 celery stalks, chopped

- 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped

- 2 tsp curry powder

- 1 package of organic tofu, sliced

- 1/2 cup barbecue sauce (I used Annie's Naturals, Chipotle Hot Sauce)

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 F

- Bring a pot of salted water to boil, cook pasta according to directions

- In a large saucepan, saute the garlic clove with 2 tbs of butter and flour. Whisk to form a roux

- Add the salt/pepper, cinnamon and milk, bring to a small boil.

- Reduce to low and continue to whisk occasionally until thickened

- Add the cheese and pumpkin, stir to combine

- Once pasta is cooked, drain and add to sauce mixture

- Pour macaroni in a lightly greased casserole dish

- Top with breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and walnuts

- Bake covered with aluminum foil for 30 minutes

- While macaroni is baking, in a large saute pan, sautee garlic, onion, bell pepper, celery and curry with a little olive oil. About 5 minutes.

- Add in chopped tofu and continue sauteing for about 10-12 minutes on medium heat

- Add barbecue sauce, stir to coat and reduce heat to simmer for 15 minutes

- Serve tofu with mac n' cheese and grilled corn if desired. Enjoy!



Spaghetti with Pesto, Turkey Tofu Meatballs, Cranberries and Toasted Walnuts

These meatballs were savory and sweet with the touch of cranberry. I added tofu to the traditional turkey meatball to cut back on the amount of meat. The toasted walnuts added a nice texture to the dish and gave it a seasonal taste. Yummy!

Prep Time: 10 Min
Cook Time: 15 Min

Ingredients

- 1 box of Spaghetti (I used half a box of Corn Spaghetti and half a box of Spinach Spaghetti)
- 1 1b Ground Turkey
- 1/2 package of medium firm tofu
- 1/4 cup of panko breadcrumbs or oats
- 1/4 cup onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1/4 cup Feta cheese
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup Marsala Wine
- 2 tbs dried cranberries
- 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped
- 3 tbs of Basil or Spinach Pesto
- Pecorino/Parmesan Cheese (optional, topping)

Directions

- In a small bowl pour the marsala wine over the cranberries, let soak for 5 minutes
- Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook spaghetti according to package directions.
- In a large bowl, combine the turkey and next 7 ingredients. Add the cranberries with marsala wine.
- Form mixture into meatballs
- In a large saute pan, saute the meatballs with a little olive oil, turning frequently to brown on all sides. Approx 8-10 minutes total. (You can add some marsala wine to the pan for additional flavor if you like)
- While meatballs are cooking, toast the walnuts in toaster oven until browned
- Toss spaghetti with pesto, top with meatballs and sprinkle with walnuts and pecorino cheese. Enjoy!

Buffalo Stuffed Shells

I got the inspiration for this dish from one of my favorite blogs Inspired Taste. I made some modifications and also made it vegetarian. I am sure it would be delicious with chicken too. It was cheesy gooey and with a bit of heat, yum!

Prep Time: 5 Min

Cook Time: 35 Min



Ingredients

- 16 large pasta shells

- 1 package of medium tofu

- 1/2 cup of ricotta cheese

- 1 garlic clove, minced

- 1/2 cup onion, diced

- 3/4 cup celery, diced

- 1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles

- 1/4 cup chopped parsley

- Frank's Cayenne Pepper Hot Sauce

- Annie's Organic Parmesan Artichoke Dressing (you could also substitute Ranch)

- salt/pepper to taste

Directions

- Preheat oven to 350 F

- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and cook shells according to directions

- Drain cooked pasta and keep in a bowl of ice water until ready to use

- Meanwhile in a medium saute pan, saute the garlic, onion, tofu and celery 5-8 minutes

- Turn off the heat and add the ricotta cheese, parsley and blue cheese.

- Carefully add about 3-4 tbs of the hot sauce. Taste to measure heat and add more if desired.

- Lightly grease a casserole dish

- Stuff the shells with the filling and place upside down (seams up) in the dish

- Sprinkle tops with more blue cheese and hot sauce if desired.

- Bake for 25 minutes and drizzle with Parmesan dressing before serving.

Coconut Curry Meatballs

Watching the documentary Forks over Knives, a few months ago, changed my life. I knew I would never be able to become a vegetarian or vegan but I knew I could start having more control over the food I was putting in my body. This recipe is a great meatless recipe but can easily be substituted for regular sausage or ground chicken if that is your preference.

Coconut Curry Meatballs over Rice

Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 30 Min (including cooking rice)

Ingredients

- 1 can of coconut milk
- 2 tbs and 1 tsp of curry powder
- 1 tbs of garam masala (found in the spice section)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/4 onion, diced
- 1 package of Gimme Lean Sausage (Regular Sausage or Ground Chicken can be substituted)
- 1/4 cup of firm tofu, chopped
- 1/2 green pepper, diced
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- salt/pepper
- 2 cups of cooked rice

Directions

- In a large mixing bowl, mix the sausage, tofu, green pepper, egg, breadcrumbs, salt/pepper and 1 tsp of curry powder. Form into meatballs.
- In a saute pan on medium heat, saute onion and garlic with a little olive oil for 5 minutes
- Add the meatballs and saute until brown and cooked for about 10 minutes, turning to sear all sides
- Once the meatballs are seared, turn the pan down to low and add the coconut milk and remaining curry and garam masala. Let simmer and scoop the milk over the meatballs a few times while turning to coat
- Serve meatballs over rice and pour sauce over top. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Ravioli with Pumpkin Hazelnut Sauce, Cranberries and Spinach

Nick bought me a very nice pasta attachment for my KitchenAid Mixer for my birthday several months ago. I haven't used it since the day he cooked me homemade raviolis for my birthday. When I cleaned out my banquet about a week ago, I found it inside! I immediately felt guilty and decided that I need to start making use of it. Now that I am getting the hang of making my own pastas, I can't wait to use it for making spinach fettuccine, spaghetti etc.! This recipe does not require the pasta attachment but you could use it to help you roll out the dough and get it nice and thin if you own one.

Pumpkin Ravioli with Pumpkin Hazelnut Sauce

Homemade Pumpkin Ravioli topped with Cranberries, Spinach and Pecorino Cheese

Prep Time: 45 Min
Cook Time: 15 Min

Ingredients

Pasta
- 2 eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 tbs olive oil
- 2 tbs water
- 1 1/2 cup of flour (I used half Semolina Flour and Half Unbleached Flour)
- 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
- Pinch of salt

Filling
- 1/2 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup of tofu
- 1/4 cup of feta cheese
- Handful of dried cranberries
- 1/2 tbs of cinnamon
- 1 tsp of nutmeg

Sauce
- 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree
- 1/4 onion, diced
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 3 tbs mascarpone cheese (you could substitute cream cheese)
- 3/4 cup of hazelnut milk (you could substitute cream and potentially add a hazelnut extract)
- 1 tbs of cinnamon
- 1 tsp of nutmeg
- 1/2 tbs of honey
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- 1/2 cup of Baby Spinach
- Dried cranberries
- Pecorino or Parmesan cheese (optional topping)

Directions

Pasta
- Combine all ingredients and mix and knead together with your fists for about 5 minutes
- I used half Semolina Flour and half unbleached flour. Semolina is popular for pasta but can be gritty and tough to work with, so its better to use just regular flour or half of each.
- I would add a lot of flour to your hands before kneading the dough because it is VERY sticky.
- Once you knead for several minutes, put dough in plastic bag in fridge for 20 minutes to rest.
- Once rested, sprinkle flour on your kitchen countertop. Place the dough on top of that and begin to roll it out with a rolling pin. Keep sprinkling flour on top of the dough as you roll it out so it doesn't stick to the pin. Get the dough pretty thin.
- Then cut squares or circles out on it. Place some filling in a square and top with another square, trim off excess pasta from edges with a knife and seal the edges by pinching together.
- Once done, drop in pot of boiling water and cook for about 10-12 minutes until tender.

Filling
- Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set aside until pasta dough is ready and cut.
- You could use a variety of filling ingredients for this pasta besides what I used. You could use ricotta cheese & pumpkin, or multiple cheeses mixed or sauteed veggies.

Sauce
- On medium heat, saute onion and garlic with a little olive oil. Add the mascarpone cheese and hazelnut milk. Whisk together to melt and combine. Reduce to low and add the pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and honey. Add fresh spinach and cranberries if desired and continue to stir until spinach is wilted.

Once pasta is cooked, drain the water and combine with the sauce. Sprinkle with dried cranberries and pecorino cheese. Enjoy!