Healthy Turkey Burgers: I top mine with Chipotle salsa and shredded cheese

Back when I was doing my short-lived no-dairy stint, I did most of my food shopping at Whole Foods. It was there I discovered Applegate Farms Organic Turkey Burgers, which became my go-t0 lunch almost every day. I loved the convenience – I could pull one out the freezer and have it ready in a few minutes – plus the fact that the burgers have just two ingredients (turkey and rosemary extract). But I have to admit they were a bit bland, and they were definitely too expensive for me to be eating four (or more) times per week.

I knew I could make up and freeze my own healthy turkey burgers that were far more flavorful and way cheaper than the storebought version, but I figured it would take a few tries to get the recipe just right, as I never make burgers at home. To my surprise, the first recipe I came up with was a winner! This one is really flavorful, thanks to the combination of fresh and dried seasonings, and you could easily add and remove the spices of your choice to customize it to your own tastes. I used several Penzey’s seasonings in the recipe, but see my note at the end if you don’t have these on hand.

Simply Flavorful Turkey Burgers

1 lb. lean ground turkey

1 heaping tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1 tsp. onion powder

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 tsp. Penzey’s Smoky Seasoning Salt (or regular seasoning salt)

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1/4 tsp.  Penzey’s Chicago Steak Seasoning*

1/8 tsp.  Penzey’s Northwoods Fire Seasoning*

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl using clean hands. Form into individual patties (I get 5 or 6 patties out of this mix because I like my burgers very thin). Cook immediately in a cast iron skillet over medium heat, or on the grill. Alternatively, you can freeze the burgers and take them out as needed. Cut parchment paper into large squares, wrap each burger in parchment individually and place the patties inside a large freezer bag before freezing.

*Note: If you don’t have these Penzey’s seasonings, here’s the 411: the Chicago Steak Seasoning adds awesome smoke flavor, which you can probably achieve with some liquid smoke. The Northwoods Fire Seasoning adds a bit of spice, thanks to a combination of chipotle pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper. Feel free to customize the burgers by substituting your own favorite seasonings if Penzey’s seasonings aren’t available to you.

Edited to Add: I now routinely sneak Swiss chard to these burgers and no one knows. I take a handful (spinach would work fine too) of baby chard, toss it in the food processor with the garlic cloves and fresh parsley and pulse until finely chopped. Stir in with the rest of the ingredients and you’re good to go!

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