A bit of sweet, a bit of meat, makes a nice tasty treat.
Ingredients
1/2 lb ground beef (I used organic)
to taste, Tropical Pepper Sea Salt
1 t lemon juice
drizzle olive oil (I used Bari Organic Olive Oil)
1-2 leeks, cut into rounds (and washed)
4 slices pineapple, cut into thirds
2 T honey
1 C pineapple juice
6 Hawaiian sweet rolls, halved
dijon mustard, for serving
Instructions
Over medium heat, cook leeks with honey. Once they start to caramelize, add pineapple to one side of the pan. Flip pineapple once, when it starts to caramelize on one side. When the other side is caramelized, remove from pan.
Add pineapple juice to leeks. Turn heat to med-high, and reduce until it’s all absorbed.
Mix beef, salt, lemon juice and olive oil.
Heat pan, add a drizzle of olive oil. When it’s hot, add burgers. Cook over med-heat, about 5 minutes. Flip, cover, cook about 5 minutes more, or until internal temperature reaches 160F.
Serve each slider on a Hawaiian roll, topped with two pineapple slices, a spoonful of leeks, and a bit of Dijon mustard.
Another installment from my brother Josh, the soon-to-be health inspector!
There are a few types of food thermometers that are commonly used in a household kitchen. The first is the basic “stick” thermometer. This is called a bi-metal thermometer, and records temperature through 1 of 2 metal ribbons inside shrinking due to heat, and the other expanding, which results in the dial at the top moving. These thermometers need to be calibrated (adjusted) often. If you are using one of these, keep in mind that the area on the thermometer that reads the temperature is the area from the pointed end until 1.5 inches up – so make sure to have the whole sensor in the food, or the temperature will be read wrong!
The second common thermometer is called an “oven-cord” thermometer. This one has a little box, and then a cord that you insert into the food, and it can go in to the oven. This is my favourite household thermometer. It is relatively cheap (~$20) and more accurate than the stick type.
When measuring temperatures of food, make sure to insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the food, and avoid touching the thermometer to the bottom or sides of the pan when recording.
Since I know that all of you reading this are so very enthralled by all of this food safety, I’ll give something a little bit more interesting to think about. A common misconception in the kitchen is the idea that colour (color) is an indication of how cooked a food is. This is not the case! One of my professors did a study to show how hamburgers that were cooked to the proper temperature still showed a red colour in the meat, and other hamburgers that were cooked until there was no more red, did not achieve the proper cooking temperatures and woud have been unsafe to consume. The colour of meat can be influenced by the pH (acidity) of the meat, or even how old the meat is (older meats tend to be a bit more brown).
Let’s dig in to some homemade burgers that are topped with bacon and a fried egg. Oh yes! Oh yum! Bacon = always a favorite. Burgers = also a favorite. Fried eggs… Husband loves them on burgers, so I thought I’d give ’em a try. I’ve paired them with roasted veggies from my weekly box of produce from Abundant Harvest Organics. The bacon, olive oil, and eggs, are all available as add-ons from AHO too!Â
Let’s be honest. In the calorie department, this might not be the lowest-cal meal. But, it’s not what I would consider junk food either (in part, because it’s homemade, so I know what’s in it). Let’s take a look at some of the many benefits of this meal:
Beef: Good source of protein, vitamin B12 and B6 (both important for proper cellular function), zinc, and iron. (1)
Eggs: Good source of protein. Promote heart health and important components in brain health. (1)
Broccoli: One of the most nutrient dense foods, rich in vitamin C, high in folic acid and fiber. (1)
Cauliflower: Vitamin K and C. Good source of fiber. (1)
Potatoes: Potassium, vitamins B6 and C, dietary fiber. (1)
Brussels Sprouts: Folic acid, vitamins C and K, beta-carotene, cancer-fighting phytochemicals in the form of glucosinolates. (1)
If it’s important to you to eat low-cal (or if you don’t like something I’ve got in the burger), we can still be friends. There are ways to change things a bit. You could: Use turkey bacon instead of pork. (I’ve never tried turkey bacon. I don’t know if the flavor of another type of bacon would be as good. But, do what you need to do.) You could use ground turkey or chicken instead of beef. (Why is it called beef, instead of ground cow?) You could even do a half-bean, half-meat burger. (If you try this, will you let me know how it is? I kinda want to try it.) Don’t add cheese (I’m not using cheese, but just saying, if you were going to, you could think twice). Or, just do as I did: Moderation. I ate this for dinner. I knew I was going to. So, for lunch, I didn’t have a huge meal. There. Done. Calories accounted for, dinner enjoyed without guilt.
Do you want the recipe? I was hoping you’d ask! Follow along and cook with me!
Last modified on 2012-12-01 02:25:01 GMT. 0 comments. Top.
Bacon and Egg Burgers
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Recipe Type: Burger, Main, Dinner
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 15 mins
Cook time: 15 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 4
Think bacon and eggs is just for breakfast? How about on a burger? No, I’m not kidding.
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 t sweet paprika
1 T chili powder
Chili & Garlic Smoked Sea Salt (or regular salt, and some red pepper flakes)
pepper
1 egg
1 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
juice from one small orange
1/4 C oats (or breadcrumbs)
4 slices bacon
4 eggs
lettuce
spinach
tomato
hamburger buns
Instructions
Cook bacon. Drain all fat. Combine meat with seasonings, 1 egg, oats, vinegar, and olive oil. Mix with hands (don’t overmix). Form 4 patties, pressing down in the middle slightly.
Cook burgers in bacon pan over med heat, for a few minutes (or until bottom is no longer raw, and is browned). Flip, cover, turn down heat (if necessary) and cook until internal temperature reaches 160F. Let rest while eggs fry. Top with bacon, egg, lettuce, spinach, tomato, and any condiments.
Notes
These burgers kinda fell apart and had to be re-shaped when I put them into the pan. BUT, they were juicy and moist after they were cooked, so totally worth it!
Last modified on 2012-07-18 22:41:10 GMT. 6 comments. Top.
Roasted Veggies
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Recipe Type: Side, Veggies, Roasted
Author: Rachel Oberg – De Ma Cuisine
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 35 mins
Total time: 45 mins
Serves: 4
I love just about any veggie if it’s roasted in the oven. So yummy!
Ingredients
4 sm.-med. potatoes (I used red), cut into wedges
1 large bowlful: broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts
olive oil
salt (or Chili & Garlic Smoked Sea Salt)
pepper
1 T chili powder
1 t paprika
pinch cayenne
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400F. Toss potatoes with seasonings. Toss veggies with seasonings. Spread potatoes on one tray, veggies on another. Bake potatoes for about 15 minutes. Add veggies to oven, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes (or until veggies are slightly browned).
Notes
These burgers kinda fell apart and had to be re-shaped when I put them into the pan. BUT, they were juicy and moist after they were cooked, so totally worth it!
Think bacon and eggs is just for breakfast? How about on a burger? No, I’m not kidding.
Ingredients
1 lb. ground beef
1 t sweet paprika
1 T chili powder
Chili & Garlic Smoked Sea Salt (or regular salt, and some red pepper flakes)
pepper
1 egg
1 T olive oil
1 T red wine vinegar
juice from one small orange
1/4 C oats (or breadcrumbs)
4 slices bacon
4 eggs
lettuce
spinach
tomato
hamburger buns
Instructions
Cook bacon. Drain all fat. Combine meat with seasonings, 1 egg, oats, vinegar, and olive oil. Mix with hands (don’t overmix). Form 4 patties, pressing down in the middle slightly.
Cook burgers in bacon pan over med heat, for a few minutes (or until bottom is no longer raw, and is browned). Flip, cover, turn down heat (if necessary) and cook until internal temperature reaches 160F. Let rest while eggs fry. Top with bacon, egg, lettuce, spinach, tomato, and any condiments.
Notes
These burgers kinda fell apart and had to be re-shaped when I put them into the pan. BUT, they were juicy and moist after they were cooked, so totally worth it!
I love just about any veggie if it’s roasted in the oven. So yummy!
Ingredients
4 sm.-med. potatoes (I used red), cut into wedges
1 large bowlful: broccoli, cauliflower, brussels sprouts
olive oil
salt (or Chili & Garlic Smoked Sea Salt)
pepper
1 T chili powder
1 t paprika
pinch cayenne
Instructions
Pre-heat oven to 400F. Toss potatoes with seasonings. Toss veggies with seasonings. Spread potatoes on one tray, veggies on another. Bake potatoes for about 15 minutes. Add veggies to oven, and bake an additional 15-20 minutes (or until veggies are slightly browned).
Notes
These burgers kinda fell apart and had to be re-shaped when I put them into the pan. BUT, they were juicy and moist after they were cooked, so totally worth it!
