Greek-Style Turkey Burgers

Father’s Day is tomorrow and what dad doesn’t like a good juicy burger… Well, mine perhaps. My father is not your average garden-variety dad who enjoys spending his day with a beer and a burger watching football or baseball or whatever other sport is plastering itself all over the boob tube. That’s not to say he wouldn’t enjoy a good burger now and then or watch the Super Bowl; it’s just not what he lives for. My father is a bit of a contradiction of himself from time to time. He loves the outdoors – fishing, hunting, gardening – but he also loves traveling abroad, exploring other cultures and enjoys a good bottle of Pinot Noir. He can discuss the finer points of the law and politics in one breath and “shoot the shit” in the next. He is wise and yet naïve at times and he’s not afraid to admit when he’s wrong.

I love and admire my father for all of these qualities. What I admire most about him, however, is that in his 80 years on this earth he has never stopped learning and never stopped trying to learn. It is often said that once you learn something you realize how much more you have to learn and I truly believe this. My father has lived up to this motto and that makes him a great man.

We all have things to learn from our fathers, and sometimes they have things to learn from us. My daddy loves good food, interesting flavor combinations and he’s a proponent of eating healthy while indulging once in a while. In these respects we are very much alike. Nevertheless, he does not have the knack of “creating” food like I do. He’s always calling me, asking me what to do with the leeks he’s just harvested from his garden or for ideas on the arugula that’s growing to new heights and taking over. I always kindly oblige just as he has always provided me with sound advice. I love this little give-and-take we have. It’s easy, comfortable and beyond rewarding.

I thought my father would enjoy this turn on a classic “dad meal”. It fits all his likes – flavorful, healthy and familiar with a twist. I wish I could be there to make it for him. We could go fishing in the morning, work in the garden in the afternoon and have my Greek-Style Turkey Burgers with a good bottle of wine for dinner. Then we’d sit and reminisce about our travels, talk politics and laugh at all the funny stories we’ve accumulated in our lives. My father is not the garden-variety type of dad, but I think he’s the best type of dad…

Greek-Style Turkey Burgers

www.barbaracooks.com

Turkey Burger:

Servings:4 • Size: 1 burger • Weight Watcher Points+: 6

Calories: 254 • Fat: 12g • Carbs: 2g • Fiber: 1 • Protein: 33g

Sugars: 0g • Sodium: 445g • Cholesterol: 84mg

NOTE: These calculations do not include bread or condiments

Ingredients:

• 1.25 pounds 93% lean ground turkey
• 2 Tablespoons chopped greek olives(like kalamata, about 10 olives)
• 1 Tablespoon chopped roasted red pepper
• 1/3 cup fat free feta cheese
• 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions:

Preheat grill (or grill-top for stove) to medium.

Combine ground turkey, olives, red pepper, feta, oregano, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Evenly mix together with hands being careful not to overwork the meat.

Form the mixture into 4 even patties. Cook on the grill 3-4 minutes each side or until thermometer inserted in center reads 165 degrees.

Serve on a whole wheat bun with your favorite condiments and Cucumber Mint Sauce (recipe below).

Cucumber Mint Sauce:

Servings:6 • Size: 2 Tablespoons • Weight Watcher Points+: 0

Calories: 15 • Fat: 0g • Carbs: 2g • Fiber: 0 • Protein: 2g

Sugars: 1.5g • Sodium: 31g • Cholesterol: 0mg

Ingredients:

• ¼ large cucumber
• ½ cup plain fat free greek yogurt
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon chopped mint
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon sugar

Directions:

Peel, Seed and Dice the cucumber. Add  it to the greek yogurt along with the lemon juice, mint, salt, pepper and sugar and Stir well to combine.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour. Can be stored for up to 3 days.