Turkey Burgers with Broccoli Tomato Salad

Tired. The word of the day, week, and maybe even the month! It's not so much the kind of tired that you feel when you had one night of bad rest, but rather, the kind of exhaustion you feel when that one night of bad rest becomes multiple nights and tasks and responsibilities pile up. I don't have kids or a family, but I think I'm beginning to understand why so many moms resort to the help of take-out when exhaustion settles in.

But let's be honest, take-out can be a minefield to navigate. Often expensive and unhealthy, sometimes getting back in the kitchen is truly the best option. Truth be told, it dinner doesn't have to be an elaborate production. There are nights for that, and then there are nights when it's just about nutrition and fuel, and if it tastes great, count it a bonus.

So while this may not be the definition of culinary brilliance, it does meet the basic requirements of a healthy, tasty, weeknight-friendly meal. A nice way to add a little extra weight to this meal would be to put the turkey burger on a whole-wheat roll with some typical burger toppings, like lettuce and tomato. The salad oh so good! Chopped broccoli, tomatoes, feta cheese, and a bit of balsamic vinaigrette make it super simple. Serve it cold and enjoy the leftovers for lunch.

Turkey Burgers:
*1 lb. ground turkey
*2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1 tsp. Italian seasoning
*1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Mix together the above ingredients and form into 4 patties. Grill or pan-fry over medium-high heat, 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until no pink remains. Place burgers on foil lined baking sheet. Turn oven to broil. Sprinkle the cheese over the four burgers and place broil for 2 minutes, until cheese is nicely browned.

Broccoli Tomato Salad:
*1 head broccoli, steamed and chopped
*4 medium tomatoes, chopped
*4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
*4 Tbsp. balsamic vinaigrette
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

Mix together the above ingredients and refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, until chilled. Serve with turkey burgers.

The bottom line? Life is too short and cooking too fun to stress about weeknight meals. Let these recipes get you on the path to healthy, family-friendly cooking when time and energy is running low.

Madison