New Year, Old Recipe

I have to apologize for my lack of blogging over the past few months. Life has been so busy that blogging kept getting pushed down the "To Do" list until life settled down. For those of you who have been worried about Jason the last few months, you can rest assure that he has had a full belly of delicious and nutritious foods. Two years have come and gone faster than I could have ever imagined. The last month has been full of significant life events.

Dec.4 - Last day of my dietetic internship (wahoo!!)
Dec. 13 - Graduation from my Master's program
Dec. 19 - We signed our new lease in Appleton, WI
Dec. 23 - Move in day!
Now - Studying for the R.D. (Registered Dietitian) Exam

Now that life has settled and I am focusing on finding a job and studying for the RD exam, I am able to schedule in some much needed food blogging. Here is a recipe from a few months ago that was so delicious that I kept it at the top of my "Recipes to Blog List." This burger recipe stretches the meat, adds protein and nutrition, and is absolutely delicious - I promise, you won't be disappointed!

Black Bean Turkey Burger

Ingredients

- 20 ounces ground turkey

- 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

- 1 c. frozen corn, thawed

- 1 small onion, finely diced

- 2 TBSP whole wheat bread crumbs

- 2 tsp chili powder

- 1 tsp black pepper

- 1 ounce low-fat cheddar or part-skim mozzarella cheese

- Fresh Spinach

- Sliced tomatoes

- Kraft Olive Oil Mayo (optional)

- Whole Wheat Hamburger Bun Recipe

Directions
1. Preheat oven (or grill) to 350F
2. In a large bowl, mix the first 7 ingredients together. Form into about 8 burger patties.
3. Bake for for 25-30 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 165F.
4. Serve on a whole wheat bun with a slice of cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and olive oil mayo.

That pasta salad in the recipe was just a hog-pog recipe that I threw together. Since it was a few months ago I cannot remember exactly what I did. It is likely similar to the Cucumber Relish Pasta Salad I made this past summer. As a general rule of thumb, I take whatever vegetables I have on hand, dice them all into different sizes/shapes, add cooked and cooled whole wheat pasta, and toss them with a salad dressing or oil, balsamic vinegar (my favorite), and herbs. There is no right or wrong recipe - just be sure to taste the dressing you are making before you add it to the vegetables and pasta. Enjoy!