Burger Week

Welcome to burger week! I am on vacation in Kiawah, South Carolina, for the week, so I thought I'd post five of my favorite burger recipes for you to enjoy. There's no shopping list this week, but I highly encourage you to try a burger or two...or all five! Prior to going paleo, I can count on one hand the number of times I made burgers. But that's all changed; I crave burgers now. They are so delicious and easy to prepare. Cast your vote and let me know which one is your favorite. Have a great week!

Burgers with Butternut Squash and Caramelized Onions

Crab Burgers with Red Pepper Dressing

Portobello Bacon Burgers with Celery Apple Slaw

Salmon Burgers on Arugula-Onion Salad

Paleo Burger Topped with Tomato, Poached Egg, and Avocado

Korean Cauliflower Rice Bowl

This recipe was the topic of a facebook discussion among my pals at CrossFit Freedom. It got rave reviews, so I took out my Primal Blueprint cookbook, made a few modifications to turn it from primal to paleo, and gave it a go. It turned out awesome!! Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Adapted from Primal Blueprint Quick and Easy Meals, Mark Sisson and Jennifer Meier. 


Serves 2.

Ingredients
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup coconut aminos
2 Tbsp coconut or apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
2 cups grated cauliflower, about 1/2 a head (I pulsed in a food processor.)
2 carrots, grated or very thinly sliced
1 cup frozen spinach or 2 large handfuls fresh spinach
2 eggs
1/2 pound sirloin or flank steak, sliced thin
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced (Shiitakes are in the original recipe, but I used creminis I had on hand.)
Optional Garnishes
1 sheet dried seaweed (nori), cut into thin strips
1 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
3 scallions, chopped

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to the lowest setting, or around 200 degrees F.
2. Select two large, shallow bowls for individual serving. Keep these bowls warm in the oven, carefully removing them to add each ingredient as it is ready, then replacing them in the warm oven.
3. To make marinade, combine garlic, aminos, vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl. Place beef and mushrooms in separate bowls and pour half of the marinade over each. Set aside.
4. Warm cauliflower "rice" in the microwave for about 4 minutes or until soft. Divide evenly among the two serving bowls.
5. Warm 1 Tbsp coconut (olive or sesame) oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.
6. Saute carrots for 2-3 minutes until lightly browned, then divide evenly between serving bowls. Add spinach to pan and saute until soft, then transfer to serving bowls.
7. Add another Tbsp oil, if needed, and fry eggs in pan until whites are firm and yolks are the firmness you desire. I like mine over easy, but over medium seemed to work well for this recipe. Remove from pan and transfer, either whole or sliced, to serving bowls.
8. Increase heat to high and add about 1 Tbsp oil. Remove beef from marinade, reserving marinade in bowl. Saute steak  for 3-5 minutes or until cooked through. Transfer to serving bowls.
9. Add mushrooms, reserving marinade in bowl, to pan and saute until soft, 2-3 minutes. Transfer to serving bowls.
10. Pour reserved marinade into saute pan and boil gently for 3 minutes.
11. Carefully remove warm serving bowls from oven and pour half of marinade over each one. Add optional garnishes, if desired. Serve immediately.

Spicy Taco Burgers

I have so many jalapenos from my garden, I had to find some good ways to use them. This taco burger does the trick! The school year has started and tonight is the kick-off picnic. I'll take a big pass on the pizza and subs and have my burger before we go. I only had a few minutes to put dinner together tonight so this one is fast. I took a shortcut and bought fresh salsa and guacamole from the local supermarket salad bar, but if you have time, home-made is always better! This burger tasted just like a taco and received two big thumbs up from both Dave and Alex. Enjoy!

Adapted from jalapenomadness.com.


Makes 6-8 burgers.

Ingredients
Burgers
2 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
2-3 seeded and cored jalapeno peppers
1/4 cup hot sauce (I like Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce.)
1 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 sea salt
Toppings
guacamole
salsa
hot sauce
Base
mixed salad greens

Preparation

1. Place onion, garlic, and jalapeno in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
2. In a large bowl, mix peppers, onion, garlic and 1/4 cup hot sauce. Add ground beef and use your hands to mix it thoroughly without compacting the beef too much. Form the meat into 6-8 patties.
3. Refrigerate until ready to grill.
4. Preheat grill to medium high.
5. Place a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil on the grill grate.
6. Place patties on the foil and grill for approximately 5 minutes on each side or until cooked to your desired degree of doneness. 
7. To serve, place a generous amount of salad greens on your plate. Top with a burger, then garnish with guacamole, salsa, and hot sauce.

Rosemary-Thyme Flank Steak

I think my husband has been getting a little overdosed on basil lately as I'm trying not to let our huge basil plants go to waste. For a little change of pace tonight, I clipped some fresh rosemary and combined it with the thyme I got in our CSA basket this morning. The addition of olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and lemon juice gives the flank steak a great flavor. I served this alongside salad with warm pecan vinaigrette.

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients
1 1/2-2 lb flank steak
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp good-quality balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, smashed and roughly chopped
4-5 sprigs fresh rosemary, cut into 2-inch lengths
4-5 springs fresh thyme
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Cutting a grid pattern into the steak
helps to infuse the marinade flavor.

1. Cut a 1-inch grid pattern in both sides of the steak, being careful not to cut through the steak.
2. Season both sides of steak with salt and pepper.
3. Combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, and vinegar in a glass baking dish. Add steak to the dish and turn to coat. Place half of the herbs under the steak and half on top. Cover and let marinade at room temperature for 30 minutes or let it marinade in the refrigerator all day, but remove it 30 minutes prior to grilling.
4. Preheat grill to medium high. Grill for approximately 5 minutes on each side or until steak reaches your desired degree of doneness.
5. Transfer to a cutting board and loosely cover with foil. Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut in thin slices against the grain. Serve with salad with warm pecan vinaigrette or your favorite vegetable side.

Farmer's Market Burgers

I picked up my CSA share at the Farmer's Market just two days before leaving for vacation and I was determined not to let it go to waste! This burger incorporates everything that was in my basket. It's quick to prepare, tastes awesome, and is a great way to eat your veggies, too! This meal has summer written all over it...Enjoy!

Makes 6 burgers.

Ingredients
Burgers
2 pounds grass-fed ground beef
1 large carrot (about 1/2 cup), finely chopped
2 small zucchini squash, finely chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 Tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
1 egg, slightly beaten
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Toppings
6 eggs, fried or poached
2 small tomatoes, sliced thin and sweated on paper towels
1 small head lettuce, cleaned and separated
1 medium red onion, sliced thin
1 small handful of basil leaves, washed and cut into thin ribbons or "chiffonade"

Preparation

1. Warm oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add vegetables and saute 5-10 minutes or until soft and fragrant. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool slightly.
2. Preheat grill to medium high.
3. Add ground beef and egg to the cooled mixture and use your hands to thoroughly combine the ingredients. Be careful not to compact the mixture too much.
4. Form mixture into 6 patties. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
5. Grill burgers to your desired degree of doneness.
6. To serve, distribute lettuce leaves evenly among plates. Top each with a burger. Layer onion, tomato, egg, and basil on top of each burger. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Rosemary-Chive Flank Steak

I love flank steak. It's simple to prepare and easily makes enough for the whole family--or leftovers for salad the next day. This marinade includes fresh rosemary and chives from my garden. You can modify the recipe to include whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. The rosemary adds a really nice, yet subtle flavor, but the olive oil, balsamic, Dijon mixture is a great base for any herb combination. Marinate overnight for the most tender and flavorful meat.

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped
1 small bunch chives, chopped (about 2 Tbsp)
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 lb flank steak, scored diagonally in a diamond pattern on both sides

Preparation

1. Season steak with salt and pepper.
2. Place oil, vinegar, mustard, and herbs in a resealable plastic bag. Mix by massaging with your hands or shaking marinade in the sealed bag.
3. Add steak. Seal the bag, being careful to release all of the extra air before sealing. Toss steak with the marinade and refrigerate overnight. Flip the bag over in the morning to ensure both sides if of the steak are coated in marinade.
4. When ready to eat, preheat grill to medium high. Grill steak to desired degree of doneness.
5. Let steak rest, covered loosely with foil, for 5-10 minutes.

Bacon-Wrapped Filets and Beet Stacks

I am cooking for one tonight and decided to be a little decadent to reward myself for playing single mom all weekend. Scale the steak and bacon up to whatever quantity you need. The beet stacks are also individual and can be scaled, as needed. If you've never tried beets, give them a go. My mom never served us beets growing up, but my husband's family is British. He was introduced to beets at an early age and convinced me long ago to give them a try. Well, I had been missing out! This nutrient-rich root vegetable is delicious. All it really needs is salt and pepper and maybe a little balsamic drizzle. I also love it with citrus. Since I was treating myself, I decided to create a salad stack. Once the stack is served, you just cut it up and eat it like a regular salad. It's a nice presentations when you have guests and can be stacked in advance and finished off with the vinegar and walnuts just before serving.

Ingredients
1 filet of beef
1 long slice of uncooked nitrate-free bacon
1 cooked beet (see below for instructions), sliced across the grain in 1/4-inch slices
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
good quality balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp toasted walnuts
1-2 thin slices red onion, quartered
6-8 large fresh basil leaves, sliced in thin ribbons or "chiffonade," as described on localfoods.com
1/2 orange, peeled, seeded, segmented, and roughly chopped
mixed greens

How to Cook Beets
I have tried both boiling and roasting beets and I prefer the boiling method. I don't find that roasting them adds any more flavor and it's a little more work. So here's what I do to cook my beets:

1. Rinse the dirt from the beets and trim the greens, leaving about 2 inches of the stem attached. Reserve the greens for another use, if you'd like, or discard/compost them. I have mixed them in kale recipes and used them like spinach.
2. Set the beets in a medium-to-large pot and add enough water to cover the tops about one inch.
3. Boil the water and beets for 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Do not over-boil the beets; they should still be firm, but cooked through. Test them by inserting a fork into the side. If it goes in easily, they are done. 
4. Set the pan in the sink and run cold water over the beets. Let them cool for 10-15 minutes.
5. Hold each cooled beet in your hands and rub the skin and stem off. It should come off very easily.

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium-high.
2. Wrap one slice of bacon around edge of your filet, securing ends with a toothpick if bacon is too short to overlap.
3. Season flat sides of steak with salt and pepper.
4. To cook, first sear bacon-wrapped sides by slowly rolling the fillet along the grill grate. Turn onto the flat sides and continue cooking, flipping once, until medium rare or your desired degree of doneness.
5. To prepare beet stack, set the ends of the beet aside for another use (or snack on them while you're cooking).
6. Place one beet slice on the plate. Top with a 1/4 slice of red onion, 2-3 pieces of chopped orange, and a little basil.
7. Carefully place the next slice of beet on top, gently press, and repeat the process until all of the beet slices are in place and the final layer is topped with onion, orange, and basil.
8. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle with balsamic vinegar, and sprinkle with chopped walnuts.
9. To serve, put a bed of mixed greens on the plate alongside the beet stack. Place filet on top. Once served, topple the beets and cut as you would a regular salad.

Bacon and Egg Burgers on Mixed Greens

It was a bacon-and-eggs night for the kids, so I thought I'd integrate the same ingredients into our meal. This classic combo on a burger proved to be quite tasty! I had leftover guacamole and salsa, which I used to top my burger. Feel free to use whatever paleo toppings you have handy. Enjoy!

Ingredients
2 lb grass-fed ground beef
1 red onion, roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup green olives with pimentos
1 jalapeno, seeded and roughly chopped
1/4 cup flat-leaf Italian parsley, tough stems removed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 egg, slightly beaten, plus 6 more for topping
12 slices of bacon
guacamole
salsa
mixed salad greens

Preparation

Starting on opposite sides,
overlap bacon in a cross shape.

1. Preheat grill to medium high.
2. Place onion, garlic, olives, jalapeno, and parsley in food processor and pulse until finely chopped but not pureed.
3. In a large bowl, add beef, onion mixture, red pepper flakes, and egg. Use your hands to thoroughly combine.
4. Form mixture into 6 patties.
5. Wrap one slice of bacon around a burger, overlapping ends about 1 inch. Trim excess bacon and reserve for another use. Take a second slice of bacon and wrap in the opposite direction, forming a cross shape. Repeat with remaining burgers.
6. Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until bacon is cooked through.
7. While burgers are cooking, fry or poach eggs.
8. To serve, place mixed greens on each plate. Top with burger, egg, guacamole, and salsa.

Asian-Marinated Steaks

So...I made this for dinner when Dave requested some paleo surf and turf. When we went to grill it, the grill was out of gas. We went out for dinner, so the steak actually marinaded 24 hours. An hour should be adequate but longer would intensify the flavor.

Serves 3, but easily scaleable.


Ingredients
3 grass-fed steaks of your choice
3 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
dash red pepper flakes


Preparation

1. Combine tamari, sesame oil, vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a shallow dish.
2. Add steaks and coat both sides with marinade.
3. Marinade for one hour or more.
4. Preheat grill to medium high.
5. Grill to your desired degree of doneness.

Paleo Burger Topped with Tomato, Poached Egg, and Avocado

When I developed this burger, it came together quickly because I usually have all of the ingredients on hand. You'll definitely see this one again in a future meal plan. It was a huge hit. I hope you enjoy it, too! Feel free to top it whatever way you'd like. It is really nice served on a bed of sauteed spinach and garlic.

Inspired by cindalouskitchenblues.blogspot.com


Ingredients (makes 9 burgers)
2 lb grass-fed ground beef (or another ground meat of your choice)
½ cup green olives with pimentos, sliced
¼ cup roasted red peppers (I used 3 large pieces from jar), diced
¼ cup green onion, minced
1/3 cup sun-dried tomato, diced
1/8 cup banana pepper (I used 2 pieces from jar) OR 2 pepperocini peppers, diced with seeds 
3 cloves garlic, minced (I used jarred)
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp tarragon
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 egg, slightly beaten
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
extra virgin olive oil

Toppings
Poached eggs
Tomato slices
Avocado slices

Base (Optional)
Spinach sautéed in coconut or olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper.

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly combine all ingredients, through salt and pepper.
2. Form mixture into approximately 9 patties.
3. Lightly drizzle olive oil over patties and lightly coat both sides, using your hands or a brush.
4. Grill on a medium high grill or grill pan to your desired degree of doneness.
5. Poach eggs by cracking them into a large, shallow pan of boiling water (add a little bit of white vinegar to help keep the eggs from spreading. Remove when eggs rise to the top and the whites solidify, preferable leaving the yolks soft. You may also fry the eggs—your call.
6. Top each burger with 1 – 2 thin slices of tomato, 1 poached egg (my husband likes 2), and several thin slices of avocado fanned on top. Season with salt and pepper.
7. Serve on top of sautéed spinach or alone. Either way, enjoy!

Flank Steak with Citrus Marinade

Adapted from www.primal-plate.com

Ingredients (Serves 4)

• 1 2 lb flank steak (or skirt steak)
• 1 blood orange, juiced
• 3 limes, juiced
• 4 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 Tbsp brown mustard
• 1 Tbsp raspberry vinegar
• green onion, sliced (for garnish)

Instructions

1. Combine juice of orange and limes in a small bowl.
2. Add crushed garlic to marinade.
3. Whisk in brown mustard and blush vinegar.
4. Place flank steak in a 1-gallon Ziploc bag, add marinade, and refrigerate for 30 - 60 minutes.
5. Preheat grill on medium-high heat.
6. Grill flank steak for 6 - 7 minutes per side, turning once.
7. Serve thinly sliced over garlicky cauliflower mash.

Beef Pot Roast with Yams

This is actually one of the first recipes I posted on Paleo Table. It is still one of my favorites! It is simple to put together, taking only about 15 minutes in the morning. At dinner time, we have a delicious, tender roast that is comfort food at its best. Give it a try. This is destined to become one of your favorites, too!

Adapted from JensGonePaleo.

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients
4 bacon strips, sliced into 1" pieces
2 pounds boneless beef chuck roast
2 pounds yams, peeled and cut into large pieces (you can also substitute carrots or squash)
16-oz jar of salsa
1 cup chicken stock or water
1 Tbsp sea salt
1 Tbsp black pepper

Preparation

You can use a crock pot or a dutch oven for this recipe; I used a crockpot. If using a dutch oven, steps 1 through 6 can be done in the dutch oven, then covered and transferred to a preheated 325°F for approximately 4.5 hours.

Place browned roast on top of yams, then
cover with salsa and stock or water.

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, add bacon and cook about half way.
2. Season the roast with salt and pepper. Add the roast to the heated skillet with the bacon and brown, about 5 minutes. Turn the roast over and brown the other side, another 5 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.
3. Use tongs to remove the roast from the skillet and transfer to crock pot. Add yams to the skillet and toss in bacon fat until they are coated.
4. Transfer yams and bacon bits to the crock pot, lifting roast to set on top of the yams.
5. Top the roast with salsa and stock (or water).
6. Cook in crock pot on low for 9 hours or until roast is fork tender and easily pulls apart. (Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your roast and crock pot temperature.)
7. Using a slotted spoon, transfer roast and yams to a serving platter or plates. Garnish with the reserved salsa.

NOTE: Yams will be very soft, I usually fork mash them prior to eating. If you prefer firmer yams, add them to the crock pot half way through the cook time.

Grilled Filet Mignon with Smoked Veggies

Ingredients

• filets of grassfed beef
• vegetables of your choice (I used portobellos, red and yellow peppers, and sweet onions), cut into large pieces
• your favorite natural spice blend, with no sugar or msg, such as Old Bay seasoning
• extra virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar

Instructions

1. Preheat smoker to 250ºF.
2. Toss vegetables with spice mix and evoo to taste.
3. Smoke in smoker for approximately 2 hours.
4. Season filets to taste and grill to medium rare.
5. Drizzle filets and smoked vegetables with balsamic vinegar prior to serving.
6. Serve with a green salad, if desired.