all things food
Easy Spinach Dip
This creamy spinach dip comes together in minutes and is perfect for serving in a bread bowl, with vegetables, or with a variety of crackers. This easy dip is an absolute crowd pleaser!
READ: Easy Spinach Dip
This creamy spinach dip comes together in minutes and is perfect for serving in a bread bowl, with vegetables, or with a variety of crackers. This easy dip is an absolute crowd pleaser!
READ: Easy Spinach Dip
Ground turkey can be kind of, well, boring if you don’t dress it up right. That’s why for these Mediterranean Turkey Burgers I added fun add-ins to the burger patty for maximum flavor and color. And instead of the ketchup and mustard treatment, these juicy burgers get a homemade lemon dill yogurt sauce, crunchy slices […]
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Ground turkey can be kind of, well, boring if you don’t dress it up right. That’s why for these Mediterranean Turkey Burgers I added fun add-ins to the burger patty for maximum flavor and color. And instead of the ketchup and mustard treatment, these juicy burgers get a homemade lemon dill yogurt sauce, crunchy slices of cucumber, and a few slivers of red onion. If you’re looking to change up your burger game, these Mediterranean Turkey Burgers are it!
Originally posted 3-26-2011, updated 4-9-2021.
Yes, you can definitely grill these burgers instead of cooking them in a skillet. An outdoor grill or even an indoor countertop grill, like a George Foreman grill, will work great.
I’ll never understand why, but some brands sell ground turkey in 19 oz. packages instead of one-pound packages (if you work in that industry and know why, please let me know). If you can only find a one-pound package of ground turkey, you can still make this recipe. I wouldn’t adjust any other ingredients, just make four patties instead of five and they’ll be a little extra flavorful.
Since I had a half cucumber and red onion leftover from the recipe, I used them to make a small batch of my Super Fresh Cucumber Salad. It’s the perfect light side to these burgers. You could also serve them with something like Steak Fries, Mediterranean White Bean Salad, Quinoa Tabbouleh, or a simple green salad (mixed greens, tomatoes, and a vinaigrette).
Yes, you can use fresh spinach in this recipe instead of frozen, if you prefer. I suggest chopping the spinach until it’s in small pieces so it’s easier to mix into the meat. You may also want to sauté it briefly in a skillet to get some of the water out. You’ll want about ¼ cup once sautéed.
Make the lemon dill yogurt sauce first, so the flavors have a little time to blend. Stir together ½ cup Greek yogurt, ½ Tbsp lemon juice, ⅛ tsp garlic powder, ⅛ tsp dried dill, and ⅛ tsp salt. Refrigerate the sauce until ready to use. And yes, you can use plain non-Greek yogurt if needed, it just makes a less thick sauce. :)
Prepare the burger add-ins. Chop about ¼ cup sun dried tomatoes (I use the dry pack, not the kind packed in oil), mince or finely dice ¼ cup red onion (save the rest to slice and place on the burgers), crumble 1 oz. feta (about ¼ cup), and thaw then squeeze all the moisture out of 2 oz. frozen spinach. The spinach is about 1 cup when frozen, ¼ cup after it has been thawed and squezed dry.
Place 19 oz. ground turkey, sun dried tomatoes, red onion, feta, spinach, 1 tsp dried oregano, ¼ tsp garlic powder, and ¼ tsp salt in a bowl (sorry, I forgot the oregano, garlic powder, and salt until after the photo was taken).
Mix the ingredients into the ground turkey until it’s all evenly mixed.
Divide and shape the meat mixture into five burger patties. Make the patties thinner and wider than you’d expect because they do shrink up and inward as you cook them.
To cook the burgers in a skillet, add ½ Tbsp cooking oil to a skillet and heat over medium. Once hot, add a few of the burger patties and cook on each side for 5-7 minutes, or until well browned and cooked through. Repeat with the second half of the oil and the remaining burger patties.
To serve, spread some of the lemon dill yogurt sauce on a bun, add a cooked burger patty and a few slices of cucumber and red onion. Enjoy!
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This post is sponsored by Kroger. We never get dressed up and go out on Valentine’s Day, but we do like to celebrate at home. I will always support a day that celebrates love, flowers, and chocolate. Count me IN! This year, we are going to celebr…
This post is sponsored by Kroger. We never get dressed up and go out on Valentine’s Day, but we do like to celebrate at home. I will always support a day that celebrates love, flowers, and chocolate. Count me IN! This year, we are going to celebrate with a fun Valentine’s Day Breakfast Board. The…
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This tangy and garlicky Yogurt Marinated Chicken is full of warm spices and can be served several different ways. It’s my new go-to chicken marinade!
The post Yogurt Marinated Chicken appeared first on Budget Bytes.
Yogurt has become one of the most versatile ingredients in my kitchen. While it’s more common in the U.S. for yogurt to be served sweet, yogurt is just as useful and delicious in savory dishes, like this Yogurt Marinated Chicken. This delicious chicken is tangy, garlicky, full of warm spices, and can be served several different ways. It’s definitely one of my favorite go-to chicken marinades!
Aside from giving the chicken a deliciously tangy flavor, yogurt contains a lot of lactic acid, which works to tenderize the chicken and help keep it moist while it cooks. You’ll find yogurt marinades used a lot in Middle Eastern recipes, like this recipe for Shish-Tawook from my friend, Yumna, at Feelgoodfoodie.net.
Make sure you buy plain flavored yogurt, nothing sweetened or with flavors added. I suggest buying regular yogurt, not Greek-style, because Greek is very thick and dry and will not coat the chicken the same way. You can get around this by thinning out the yogurt with a little water, broth, or milk, but plain, regular yogurt works best. You’ll also want to make sure your yogurt has at least some fat, which is important for carrying the fat-soluble flavors in the marinade. Full-fat is best, but you can go down to 2% fat if needed.
Yes, this recipe is also awesome with boneless, skinless chicken thighs. Because chicken thighs are already fairly thin and cook quickly, you will not need to slice the thighs into thinner pieces, as I do with the chicken breasts in the recipe below.
Yes! Yogurt marinated chicken is perfect for grilling! Just cook in the same manner as you would with chicken marinated in any other mixture. You’ll get wonderful browning on the meat when using a grill. You can also use an indoor, countertop style grill, like a George Foreman grill.
I love, love, LOVE this chicken in so many different dishes. It’s great for adding to bowl meals (pictured above with spinach rice, tomatoes, and feta), you can stuff it into a pita, like a chicken schawarma sandwich, use it to top a fresh green salad, or even a pasta salad. Or, just serve it up with a couple of sides and make it your main dish! It would go great alongside a marinated white bean salad, or a super fresh cucumber salad and maybe some hummus.
Make the yogurt marinade first. Combine ½ cup plain yogurt, 2 cloves of garlic (minced), 1 Tbsp lemon juice, ½ tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp dried oregano, ½ tsp salt, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, and ¼ tsp ground cloves.
Filet two boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1.3 lbs. total) into two thinner pieces. This helps it cook quickly and evenly in the skillet. You can also use boneless, skinless chicken thighs, thin-cut chicken breasts, or even chicken tenders.
Place the chicken in a shallow dish or a zip top bag and pour the yogurt marinade over top. Make sure the yogurt coats all sides of the chicken, then marinate for at least 30 minutes or up to 24 hours (refrigerated).
When you’re ready to cook the chicken, heat ½ Tbsp cooking oil in a large skillet over medium heat (a non-stick surface works best). Once hot, add two pieces of the chicken and cook on both sides until it is well browned and cooked through. Transfer the cooked chicken to a clean cutting board and repeat with another ½ Tbsp oil and the second two pieces of chicken.
Let the yogurt marinated chicken rest on the cutting board for five minutes before slicing and serving.
Serve over rice, a salad, stuffed into a pita, or just on its own with a couple of sides!
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Today, we are talking about Tzatziki! If you aren’t sure how to pronounce tzatziki, let me help you out, all of those Zs are a little tricky. Tzatziki is pronounced tuh-zee-kee. It comes from a Persian word that means “herb mixture.&#…
Today, we are talking about Tzatziki! If you aren’t sure how to pronounce tzatziki, let me help you out, all of those Zs are a little tricky. Tzatziki is pronounced tuh-zee-kee. It comes from a Persian word that means “herb mixture.” Tzatziki is a dip (sauce) that originated in the Middle East. It has a…
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When you were getting ready to start baking this signature pound cake recipe or looking for a little something extra to dollop on top of your steaming baked potato, you realize you’re fresh out of sour cream. Before you fret and make a run for the clos…
When you were getting ready to start baking this signature pound cake recipe or looking for a little something extra to dollop on top of your steaming baked potato, you realize you’re fresh out of sour cream. Before you fret and make a run for the closest store, remedy the situation at hand with ingredients you likely already have at home.
From non-dairy to dairy alternatives, finding a substitute for sour cream is much easier than you may have initially thought. Using ingredients like coconut milk, cashews, or yogurt and a little acid from lemon juice or apple cider vinegar, you’ll be able to wow your guests and your taste buds with something very close to the real deal.
Everything I know about my family history is a bit fuzzy. Whenever I ask my father questions about how his parents ended up in the Midwest, he only knows so much. “We didn’t talk about things like that,” he explains to me. “Those conversations would ma…
Everything I know about my family history is a bit fuzzy. Whenever I ask my father questions about how his parents ended up in the Midwest, he only knows so much. “We didn’t talk about things like that,” he explains to me. “Those conversations would make us feel less ‘American,’ so we didn’t really have them.” He tells me that his parents were originally from Kraków and Wilno (which is no longer part of Poland), but he doesn’t remember which parent grew up where.
What he does know is that the story goes something like this: They were both being transferred from one camp in German-occupied Poland to another when technical issues blessed them with an opportunity to escape. After fleeing, they immigrated to America, eventually landing in Chicago where a friend was able to host them. From there my father’s family raised him and his brother, fully rooting themselves in the American Midwest.
A Big Little Recipe has the smallest-possible ingredient list and big everything else—flavor, creativity, wow factor. Psst: We don’t count water, salt, black pepper, and certain fats (specifically, 1/2 cup or less of olive oil, vegetable oil, and butte…
A Big Little Recipe has the smallest-possible ingredient list and big everything else—flavor, creativity, wow factor. Psst: We don't count water, salt, black pepper, and certain fats (specifically, 1/2 cup or less of olive oil, vegetable oil, and butter), since we're guessing you have those covered. Today, you’ll just need two ingredients.
There is no shortage of fruit-flavored yogurts in American supermarkets. Blueberry, blackberry, raspberry, cherry, peach, lemon, lime, pineapple, coconut, apricot, pomegranate, passion fruit, strawberry, strawberry-banana, strawberry-rhubarb, strawberry-kiwi, strawberry-mango, just to name a few.
This cinnamon-spiced apple smoothie is creamy and irresistibly tasty! It’s full of natural sweetness and packed with protein. Here’s a smoothie that’s full of cozy spiced, naturally sweet flavor: the perfect Apple Smoothie! This one works anytime and in any season. But of course it’s perfect for fall when you’ve got mounds of apples to use up. In fact, it’s a healthy way to enjoy the flavors of apple pie or apple crumble! Cinnamon and vanilla are just the right compliment to the sweet tart fruit. It’s also loaded with protein from Greek yogurt, which gives it just the right creamy texture. You’ll almost feel like you’re drinking an apple pie milkshake…but a wholesome version! Let’s go. Ingredients in this apple smoothie The great thing about this apple smoothie? You might already have the ingredients on hand. If you stock bananas and Greek yogurt like we do, you’ll be able to whip up this smoothie in no time. Here’s what you’ll need: Apples: You can use any variety! For the best flavor, use sweet tart apples like Honey Crisp or Granny Smith (stay away from Red Delicious here). Banana: No need to freeze it: you can use a room temperature […]
This cinnamon-spiced apple smoothie is creamy and irresistibly tasty! It’s full of natural sweetness and packed with protein.
Here’s a smoothie that’s full of cozy spiced, naturally sweet flavor: the perfect Apple Smoothie! This one works anytime and in any season. But of course it’s perfect for fall when you’ve got mounds of apples to use up. In fact, it’s a healthy way to enjoy the flavors of apple pie or apple crumble! Cinnamon and vanilla are just the right compliment to the sweet tart fruit. It’s also loaded with protein from Greek yogurt, which gives it just the right creamy texture. You’ll almost feel like you’re drinking an apple pie milkshake…but a wholesome version! Let’s go.
The great thing about this apple smoothie? You might already have the ingredients on hand. If you stock bananas and Greek yogurt like we do, you’ll be able to whip up this smoothie in no time. Here’s what you’ll need:
This apple smoothie tastes fantastic with no added sweetener: it’s perfectly sweet tart! However, the flavor can depend on the ripeness of the fruit and your personal tastes. Take a taste, and if you’d like it sweeter, add a bit of maple syrup or honey. This is a nice option if you’re looking for a sweet treat to take the place of a dessert.
Start with 1/2 tablespoon in the blender, and increase if you need more. You may want to stir it in instead of blend, because if you over-blend the texture can get too liquid.
Want to make this apple smoothie vegan? Try our Green Apple Smoothie recipe! It pairs green apple and cashews to make a beautifully sweet tart vegan smoothie. The cashews add plant-based protein to help it stay satiating and keep you full.
This apple smoothie tastes amazing as is. But if you’d like it mix it up even more, we’ve got answers! Here are some ideas for fun variations on the theme:
Apples are very good for you and full of nutrients! Here’s a little breakdown on some of the top benefits (Source: Healthline).
Vegetarian and gluten-free. For vegan, plant-based and dairy-free, see the variation above.
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(7 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 0 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes 
Yield: 2 small smoothies This cinnamon-spiced apple smoothie is creamy and irresistibly tasty! It’s full of natural sweetness and packed with protein.
Category: Drink
Method: Blended
Cuisine: SmoothiesKeywords: Apple smoothie
A Couple Cooks - Healthy, Whole Food, & Vegetarian Recipes
What to do with browning bananas? It’s the question that never stops needing to be answered. The other day I was about to make a batch of my Yogurt Banana Bread with some over ripe bananas, but I decided to change it up last minute. I added little cocoa powder and a handful of chocolate […]
The post Chocolate Banana Muffins appeared first on Budget Bytes.
What to do with browning bananas? It’s the question that never stops needing to be answered. The other day I was about to make a batch of my Yogurt Banana Bread with some over ripe bananas, but I decided to change it up last minute. I added little cocoa powder and a handful of chocolate chips to the batter, then scooped it into a muffin tin instead of a bread pan for easy portioning, and I got these tasty little Chocolate Banana Muffins. They’re the perfect not-too-sweet treat that I can keep in my freezer for days that I want a little something special to go with my morning coffee.
I know chocolate banana muffins sound delicious, but have patience and wait until you have some brown, over ripe bananas to make this recipe. Over ripe bananas are sweeter and their banana flavor is more intense, which is what you want for the banana flavor to really come through in the muffins. Plus, they’re easier to mash when they’re soft and super ripe. ;)
I love the fact that these banana muffins are already in single-serving portions, which makes them really great for freezing and thawing as-needed (or “as-wanted”?). To freeze the muffins, make sure they cool completely to room temperature, then place them in a gallon-sized zip top freezer bag and transfer to the freezer. To thaw, you can either let them sit for 15-30 minutes at room temperature, or microwave for about 30 seconds until they’re warm and the chocolate chips are melted. They’re sooooo good with a cup of coffee!
Muffins like this are kind of fun because you can really play around with the add-ins (in addition to, or in place of the chocolate chips). Peanut butter chips would be really good in these muffins, as would something like shredded coconut. Walnuts are a classic with banana bread, but almonds would probably taste really nice with this banana-chocolate combo, too.
Scroll down for the step by step photos!
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a muffin tin with paper liners. Mash 2-3 bananas well with a fork. You’ll need 1 cup mashed bananas. If you have slightly less banana, you can add a little extra yogurt to make up for it. If you have a little more than 1 cup banana, you can reduce the yogurt a little to compensate for the extra banana.
Add the mashed banana to a large mixing bowl along with 1 cup plain yogurt, 2 large eggs, ½ cup sugar, 4 Tbsp melted butter, and 1 tsp vanilla extract. Whisk these ingredients together well.
In a separate bowl, stir together 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, and ½ tsp salt. Stir until the dry ingredients are very well combined.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until everything is moistened. The mixture will be lumpy, but try not to over stir (the photo shows the mixture half stirred, check the next photo for the appearance of the fully stirred batter).
Finally, fold a ½ cup chocolate chips into the batter, again taking care not to over stir.
Divide the batter between 12 wells of a muffin tin. The batter will fill each well all the way up to the top. Transfer the muffin tin to the preheated 350ºF oven.
Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Remove the baked muffins from the tin to cool before serving.
Enjoy!
The post Chocolate Banana Muffins appeared first on Budget Bytes.
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