Black Bean Turkey Burgers

This week is one of those weeks. The kind where your to-do list is reeeeally long and your motivation to do anything on that list is low. Have you been there? Maybe it's the cold-bug we're passing around in our family? I dunno.

To give myself a break, I tried to stick to really easy meals this week. You know how it goes with easy meals....sometimes they're not as good as you want. But thankfully, I landed on a turkey and black bean burger recipe that was super-easy, yummy, and healthy! Triple score. 

It even passed the husband test, which when it comes to healthy stuff is quite high in my opinion. It also passed the dietitian test because of all the healthy ingredients: lean ground turkey and black beans are great sources of protein and iron plus the beans add fiber. Paired with a whole wheat bun and a salad, it was a nice end to a long day. Definitely making them again soon!

*Cook turkey burgers until internal temp reaches 165 degrees F.

Black Bean Turkey Burgers 
Adapted from Turkey Bean Burgers

Ingredients

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 egg 
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 lb lean ground turkey
• 100% whole wheat burger buns
• sliced tomato and onions and lettuce leaves for topping

Preparation

In a small bowl, add the egg, chili powder, onion powder, pepper and salt. Combine turkey with mixture and mix well. Shape into patties. Spray skillet with cooking spray and cook burgers over medium heat for 4-5 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer reads 165° and juices run clear. If desired, top with a slice of meunster cheese, tomato, lettuce and onions.

Adventures in Farming

This week I embarked on a rather unusual adventure: chicken farming. Five years ago, I would have laughed at the idea of me having chickens. Now, here I am four chickens later. It all started with a friend who raises chickens. She showed me how it's done and sort of took the mystery out of the whole thing. 

 One of the baby chicks
Editor's note: *squeal*....they're SUPER cute!

My husband had wanted to get chickens years ago, but I wasn't into the idea yet. Now that we have the space and live in a more rural, farm-friendly area, starting our chicken farm became a reality. 

Here's our coop, which still needs a fence around it. 

There seems to be a lot of pressure these days to buy cage free, vegetarian, organic, soy-free fed (etc, etc) chicken eggs. I was recently at a farmers market and found farm-fresh eggs for the bargain price of $9/dozen. All I can say is OMG. I didn't splurge for eggs that day, but it did remind me of the growing social pressure to buy specialty foods that are perceived to be healthier than conventional. That same day, I went to our local supermarket and bought a dozen eggs for about $2. That's better.

There are definitely arguments for choosing to buy organic or vegetarian or non-GMO, etc. So if you lean toward those food purchases, more power to you. The reality is that these foods simply don't fit into everybody's budget and the verdict is still out on whether these items actually deliver the health promises some people, websites, etc, claim they have. 

Personally, I'm convinced current research shows that - at least nutritionally speaking - an egg is an egg is an egg (Note that it's always important to cook eggs thoroughly to avoid possible food poisoning from Salmonella). In general, all eggs are great sources of protein and essential vitamins, and support a healthy body.

Yes, eggs have cholesterol. But - good news - we now know that the cholesterol in eggs doesn't necessarily raise your blood cholesterol. Rather, the total fat, saturated fat and trans fat levels in your diet as well as genetics appear to be more influential in determining cholesterol levels. The American Heart Association used to recommend limiting eggs to one yolk per week for those who have high cholesterol, but in light of current research, they've dropped that recommendation. Instead, they now recommend to eat foods low in total fat, saturated fat and trans fat (and eggs are low in all three!). 

For more information on the health benefits of eating eggs, click here. 

Do you have any experience with chicken farming? If so, please share your experience and advice!

What's Living in your Kitchen?

Do you know what's living in your kitchen? Chances are, more than you think. 

Earlier this week, a health inspector visited one of the nursing homes I work at. The inspector took a walk through the kitchen and recommended we use bleach solution to sanitize because it kills Norovirus, a virus that can contaminate food and lead to food poisoning.

Why am I telling you this? Because there's totally a take-home point! Norovirus could just as easily be in your kitchen as in a foodservice kitchen. Not to mention, there are a host of other nasty viruses and bacteria that could be nestled - all comfy cozy - in your kitchen. These germs can cause food poisoning and that's just not cool. So don't let those germs rain on your parade! It's your kitchen, not theirs!

Here's the plan, the three essential steps to a thorough kitchen cleaning: wash, rinse and sanitize all surfaces and/or utensils that come into contact with food (i.e. sink, countertops, cookware, utensils, etc.)

A few tools of the trade:

First step: Wash with a detergent cleaner or soap

Second step: Rinse with clean water

Third step: Sanitize with a solution that contains bleach or make your own

According to the National Food Safety Management Institute, these three steps should be taken every time you switch in preparing different food products (for example, from different types of raw meats or from raw meats to raw vegetables) or if any contamination is suspected (for example, you think raw chicken juices may have splashed on the raw broccoli).

Be sure to lock up all your chemicals or store them where little hands cannot get them. 

Of course these three steps should always be accompanied by other food safety precautions like frequent handwashing, cooking foods thoroughly and avoiding food preparation if you're sick.

I know, I know. How is a sick MOM supposed to avoid handling food? Mom's don't get sick days, right? Well, my advice is to handle food served to others as little as possible if you're feeling sick. Break out your freezer meals or order food in. It'll be worth it. The only thing worse than a sick mom is a sick kid, right?

I do my best to prevent germs from overtaking my kitchen, but a toddler? Well, by the looks of it, he and his truck forces have laid siege.

As always, this post is brought to you by your friendly food safety nerd :)

Meat: Well Done

Last weekend my hubby and I enjoyed a great date night. There was chatting, drinking and of course eating. Unfortunately, what I ate didn't sit so well with me and I ended up sick the whole next day! No. Fun. I spent much of the day lying in bed racking my dietitian brain as to the source of food poisoning....was it the undercooked egg on my salad? The New York Steak? Truth is, I won't know for sure. But I do know that it was likely due to a food temperature issue. 

As a dietitian who cooks for her family and works in a skilled nursing facility (i.e. nursing home), I know that food temperatures are super important to protect my family and the residents I work with. Cooking food to the proper temperature reduces the amount of nasty bacteria that can cause food poisoning.

At the skilled nursing facility, I spend a fair amount of time surveying the kitchen, making sure all the food is cooked to the correct temperatures to ensure the elderly residents are served food that is safe to eat. At home, I know that children are at greater risk for food poisoning, so I make sure to prepare food safely.

The temperature zone that bacteria grows the best is 41-135 degrees Farenheit and is known in Food Safety Nerd-land as the "Danger Zone". Okay, there's no Food Safety Nerd-land (except the one in my head)....but there really is something called the temperature "Danger Zone".

The only way you can know for sure if your meat is done is to check the temperature. In my Safe Cooking 101 post, I encouraged buying a meat thermometer. Have you got one yet? They're so handy!

Another plus to cooking foods to the correct temperature is that - in the case of meat products -  they're juicy and tender. Chicken doesn't deserve to be served dry!

The pictures I took show you the minimum cooking temperatures for chicken, fish and cooked vegetables, but for a complete reference, check out this guide from foodsafety.gov

I say all this because healthy food isn't healthy unless it's safe to eat. Happy - and safe - cooking!

Safe Cooking 101

Healthy food isn't healthy unless it's cooked well. And properly cooked food starts with a clean kitchen and the right utensils. Since I am a self-proclaimed food safety nerd to the point that I am actually "certified" in the topic, I thought a post on the "how to" of safe cooking would be appropriate.

So why should you care about safe cooking? Well, improperly cooked food can lead to food poisoning. Have you ever had a slight (or very intense) stomach-ache after a meal? You could have experienced food poisoning. Symptoms vary based on the type and amount of bacteria, but let's just say they are all unpleasant. Another reason cooking food properly is important is that children, infants, sick individuals or older adults are at greater risk for getting food poisoning because their immune systems aren't as strong. So if you're cooking for these folks, be extra cautious.

Almost any food can become contaminated, but the biggest offenders are meats, poultry, fish, milk and dairy products, baked potatoes, tofu, melons, tomatoes (think: salsa!), cooked rice, sprouts and garlic-oil mixtures. I bet a few of those surprised you. Make sure you keep these foods cold in the refrigerator, discard by their expiration date or (for cooked food) about 3 days after they were prepared.

A look at some of the "big offenders"

Here are a few important tips for cooking food well and avoiding food poisoning at home:

1. Wash wash wash your hands. Every time you switch from handling different food products (especially the "big offender" foods listed above), wash your hands in very warm (as hot as you can stand) water for about 15 seconds.

2. Invest in a meat thermometer. They are super cheap and available in most stores that sell cooking supplies. Using a thermometer allows you to test cooked meats to make sure they have reached the right temperature. Be sure to insert the thermometer deep into the largest portion of meat to get an accurate reading. Cooking meats to the proper temperature also prevents overcooking, which makes the texture tough and rubbery. Yuck!

Meet my friend, the meat thermometer. This is getting weird.

3. Keep cold foods cold and hot foods hot. If food has been sitting out for more than 4 hours (allowing it to sit at a luke-warm temperature), throw it away.


This has been brought to you by Tiffany Schulte, Registered Dietitian and food safety nerd :)