By Hollis Templeton Men’s Fitness
Eating a hot-and-spicy curry dish on a 90° day may sound like torture, but don’t make the mistake of avoiding Indian food ’til fall. We recently discovered a set of easy-to-make, super-tasty dishes in the new cookbook Indian-Inspired Gluten-Free Cooking by Alamelu Vairavan and Margaret Pfeiffer, R.D. A seasonally appropriate pairing that caught our eye: Turkey and Quinoa Burgers with Tomato and Onion Chutney. These burgers are a low-fat alternative to beef and can be tossed on the grill the same way you’d cook the traditional version (the zesty chutney is a quick way to add color and flavor to your plate). Make extra and use it as a dip for fresh vegetables.
TURKEY AND QUINOA BURGERS
Ingredients:
- 1 tsp oil
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- ½ cup cooked quinoa
- 1 lb ground turkey
- 2 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- ¼ tsp salt (or more to taste)
Directions:
- Heat oil in skillet over *medium-high heat (the oil should be hot but not smoking). Add cumin seeds and stir until seeds change color from light brown to semi-dark brown.
- Add onion and cook about 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring, until onions become translucent. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a bowl, then add quinoa, turkey, turmeric, garam masala, and salt; mix well.
- Form turkey mixture into 6 burgers. Brush with oil. Heat skillet or grill pan over *medium-high heat. Add burgers and cook about 3 to 5 minutes per side until golden brown. (Burgers may also be broiled if desired).
Serve dressed with chutney (see recipe below).
Serves: 6
Nutrition (per serving): 120 calories, 2.5g fat (0g sat fat), 30mg cholesterol, 240mg sodium, 7g carbs, 1g fiber, 20g protein
TOMATO AND ONION *CHUTNEY
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1 whole dried red chili pepper
- ½ tsp black mustard seeds
- ½ cup chopped onion
- ½ cup chopped tomato
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp ground cumin
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup plain low-fat yogurt
- 1 tbsp minced cilantro
Directions:
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat (the oil should be hot but not smoking). Add chili pepper and mustard seeds and stir 1 to 2 minutes, until mustard seeds start to pop.
- Add onion and tomato to skillet; cook and stir until onions are translucent.
- Add turmeric, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir for a few minutes until mixture is well blended. Remove from heat. Cool.
- Stir in yogurt and cilantro. Serve immediately or chilled.
Variation: Add ¼ cup shredded carrots along with the onion and tomato in Step 2. Add additional yogurt to desired creaminess.
Makes: ½ cup chutney
Nutrition (per 2 tbsp serving): 60 calories, 4g fat (0g sat fat), 0mg cholesterol, 160mg sodium, 5g carbs, 1g fiber, 2g protein
Recipes from Indian Inspired Gluten-Free Cooking by Alamelu Vairavan and Margaret Pfeiffer. Reprinted courtesy of Hippocrene Books, Inc.
Source: http://www.mensfitness.com/nutrition…-onion-chutney
