Amazing Apple Turkey Burgers

Amazing Apple Turkey Burgers with
Apple, Fennel, and Celery Hummus “Slaw”

These are by far the best turkey, or even poultry based, burgers I have EVER made. I’m sorry to any paleo or primal followers, but this does not strictly follow the rules, but does minimize the use of grains extensively (as there is no bun).

Clyde’s of Columbia, MD was my family’s “spot” for pretty much every celebration, large or small, when I was growing up. It started off being just our place for Mother’s day then expanded to birthdays, good report cards, going off to college, coming home from college on breaks, leaving for grad school… pretty much everything. It is a great place for a family gathering for those of us who actually care about having a delicious and refined meal (although one of our favorite things on their menu is the buffalo wings). One time at Clyde’s I tried the turkey burger and I have to say, it was the best burger I ever had! It was advertised as having apple within the patty and that certainly did not disappoint. Years later, on the other side of the country, I still remember that meal and have always wanted to attempt my own version; so this weekend I did just that.

While the Clyde’s burger advertised the apple ingredient, it did not say what was used as a binder but based off of the texture of the burger I suspected they used some sort of grain rather than your typical breadcrumb (poultry based burgers usually have to  include a binder because they easily dry out). So when designing my burger, and yes I mean design because I think I spent several days coming up with the perfect combination of ingredients, I decided to use the Trader Joe’s Multigrain Hot Cereal blend with Gala apples. If you are wondering if this burger is going to turn out too sweet with the use of the apple, have no fear this is definitely still a savory burger. The apple adds flavor but also is a great way to add moisture to the burger, while the oats and grain help retain the moisture = nice, juicy burger. The “slaw” I made also really ties everything together. Raw apple, fennel, and celery tossed in plain hummus (oh yea I forgot to mention there is hummus IN the burger too) with a splash of apple cider vinegar.

I hope you all enjoy this as much as I did!

Servings : 8 patties with a hearty serving of “slaw”
Ingredients:
1.5 lb                Lean Ground Turkey, 90/10 or less
1 container      Plain Hummus (Trader Joe’s)

3 TBS             Egg Whites
1/3 cup            Multigrain Hot Cereal Blend (Trader Joe’s)
2.5                   Gala Apples, 2 cubed and ½ minced
1 bulb              Fennel, sliced (few slices minced for burger)
5 stalks           Celery, strings removed and sliced
½                    Shallot, minced
splash of Apple Cider Vinegar
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Prep all veggies and fruit prior to beginning

Add sliced fennel, sliced celery, and the 2 cubed apples to a large bowl.
Add ¾^th container of hummus and splash of vinegar to the mixture and toss thoroughly.
Place in refrigerator while preparing and cooking patties.

Plug in George Foreman (covered with aluminum foil) or start grill.
Add the minced ½ apple, few pieces of minced fennel, and minced shallot to a second large bowl.
Add the ¼ cup grains, egg whites, remaining hummus, salt and pepper then stir to combine.

Lastly, add the ground turkey and mix all ingredients thoroughly with your hands.
Spray George Foreman with coconut oil.
Form 8 patties and cook on grill 2-3 at a time, storing the cooked patties in a 350⁰ oven.

Once all patties are cooked, place one burger on each plate and top with a heaping pile of the slaw.

I also served this with a side salad of arugula topped with a dressing made of hummus and apple cider vinegar.

ENJOY!