Recipe of the Week: Mara’s Turkey Burgers

Mara’s Turkey Burgers

Yield: 5 Patties

This burger recipe comes was created by Mara Gagnon. In 2000 I went to a naturopathic doctor, Edwin Farnworth, who tested me for  allergy and toxicity problems relating to skin problems I was having for 10 years prior. Subsequently, my skin cleared up and other areas of my health improved as a result. I realized that the food we eat can have such a powerful effect on our health. After not eating the foods he said were toxic or gave me no benefit, I saw how desensitized my body had become to those foods. When eating some of the foods a couple months later I had very bad reactions. Many of my friends went to see Farnworth and also had good results clearing up their health issues.

Mara was diagnosed with a debilitating auto immune disorder which was slowly destroying her health, and left her on a plethera of opiates to cope with the pain. Her doctors could not help her in any other way. She decided to give Farnworth a try. He diagnosed her with heavy metal poisoning and eliminated many foods from her diet. Slowly over several years she recovered and weened herself off the opiates. Today she is healthy and  practices Bikram yoga regularly.

Our little “Farny” community as my friends and I call it, have had to find new ingredients to replace the ones we cannot have anymore. We are constantly sharing and inspiring each other with new recipes. I hope you all enjoy this one! Clean simple ingredients makes for good food.

– Lisa Pelzer

Ingredients for patties:

1½ lb Ground turkey

¼ cup Black olives

¼ cup marinated artichoke hearts, chopped

¼ cup sundried tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp Almond meal

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tbsp cilantro or basil, you choose

Pinch of salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions for patties:

Beat egg lightly first, then combine the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl. Work mixture until all ingredients are combined well. Roll into evenly sized balls and press into patties that are 1 1/2 inch thick. Fry or BBQ burgers on each side for 5 minutes or until cooked to your liking.

 

Ingredients for optional toppings:

5 buns of your choice or Crisp Butter lettuce, whole leaves

Avocado, sliced

Tomatoes, sliced

Alfalfa Sprouts

Butter Lettuce

Dijon Mayo

Spinach, steamed and seasoned

Fried Egg

 

Serving instructions:

 

The Classic Way

Place patties on a bun of your choice; add a little Dijon-mayo, slices of Avocado, slices of tomato and a handful of Alfalfa Sprouts.

The Light Way

Lay a few butter lettuce leaves down first;  put a slice of tomato on lettuce then patty on top. This will keep the burger together. Top with condiment of choice, avocado and a few slices of pickled jalapenos and cover with a few more lettuce leaves. (if you like it hot!)

Deluxe

Place patties on a bun or butter leaf and top the patty with steamed spinach and a fried egg