Jalapeno Turkey Burgers Recipe

If you are looking for a burger with a bite, you can stop searching.  Not only is this burger packed with flavor, but it's made with ground turkey so it's healthier for you.  Next time I think I'll put a few slices of cooked turkey bacon on top!

1 pound of ground turkey

2 clove of garlic, minced

2 jalapenos, seeded, cleaned and minced

1 tablespoon lime seasoning mix (I used Mrs.Dash)

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 tablespoons of fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup of cheddar cheese shredded

A few dashes of hot sauce

4 Hamburger buns

Sliced Tomato and Lettuce (Optional)

1.  Preheat a grill.  Meanwhile, add all the ingredients together and then Mix until everything is well combined.  Divide mixture into four equal proportions and form into patties.  Cook for about 5 minutes on each side and then serve with buns, sliced tomatoes and lettuce.  

Orzo Stuffed Bell Peppers Recipe

Orzo is a rice shaped pasta and offers a fun alternative to rice.  I love this recipe because it incorporates so many yummy veggies and can be quite filling.  You really won't miss not having meat, but you could always add ground turkey for a healthy twist.  Next time instead of baking them, I am going to put them on the grill!

1 1/2 cups of orzo

1/2 cup of italian vinaigrette (I used Cindy's Kitchen Rosemary & Roasted Garlic)

1 tomato, diced

1 zucchini, diced

1 pinch of cayenne pepper

5-8 leaves of fresh basil, torn

1/8 teaspoon of onion powder

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

4 Bell Peppers, cut in half, tops removed and seeded

1.  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  In a large pot, bring water to a boil and cook the orzo for about 5 minutes and then drain. 

2.  Stir the remaining ingredients together and combine.  Place peppers on a baking sheet and spoon orzo mixture into the peppers.  Cover with foil.  Bake for 25 minutes and then place on a serving plate.  

Perfect Peach Margaritas Recipe

This is a super easy recipe to make and is sure to impress your guests.  It's made with fresh peaches, and you can certainly tell the difference compared to those sugar-loaded mixes.  I made a pitcher of this, poured myself a glass and sat out by the pool this weekend!  

2 tablespoons of sugar (I used Splenda)

2 cups of sliced peaches (skins removed)

3/4 cup of silver tequila

3 cups of ice cubes

2 splashes of citrus flavored soda

Fresh Mint (optional)

1.  Combine the first five ingredients in a blender and blend until all ingredients are well combined.  Top with fresh mint and enjoy!

Stoplight Pasta Recipe( Tomato, Sweet Corn and Zucchini Rigatoni Recipe)

I like the name of this pasta and your kids will too!  This is a light dish that is naturally slightly sweet-- just a perfect way to celebrate the flavors of summer.  Next time try to switching things up a bit by using what veggies you have on hand, including peas, spinach, peppers (of any color), yellow squash or yellow tomatoes.  

1 package of rigatoni

1 large (or two regular sized) zucchini, cubed

1/2 pint of grape tomatoes

1 can of sweet corn

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

8 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 cup of water from the boiled pasta

3 tablespoons of lemon juice

1/4 cup of a balsamic vinaigrette

1/2 cup of parmesan romano cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1.  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  In a large pot of boiling water cook pasta according the directions on the package (about 10 minutes).  Make sure to reserve 1 1/2 cups of water.  While the water is heating up, start preparing your zucchini and place on a cookie sheet, in addition to the tomatoes and sweet corn.  

2.  Drizzle olive oil on top of vegetables.  Add thyme, salt and pepper.  Bake for 20 minutes or grill for about 15 minutes.

3.  In a large bowl combine the pasta, cooking water, vegetables, lemon juice, vinaigrette and cheese.  Toss until will combined.  Top with any additional cheese then serve.  

Thai Chicken Noodle Bowls Recipe

My Thai Chicken Noodle Bowls are light and fresh which makes it the perfect summertime soup!  I used a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store so it didn't require heating up the whole house by turning on the oven on.  Next time I plan on adding even more veggies, like carrots and mushrooms for additional color and textures-- Perfect to use up some of the extra veggies you have laying around from your garden!

2 tablespoons of olive oil

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 medium yellow onion chopped

1 yellow pepper, sliced thin

2 scallions, sliced thin

1 cooked rotisserie chicken (cut up you will need about 1 1/2 cups worth)

7 cups of chicken broth (you can divide this between chicken broth and water)

1/2 package of angel hair pasta

4 tablespoons of cilantro, chopped

Juice of 1 lime

Several Dashes of Hot Chili Sauce

Salt and Pepper To Taste

1.  In a large pot add the olive oil until it heats up.  Under medium heat, add the garlic, onion, scallion and yellow pepper for a few minutes or until the peppers get soft.  Add the chicken and cook for a few more minutes.

2.  Add the chicken broth/water and bring up to a boil.  Add the angel hair pasta and cook for about 5 minutes.  Add the fresh cilantro and lime juice.  Add a few dashes of hot chili sauce and serve.  

Marinated Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Recipe

Whoever said that grilled cheese was only for kids?!  So move over, here is a gourmet grilled cheese for adults, that even the kids will love.  It's perfect for a snack or for a light lunch paired with soup or salad.  I read somewhere that using mayo instead of butter, cuts down on your fat intake, but still leaves the sandwich grilled to perfection.  I love that this recipe looks fancy without putting forth a whole lot of time or effort.  

4 slices of sourdough bread

5 oz of marinated mozzarella cheese (I used Cappiello marinated Mozzarella Braid) sliced into 8 pieces

1 tomato sliced

4 tablespoons of fat-free mayonnaise

1.  On both sides of the bread spread mayonnaise all over it.  Place 4 slices of mozzarella on one slice of bread.  Add two tomato slices on top of the cheese and then cover with another piece of bread.  

2.  On a griddle or large skillet grill the sandwich on medium heat until the cheese is completely melted, turning once. 

3.  Transfer the sandwich to a separate plate and then cut diagonally.  

Simple White Bean Salad With Lemon Recipe

This dish requires no cooking at all, which is really a great thing for you once summer temperatures really start to rise this July.  This salad has a variety of textures and flavors that taste really refreshing.  Instead of a side dish add this bean mixture over a mixed bed of salad greens and you got yourself a light lunch!

2 cans of cannellini beans, rinsed

1 tomato chopped

2 scallions chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

4 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons of lemon juice

3 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon of honey

Salt and Pepper To Taste

1.  Combine the cannelloni beans, tomato and scallions together. 

2.  To make the dressing, add the remaining ingredients together in a small bowl and stir until the honey is incorporated.

3.  Pour this over the beans, chopped tomatoes and scallions, so that the dressing is fully incorporated into the salad. Let this rest for at least 10-15 minutes so that the flavors can fully develop then serve.