Hey everyone, please join us in Miss Ava’s kitchen where she shows us how to make something truly delicious AND healthy! You can visit with her anytime right here. 
Ava, Thank you for sharing with us how you stay so trim and beautiful–inside and out!
Good morning, Chicks! Thanks for having me as a guest blogger today.
My job as the cook in our house is to create healthy, simple meals that serve the nutritional needs of a competitive athlete AND a recreational couch potato.
Mr. Ava is a mountain bike racer who can burn 4000 calories on a single training ride and can literally eat anything he wants, pretty much any time he wants. For me, unless I’ve got a specific event that I’m targeting, most of my time is spent behind my desk, with an hour of exercise squeezed in a few times a week. We don’t have the same nutritional needs, so I have to create meals that serve both of us, just with different portions.
I’m a serious multi-tasker, so I like to make simple meals with little to no measuring, and NO BABYSITTING. One of my go-to dinners is Turkey Burgers with Cottage Fries – easily adaptable to whatever spices you have on hand and probably less than two bucks per serving.
Here’s what you need:
20 oz ground turkey
1/3 c panko (Japanese bread flakes)
5 medium potatoes, washed, skin on (1 potato per person + extra for later)
1 medium carrot, washed, finely grated
Extra virgin olive oil
Worstershire sauce
Whatever spices make you happy – I like Emeril’s Original Essence, Garlic Powder and Zatarain’s Big & Zesty Creole Seasoning. Mix it up, depending on what you have on hand.
Sliced cheddar cheese (optional)
Preheat oven to 400º. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Also, preheat grill (medium setting if you use an indoor grill like I do).
Quarter potatoes length-wise, then halve quarters (each potato gives you 8 wedges). Place in a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil and liberally sprinkle with seasonings (Creole in this instance). Toss to coat. Arrange seasoned potato wedges in a single layer, skin side down. Bake for 25 minutes at 400º.
With a wooden spoon (or your hands), mix ground turkey in a large bowl with 1/3 cup panko, grated carrot, and a splash of Worstershire sauce. Liberally sprinkle with garlic powder and Emeril’s Essence.
**Grated carrot adds a little extra layer of flavor and the nutritional bonus of Vitamin A. Experiment a bit and add zucchini, onion, sprouts, or even the tiny broccoli florets (no stalk). Just remember, these will add moisture to your meat mixture, so add extra bread flakes if you need to, to keep your burgers from falling apart.**
Form the meat into a loaf and turn over onto a cutting board. Cut in half, and half again, form into patties. Place on preheated grill and cook through (about 8 minutes for mine). If you’re in the mood, place sliced cheese on top of the burgers and cook for an additional minute of so (just to melt – and don’t close the lid again on your indoor grill! That would be a mess!)
We use sandwich thins instead of traditional burger buns. Sometimes, I’ll lightly toast them, butter and sprinkle with garlic. Tonight we went for Dawson’s Awesome Sauce and plain ol’ ketchup and mustard.
This meal took 30 minutes from start to finish, with plenty of built-in clean up time.
Another bonus – a large batch of cottage fries yields plenty to keep in the fridge for a quick, portable, healthy afternoon snack.
Sometimes, simple is better, especially if you’re short on time or motivation to be in the kitchen. Hope you enjoy!
Ava
Mr. Ava is a mountain bike racer who can burn 4000 calories on a single training ride and can literally eat anything he wants, pretty much any time he wants. For me, unless I’ve got a specific event that I’m targeting, most of my time is spent behind my desk, with an hour of exercise squeezed in a few times a week. We don’t have the same nutritional needs, so I have to create meals that serve both of us, just with different portions.
We use sandwich thins instead of traditional burger buns. Sometimes, I’ll lightly toast them, butter and sprinkle with garlic. Tonight we went for Dawson’s Awesome Sauce and plain ol’ ketchup and mustard. 
