It felt so great NOT to spend the entire weekend studying this weekend 🙂 Overall, it was pretty low-key and productive all at the same time. Love it! If you are just here for the recipe…scroll to the bottom, but otherwise I’ll share a bit of my weekend with you!
Saturday, Brian and I started the day with a morning walk with Bernie and then we parted ways so that he could work in the lab for an orthodontic research project and so that I could head to volunteer training for Share Our Strength’s Cooking Matters program.
Since I am completely immersed in my distance dietetics program, I really wanted to get involved in the community. While I can recite all the facts in the world to Brian and I can ace an online exam, I wanted to put my knowledge to practical use to truly test myself and learn a bit along the way from other individuals.
Cooking Matters helps educate families about how to shop for and cook healthy meals on a budget as part of Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry campaign.
They offers interactive grocery tours, hands-on cooking courses and educational resources for anyone to use.
Many Registered Dietitians are the Nutrition Educators for these courses, so not only will I be supporting a more than worthy cause, I will also be learning as I do it!
Today we went over the basics of how to teach a class and what the class structure will look like, and we even made a really delicious and simple salsa (onion, bell pepper, tomato, corn, black beans, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, salt and pepper).
I’m so excited to start volunteering!
After my training I came home to eat lunch and finish up a bit of Biochemistry. Then, Brian and I took Bernie on a nice, long walk and just enjoyed a super relaxing evening.
We stayed in for dinner at home and I whipped up a batch of these wonderfully taste and simple Italian Chicken Burgers! (I made them a few weeks ago and was so happy to make them again!)
Sunday we went on a hike at Butler Gulch with a few friends and it was SO amazing, beautiful and fun to be out and about after so much studying 🙂
The hike was about 5 miles total out and back and had a pretty steep incline, but the views….so pretty!!
We loved having little Bernie along for the adventure.
When we got to the end of the trail we saw some an old mine which was also pretty cool!! I love seeing stuff like that along the trail 🙂
We then came back home and ended our Sunday by prepping for the week and relaxing while watching a bit of Friends 🙂
Now…if you were here for the recipe…
The roasted vegetables are prepared in a simple way that allows their natural flavors to truly come out and compliment the wonderful spices and seasoning in the chicken burger.
What’s so special about these burgers?
Fennel seed!
Fennel seed has such a unique and strong flavor and it truly makes these burgers taste “Italian.” But fennel isn’t just delicious (and kind of fun to say…) it has a ton of health benefits too 😉
Fennel Seed | may help with digestive problems including heartburn, gas, and bloating AND (ladies) it may help with menstrual cramping. To read more about fabulous fennel, just check it out here.
These burgers are excellent for a week night meal because they typically make leftovers (if you are only cooking for 1 or 2) and are easily reheated for a quick lunch or dinner later in the week!
These chicken burgers come together quickly and are full of flavor. Fennel and a slew of Italian seasonings add a nice zip to this burger making the simple roasted vegetables a perfect match for this dish.
Ingredients
Scale
For the burgers:
1 lb ground chicken
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried chives
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
For the veggies:
2 bell peppers (any color), thinly sliced
1 zucchini, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
Instructions
For the Veggies:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Slice the zucchini and bell peppers into thin strips. Toss the veggies with the extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake the veggies for 20-25 minutes.
For the burgers:
While the veggies are baking…Place large skillet over medium high heat. Combine the ground chicken and all the spices. Form into four hamburger shaped patties. I put a little coconut oil spray in the bottom of my skillet so the burgers don’t get stuck to the bottom. Place 2 or 4 patties (depending on the size of your skillet!) on the hot skillet. Cook for about 6 minutes on each side (until the burger has an internal temperature of 165°F).
Serve the burgers on a bun or a bed of romaine lettuce and top with the veggies or serve on the side. Serve with homemade baked potato fries, sweet potato fries, roasted veggies, kale salad, or whatever your heart desires!
Enjoy!
Cook Time:25 mins
Category:low FODMAP, paleo friendly, whole 30
Cuisine:dinner, main dish, chicken, poultry,
Questions of the Day:
What did you do this weekend?
Do you volunteer anywhere? If so, where?
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Yes! I love getting my ground chicken at whole foods!! Love that they tell you what “Step” it is. To me, it’s worth the extra $$$. Thanks! I think Bern is pretty cute too 🙂
HA! Thanks, Lindsey! I was wearing all of my Colorado Hiking gear!! Hiking shorts and a fisherman shirt topped off with my hiking boots 😉 Just trying to look the part!
That cooking class sounds fun. Anything cooking is my thing! And the chicken burgers? I’m dying to try these. I love that you put fennel seeds in them. They are not used enough and one of my favorite things to use.
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That volunteer opportunity sounds like a great fit for you.
Thanks, Abby! I’m really excited about it!
It sounds like I need to try some fennel seed for my heartburn!
YES!! You should totally try 🙂
So glad you’re volunteering with them! I hear good things about them all over the country.
I am so pumped about it Marisa!! It seems like something you would like too 🙂
These look so yummy! I love using ground chicken for burgers and meatballs. Your weekend looked so fun…Bernie is just the cutest 🙂
Yes! I love getting my ground chicken at whole foods!! Love that they tell you what “Step” it is. To me, it’s worth the extra $$$. Thanks! I think Bern is pretty cute too 🙂
That hike looks like a lot of fun! You are such a stylish hiker! Love the outfit!
HA! Thanks, Lindsey! I was wearing all of my Colorado Hiking gear!! Hiking shorts and a fisherman shirt topped off with my hiking boots 😉 Just trying to look the part!
How awesome is that!
And these burgers sounds great!!
That cooking class sounds fun. Anything cooking is my thing! And the chicken burgers? I’m dying to try these. I love that you put fennel seeds in them. They are not used enough and one of my favorite things to use.