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This Turkey Burger comes from the new cookbook The Fresh 20, by Melissa Lanz. The book is based on the philosophy she developed for her online web service that focuses on a whole foods lifestyle for busy people. The result is a book filled with real food for real families.

Which is why I would describe this book more as a lifestyle guide than traditional cookbook. Although recipes make up the core of the collection, it’s also filled with everything from meal planning suggestions to tips on choosing and assembling ingredients– as well as common sense scheduling advice. All designed to help even the busiest among get a healthful meal on the table five nights a week.

Melissa writes that she was “raised on Swanson TV dinners” but soon developed a keen interest in cooking for herself and her family. Her obvious talents in the kitchen and her love of food however didn’t initially line up in a way that made her “mindful” of the food choices she made. Comfort food and aimless snacking led to poor eating habits. Eventually she made the connection between what she ate and how she felt.

This realization led to a transition from processed food to fresh fare. She wrote this book to convince other people that they can do it too. Her simple plans for bringing tasty meals to the table that are never boring will help you save time, save money and avoid waste.

The book is divided into four seasons. This helps the reader think seasonally and plan accordingly. In fact each chapter starts with a simple list of the best of the seasonal produce. Memorize a few of your favorites and you’re well on your way to success. Delve a little deeper and you’ll see that there are several sample menus for each season. Each highlighting an entire week of delicious family friendly fare. She lays out all the details necessary to get the job done with minimal hassle too. From shopping lists and make ahead tips to equipment and health advice. There’s something for everyone to learn. She proves it with real examples from real families whose biographies and personal stories make this book truly inspirational.

Turkey Burger

I chose the Fresh 20 Turkey Burger from one of her summer menus. I chose it not so much because I needed a new turkey burger recipe. I chose it because there was a lesson in this recipe for me too. One I hadn’t expected. I’d never considered putting the cheese inside a turkey burger. Her simple tips and easy to follow directions showed me the way. Something for everyone indeed.  GREG

Cookbook cover photography © Trent Lanz. All other photos © Greg Henry

Expand Recipe…

The Fresh 20 Turkey Burger 

By: Greg Henry

Print This Recipe Total time 30 minutes Yield 4Source Melissa Lanz, The Fresh 20Published July 12, 2013

Melissa’s bread crumb recipe is made from 1 crisply toasted whole wheat hamburger bun ground in a blender until mealy in texture.

Excerpted from The Fresh 20, © 2013 by Melissa Lanz. Reproduced by permission of William Morrow. All rights reserved.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• ½ cup bread crumbs (see notes)
• ½ lemon (juice only)
• ½ green bell pepper (finely chopped)
• 1 tablespoon shredded fresh basil
• 2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 4 thin slices provolone cheese
• 4 whole wheat hamburger buns (split and toasted)
• pantry dressing and/or ketchup, homemade or organic store-bought (the pantry dressing & homemade ketchup recipes are available in Melissa’s book)
• 4 butter lettuce leaves
• 1 medium tomato (sliced)

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Directions

Preheat an outdoor grill (or alternatively use a grill pan, I did. GREG).

Combine the turkey, bread crumbs, lemon juice, green bell pepper, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl and mix well.

Divide the turkey mixture into 8 equal portions and form into thin patties. Place 1 slice of the cheese on top of a turkey patty and place a second patty on top; seal the patties at the edges to enclose the cheese. Repeat to form the remaining 3 burgers.

Grill the burgers until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Spread a tablespoon of dressing (or homemade ketchup, or both) on the bottom of each toasted bun. Top with the burgers, garnish with the lettuce and tomato, and add the tops of the buns.