Tasty Turkey Burgers with Apple and Fennel

Does the title of this post sound like an oxymoron to you? Then you are the perfect person for this recipe!

I don’t usually eat turkey burgers because they’re often dry or tough and sustainably/morally farmed turkey is hard to find in NC. However, turkey is such a fabulous source of lean protein that I made an effort to find some good-quality ground turkey and create some of my own delicious recipes!

The first recipe up is for a tender, juicy turkey burger. Dicing 1 apple and 1/2 a fennel bulb not only gets moisture into my turkey burgers, but introduces produce as well. These turkey burgers turn up a notch with the addition of a dried apple slice, caramelized red onions, spicy mustard, and brie or cheddar cheese (if you’re into that).

For my tasty turkey burgers, you will need 30 minutes and …

• 1 pound of ground turkey
• 1 apple
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 teaspoon of salt
• 1/2 tablespoon of black pepper
• your desired turkey burger “accoutrements” but I suggest aged cheddar or brie (if you can have cheese!) and caramelized onions (thinly sliced red onion, cooked slowly on the stove top in ghee)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Chop 1 apple ( I used fuji) and 1/2 a fennel bulb into small pieces the size of your pinky nail
3. In a bowl, combine your ground turkey with chopped fennel and apple, and season with salt and pepper. You will use much more pepper to add a kick to your burgers and to limit salt. These flavors speak for themselves!
4. Create patties the size of your palm or fist. 1 pound should make 4 patties.
5. Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or silicon
6. Bake on each side for 10-12 minutes
7. Top your burger as desired and eat over salad!