Mushroom burger

  So I have always been a pretty healthy individual, striving to be the best physically fit I can be. I was a multi-sport athlete in high school, went to college to play football, and then straight off to the Marines. So I have always had a pretty physically demanding life style. One day - while contracting - I realized something, which was my belly had become bigger than I liked. Right then and there, on that ship in the middle of the Gulf of Oman, I decided I would have a six pack once again. I began following a gentlemen by the name of Craig Ballantyne - creator of Turbulence Training. I followed his workouts to the "T", not missing one second or one repetition of an exercise. As soon as I got off the plane back on American soil, I knew the game was on with my diet. I began eating extremely clean and healthy, only organic and raw food, lean proteins and the occasional complex carbohydrate to fuel my next workout. I saw a recipe from Craig called the 5-Napkin Bunless Burger, and as soon as I finished the article I sprinted to the store. I picked up the ingredients, lit the charcoal on that muggy summer afternoon, and began preparation of the most epic, messy, tasty and healthy turkey burger I have ever eaten in my life. I remember talking to my wife in excitement as I squished the cold turkey meat in between my fingers. The summers breeze was blowing the grills smoke through the open kitchen window, where I was furiously patting the burgers flat. I knew it was time to grill. Roughly 40 minutes later my family and I were partaking in one of our favorite meals for the first time. Once I had complied all of the vegetables and meat on the perfectly charred garlic portabella mushroom caps, I knew I had to send a picture to the gentlemen that had given me the idea. I posted the picture on Craig's Facebook page I followed. He went on to use my picture in another article he wrote over the majestic 5-Napkin Bunless Burger. So if you are ready to try something new and healthy follow the instructions below.

Ingredients:

2lb Ground Lean Turkey

6 Portabella Mushroom Cap

3 Cups Spinach Leafs

2 Avocados

1 Tomato

1 Shredded Carrot

1tbsp salt

1tbsp pepper

1 cup of barbeque sauce of your choice  (I prefer Hot and Spicy Sweet Baby Rays)

Garlic Salt

Coconut Oil Paste

While you are mixing your ingredients heat up your grill. If you are using a charcoal grill - which is the best way to grill - make sure your coals are grey before placing the burgers on to cook. If you place your coals only on one side of the grill, your no coal side can be use for indirect heat.

Recipe will make roughly three burgers

Directions:

Take one large mixing bowl and place the ground turkey in it. Mix salt, pepper, shredded carrot - this keeps the turkey moist while cooking - and BBQ sauce. Mix with your hands until it becomes a sticky and smooth consistency - besides the pieces of carrot. Take about a handful of the turkey mixture and pat them into patties. Next, take the portabella mushroom caps and spread the coconut oil paste on both sides generously. Sprinkle garlic salt on each side for taste. Once the grill is hot, place patties on direct heat - over the coals - and cook each side for roughly five minutes, or until there are good char marks. After you have cooked each side for the five minutes, place the burgers on indirect heat - off of the coals  - and place the portabella mushroom caps on direct heat. Cook each side until there are good char markings. Once both sides are done place the mushroom caps on indirect heat - off the coals. Occasionally flip the turkey patties and mushroom caps while they are on indirect heat, and they should cook for around twenty more minutes or until the middle of the patty is grey - 165 degrees Fahrenheit. While you are waiting for everything to get done on the grill began mashing avocados and cutting the tomato into slices. Once the meat is at the appropriate internal temperature pull everything off of the grill.

Now the fun begins! Place a mushroom cap on your plate. Put the turkey patty, raw spinach, avocado and tomato on top of it. Have fun and place it in any order your heart desires, and then top it off with the last mushroom cap. Enjoy! Be prepared though, because this is a messy - yet delicious - meal.

Reflection

     So as I look back from the start of this assignment,  to now, I realize it is becoming easier for me to put my thoughts on paper. Although I have to be extremely interested - even enthusiastic- about the topic, I am able to express myself.  I find myself less frustrated when dealing with writing also. At the beginning of this blog/journal assignment I would stare at my computer screen, angry, dreading what I was about to partake in. Now, I see it as a sort of release. If I have had a rough day, and need to vent, I go to my blog sight and begin to type away my frustrations. It is like the computer screen is my shrink, and I have nothing to worry about while writing. My shrink will not judge me for missing a comma, a misspelled word, or a sentence fragment. I am free to express myself.

     At the beginning of this blog assignment I had shackled my thoughts inside my mind, afraid to let them out. I didn't understand how to put everything into words on the paper. With our reading lessons, some practical application, and a whole lot of practice, I believe I have broken free from those chains. I know I still have a lot of work to do - fine tuning my skills - but now know there is light at the end of the tunnel.

     This blog has actually had a practical application in my life as well. I had a presentation due for work the other week, and had  a co worker proof read it for me. He is a self proclaimed "grammar Nazi" and could not find anything wrong on my PowerPoint. I still understand I am horrible with grammar, but will give credit to my blog for helping me with punctuation.