California Turkey Burgers and Baked Onion Rings

Okay, the cliche of "California" style foods is no more accurate than bastardized versions of Pan-Asian fusion a la Guy Fieri or the latest "Asian" potato chip flavor. Slap some avocado or organic, free range sprouts on anything you see and it's suddenly Californian. But I have to say, it's pretty damned delicious.For our first Healthy Month entry, aside from the awesome contest, we wanted to make a recipe that wasn't stylistically different from anything we'd normally eat yet had some tweaks that would reduce the calories and fat. So we agreed on California turkey burgers with baked onion rings- surprisingly filling and absolutely excellent. One burger and nine onion rings clocks in at around 600 calories- at Red Robin, that same meal (with less meat!) will clock in at 1342 calories per person. California Turkey Burgers
Ingredients (serves 2)
3/4 pound of 99% fat free ground turkey
2 tablespoons salt-free seasoning (We used Mrs. Dash hamburger seasoning)
2 hamburger buns
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chili flakes
1/2 avocado, sliced
2 slices of reduced fat pepper jack cheese
2 tablespoons of spicy mayonnaise or mustard

1. Mix your seasoning and turkey together and shape into patties of your desired shape and size. Put them back in the refrigerator to chill. Heat up oil and chili flakes in a pan until hot and place each bun half in the pan to grill.
2. When the buns are crispy and toasted, take them off the heat and top with mayo and a few pieces of sliced avocado. Start cooking your turkey patties.
3. Turkey patties will be finished when they are crispy and juicy on both sides and are no longer pink in the middle. Lower your heat and place cheese on top. Cover your pan and let the burgers simmer until the cheese melts, and then place them on the buns and serve hot.Baked Onion Rings (adapted from For the Love of Cooking)
Ingredients (serves 2)
1 large yellow onion
1/2 cup of flour
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of milk
1 egg
2 cups of panko bread crumbs

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. Cut your onion into thick rings and toss with salt, pepper, and flour until evenly coated.
2. Mix together your egg and milk and place panko in separate bowl. Spray a cookie sheet with baking spray and in a three step process, dip your floured rings in the egg and milk, the panko, and then place them on the cookie sheet. You want them to be evenly coated and not too wet, but it's a pretty messy process.
3. Once the sheet is full, bake the rings for ten minutes and then flip them over. Bake for another ten minutes or until brown on the outside and serve hot. These are extremely crispy, even the next day around, and have a flavor similar to their fried counterparts with far fewer calories.