Before I took the time to develop my own turkey burgers I was always unexcited by the whole turkey burger idea.  This recipe is hugely popular with my friends and family so I am guessing I might not have been the only person looking for a little extra something in my turkey burger.  The good news is that by adding spinach and other veggies to the patties you make these burgers even better for you.  They are simple enough to whip up after a long day and if you are only cooking for one or two people make a whole batch and individually freeze the premade burgers for a quick healthy meal anytime.

I serve my spinach and turkey burgers with a nice flavorful cheese like Irish cheddar or feta, Dijon mustard, mayo, lettuce and tomato on a good bun. If you are counting calories use a low calorie whole wheat English muffin in place of that fluffy bun, and drop the mayo.  Instead of fries we opt for green beans with lemon juice and garlic that are cooked quickly so they retain their crunch. I also will normally also serve up a basic green salad with the burgers, but if you are feeling lazy you can forgo the salad and not feel guilty as there are lots of good veggies in the burgers.  I cook these in the oven most nights, but you can pop them on the grill at a cookout if you so desire.

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Spinach and Turkey Burgers

Ingredients

• 1.5 to 2 lbs ground turkey thawed
• 1 10 oz box chopped frozen spinach thawed
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup flavored bread crumbs
• 1 small onion
• 1 rib of celery
• 1-3 cloves of garlic diced fine
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp your favorite poultry spice or grill rub
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Ground pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Wring all the water out of the spinach. Put all the ingredients into a large bowl. Adjust the garlic and pepper to your preference.
   
2. Mix together with your hands, being sure to break up the spinach so you do not get large clumps of spinach that could cause the burgers to fall apart.
   
3. Do not over work the meat. Form into about 6 equal size burgers and place them on a greased broiler pan.
   
4. Put in the center of the oven and bake until center of a burger is at least 165 degrees about 30-45 minutes. Let them rest for about 5 minutes before you serve.