Spicy guacamole and kale burger

I get these occasional cravings for sauces like salsa, guacamole, sour cream... and when those cravings set in, it's impossible not to satisfy them..! I made this burger when one of those cravings got particularly bad, who says you can only have salsa and guacamole with Tacos?? Probably no one, but especially not me. Put it on a burger and call it fusion! There's nothing better. Like that Anthony Bourdain, Parts Unknown episode where he visits Korea Town in L.A, goes to Sizzler and has Italian meatball tacos that made my mouth water! I made them immediately and they tasted as amazing as they sounded. Don't underestimate the power of random fusion! Like he says "No one judges at Sizzler". Will have to get that recipe down in the blog as well! I'll save it for a later date. Here's the video of it from the show, for those who are too curious to wait for my version of it: 

Whats not to like?? Meatballs, good! Tacos, good! Guacamole, good!! (A Joey reference for all those of you who aren't as die hard Friends fans as I am). Anyway, here's what you need to make my Spicy Guacamole and Kale burger: 

The Burger:

ca 500 g minced meat

2-3 eggs depending on how fatty the minced meat is

ca 125 g breadcrumbs

salt and pepper, and some water if needed

The Guacamole:

2 avocados

chili

lemon

grarlic

salt and pepper

The Tomato Salsa:

Tomatoes

Red onion

Chili

balsamic vinegar, to taste

coriander

salt and pepper

Sriracha HOT chili sauce

green kale

chèvre cheese

The How: 

Mix the minced meat with breadcrumbs, eggs and a bit of water if needed. Season with salt and pepper. 

Make into patties, make sure they're even and not too thick as the cooking time will then vary too much and the burger will end up burnt on the outside and raw on the inside (you learn from your mistakes..!).

Finely chop garlic and chili, squeeze the lemon juice and mix together with the avocado for the guacamole. If you want a smoother guacamole use a hand mixer, otherwise just use a spoon or a fork for a chunky version (I love the chunks!).

Finely chop the red onion, chili, tomatoes and coriander. Mix together and add balsamic vinegar if you like, salt and pepper. Let stand in the fridge for at least 10 minutes so that all the flavors are drawn out. 

Wash and chop the kale, heat the burger bun or bread quickly in the oven or in a pan.  

Now the order: 

Bread, Sriracha HOT chili sauce, green kale, burger, chèvre cheese, salsa, guacamole, bread. 

DONE.

Blackened chicken drumstick with sweet potato fries, kale salad & yogurt sauce

Kale; the super food that has recently turned up on almost every foodies and health freak blog in every shape and form. Chips, in a smoothie, various pie constellations and just the way it is, raw. I'm surprised no ones made a kale cupcake yet. Oh wait! I take that back, according to Brooklyn Magazine, "Kale Cupcakes Are a Thing", read their post about them here. I'm not surprised, why not do a mash-up of two foodie trends? I'm just pissed I didn't think of it first. More and more people are getting hooked on the kale trend; what kind of foodie would I be if I didn't join the craze?

I went with a kale salad to match this blackened chicken and sweet potato fries, because to be honest, you really don't have to do much with kale. It tastes great just the way it is (you can always dress it up a bit like Cupcakes and Kale has done, with apples and walnuts. See her recipe here!). Add a bit of olive oil and some freshly squeezed lemon juice if you like and you're all set for a salad packed with fiber, protein, iron, magnesium, vitamin A, C, B6 and calcium, to name just a few. You can read more about it here.

The What

4 portions

4 chicken drumsticks

2 large sweet potatoes

4 handfuls of kale

Greek yogurt

feta cheese

fresh thyme

Marinade

1 dl olive oil

½ dl soy sauce

2 tbsp honey

1-2 garlic cloves

salt & pepper

The How

Mix the marinade in a large plastic bag or in two smaller bags. Add the chicken. The marinade should completely cover the chicken. Close the bags and leave in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, turning the bags once. 

Set the oven to 200 degrees. 

Cut the sweet potatoes into sticks, I cut mine a bit bigger than regular fries, but you can do as you like. Keep in mind that thinner fries have a tendency to get dry faster so keep an eye on them in the oven. Spread the fries on an oven tray, season with salt & pepper as well as chili flakes, if you like. Drizzle over olive oil and put in the oven for about 20 minutes, depending on the size. 

Put the chicken in an oven safe dish and set in the oven. The chicken is done when the juice is clear, the meat is white and comes easily off the bone. If you're unsure, cut one open and check. Better safe than sorry! 

Crumble the feta cheese, add the yogurt and some pepper. Mix together and top with fresh thyme. 

Serve with the kale salad, just as it is or with some freshly squeezed lemon, olive oil and salt & pepper. 

Kale and Spinach Stuffed Portabello Mushroom topped with Feta Cheese - or Brunch!

There are very few things that are better than a home made Sunday Brunch. No stress, no musts and no hectic weekday schedule to follow. The thing with brunch is that you want a lot of food that doesn't take all morning to make and that you can sit and enjoy for a couple of hours. This stuffed portabello was easy and fast to make and will definitely be making more frequent appearances on our brunch table in the future!

The What

1 portabello mushroom per person (we were two)

2 handfuls of spinach

fresh green kale

2 cloves of garlic

chili flakes

salt and pepper

olive oil

feta cheese

The How

Set the oven to 200 degrees.

Sear the spinach and kale in a pan along with coarsely chopped garlic, chili flakes and salt and pepper. 

Stuff the mushrooms with the spinach and kale, top with feta cheese. 

Put in the oven and bake until the feta cheese is melted and has a little color. 

Easy and fast, and you know what? It tastes amazing. Really gets your taste buds dancing in the morning!

Eat it as it is or together with other brunch dishes like chevré and sun-dried tomato omelette or with a side of smoked salmon. Anything goes during brunch!