Greek Burgers with Lemon Dill Sauce

We have been trying to make healthier food choices this year. We've loosely been following the Mediterranean diet. In googling meal ideas, a recipe for Greek burgers popped up. I originally passed it by since red meat is supposed to be limited on the Mediterranean diet but I couldn't stop thinking about them so I decided to make it one of our splurge meals. To make it a little healthier, I used whole wheat pitas, piled on the fresh veggie toppings, and used low fat yogurt in the sauce. 

Greek Burgers

with Lemon Dill Sauce

Ingredients                                                       Directions

Sauce:                                                                      

• 4 tablespoons dill                                                  In a mixing bowl, mix together all

• 1/2 cup Greek yogurt                                           sauce ingredients except water.

• 12 tablespoons mayo or miracle whip                Add water by 1/2 teaspoonful until

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice                                   you get the consistency of a thick

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder                                drizzle. Refrigerate.

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder                                

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• water

Burgers:

• 1 pound ground beef                                           In a separate bowl, combine beef,

• 1 pound ground lamb                                         lamb, red onion, oregano, and

• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced                         salt and pepper. Divide the meat 

• 3 tablespoons oregano                                       mixture into 8 patties. Grill burgers

• salt and pepper, to taste                                    until internal temperate reaches 160°.

Toppings:

• 4 whole wheat pita pockets, halved                 Place burgers in pita halves with

• tomato, sliced                                                     tomato, onion, cucumber, feta

• red onion, sliced                                                 and the lemon dill sauce.

• cucumber, sliced

• lettuce                                               

• crumbled feta                                                     

 

Notes

Pairs well with Greek fries dipped in the lemon dill sauce and a green salad. 

Sauce recipe can be halved if just using it for the burgers. 

Picnic Pasta Salad

 We were taking dinner to some friends who just had a new baby. Sandwich rolls were rising and about to go into the oven, shredded beef was in the crockpot, and I went into my pantry to retrieve the potatoes, to peel and chop for mashed potatoes. But the potatoes (that I had only gotten in my grocery pick-up order two days before) were moldy! I didn't have time to run out and get more so I started searching the fridge, freezer, and pantry to find a replacement side. We had the ingredients for macaroni salad except macaroni pasta but I did have a box of Banza chickpea cavatappi so I renamed it picnic pasta salad and got to work.

I didn't have a lot of extra time so I threw the salad together using several recipes for inspiration, packed up the food, and headed off to deliver the meal. When I got back home, Andrew was devouring a serving, telling me I needed to keep the recipe. Eek! So the next week, I tried making it again. It was close but not quite there. The following week I needed to bring a side to a family dinner so I tried again, and again it was close but not quite. The next time was a success and we had our recipe. 

Picnic Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound chickpea pasta

• 1/2 cup celery, diced

• 1/2 cup carrot, shredded

• 1/4 cup red onion, diced

• 3 pickle spears, diced

• 3 hard boiled eggs, diced

• 1 cup miracle whip

• 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard

• 2 teaspoons celery seed

• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Boil pasta according to package directions, let cool.

2. Combine pasta, celery, carrot, onion, pickle, and egg. 

3. In a separate bowl, combine dressing ingredients. 

4. Add dressing to the pasta until moist. 

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Note

I prefer to use chickpea pasta but any short pasta will work. 

Mediterranean Farro Bowls

Farro is one of my family's favorite ingredients. Both of my toddlers eat it which makes it an obvious win. Farro is wheat grain with a nutty flavor and a chewy texture. It's a healthier alternative to rice. It's a nice side for grilled chicken and a veggie in the summer, a good addition to soups in the winter, and makes a good base for a grain bowl. 

My husband asks for Mediterranean farro bowls often and it's a quick and easy dinner to put together. In our family everyone builds their own individual bowls to their preference, but you can also serve them premade.  

Mediterranean Farro Bowls 

Ingredients

• 1 15.5oz can chickpeas

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

• 4 1/2 tablespoons Greek seasoning

• 2 cups farro

• 4 cups water

• 1 cup tomatoes, diced

• 1 cucumber, diced

• 1 jar feta stuffed olives

• Greek salad dressing

• tzatziki sauce

• 1 lemon, wedged

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Drain chickpeas and blot dry with paper towels. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Drizzle olive oil and 1/2 tablespoon of Greek seasoning over chickpeas and stir to coat. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes.

2. While the chickpeas are cooking, combine farro, water, and the rest of the Greek seasoning in the bowl of an instant pot. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 5-10 minutes before quickly releasing. 

3. Dice the tomato and cucumber.

4. To serve, start with a base of farro at the bottom of the bowl, drizzle with Greek dressing to taste, then add a scoop of chickpeas, tomato, cucumber, and olives. Top with your favorite tzatziki sauce, and a squeeze of lemon juice. 

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Note

If you are serving to a crowd or if your family has different likes, serve all the pieces separately and let everyone make their own bowl. 

Welcome!

 I'm Kati.

I'm happily married to the love of my life, Andrew and together we have two children, Caleb (2 1/2) and Ellie (1 1/2). We live in the south where my husband is a professor and I'm a stay-at-home mom.

For as long as I can remember, my dream was to be a stay-at-home mother and homemaker. 

I aspire to create a haven of rest for my family and those we invite into our home by cooking meals for my family, hosting, keeping a clean and orderly house, teaching our children to have a love of learning, and most importantly growing in my love for the Lord.

My goal for this blog:

• Share recipes, meal plans, and homemaking ideas that feed our physical comforts.
• Have a place to share thoughts and ideas to feed our spiritual selves.
• Talk about books, habits, and homeschooling to feed our minds.