Turkey Burgers and Black Eyed Pea Salad

I love turkey burgers! I used to buy them frozen from Trader Joe's or Costco. They are both delicious and packed with tons of lean protein. I attempted my first real, fresh turkey burger recently and it came out magnificent! It tastes completely different from anything frozen and is very inexpensive. I get my ground turkey from Trader Joe's for $2.99/lb. You can make 4 burgers with just one pound of turkey. Each burger has about 21 grams of protein.

Turkey Burger Ingredients:

* 1 lb of ground turkey

* 1 cup of diced onions

* Salt

* Black pepper

* Olive oil

Season the ground turkey with salt and pepper. Then, take a cup of chopped up onions and mix it into the meat. Split it up into four equal parts and roll each into a ball. Flatten it out to make it into a burger. Place it on a grill or pan with a little olive oil. The heat should be set to medium. When you notice the burger changing color, flip it over and crank the heat up higher. Cook until it becomes charred. Flip it over one more time to char the other side. Don't poke the burger as this will take the juices out and then you'll be left with a dry burger. Nobody likes a dry burger! Let it cool for 2 minutes and slice it up.

Black Eyed Pea Salad Ingredients:

* ½ pound of black eyed peas (if you use dry) or 2 cans

* 5 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice

* 1 tablespoon of honey

* 1 teaspoon of salt

* 1 teaspoon of black pepper

* ½ teaspoon ground cloves

* ¼ cup olive oil

* 1 cup diced celery

* 1 cup grape tomato halves

* 1 cup diced red bell peppers

* ½ cup diced red onions

* ½ cup cut up scallions (optional for more spice)

I know this looks like a lot of ingredients but it is mainly a ton of vegetables, which makes this dish not only super healthy but colorful and crunchy! It is a great source of complex carbohydrates and packed with plenty of fiber. The softness of the black eyed peas and the crispness of the vegetables really complement each other. If you decide to use dry peas, make sure to soak them over night. That way it softens and shortens the amount of time you need to boil it. Otherwise, go with the canned peas if you forget or are short on time. If you do boil it, be sure to cool the beans down and rinse them in cold water as this is a cold dish.

There is no real science to this one. Take fresh lemon juice, honey, olive oil, ground cloves, salt and pepper and wisk it up. Add the black eyed peas, celery, tomatoes, red bell pepper, red onions, and scallions for extra heat. Mix it up all up together with a large spoon and add any extra salt and pepper to taste. That's it! Serve it together with the ground turkey burgers and enjoy!