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My husband has been on a health kick lately. I love it. He’s really making an effort to cut back on calories, make better food choices and squeezing in exercise throughout the day. He’s taking walks around his building during restroom breaks, and trying to get a two mile walk around the neighborhood in the evenings as well as getting to the gym to hit the elliptical or play basketball with our son on the weekends. It all adds up!

Him being on a health kick gives me more motivation to put together healthier meals for us to eat together. We are trying to lighten things up wherever we can and using bison in place of our regular ground beef is one way we can lighten up our burgers on the grill. Since bison is pricier than ground beef, this is a treat for us that we look forward to whenever we can.

Where to buy ground bison for this recipe?

I have been buying bison meat from Costco regularly, but have seen it at my local grocery store (although in much smaller packages) as well as Fresh Market and Whole Foods.

Healthy Bison Burger Ingredients

I like to keep my burger seasonings pretty simple so that you really enjoy the flavor of the beef you are cooking with.

• ground bison
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• your favorite barbecue sauce, for basting

The toppings though, that is where you can have fun. I love adding caramelized onions to my burgers and of course cheese!

How To Cook Bison Burgers On The Grill

1. In a large mixing bowl, gently combine ground bison with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Divide meat mixture into 5 even sections and form into patties. When forming, gently press down your thumb in center to help keep it’s shape and avoid turning into a meatball on the grill.
2. Pre-heat your grill to medium high heat. Place burgers on grill. Cook for 6-7 minutes on each side (for medium well – well done burgers) or 4-5 minutes for juicier, medium burgers. After first flip, brush cooked side liberally with your favorite barbecue sauce. Once burger is cooked through, quickly flip and brush other side before taking off the grill. Transfer to top rack of grill (or plate) and place a slice of pepper jack cheese on each burger.
3. For serving: Place each burger with cheese on your hamburger bun. Top with extra barbecue sauce (if desired), caramelized onions and shredded lettuce. Dig in.

Along with the extra exercise, packed lunches and a little extra involvement with meal planning and creating recipes are part of this health kick too. That’s where this burger comes in. I know ground buffalo (bison) has been around for a while, but it’s not something I’ve ever cooked with at home. My husband has enjoyed a healthy bison burger at a local restaurant a few times and asked if we could grill some up at home. Buffalo is a leaner type of ground beef and a great alternative when looking to indulge in a hamburger.

Burger Recipes To Try:

Smoky BBQ Turkey Burger Sliders

Bruschetta Patty Melts

East Meets West Burger

Sanford Burgers

Love cooking with bison like I do? Try these recipes using bison:

Sweet Potato Bison Shepherd’s Pie

Bison Black Bean Chili

Bison and Brown Rice Stuffed Peppers

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Grilled Barbecue Bison Burger

• Author: Aggies Kitchen
• Yield: 4-5 burgers
• Category: Burger
• Method: Grill
• Cuisine: American

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Try a lean Grilled Barbecue Bison Burger for a healthier alternative to your traditional hamburger – they are juicy and flavorful with less guilt!

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Ingredients

• 1.5 lb ground bison (or buffalo) meat
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• good pinch coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• your favorite barbecue sauce, for basting

For serving:

• 5 slices of pepper jack cheese
• hamburger buns
• shredded lettuce
• caramelized onions (see this post for instructions on how to caramelize onions)
• barbecue sauce

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Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, gently combine ground bison with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Divide meat mixture into 5 even sections and form into patties. When forming, gently press down your thumb in center to help keep it’s shape and avoid turning into a meatball on the grill.
2. Pre-heat your grill to medium high heat. Place burgers on grill. Cook for 6-7 minutes on each side (for medium well – well done burgers). After first flip, brush cooked side liberally with your favorite barbecue sauce. Once burger is cooked through, quickly flip and brush other side before taking off the grill. Transfer to top rack of grill (or plate) and place a slice of pepper jack cheese on each burger.
3. For serving: Place each burger with cheese on your hamburger bun. Top with extra barbecue sauce (if desired), caramelized onions and shredded lettuce. Dig in.

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Almost every time my sister in law Jamie comes to visit, she brings a cooler of fresh seafood from the Gulf.

You see, she lives up in the Panhandle of Florida, and has access to some of the best, freshest fish and seafood that I have ever tasted. You would think that living anywhere in Florida would give you the same access, but unfortunately in the Central Florida area where I live, good seafood is hard to come by.

Jamie get’s her seafood from a shop in Pensacola called Joe Patti’s and I’m not kidding you when I say it’s right on the water, with boats coming in and out of the dock adjacent to it packed with fish and shrimp from just miles off shore. The prices are great, and it is always such a treat to walk in there and see what they have freshly caught in their cases.

Yes, I have major Joe Patti envy.

SHRIMP SALAD RECIPE

Jamie has been making the best shrimp salad for as long as I can remember. I get excited when she mentions she’s going to make it on her visits because it’s honestly one of my favorite ways to eat shrimp. She dresses it very simply, with just a bit of mayo, fresh lemon juice, celery and of course Old Bay seasoning. Using Old Bay while cooking up the shrimp is key to this recipe.

What’s in shrimp salad?

Shrimp salad ingredients are simple! You steam fresh shrimp first in a mixture of water, vinegar and Old Bay seasoning. Once the shrimp is cooled down you toss it with:

• mayo
• coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
• celery
• lemon
• Old Bay seasoning

How do you make shrimp salad?

1. Steam shrimp in large pot with water, vinegar and old bay for 2 -3 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Drain and set aside to chill. (You can do all of this ahead of time and put in refrigerator). Peel and devein shrimp, then chop. Add shrimp to a large mixing bowl.
2. To chopped shrimp add mayo (start with 1/4 cup, add more if needed), celery, salt and lemon. Gently combine and sprinkle a bit of Old Bay to shrimp mixture and taste. Add more salt or Old Bay if needed.
3. Enjoy on rolls, rye bread or on it’s own over a bed of greens.

How do you make a good shrimp sandwich?

Shrimp salad makes great sandwiches. We love serving shrimp salad on fresh bakery rolls. Once the shrimp salad is prepared, scoop it into a fresh roll and top with lettuce and tomato if you like. Such a great lunch on a hot summer day!

My favorite way to eat Jamie’s Shrimp Salad – open faced on fresh rye bread with sliced summer tomatoes and of course, potato chips.

FAMILY

We always have fun when Jamie’s family comes to visit. Her girls are teenagers now and my kids just love being with them playing board games, swimming, painting nails, putting together puzzles or watching movies…and even partaking in a little karaoke. Some of our favorite memories are with Jamie and her family.

Gotta love a good time with the cousins. And yes, that big kid in the picture is my husband performing Earth, Wind & Fire’s September with little help from the kids.

Do yourself a favor. Find yourself some good fresh shrimp and make this salad for dinner. It screams summer and you will love it.

Enjoy … and Happy Summer!

If you love shrimp like I do, try these shrimp recipes:

Mango Salsa Shrimp Tacos with Avocado 

Cajun Shrimp and Cauliflower Rice Stir Fry

Skinnytaste Zoodles with Shrimp and Feta.

If you try this recipe, please let me know! Leave a comment, rate it (after you’ve tried it) and take picture and tag it #aggieskitchen on Instagram. I’d love to see it what you’re cooking!

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Jamie’s Shrimp Salad Recipe

• Author: Aggies Kitchen
• Yield: 6-8 servings

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Ingredients

• 3 lbs fresh shrimp (with shell)
• 3–4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup white vinegar

For the salad:

• 1/4–1/3 cup light mayo
• good pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 – 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• Old Bay, to taste

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Instructions

1. Steam shrimp in large pot with water, vinegar and old bay for 2 -3 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Drain and set aside to chill. (You can do all of this ahead of time and put in refrigerator). Peel and devein shrimp, then chop and place in large mixing bowl.
2. To chopped shrimp add mayo (start with 1/4 cup, add more if needed), celery, salt and lemon. Gently combine and sprinkle a bit of Old Bay to shrimp mixture and taste. Add more salt or Old Bay if needed.
3. Enjoy on rolls, rye bread or on it’s own over a bed of greens.

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If you asked my family what they want to eat on Game Day, they will more than likely answer burgers. We tend to grill burgers at least once a week, especially in the fall when the weather in Florida is actually comfortable to grill out in. I love playing around with burger creations, and these Italian Turkey Sausage Sliders were most definitely a hit and will be making a regular appearance on the burger rotation at our house.

What’s great about these burgers are that they are lighter than your typical burger, for a few reasons. For one, they are smaller (hence the term sliders). They are also made with a blend of leaner ground turkey sausage and chopped mushrooms using the Blend method. The Blend method adds chopped mushrooms to the meat mixture, enhancing the texture and flavor while lightening them up and adding nutrients. Read more about how blending mushrooms into your meals makes them better here.

Grab my recipe for these juicy Italian Turkey Sausage Sliders over on The Mushroom Channel blog today!

You still have time until the end of the month to share your own blended burger creations on Instagram by tagging your photo with #GameDayBlend for a chance to win a pretty sweet Tailgate Prize Pack! See details here.

(Disclosure:  I am in a partnership with The Mushroom Council and am compensated for my time in creating recipes for their blog. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Aggie’s Kitchen!)

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This post is sponsored by Sabra.

I don’t know about you, but I am always happy when I spot lighter fare at parties or get togethers. Especially in January. Or February. Or let’s just say all of the time. It’s hard to pass up pizza and cheesy dips, but if I could fill my plate up with as many veggies and bite sized sandwiches like these Buffalo Hummus Chicken Salad Roll Ups then I’m a happy girl.

I’ve always had a thing for roll ups, like the ones you find at Costco? They are so good! Not only are they fun to eat (substantial finger food), but they are so easy to make. You can fill them up with pretty much anything and add some fresh veggies and you are good to go. I filled these tasty little roll ups with some of my favorite flavors – buffalo sauce, hummus, and chicken salad. I love chicken salad and discovered the amazing hummus for mayo swap a few years ago, if you haven’t tried it you really must.

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The week between Christmas and New Year’s is my favorite week of the year. I always feel more relaxed, refreshed and ready to take on whatever lies ahead in the start of the new year. I love looking back on the blog while writing posts like this and seeing what I’ve cooked over the last 12 months. For someone who didn’t’t know what to make for dinner more than half of the time, I didn’t do half bad.

I can’t thank you enough for visiting Aggie’s Kitchen for recipes, this blog fulfills me more than you know and I appreciate all my readers, friends and family who have supported it and me over the years. Hope you are enjoying the holiday and I wish everyone the best in the upcoming year. Bring on 2016!

Here are the Top 15 Most Popular Recipes on Aggie’s Kitchen from 2015: 

1. Creamy Avocado Lime Dressing

2. Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup

3. Mexican Slaw Salad with Black Beans

4. Slow Cooker Asian Citrus Pork Tenderloin

5. Honey Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts

6. Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken Melts

7. Strawberry Grapefruit Ginger Smoothie

8. Apple, Celery, Walnut Salad with Honey Dijon Vinaigrette

9. Roasted Red Peppers with Pesto and Goat Cheese

10. Greek Village Salad

11. Almond Peach Kefir Smoothie

12. Taco Turkey Black Bean Rice Bowls

13. Spring Beet and Goat Cheese Salad with Walnuts

14. Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts with Pecans

15. Kale, Red Pepper and Goat Cheese Frittata

From the past:

Best of 2014 – My Favorites and Yours

Best of 2013 – My Favorites and Yours

My 12 Favorite Meals of 2012

Bye Bye 2011

Top 5 Favorites of 2009

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A few summers ago I purchased a very inexpensive panini press. It was a random purchase I made while wandering around Target and has turned into one the smartest random purchases I’ve ever made. I can’t even begin to tell you how much we have used this kitchen gadget over the years. My kids are now obsessed with paninis and not only has my panini press saved me on many occasions where I had nothing but sandwiches planned for dinner but quick paninis have become a lunchtime staple during the summer months.  Something about turning a simple turkey and cheese sandwich into a panini just makes things a bit more exciting I guess…and while everyone else is enjoying their lovely turkey and cheese paninis, I’m getting excited about this Hummus and Veggie Panini I am putting together for myself.

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(This post is sponsored by Naturally Fresh.)

So apparently Super Bowl is just over a week away. And according to my FB feed there may be some drama regarding one of the teams who’s playing in the game? Can someone fill me in? I guess I could always ask 1 of the two devoted sports watchers in the family, my husband and my oldest son. I enjoy sports, I love the Gators and the Magic and will cheer loud and proud for both my teams, but I just can’t keep up with all of it 24/7 like the sport fanatics out there (and in my family).

And that’s totally ok!

I’ll be ready for Super Bowl Sunday, because for me, any big sporting event like the Super Bowl means food, drinks and more food. Right? In case you are wondering, I’m usually in charge of the food and drink category in our house.

How do you typically spend Super Bowl? In the past we’ve had a few people over here and there, but with our kids having to go to school bright and early the next morning, for us it is a bit more low key now. We still watch, and we eat, but the party winds down close to 9pm for the younger set in our house. I may or may not make it much longer after that.

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I have been using my crock pot like a mad woman lately. The last few weeks I’ve used it for several chilis and soups, pulled pork and to cook chicken to use in recipes like these Slow Cooker Pesto Chicken Melts. My crock pot has been a good companion in the kitchen lately that’s for sure.

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This post is sponsored by Fisher Nuts.

Well friends, I’ve jumped on the rotisserie chicken bandwagon, if there is even such a thing. I have never been a big purchaser of rotisserie chicken, only because I’ve always been too lazy to deal with all the bones and such, but I guess you can say my perspective has changed.

Having a freshly precooked chicken available to me is definitely convenient and a huge time saver. The last few weeks I’ve been picking up a chilled rotisserie from the deli and making chicken salad with it. Lots of chicken salad. It’s been nice…real nice. A great change up in the sandwich category in our house. 🙂

I’m excited to share today’s recipe with you because it’s the first of several recipes that I will be working on with Fisher Nuts. You may recall I worked with Fisher Nuts last year and shared this Autumn Spinach Salad with Pecan Vinaigrette, these Gingerbread Spiced Nuts, and this Honey Nut Cocoa Crunch Granola with you all.

Nuts are a staple in my kitchen so it’s a no brainer when it comes to developing recipes featuring them. Fisher Nuts are preservative free and can pretty much be found everywhere. Follow the hashtag #ThinkFisher on social media for more recipes!

This salad was inspired by a chicken salad I used to always buy at my local grocery store deli that was made with tarragon and sliced almonds. I was obsessed with this chicken salad for years and lived off of it back in my post college days. I would purchase a container of it along with some fresh crusty bread and wine and that would be my dinner in front of the television after a long day at work.

I’m happy that I’m finally making my own version of it, even if it is 15+ years later….better late than never! I added some extra crunch and seasonal flavor by including chopped Granny Smith apples to the salad. I love apples in the fall, especially in salads.

This rotisserie chicken salad with apples recipe is perfect to serve while watching an afternoon football game this fall. It’s light and can be made ahead which is always a good thing. Prepare your chicken salad ahead of time then just assemble into sandwiches using small crusty mulitgrain rolls from the bakery and some fresh arugula. Or you can always turn it into a light weeknight dinner during the busy school year.

Of course it would be great in lunch boxes too. 🙂

Enjoy this Rotisserie Chicken Salad with Apples and Almonds recipe and hope everyone is having a great week!

If you’re looking for more ideas with what to do with your rotisserie chicken here are 20 healthy recipes using shredded chicken to help you out!

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Once upon a time, on a hot Saturday afternoon during the summer, I had a craving for a Cuban sandwich. Let me remind you that I was pregnant at the time so this craving obviously needed to be fulfilled. There was no ignoring it that’s for sure (just ask my husband about that).

Like my previous cheesesteak craving, I decided I had to make my own version of this classic at home. Slightly lighter I guess you could say? Definitely easier. I have nothing against the roast pork that’s in the original version of this sandwich, but it’s not something I tend to cook up at home, especially on a whim. So I improvised with a grocery store staple – the rotisserie chicken. Say hello to these slightly bit lighter versions of one of my favorite sandwiches – Rotisserie Chicken Cuban Sandwiches.

You know what? It worked. We’ve made these sandwiches a few times since that summer day, and have enjoyed them each and every time. They are incredibly easy to put together, and it’s become a weekend meal that my husband can pull together if I’m not in the mood to do any cooking (which lately, I’m not). It’s also the best kind of recipe to follow in my opinion, the one that includes a little of this and a little of that … all to your liking.

Nothing wrong with that, right?

Hope you are having a great week!

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