Tuna & Quinoa Burgers and Zucchini Fries

Recently I was reminded how much food ends up going to waste in our homes and it motivated me to take a closer look at the way I use the food in my kitchen (to be honest, it's mostly for personal budget reasons - thanks for the frugal gene dad!). I decided that this week I would avoid the supermarket and stick to what I already have.

Yesterday I browsed for recipes based on the ingredients next in line to go bad in my kitchen: 1/2 an onion, 2 zucchini, spinach, half a jar of marinara sauce and a box of matzo meal (though not about to go bad, I need to use it up). With only slight alterations and additions, these recipes were the perfect fit (adapted from postings on the MyFitnessPal.com community forums).

 

Tuna & Quinoa Burgers

 This "burger" without a bun was definitely a healthy choice although could have used a little more spice. Next time add some Old Bay seasoning, chopped up pickled jalapenos (they would have been in there trust me, but I was out!) and maybe even add some goat cheese into the actual mix.



Servings: 4
Total time: 55-60 minutes

1/2 cup dry Quinoa
1 cup vegetable broth
1 can tuna in water (drained)
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 an onion
1/2 cup spinach, chopped
1 red pepper, diced
2 Tbsp flax meal (optional)
2-4 Tbsp matzo meal (or flour, bread crumbs, anything that will soak up some of the liquid)
Bread crumbs (1 Tbsp) and crumbled goat cheese (2 Tbsp) to top the patties off

1) Add quinoa, onions, & garlic to your broth and bring to a boil until most of the liquid has absorbed or evaporated, approximately 15-20 minutes.
2) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3) Combine cooked quinoa, veggies, egg and tuna in a large bowl. Add flax meal and flour as necessary to make your mixture into a consistency that is manageable. You don't want it too dry.
4) Form mixture into 4 patties and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. Top patties with bread crumbs and goat cheese the last 10 minutes of baking time.
5) Serve immediately (with sriracha hot sauce, yum!)

Nutrition facts per serving as made (I am a MyFitnessPal junkie & these were calculated using the recipe calculator so actual amounts may vary): 
224 Calories, 28 g Carbs, 6 g Fat, 16 g Protein

Zucchini fries with marinara sauce

These were an excellent substitute (and lower cal) for white or sweet potato fries. I cut them very small but I think making bigger cuts would be best as they shrink when they bake. Experimenting with zucchini pasta might be in order next time!

Servings: 2

2 zucchini cut into strips

1/3 cup liquid egg whites

3/4 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

Your preferred seasoning (garlic salt, seasoned salt, etc.)
Marinara sauce, for dipping

1) Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with foil and spray with a cooking spray such as Pam or Smart Balance.

2) Put egg whites into a bowl and bread crumbs and seasoning into another bowl.

3) Dunk the zucchini into egg whites and then into bread crumbs, coating them as best as possible.

4) Arrange zucchini in a single layer on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through.

Nutrition per serving (not including the marinara dipping sauce):
171 calories, 28g Carbs, 4g fat, 11g protein

For dessert, props go to my roommate who made flourless black bean brownies with her own twist (all from items already in our pantry!). She picked up the recipe from the Practical Stewardship site and used egg whites, agave nectar, added some almond extract, flax seeds and flax seed meal and cinnamon. A high fiber and fairly healthy treat!