How to Make The World's Best Burgers (Keto, Paleo)

The World's Best Burgers

I'm going to share a secret with you that I've never shared publicly before. It's how I make my burgers.

Burgers that are juicy, tender and flavorful.

Burgers that don't "need" a bun, and that certainly don't need to be piled high with extravagant toppings.

I call them "The World's Best Burgers". They're not only incredibly delicious, they're also EASY to make. All you need is ground beef, salt, and a skillet and stove to cook them on.

Sometimes, I like to add a dash of Worcestershire sauce as it gives them an even more umami flavor, but it's totally not necessary. If you want to add a garnish of fresh oregano, perhaps a sprinkle of your favorite cheese like I did today, by all means go for it. But, again, it's not necessary.

So what's my secret?

It's in how you prep - or rather "don't prep"...

1) Barely touch it. Here's what I mean by "barely touch it", and this is key - using your hands, break off a portion of the ground beef (enough for your desired burger size) and gently form it into a burger shape. Lightly touch it when you do this, only enough to shape it. It should take no more than 2-3 seconds to do this. In fact, you could just break off a chunk, and instead of forming it, place the chunk directly into your heated skillet. It just won't look as pretty when you're done.

2) Use at least 85/15 (fatty) ground beef. Preferably, 100% grass-fed and grass-finished beef. The flavor is in the fat, but you also want to be sure you're eating good, clean fat to the best of your ability.

3) Simply season it. Just the outside. Give it a sprinkle of Himalayan pink salt or sea salt on both sides of the patty before placing it in the heated skillet. If you want to add a dash of Worcestershire sauce to the top also, do that once it's in the skillet.

So, you gently make your patties, you sprinkle them with salt, and you cook them in a skillet heated to medium. If you want to add the Worcestershire sauce, you just drizzle a little on each side of the burger once it's in the skillet and let it cook into it. How long you cook them depends on the thickness and your desired doneness. As they're cooking, you can turn them, but don't mash them - you'll squeeze the juiciness right out.

If you want to top with cheese, do that right as they're almost done so it has a chance to melt. Adding a garnish of fresh herbs like oregano right before serving, gives it that extra pop.

Also, if you want to put them on a bun and pile them high with extravagant toppings, you can totally do that. You just don't have to.

Easy Sunday Roast - Paleo, Keto, Low Carb

It's that time of year, even here in Southern California, where a big bowl of hearty and tender roast and root vegetables just hits the spot. I usually make mine in the slow cooker so I can set it and forget it. Doing it this way makes it easy so you can make it any day of the week and come home to a wonderful meal.  But there's something about Sundays and pot roasts that just seem to fit cozily together, so I often make these on the weekend with enough left over to have during the week, too. I like to use the leftover roast to make sandwiches (using my zero net carb Keto Collagen Bread), or tacos usually using jicama tortillas or something grain and gluten free for the shells.

The roast makes its own juices which is flavored perfectly by the veggies and a few simple herbs and seasonings. I recommend using the best quality beef that is available to you (grass-fed, humanely raised, hormone and antibiotic free, local if possible, etc.). This way the beef, as well as the fat and juices are better for you.

Easy Sunday Roast
serves 6-8 with leftovers for round-two meals

3-4 lb grass-fed beef chuck roast
3-4 large organic carrots, cut into small chunks
1 large bunch of organic celery, diced
1/2 organic white or yellow onion, chopped
4 stems fresh organic thyme*
3-4 stems fresh organic oregano*
2 teaspoons organic onion powder
2 teaspoons organic garlic powder
2 teaspoons Himalayan pink salt

Place everything in a slow cooker set to low, cover and cook for 8 hours or until roast is fall apart tender. Finish with flaky sea salt to taste and a garnish of fresh oregano.

You do not need to add any water or anything to your slow cooker as the roast will develop its own juices. However, if desired, you may wish to add a small amount of good quality oil, ghee or butter, if your roast is extra lean.

*To make it easier to remove the stems from the thyme and oregano, you may tie them together in a bunch using kitchen twine, then place in the slow cooker. When it's done you can easily remove and discard what's left of the bunch.

"Texas" Tri-Tip Roast

This is actually my first foray into Tri-Tip territory... crazy, right?

Growing up in Texas (now living in Southern California), you just don't see this particular cut of beef. Brisket is king there. But in California, you see Tri-Tip everywhere! And although I've lived here for many years, I had never tried it nor prepared it. However, last week when I was at my local farmer's market picking up my usual beef selections from the 5 Bar Beef stand, Frank, the proprietor, says to me, "Hey, I have a nice Tri-Tip today, do you want it?"

Without even thinking or asking any questions, I exclaimed "Yes!" Wait. What? I don't even know what it's supposed to taste like. What the heck am I going to do with it? Hmmm. On the plus side, I quickly reasoned in my head:  It's a good value, 100% pasture-raised and grass-fed from a rancher that I trust, and since I now consider myself a "Californian", I didn't want them to revoke my locals card, so I figured, I might as well give it a try.

Why all the fuss over one piece of meat? Well, you can take the girl out of Texas but you can't take the Texas out of the girl and beef is sacred to Texans. You just can't do any old thing to it and expect people to come back over the next time you want to host a backyard bbq. You have to respect the beef. Treat it well. Preserve all the goodness and natural flavor. I didn't want to mess this thing up. So I chose to make a simple dry rub to coat it, then cooked it low and slow.

Admittedly, I unintentionally cooked it to well done (it was still delicious!) when I would have preferred medium, but I've adjusted the cook time below to reflect "medium" rather than what you see in the picture. If you like yours well done, add another 25 minutes or so to the cook time.

"Texas" Tri-Tip Roast
Serves 4
Oven 225 degrees F

1 1/2 lb grass-fed Tri-Tip Roast
1 Tbsp organic onion granules or powder (I like Frontier Co-op)
1 Tbsp organic garlic granules or powder (I like Frontier Co-op)
2 teaspoons organic all-seasons salt (I like Simply Organic)
1 teaspoon organic smoked paprika  (I like Simply Organic)

Pre-heat oven to 225 degrees F.

In a small bowl, mix all of the dry spices together. Rub the spices on all sides of the roast and press on tightly.

Place the roast in a shallow cooking pan, ideally with a small rack inserted to elevate it from the juices. Cover the pan and place in the oven for approximately 1 1/2 hours for medium.

Remove from oven and allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing (against the grain). Be sure to spoon all of the delicious pan drippings over it before serving.

Optional serving suggestion: Finish it with a pat of grass-fed butter and a light sprinkle of smoked sea salt (such as Maldon Smoked Sea Salt). I did this to the leftovers and it was awesome.

Mexican Beef and Bulgur Salad

Bulgur is a healthy whole wheat grain that's low in fat and a great source of fiber and protein. The quick-cooking variety cooks in 12-14 minutes and reminds me of the mild flavor and hearty texture of steel cut oats. It's filling and can be easily transformed to take on the nuances of whatever dish it's used in.

Bob's Red Mill Quick Cooking Bulgur
Net 23 grams carbs per serving (1/4 cup dry), a very filling serving

In this easy and quick recipe, I used RO*TEL Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies plus some additional Mexican seasonings to produce a delicious and hearty one-dish meal in under 30 minutes.

RO*TEL, fresh chopped onions and garlic

Mexican Beef and Bulgur Salad

Serves 4

Ready in Under 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup Bob's Red Mill Quick Cooking Bulgur, prepared according to package directions PLUS add 3/4 teaspoon salt to water before cooking

1 pound lean ground beef

1/2 medium-size onion, chopped

3 to 4 large cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1 can RO*TEL Original Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilies 

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro (leave out if you dislike cilantro)

1 small head iceberg lettuce, rough chopped

Optional Garnish:

low fat Mexican four cheese blend

low fat sour cream

salsa

While bulgur is cooking according to package directions, heat a large non-stick skillet to medium high and add ground beef.   Brown ground beef breaking it up as you go for about 8-10 minutes or until almost fully cooked.

Add onions, garlic, cumin, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Continue cooking over medium high heat, stirring occasionally and allowing onions and garlic to soften and become fragrant, about 3 more minutes.

Add entire can of RO*TEL and fresh cilantro to beef mixture, stir to combine. Reduce heat to medium.

By this time your bulgur should be ready (water fully absorbed).

cooked bulgur

Add bulgur to skillet with beef mixture and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning and add additional salt or pepper if needed.

Remove from heat and serve individually over beds of lettuce. Top with cheese, sour cream, and salsa as desired.

NOTES:

• This mixture is excellent as a leftover and reheated the next day.
• It's also amazing as a burrito filling. Just place in a warm, low carb tortilla, add desired garnishes, wrap and eat. Fat-free refried beans make an excellent additional filling.

Hobo Stew (Beef and Veggies in Foil Packets)

We used to make this when I was a kid - it was economical, easy, and versatile. We called it Hobo Stew, even though it's not a stew at all.  It's a sirloin patty topped with fresh veggies and seasonings, then sealed up in a packet of foil and grilled. Grilling it all together in these packets melds the flavors, caramelizes the beef, and allows all of the juices to stay in tact. It's simple to make, and simply delicious.

They're portable and you can make them in advance, so they're perfect for camping, or cooking out at the beach. When you're ready to cook, you just toss the packets on the grill. No turning, no watching. And at 30-45 minutes, you've got perfectly caramelized beef on the bottom and delicious steamed veggies on top. (Give a quick peek at 30 minutes by opening one of the packets and checking to see if the potatoes are tender. If not, leave on for another 10-15 minutes.)

Every time I make these I wonder why I don't make them more often - they're so darn good!

Hobo Stew (Beef and Veggies in Foil Packets)

Serves 4 (serving size 1 packet)

Grill Medium-High (about 450 - 500 degrees F)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds grass fed ground sirloin

sea salt (I use Maldon Sea Salt)

fresh cracked pepper

Worcestershire sauce

2 cups fresh green beans, cut in bite size lengths

2 cobs fresh corn, cut from cob

2 red bell peppers, chopped

4 small Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed

2 zucchini, cubed

2 red fresno peppers, thinly sliced (optional)

extra virgin olive oil

Take 2 long pieces of aluminum foil and criss cross them, one under the other and place on the counter. Do this 3 more times, making a total of 4.

Divide the ground sirloin into 4 equal parts and make large, flat patties out of each. Place one patty in the center of each criss-crossed foil and season with sea salt, pepper and several dashes of Worcestershire sauce.

Top each with 1/4 of the veggies:

french green beans

corn off the cob

red bell pepper

Yukon Gold potatoes

zucchini

red fresno peppers

Season with sea salt, pepper, several more dashes of Worcestershire sauce and a light drizzle of olive oil:

Seal up the packets by bringing the four ends of foil up to the top together and folding over. Leave room inside the packets for air to circulate and steam. Place packets on the heated grill and leave for 30-45 minutes.

When done remove from grill and place each packet on a plate and serve.

This dish is so versatile you can tailor each packet to suit your picky eaters. You can use any veggies you like, in any quantities you like. I normally like to add cherry tomatoes to mine (although I didn't have any this time) and whatever veggies are in season.

Havana Mojo Steak

Havana Mojo Steak

This Cuban-inspired citrus and herb marinated flank steak topped with caramelized onions and drizzled with some of the reserved marinade was simply delicious.


The yellow rice was a nice accompaniment but the particular recipe I tried was not as great as I would have liked, so I'll continue researching it. In the meantime, you could put this steak atop a salad or your own favorite rice recipe.


I'm a sucker for Cuban food and where I live in Southern California I don't know of any Cuban restaurants. I also don't come across very many Cuban recipes, which makes it a little difficult for me to cook it for myself. So when I saw this recipe card at Sprouts Farmers Market, I grabbed it so fast it would've made your head spin.


The fresh-squeezed citrus juices and fresh herbs made for quite a delicious marinade and dressing.

Havana Mojo Steak

Serves 4

1 pound grass fed organic flank steak

Marinade:

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

7 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon cumin

3 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Caramelized Onions:

1 sweet onion, sliced

1 teaspoon butter

In a small bowl, mix lime juice, water, orange juice, salt, pepper, and oregano and set aside.

lime juice, water, orange juice, salt, pepper, and oregano

Heat olive oil in a saucepan or skillet over medium heat, then add garlic and cumin and saute until garlic is golden. Slowly add juice mixture and bring to a boil.

Heat olive oil, garlic & cumin, then add juice mixture and bring to boil.

Remove from heat and let cool, then add cilantro. Pour half of the mixture into a bowl, cover and place in the refrigerator to be used as a dressing/sauce when served.

Reserve half the marinade to be used as a dressing/sauce.

Place flank steak in a large zip-top bag and pour the rest of the mixture over. Seal, turn to coat, and place in refrigerator to allow to marinade overnight.

marinade the steak

To caramelize onions, heat a cast iron or regular skillet to medium heat and add butter. Then cook the onions until they are soft and lightly browned.

caramelizing the onions

Meanwhile, bring steak to room temperature and heat an indoor or outdoor grill to medium-high. Remove steak from marinade and discard marinade. Grill steak for approximately 4-5 minutes per side for medium to medium-rare.

grilling steak on indoor grill

Remove steak and place on cutting board and allow to rest for a few minutes before thinly slicing against the grain and serving with caramelized onions.

Havana Mojo Steak...the only thing missing is a Mojito!

Meatball Sliders {Super Bowl Food}

Meatball Sliders

Recently, my daughter Alexa and I went to TruFire Kitchen in Frisco, Texas. There were so many wonderful sounding things on the menu it was hard to narrow down to just one or two so we ordered a few things to sample.


While everything we tried was delicious, by far the best thing we had were the meatball sliders.  They were tender and meaty, full of herbs, topped with caramelized onions and complemented by a sauce that sort of resembled Thousand Island dressing all piled on a tiny soft buttery bun. They were the kind of unassuming-sounding sandwiches that catch you by surprise and cause you to dream about them later.

I was thinking these would be perfect to munch on while watching the Super Bowl (and frankly I was looking for an excuse to make them) so I set out to recreate a similar dish.  I'm thrilled with the outcome.

Meatball Sliders

Makes 16 small sliders or 8 medium sliders

Meatballs

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 pound all-natural 85/15 ground beef

1/2 pound all-natural ground pork

3 Tablespoons garlic and herb bread crumbs (I used Progresso)

2 Tablespoons grated Parmigiano Reggiano

1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning (I used Penzey's Tuscan Sunset blend)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 organic all-natural egg

Provolone or Cheddar cheese (optional)

8 medium dinner rolls or 16 small dinner rolls, sliced

Caramelized Onions

1 Tablespoon butter

1/2 large sweet onion, sliced

pinch salt

Thousand Island-like Sauce

1/2 cup good mayonnaise

2-3 Tablespoons good ketchup

beef, pork, bread crumbs, Parmigiano Reggiano, Italian seasoning, salt, egg

Meatballs

In a medium bowl, mix together the beef, pork, bread crumbs, Parmigiano Reggiano, Italian seasoning, salt, and egg. It works best to use your hands to mix everything well. Form 16 small meatballs (about the size you would eat in 2 small bites) with your hands and set aside.

Heat a non-stick skillet to medium and add olive oil. Add meatballs and brown on top and bottom, about 3 minutes on each side. Then cover, turn heat a little lower and cook for another 10 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through.

Caramelizing the Onions

While the meatballs are cooking, heat another non-stick skillet to medium-low and add butter. Add onions and salt, and cook until soft and lightly browned, stirring occasionally.

Sauce

In a small bowl mix together the mayonnaise and ketchup.

Building the Sliders

If desired you may butter the buns and toast them in a skillet until browned. (My husband likes them this way and I like them untoasted, so I made them both ways.) Spread a little sauce on the buns, add 1 meatball to each if small rolls (or 2 meatballs if medium rolls), top with onions and cheese (if desired), then place tops on sliders and serve.

Beer Chili Spaghetti

Beer Chili Spaghetti

I was very excited when Lazaro of Lazaro Cooks! invited me to guest post on his blog. I'm a fan of Laz's creative and inspiring dishes and admire him for his mission to eat sustainably, organically, and seasonally.

My recipe for Beer Chili Spaghetti is a family favorite for its rich, meaty, chili-inspired sauce and hearty whole wheat noodles. Topped with extra-sharp cheddar cheese and chopped red onions, it's a nice way to warm up on a cold winter day.

Beer Chili Spaghetti

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 16-ounce package whole wheat spaghetti

2 pounds lean ground beef (I use natural grass fed beef)

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 3/4 teaspoons paprika

1 1/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper (a little less if you like no heat)

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground oregano (the kind that is finely ground like a powder)

1 Tablespoon onion powder

1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1/2 cup chili powder

1 8-ounce can tomato sauce

1 12-ounce beer (I used a dark regional beer from Shiner, Texas but your favorite beer works just as well)

Garnish:

diced red onion

shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese

chopped fresh parsley if desired

In a large pot over medium heat add the olive oil and then brown the ground beef breaking it up and crumbling as you go. If you’re not using lean ground beef, skip adding the olive oil. While the beef is browning, cook the spaghetti noodles in heavily salted water and according to package directions.

Next add the rest of the ingredients. The beer will fizz for a few seconds and then reside:

Stir well, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to meld.

Meanwhile drain the spaghetti and toss with a small amount of olive oil to keep moist.

When ready to serve, top spaghetti with meat sauce, then cheddar cheese and red onion.

Beer Chili Spaghetti

For the holidays, I used Shiner's special edition Cheer Beer but you can use any beer you like.

Shiner's Cheer Beer

I hope you'll go pay Lazaro Cooks! a visit and check out all the great stuff he has going on over there.