In this play on a classic Italian salad, pesto, fresh cheese, and punchy greens brighten and elevate what is already highly flavourful grass-fed beef. Make it even more awesome by going the extra mile and grilling the tomato slices. You can even make your own pesto.
For many people, a burger isn’t a burger without the bun. And yes, you should have some on hand if you’re feeding a crowd. But a well-made burger with plenty of exciting flavours can be just as great without being placed between two slabs of bread. Plus, going sans bun saves you some calories. But if you just need that bun for your burger, be sure to choose one made with whole grains, and toast it first for that tasty, crispy texture.
Get saucy [SUBHEAD] An array of condiments often goes hand-in-hand with grilling. For healthier slather-ons, be sure to read labels carefully. Many condiments such as barbecue sauce and ketchup can be filled with sugar and high amounts of sodium. Compare brands and look for those with the most wholesome ingredient list—or make your own.
To make your own quick pesto, simply pulse together a couple handfuls of fresh basil with grated Parmesan cheese; two chopped garlic cloves; fresh lemon juice; salt; and pine nuts, walnuts, or hemp hearts. Slowly pour in some olive oil through the feed tube until you have a pesto consistency.
Per serving:
In bowl, gently mix together beef, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Form into 4 equal-sized patties.
Preheat grill on high for 10 minutes and then lower to medium for cooking. Grill burgers for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until an internal temperature of 160 F (71 C) is reached. Remove burgers from grill and place bun halves, if using, on grill and heat just until toasted.
Toss arugula together with balsamic vinegar, oil, and a pinch of salt. Divide arugula among bun halves and top with burgers. If not using buns, place greens on plate and nestle burgers on top. Garnish burgers with pesto, slices of cheese and tomato, and remaining bun halves, if using.
Yogurt completely transforms the texture of these chicken thighs, making them tender and flavourful with bright notes of lemon and cilantro. Ideal for a day trip, these can be marinated in the morning and cooked in the evening, but they also work well when cooked in advance and packed for a picnic to be eaten cold. Marinade mentions Marinate chicken thighs for anywhere between 4 and 24 hours. Discard excess marinade that has been in contact with raw chicken. It should not be consumed uncooked.
Citrusy and slightly sour sumac and a touch of maple syrup enliven pickled onions in a perfect complement to this salad. Kale and Napa cabbage stand up for hours to the sweet and puckery dressing, and hearty farro will keep you going while on the road. This salad is sure to be a favourite for picnics, backyard potlucks, or road trip lunch stops. Dressing for dinner This salad stands up well, even while dressed, for up to 4 hours. (Truth be told, I’ve often happily eaten it the next day.) In fact, time helps kale to soften up and become even more delicious. If you’re travelling for a longer period, make the pickled onion dressing as described above: let it stand for about 20 minutes, and then add all the oil and pack it into a separate container so you can finish the salad when you arrive at your destination. The pickled onions are also great with steaks or chicken.
These wraps are perfect for an overnight journey when you want to have something quick and satisfying the next day. Sweet smoked paprika adds just a hint of smoky flavour to sweet potatoes, which join with spinach and red pepper to dress up eggs in a pleasing way. Make these wraps anytime and stick them in the freezer for your next excursion. Pack them frozen and they’ll have time to thaw on the journey, or put them in the fridge the night before you travel so you have something convenient and tasty to eat before you set off. Leave the ketchup bottle behind, and serve them with your own smoky red pepper sauce. Freeze with ease While foil is convenient for freezing and reheating these wraps, to cut down on waste, freeze wraps in a single freezer-proof container. Insert a small piece of parchment between each wrap so they don’t stick together. This will allow you to remove individual wraps easily when you need them.
While sablefish’s texture and fat content stand up admirably to the heat of the grill, this firm fish is also delicious poached. For this recipe, sablefish’s luxurious taste is combined with a light fragrant broth of lemongrass and ginger punctuated with the heat of Thai chili. Sustainability status Sablefish, also known as butterfish or black cod, is a rich and satisfying fish, plentiful in omega-3s and sourced sustainably from the Pacific Northwest. Skin and bones Sablefish has large pin bones. Ideally, your fishmonger will remove them, but if not, before you begin, locate them along the fish’s centreline and, using a pair of needle nose pliers, grasp them firmly to remove. You can leave the skin on for this recipe, which may help the fish hold together a little better while cooking, but it can be tricky to peel the skin away from the cooked fish and discard before plating. I opted to remove the skin first and simply keep a close eye on the cooking time, being careful to remove the fish from the poaching liquid before it flakes apart.