Let’s face it…turkey burgers get boring. But ground turkey is also an excellent source of lean protein. This causes a dilemma.

So I figured I’d get more creative with my turkey burgers. My recipes tend to be inspired by the foods I already have on hand; it’s rare for me to make a special trip to the store just for recipe ingredients. I’d rather go Chopped-style and scope out my fridge and pantry for foods that would pair well together.

I’m spontaneous like that. I’d say it works pretty well for me.

With lean ground turkey, Indian spices, green beans and canned pumpkin, I thought, “hmm, these could be really good together.”

Recipe: Indian Inspired Turkey Burgers

Enjoy these turkey burgers on a grilled portobello or over greens to cut down on carbs. Feel free to add hot sauce, chili paste or chili powder/flakes to kick the heat up a bit.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1/2 can (8 oz) pureed pumpkin
• 1/2 cup peas or finely chopped green beans
• 1 Tbsp. Tandoori powder
• 1 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Form into patties and place on an ungreased baking sheet.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the center of a burger reads 165 degrees.