Turkey Sausage Patties

Ever heard of a Whole30? I hadn't either. It seems to be pretty popular with the New Year's Resolutionists, though. Several of my favorite cooking websites and blogs are all the buzz with a Whole30 right now. Basically it's 30 days of squeaky clean eating. Lots of vegetables, lots of lean protein, lots of water, and some fruits thrown in here and there. Zero added sugar (even natural sugar like agave and maple syrup), zero grains, zero dairy, and zero alcohol. 

You lost me at zero added sugar. I enjoy cooking with honey and maple syrup. I like to eat fruit, and while fruits are allowed, they're fairly restricted. You doubly lost me at zero alcohol. Now, I'm not a huge drinker or anything like that, but a beer while watching the football game or a glass of wine in front of the fireplace are my ideal way to wind down. 

But I was still looking in to it anyway. Proponents of the program claim you feel amazing, lose weight, sleep better, and have tons more energy during the day after completing a Whole30. After I read through the program I realized I wasn't willing to give up my coffee creamer, my alcohol or my added sugars. But I also realized that quite a few of the meals I make are Whole30 compliant. Not all of them, of course, but it made me realize that I cook pretty clean, most of the time. 

Check out what I'm having for lunch: 

Roasted Brussel Sprouts, Roasted Butternut Squash, Turkey Sausage Patties, and some shredded zucchini noodles. So delicious, and ironically it's just shy of Whole30 compliant (I used olive oil and cooking spray, but you could easily substitute coconut oil).  Seriously, this is so much tastier than a burger or sandwich or anything like that. And these sausage patties? Oh-em-gee, so tasty. You simply must try them. 

Side note: I don't believe in New Year's Resolutions. Sure, it's a great way to wipe the slate clean, start over and make some positive changes in your life. My problem with them is that we tend put too much emphasis on the clean slate and not enough emphasis on why we're making the changes we're making. Jillian Michaels says, "You can tolerate any 'how' if you focus on the 'why.'" I think, for many, the 'how' is too connected to the fact that it's a new year and the why isn't established solidly enough. So if you decide to make a New Year's Resolution, I encourage you to first figure out why you're doing it, then lay down a clear cut how. Make some small goals leading up to your big goal. Identify anything that might come up to stop you and figure out how you're going to get past it. Once you have all this, a resolution will be much easier. 

So let's get cooking! 

Ingredients: 

1 lb. ground turkey

1 1/2 tsp fennel seeds

1/2 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp dried cumin

1/4 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp onion powder 

Sea salt & ground black pepper

Directions: 

Combine turkey and seasonings in a mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon (or your hands) to mix the seasonings completely in to the meat. Let sit in the refrigerator for a little while to allow seasonings to blend. Mine only sat about 10 minutes, but they were so much tastier the next day, I would recommend letting the meat sit longer, even overnight. 

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Coat with cooking spray (or heat some coconut or olive oil). Form meat into patties with your hands, making them fairly thin so they cook evenly, about 1/2 inch thick or less. Put them into the hot skillet and cook about five minutes. Flip and cook about 5 minutes longer, or until meat is starting to brown and juices run clear. 

Serve immediately. Makes 6 patties. 

Serve as desired. I served them atop the zucchini noodles (sauteed in coconut oil with a little salt & pepper), with a side of roasted butternut squash.