no. 134: spinach-feta chicken burgers

With roasted sweet potato fries and DILL AIOLI!

My BFF Marley has so graciously flown in from Chicago to assume caregiving responsibilities while I continue to recover from surgery. I have to say, I love living alone, but I really love having someone stay in my apartment who can fetch me my knitting project when it’s in the other room, and I don’t feel like getting up.

My physical therapy journey has begun, and the only thing tougher than these straight-from-hell exercises is the harsh reminder that literally no one cares about the flexion and extension of my knee. Despite this cold hard truth, I will proudly share out that I can officially bend my knee 90 degrees (brag), thus inching me one step closer to the tennis court.

Aside from making batch after batch of Katie Miller’s brown butter banana spelt cookies, here are some other things I’ve been loving this week.

Cold Therapy Ice Machine

This is a niche recommendation for my fellow Hobble Squad members, but this (in addition to my swanky brace) was something that they sent me home with from the hospital after my surgery. Doctor?!! More like, SANTA! I knew I would be getting a new ACL, but gifts?! I blush.

I don’t think I have iced a limb on my body since I was in high school (also, brag), but this thing is pretty incredible. Caretaker Marley has been incredibly efficient at swapping out frozen water bottles to keep this thing icy and strong. If you’re curious how your email finds me, it’s likely hooked up to this thing while I’m gripping my knitting needles for dear life.

If your knee isn’t injured at this time, might I recommend an Ikon pass? You’ll be on the couch in no time!

Merit Beauty Minimalist Complexion Stick

I am not wearing much make up these days, but I was influenced to buy this product from a TikTok that I, of course, cannot locate for the life of me. The woman used this brush to apply it, so I bought that too. It’s somewhere between foundation and concealer, so I like using it for everyday make-up that doesn’t feel like full coverage. I am in the THICK of my winter uglies, but this has helped.

Spinach-Feta Chicken Burgers with Sweet Potato Fries and Dill Aioli

Serves: 4

Active time: 25 minutes

Total time: 1 hour

Dripping with protein!!!!!

I’ve been slowly but surely back on my feet this past week, which means I am hobbling around my kitchen and doing the thing I love most—COOKING!

After surgery, my doctor and physical therapist both recommended that I place an emphasis on eating protein during my recovery. Little did they know that I am an insufferable private chef who’s entire personality revolves around making homemade chicken broth and consuming inappropriate amounts of cottage cheese.

While my mom was in town to take care of me, the urge to make some poultry burgers came over me and I couldn’t shake the thought. So, I made these spinach-feta chicken burgers, and they were *very* juicy and delicious. I am not a nutritionist, but my rough calculation says that each of these burgers is packing about 25 grams of protein.

You can definitely serve these on a regular ol’ hamburger bun, but I felt strongly compelled to wrap a crunchy iceberg lettuce blanket around these. It’s a little messy, but I found it to be extremely satisfying. Protein style, baby!!!!

The dill aioli is a bright, herby condiment to go along with these Mediterranean-inspired burgers. Dried dill is perhaps not a dried herb that is in everyone’s spice cabinet, but I happen to love it. You could swap in fresh dill or any dried herb of your choosing.

If you’re eating a burger, it’s only right that you have them with some fries, and my preferred tuber these days is a Japanese sweet potato. The key to getting them nice and crispy in the oven is making sure they’re spaced out on your sheet pan, cooking them in the lower third of your oven, drizzling the pan with a little bit of water (to help them steam) and giving them plenty of time to crisp up.