MINI ZUCCHINI AVOCADO BURGERS

Our simple combination of perfectly seasoned grass-fed ground beef, and lightly charred zucchini with just a touch of melty cheese is sure to hit the spot! It won’t be long before our gardens and farmers’ markets are overflowing with large, fresh zucchini!
 
        Zucchini are readily available year-round thanks to greenhouse growing, but they get their own curtain call and beautiful performance, mid-summer through fall, throughout North America.

        They’re usually quite inexpensive, in fact, growing up in Utah it was pretty normal to find a big bag of zucchini sitting on our porch as a gift from a neighbor who just couldn’t use them fast enough!

INGREDIENTS

   1 extra-large zucchini (or 2 medium/large), cut into 16 1/2inch-slices
 sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
 1 lbs. lean ground beef
 1/2 tsp garlic powder
 1/2 tsp onion powder
 1 tsp smoked paprika
 1 tsp dried oregano
 4 slices of cheddar cheese, cut into quarters to get 4 small squares
 avocado oil cooking spray

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1
Thoroughly rinse your zucchini and pat the excess moisture with a towel. Carefully cut off the ends. Now simply cut across the zucchini to slice into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
STEP 2
Sprinkle rounds with a tiny bit of salt and pepper, then set aside on paper towels. In a medium bowl, combine ground beef and all seasonings; stir until well combined.
STEP 3
Shape your ground beef into 8 equal sized mini-patties, about 1-inch thick. Gently pat zucchini rounds dry with paper towels. Lightly grease a large skillet with avocado oil cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat, then add sliced zucchini rounds, cook until slightly charred, about 1-2 minutes per side.
STEP 4
Set zucchini aside on a plate. Add burger patties to the pan and sear each side until nicely golden, about 2-4 minutes. Flip to the other side, then add the cheese. Continue to cook until the beef is done to your liking and cheese is nice and melty! Assemble your burger sliders as shown, and serve immediately. Enjoy!

NUTRITION FACTS
Calories 370 Fat 30 Protein 23 Carbs 9 Fiber 6