Chicken Parmesan Meatballs and Greek Burgers

I LOVE both of these recipes, LOVE!!!! These are absolute keepers and I will definitely be making a double batch next time and freezing what we won't be using for the week.  They are both LOADED with flavor, lean protein, and budget friendly.  The addition of quinoa adds a healthy carb and also stretches the amount of meat. My kids devoured the burgers and Savannah even asked for seconds...a rarity in this house!

I made both at the same time to cut down on the process, chopping everything ahead, mixing at the same time, and rolling/making patties at the same time so I didn't have raw meat mess twice.  I also cooked the burgers on the stove while the meatballs cooked.

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs (makes 18)
1 package lean ground chicken
Fresh oregano, basil and parley--finely chopped
2 cloves garlic--minced
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 egg
18 small cubes fresh mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup organic marinara sauce
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Turkey and Quinoa Greek Burgers
1 package lean ground turkey
3/4 cups cooked quinoa
Fresh oregano, basil and parsley--finely chopped
2 cloves garlic--minced
1/2 cup low fat/fat free feta cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
Salt and pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375 and line a cookie sheet with foil.  Put the ground turkey and chicken in large mixing bowls with cheese, quinoa and egg

2. Add fresh chopped herbs and garlic, salt and peppers and dijon (in the turkey mixture)
3. Mix ingredients together.  I found the chicken mixture to be a bit wet so I added about 1/4 cup breadcrumbs to help bind it together

For the meatballs:
4. Using a tablespoon, measure 1 heaping tablespoonful of the chicken mixture and roll into a ball.  Portion all of the chicken into about 18 meatballs.

5. Press a cube of cheese into each ball and roll it into the middle
6. Mix olive oil and marinara sauce together and put one teaspoon on top of each meatball

7. Cook for 20-22 minutes or until lightly browned

For the burgers:
5. Form 1/4 cup of the mixture into a small patties

6. Cook on a lightly oiled grill pan for about 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through.
7.  I served the kids sliders on hawaiian sweet rolls with spinach leaves, avocado and a slice of tomato.  I ate mine without a bun, with a dollop of homemade greek yogurt ranch, halved cherry tomatoes and diced avocado.

This is my second time making the burgers and I found it EXTREMELY easy to make both recipes at the same time and way easier on the clean up!  I also love having the main portion of two healthy dinners prepared before the chaos of the school week starts!  Let me know what you think!  These are definitely two of my most favorite recipes that I've thrown together...enjoy!