ground turkey

You might want to steer clear of grilling turkey burgers for now: Agribusiness giant Cargill has just issued a recall of 36 million pounds of ground turkey in what's being called the largest food recall ever.

In a recent investigation, the US Department of Agriculture determined a link between Cargill's ground turkey product and a salmonella outbreak that has already killed one California man and sickened 79 others. Today, Cargill voluntarily recalled the 36 million pounds of fresh and frozen ground turkey, adding that production of ground turkey would remain on hold until the salmonella source was determined.

Food safety litigator William Marler told the LA Times, "This is, if not the largest, one of the largest class-one food recalls to happen in US history."

How disappointing, considering the fact that the current White House administration has made reforming food safety a priority. Do you feel confident that we're headed in the right direction with it comes to reducing the rate of foodborne illness in America?

Following a long weekend of serious overindulgence, turn to a meal that's refreshingly light yet satisfying: Asian-inspired Summer rolls. Leftover ground turkey stands in as protein, while glutinous rice wrappers add a toothsome texture, and vegetables — shiitake mushrooms, mung bean sprouts, and red and green bell peppers — provide an element of much-needed crunch. To make a wholesome dinner (or portable lunch!), read on

One might expect to be tired of barbecue after a three-day grillfest of a holiday, but for some reason, I always wake up on July 5 even more enthusiastic about lighting up the grill. After all, it's only the beginning of July — so hamburger season has just begun!

The only difference? After eating an enormous array of all-American fare, I'm craving something a tad on the lighter side. That's why I'll shape burgers out of extra-lean turkey meat, and flavor them with scallions, Dijon mustard, and garlic. They'll be topped off with some whole-grain burger buns — and, of course, properly melted cheese. See the recipe after the jump