Mexican Sliders

Given how much better I felt about myself ... and how I felt ... with Whole 30, we're attempting to mostly follow that eating routine for a while. Although it might seem odd, I do really well with an all or nothing approach to things like sugar. I'm the person who, if I eat a cookie (or two or three) for breakfast then figures that ice cream might as well be on the docket for lunch. As much as I love sweets like ice cream and cupcakes and all the crazy delicious things I bake, I know that my body functions better without all that sugar. And I know eliminating as much sugar and processed crap as realistically possible is all the better for us, especially in the long view of our health.

That being said, I know this likely won't last forever, and there will still be plenty of sweets to grace my kitchen. Perhaps, though, I won't eat all of every batch and will remember that my mother taught me to share.

In the meantime, this recipe I adapted from Meals Made Simple will now be part of our regular rotation. These are easy to throw together for a quick meal and full of flavor. The original recipe called for making full-size burgers. I still struggle with eating a burger without a bun, so I opted for sliders wrapped in lettuce. It's different enough that it doesn't feel weird. It feels rather delicious with a big dollop of guacamole.

Mexican Sliders
2 lbs. ground beef
1 Tbsp. onion powder
1 Tbsp. granulated garlic
2 tsp. cumin
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
Toppings
Lettuce
Salsa
Tomato
Guacamole
Cilantro

Combine all the seasonings together. Mix into the ground beef. Form into sliders (approximately 16-18). Grill (or pan fry), flipping at least once, until cooked. Serve in lettuce leaves with all desired toppings.

Notes: I plan to make a larger batch of the seasonings to have on hand, so it will take next to no time to mix things together after work. My 5-year-old ate these without complaints ... with ketchup, of course, and no lettuce.