Mini Burgers with Hummus, Cucumber & Avocado

One of the greatest ironies of being a breastfeeding mother is that your body and your baby require a ton of calories and nutrition but you barely have any time to eat let alone cook healthful meals. In the last month, I've quickly learned to rely on foods that I can grab from the fridge and eat with one had while holding a baby or breastfeeding. Around lunchtime this usually means hummus. On a good day, I might be able to slice some vegetables or spread it onto a sandwich with arugula and leftover flank steak. On a not-so-good-day, I'm usually eating pita chips straight out of the bag, dipping them directly in the hummus tub. Either way, lately it seems like a day doesn't go by when I'm not shoveling hummus into my mouth. So I was thrilled when Foodbuzz and Sabra offered me a coupon to try a free sample of one of their dips. The reality is, I didn't really need the coupon to be convinced...we're already loyal fans of Sabra's hummus. We always, always have a tub of the Supremely Spicy variety in our fridge for lunches and snacks. JiT often forgets to eat at work so he usually comes home ravenous and almost always goes straight for the Sabra.

Beyond snacks and lunches, I'm always finding other ways to incorporate hummus into meals. One of our most recent discoveries is how good this stuff is on a burger. We've been eating a lot of burgers around here lately (they're easy and good and JiT can grill them up while I'm feeding the baby) but I get tired of the typical condiments. So to change things up, we've been spreading on a layer of Sabra Supremely Spicy Hummus along with thin slices of cucumber, sweet onion and avocado. The result is a crunchy, creamy, refreshing and spicy burger. Satisfyingly different. Although this is fairly easy to reproduce, I've included a recipe below. Feel free to swap the Supremely Spicy hummus for whatever flavor you prefer.

In other news, the last few weeks have been quite an adventure in parenthood and patience. When Lillian was about three weeks old she suddenly became incredibly tearful and fussy. She was having trouble eating, seemed unhappy between meals and every night she was crying hysterically and inconsolably for several hours straight. Already sleep deprived and overwhelmed with motherhood, this development was utterly maddening. There were a few days where I was left seriously questioning my ability to be a parent at all. After a few weeks of this our little Lilly was diagnosed with cholic and acid reflux.

Luckily the pediatrician was able to provide some new feeding techniques to help keep her comfortable. She also suggested I try eliminating from my diet any foods that might exacerbate the problem (dairy foods are apparently a common culprit). As a final resort, the doctor prescribed baby Zantac. I was pretty hesitant to medicate Lillian at such a young age but we've been amazed at the difference its made. Where she'd previously been hungry almost hourly but unable to eat much before she became inconsolably uncomfortable, she's now able to eat until she's satisfied without pain. During the day she's happy and alert and at night she's gradually starting to sleep for longer periods (last night we got 4 full hours of sleep between feedings!!). She's a completely different baby. As a family, we finally feel like we're starting to get into the swing of things.

Speaking of family, we can't forget another key member: Miss Zoey has been such a trooper and might actually be the best dog on the planet. Proving to be ever-adaptable, she doesn't seem to mind sharing the spotlight with the baby. She'll often hop up on the couch and lick Lillian's feet or bring her a favorite toy in hopes Lilly will play with her. Just wait Zoey!

Now for the recipe...quick before the baby wakes up!

Mini Burgers with Hummus, Cucumber & Avocado

Makes 8 small burgers

1 lb. ground sirloin

1 small yellow onion, grated

1 tsp. heavy cream

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

8 miniature hamburger buns (or 4 regular size buns)

1 container Sabra Supremely Spicy Hummus (0r the flavor of your choice)

1 avocado, sliced

1 small cucumber, sliced

1 small yellow onion, sliced into very thin rings

In a small bowl combine beef with onion, cream, salt and pepper. Divide meat into 8 golf-ball sized pieces and form into patties. Cook burgers to medium well in a skillet or on a grill. Lightly toast the buns on the grill or in the oven, if desired.

Spread 1 teaspoon of hummus on each bun. Place burgers on buns and top with avocado, cucumber and onion slices. Serve immediately.

Note: As a Foodbuzz Featured Publisher, I received a coupon from Sabra for one free container of hummus or dip. However, the opinions shared within this post are entirely my own.