There’s a place down the road from my house called Christopher’s Nothing Fancy Café and while I haven’t been there yet (a tribute to the sheer number of breakfast spots in Berkeley), I can’t help but smile at the sentiment each time I drive by.

When I think of nothing-fancy food, I think of the food I grew up with or the food I share with friends over a couple of pints. It’s the kind of food I crave when I am stressed or glum. For me, nothing-fancy food is honest, rustic and comfortable.

Breakfast is the meal where nothing-fancy foods shine: think bacon and eggs, pancakes and oatmeal. Unfortunately, nothing-fancy breakfast foods have morphed into nothing-foods: boxed cereals filled with sugar and preservatives or doughy, gooey messes from the morning coffee stop. Not a great way to start off the day.

These Nothing-Fancy Turkey Patties are a great way to bring nothing-fancy and feelgood foods into your usual breakfast routine. I like to make a double batch and then freeze them in bags of two. This way I can thaw them overnight and quickly reheat them in the morning. I add toast and a slice of cheese and end up with a nice little protein-filled breakfast sandwich that I can eat on the run.

Nothing Fancy Turkey Patties

• ½ cup roughly chopped yellow onion
• 4 cloves roughly chopped garlic
• ½ tablespoon butter
• 2 cups baby spinach
• 1 apple (granny smith or your favorite), chopped
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• ½ teaspoon marjoram
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1 pound organic dark-meat ground turkey
• grapeseed oil for pan-fry

In a sauté pan heat ½ tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the onions and cook for 1 minute, then add the garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and place into a fine strainer over the sink; press down to remove as much liquid as possible. Allow the onion and garlic mixture to cool.

Place the onion and garlic mixture in a food processor and add the spinach, apple, maple syrup, thyme, marjoram, crushed red pepper, sea salt and ground black pepper. Press the pulse button five times and then open the food processor lid. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides and further mix the ingredients. Re-lid and pulse five more times, then check the consistency. The ingredients should be finely chopped and well mixed. Be careful not to process all the way to a paste.

Place the ground turkey meat in a large bowl and add the onion, garlic and spice mixture. Using your hands, incorporate all ingredients so they are well distributed.

Using an ice-cream scoop (or spoon), scoop out about ¼ cup of the mixture and place on a cutting board. Place a ring mold or the lid of a small ball jar around the mixture and then press down (this will ensure all of your patties are the same size-see the picture below). Repeat with remaining mixture.

Heat ¼ tablespoon of grapeseed oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl the oil so it is distributed throughout the pan. Fry the patties four at a time, cooking about four minutes on each side until completely cooked through.

Cooked patties can be kept in the refrigerator for four days or frozen for six months.