Why I'm going with feedly

In less than one month (July 1 to be exact), Google Reader will be retiring. Worried about how I would still stay connected to all of my favorite blogs and sites once it went down, I came across feedly in my research. It's being billed as the top go-to for Google Reader users. I signed up for it last week. I'm still kicking the tires, but so far, I'm loving it. Here's why:

It's easy to get started

Transferring my current reading list from Google Reader to feedly was simple. Upon signing up, feedly automatically asked if I had Google Reader feeds I wanted to import. With just a couple short clicks, it brought over all of my beloved blogs and daily reads. It also brings over tags and favorites.

 

feedly looks great

It's more visually appealing. I'm loving the different layout options (like magazine, cards and full article views) and bright pics it pulls from the blog posts.

feedly views include magazine, cards, full article and list.

 

Add new blogs in a click

Come across a new blog you want to follow? When you are on a website that feedly recognizes has a blog, a small feedly logo appears in the bottom right of your screen. Just click on that and you can easily add the blog feed to your feedly.

Easily add new blogs to your feed.

Stylize/use feedly to your tastes

 feedly lets you add categories, bookmark posts to read later, and share posts/ideas on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. You can also bring in your Twitter and Facebook pages feed to see what's going on there --- all on your feedly page.

If there are other feedly users out there, I would love to hear your faves about it. If not, what do you plan to do when Google Reader goes down?

Bahn Mi Turkey Burger

As an avid Food Network watcher, there's been alot of talk of bahn mi's in the last year or so. I had my first taste of this Vietnamese meat-filled sandwich during our trip to Chicago when we stopped by Saigon Sisters. If you've yet to jump on the bandwagon, basically, it's a crispy baguette stuffed with fresh veggies and steamed or slow roasted meats. Definitely not short on flavor.

Source

So, when I ran across this Weight Watchers recipe for Bahn Mi Turkey burgers I knew I wanted to give them a try. Turkey burgers can be a bit bland (and are usually a tough sell for Mr. VB), but these didn't disappoint.

Bahn Mi Turkey Burgers
Courtesy of Weight Watchers

Bahn Mi Turkey Burger

 8 pts.+ per serving

Ingredients
2 spray(s) cooking spray  
1 cup(s) packaged coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots)  
1/4 cup(s) English cucumber(s), julienned or sliced super thin  
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice, or to taste  
1/4 tsp kosher salt  
1 pound(s) uncooked 93% lean ground turkey  
2 Tbsp cilantro, fresh, finely chopped  
1 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce  
1 Tbsp ginger root, grated or finely chopped  
2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), finely chopped  
4 tsp reduced-calorie mayonnaise  
1 tsp chili sauce, sweet variety  
4 item(s) light, English muffin, toasted

Instructions
Coat a large griddle, outdoor grill rack or stovetop grill pan with cooking spray; preheat to medium-high.

In a medium bowl, combine slaw mix, cucumber, lime juice and salt; toss to coat and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine turkey, cilantro, soy sauce, ginger and garlic; divide mixture into four balls and then gently press each one into a 4-inch patty.

In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and chili sauce.

Grill or broil patties until internal temperature of burgers reaches 165°F, about 4 to 5 minutes per side.

Spread half of each English muffin with 1 1/4 teaspoon chili-mayonnaise; top with a burger, a scant 1/3 cup slaw mixture and a muffin top. Yields 1 burger per serving.