I've never really cared for the taste of meat. I don't like the smell of it, the texture of it and I especially hate raw meat. This is why I was a vegetarian for over 10 years -- which, conveniently enough, got me out of ever having to touch meat.

But, a few years ago I started craving turkey, in a bad way. It was shortly after the birth of my second daughter when I started thinking..."Boy, I could go for a big roasted turkey." No one was more shocked than me. My chiropractor -- a fellow runner (who was putting my hips back into place after having delivered said daughter) -- suggested that I might want to listen to my body. Though he didn't want to talk me out of the vegetarian lifestyle, he cautioned that it was especially hard for an athlete to live the meat-free lifestly and get the necessary proteins.

That was all it took. He confirmed what I already knew. For whatever reason, my body wanted bird. Big time.

I had my first Subway Turkey Sub the next day. I added some chicken back into my diet too, but I really don't care for it all that much -- seems to be just the hapless turkey my gut cries out for.

Truth be told, the only time I eat turkey or chicken is when someone else makes it for me (restaurant, parents, etc.). I'll just say it -- I'm a lazy cook. I never really learned how to cook and never really cared. I could live on pretzels, popcorn, bagels and fruit (and I kind of do).

But, every once in while, I feel inspired to actually cook a family dinner. So, last night, I dusted off and cracked open a cookbook I bought at a Pampered Chef party (yeah, me at a Pampered Chef party -- that's funny) and decided to whip up some Greek Turkey Burgers for dinner.

Now, usually when I do this kind of stuff, I mess it up. I substitute ingredients, I leave things out that I don't have, I add things I shouldn't. Truly, I have no business being in a kitchen. But, these burgers actually turned out really great, so I must brag and share my recipe with you:

Greek Turkey Burgers
1/4 cup plust 2 tablespoons onion, finely chopped, divided
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 container (8 ounces) nonfat plain yogurt, divided
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1 egg white
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
2/3 cup cucumbers, thinly sliced
6 whole-wheat pita rounds
6 lettuce leaves

For burgers, finely chop onion and combine ground turkey, 1/4 cup of the onion, 1/4 cup of the yogurt, bread crumbs, egg white, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon of the oregano, salt and black pepper. Mix.

For sauce, stir remaining 2 tablespoons onion and 1/4 teaspooon oregano into remaining yogurt; set aside.

Form turkey mixture into 6 oval patties, 1/2 inch thick. Grill 10-12 mintues or until meat is no longer pink in the center.

Slice tomatoes and cucumber. Cut one third off top of each pita bread to form a pocket. Fill each pita bread with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and turkey burger. Top with reserved yogurt sauce.

Then, gobble, gobble!

NUTRITIONAL FACTS: 1 sandwich: calories 320, fat 7 g., Sodium 660 mg. dietary fiber 2 g.