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Nutrition

Nutrition Monday – Hamburgers

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BurgersHamburgers!

In celebration of National Hamburger Day on May 28, 2014 what a better way to have a nutritional Monday post! Since most of you will be grilling out on Memorial Day as well, we decided to give you 5 simple recipes to eat a healthier hamburger.

 1. Greek Feta Beef Burger¹

greek-feta-burger-foar296Makes 4 Burgers

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 oz nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • 4 oz hothouse cucumbers (unpeeled), coarsely grated (about 1/2 cup)
  • 1/2 clove garlic, crushed to a paste
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 lb lean ground beef (93 percent or 95 percent lean)
  • 4 oz zucchini, finely diced (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled reduced-fat feta
  • 1/3 cup finely diced red onion
  • 1/2 teaspoons dried marjoram
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • Vegetable oil cooking spray
  • 1 jar (7 oz) roasted red peppers, drained
  • 4 sourdough rolls, split
  • Shredded romaine (optional)
  • Sliced cucumber (optional)
PREPARATION
  1. In a bowl, combine yogurt, cucumbers, garlic and juice; set aside. In another bowl, mix beef, zucchini, feta, onion, marjoram, salt and pepper. Form beef mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties. Coat a grill pan or grill rack with cooking spray. Grill patties over medium-high heat, flipping once, about 5 minutes each side, until internal temperature reaches 160°. Divide roasted peppers evenly among bottom roll halves; top with 1 burger, 1/4 yogurt sauce and lettuce and cucumber, if desired. Top each with other half of roll.

Condiments deliver flavor but often a lot of calories. A light yogurt sauce supplies healthy zip.

THE SKINNY

459 calories per serving, 11 g fat (5 g saturated), 46 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 40 g protein

2. Bison-Apple Burgers with Sage-Jalapeno Pesto & Smoked Blue Cheese¹

tumblr_m5xbmrD2Ey1qag5kkMakes 4 Burgers

INGREDIENTS

Burgers:

  • 2 lbs ground bison meat
  • 2 small apples (1 large), peeled
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tsp Dijon mustard
  • 1 tbsp fresh sage, minced
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • fresh ground pepper

Pesto:

  • 1 jalapeno, seeded, rough chopped
  • 1 cup fresh sage, loosely packed
  • 1 small clove garlic
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 2 tbsp freshly grated Parmesan (optional)
  • salt and pepper
PREPARATION

For the Burgers:
Grate the apples into a large bowl and add the rest of the ingredients. Use your hands to smush everything together until it’s just combined (try not to overmix). Form the meat into 4-5 patties and make a small indentation in the center (this helps the burger cook evenly). Sprinkle the patties with a bit more salt right before Cooking.

Note on Bison:
Finding a quality bison is half the battle here. Choose a locally sourced meat from a butcher or market you trust.

For the Pesto:
Place everything but the Parmesan, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until smooth. Stir in the Parmesan, a pinch of salt and fresh pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

3. Apple Turkey Burgers with Caramelized Onions & Brie¹

AppleTurkeyBurgers3Makes 4 burgers

INGREDIENTS

4 small yellow onions, peeled and sliced into half-moons (or 2 larger yellow onions)

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 lb lean ground turkey
  • 2 granny smith apples, divided
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried sage
  • Salt and pepper
  • 8 slices Brie cheese
  • 4 hamburger buns
PREPARATION

Start by caramelizing the onions, as this step can take up to half an hour.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions, stir to coat with oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Spread onions out evenly across the pan and let cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and caramelized, about 25-30 minutes.  Don’t stir the onions too often so they can brown, but don’t leave them alone long enough to burn or stick to the pan.  You may need to reduce the heat or add a splash of water to deglaze the pan a few times to prevent onions from burning.  Once they’re done, set aside in a small bowl.  This step can be done ahead of time and onions can be warmed up in the microwave before topping burger.

Grate one apple for using in the turkey burger and keep the second apple aside for topping the burger later.  Prepare turkey burgers by gently mixing ground turkey, grated apple, Dijon mustard, thyme, sage, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper in a bowl.  Form into four patties, being careful not to overwork the mixture.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray or drizzle with oil.  Cook turkey burgers until cooked through (center no longer pink, juices run clear, internal temperature of 165°F), about 5 minutes per side.  Add 2 slices of brie cheese to each burger about 2-3 minutes before it’s done cooking so the brie can melt slightly.

Thinly slice the second apple.  Top each bun with a turkey burger (with brie), sliced apples, and caramelized onions.

 4. Banh Mi Asian Burger¹

Bani-Mi-Asian-Burgers-5Makes 4 burgers

INGREDIENTS

Burgers

  • 1 pound ground chicken
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 teaspoon lime juice
  • 2 teaspoons soy sauce
  • 2 gloves garlic, grated
  • 2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
  • 3 green onions, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil

Spicy Sauce

  • 1/3 cup greek yogurt (you can use mayonnaise)
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha
  • To assemble
  • 4 whole wheat hamburger buns, toasted
  • 1/3 English cucumber, cut into 16 spears
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup pickled jalapeños
  • 4 butter lettuce leaves
  • 1 carrot, shredded
  • 4 fried eggs (optional, but you should do it)
  • Instructions
PREPARATION
  1. Place the ground chicken in a glass bowl. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, pepper, cilantro, and green onions. Mix just to combine the ingredients. Don’t over mix. Place the meat in the fridge for 30 minutes to marinate.
  2. While the burgers are resting make the spicy sauce. Combine the Greek yogurt and sriracha in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside until ready to use.
  3. Assemble your topping ingredients (toasted buns, cucumbers, cilantro, jalapeños, lettuce, carrots). Gather your eggs for the fried eggs.
  4. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of sesame oil. Form the meat into 4 equal patties. They’re going to be wet, just do the best you can. They will firm up as they cook. Add the burger to the skillet and cook until they reach your desired doneness. I cook mine about 5 minutes per side, but it will depend on how thick you like your burgers (while the burgers were cooking I fried my eggs in a separate skillet).
  5. To assemble the burgers, spread a bit of the spicy sauce on the bottom of the bun. Top with a lettuce leaf, then a burger. Top the burger with a few cucumber slices, a few jalapeños, carrots and cilantro. Finally add the fried egg (do it people) and then top with the burger bun.

 5. Blueberry Beef burger¹

MB4405Makes 4 Burgers

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 slices whole-wheat country bread, crusts removed, torn into pieces
  • 1/3 cup fresh or frozen and thawed blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • Freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • 12 ounces 90%-lean ground beef
PREPARATION
  1. Place bread in a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Transfer to a large bowl. (No need to wash the workbowl.)
  2. Add blueberries, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire, garlic, salt and pepper to the food processor; process until pureed. Scrape into the bowl with the breadcrumbs. Add ground beef and mix well with a potato masher. Divide the mixture into four equal portions; form into 1/2-inch-thick patties, about 4 inches in diameter.
  3. Meanwhile, preheat broiler or heat an indoor or outdoor grill to medium-high. If using the broiler, coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. If using a grill, oil the grill rack by rubbing it with an oil-soaked paper towel. Cook patties until browned and no longer pink in the center, 4 to 5 minutes per side. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should register 160°F. Serve immediately, with or without rolls and toppings.
THE SKINNY

Per serving: 200 calories; 9 g fat (4 g sat, 4 g mono); 55 mg cholesterol; 9 g carbohydrates; 19 g protein; 1 g fiber; 343 mg sodium; 344 mg potassium.

¹Recipies courtesy of: