Lighten Up That Burger!

I’m a big fan of any burger you can name – beef, chicken, seafood, or vegetarian. Add a whole grain bun with crunchy baked fries on the side, and I’m in heaven!

My love of burgers prompted me to look up the definition of a burger, as I was curious to see if a chicken or seafood burger would be considered as a burger.

Webster’s Dictionary defines two types of burgers:

The first is a hamburger, which consists of a patty of ground beef in a round bun.

The second is a burger, which is a sandwich with similarities to a hamburger, such as tofu. Therefore, my curiousity was satiatied:

Both my chicken and quinoa burgers qualify as a “Burger.”

Now that I have my burger lesson, I’d like to share my four favorite burgers with you.

This week I have a lighter version of the beef burger. When my kids were younger, grass fed beef wasn’t a big deal. Now, I purchase 4% grass fed beef–although it can be a bit pricey. However, if you use lean beef it works just as well.

I boost the nutrition in my burgers by adding terrific veggies like leafy kale, and mushrooms. I promise you that no one will notice the difference, and your burgers will be moist, delicious, and nutritious. No cheese here, but if you can afford the calories, go for it!

Stay tuned for next week’s lightened up chicken and turkey burgers!

Here’s my Recipe for a Knock Your Socks Off Beef Burger

1 pound grass fed ground beef, lean 4% fat
½ cup oatmeal
1 large egg white
1 cup mushrooms, finely chopped
½ small onion, finely chopped
½ cup kale, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons barbeque sauce
salt and pepper to taste
4 medium whole wheat burger buns
4 large lettuce leaves
4 slices tomato
4 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon spicy mustard

Servings: Makes 4 main dish servings.

Directions:

1. Combine beef, oatmeal, egg white, mushrooms, onion, kale, garlic, and barbecue sauce in a large bowl. Flatten the beef mixture in the bowl with your palm, and score into quarters. Form quarters into patties.

2. Preheat grill, or grill pan on the stove, and grill burgers 4 minutes per side, until beef is just cooked through. Don’t over-grill, or your burger will be dry.

3. Combine mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl.

4. Toast bun, and top with a burger, the mayonnaise mixture, lettuce and tomatoes.

You can find the recipe for this healthy version of baked fries at Mother Rimmy’s Cooking Light Done Right. Try using sweet potatoes instead of Russet or Yukon gold for a fries with really big flavor!

What’s good for me in this dish?

Lean beef is high in tryptophan and protein. Chock full of vitamins B12, B6, B3 and B2, beef has cardiovascular benefits, as well as the ability to prevent colon cancer. Beef also contains iron, selenium and zinc.

Kale is very high in vitamins K, A, C, manganese and fiber. Vitamin A promotes vision and lung health. Vitamin C reduces the severity of inflammatory conditions such as asthma, osteoarthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis. Kale’s sulfur-containing phytonutrients can help prevent some cancers.

Amount Per Serving:

Calories: 343
Total Fat: 9.44g
Cholesterol: 73mg
Sodium: 335mg
Total Carbs: 31.17g
Dietary Fiber: 5.16g
Sugars: 8.62g
Protein: 32.20g
Weight Watchers Points 7

Currently, Kristi Rimkus authors her own blog over at Mother Rimmy’s Cooking Light Done Right.

Nutrition details obtained from whfoods.org, nutritiondata.com, about.com, and abouthomecooking.com.

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