Smarter Ways to Build a Better Burger

Want the satisfaction of a burger without throwing away your health or your waistline? Love saving time in the kitchen? Well, you’re in luck! I spent last weekend coming up with two fantastic burgers that are both quick to make and healthy for you too.

The first is a better-for-you beef burger (for those of you who agree that a burger means beef). And for the adventurous types, the second is a lovely vegan quinoa-black bean burger spiked with apple cider vinegar (trust me, it does something nice with the earthy base notes), prepped in the pan with heart-healthy walnut oil. What makes them health-smart? Sane portion sizes, fewer calories, and more whole grains and veggies! Each burger was prepped and plated in well under 30 minutes.

A Better Beef Burger (150 calories)

What I think is great about this recipe is that, though I could have done everything from scratch – I didn’t have to!

I purposefully found ways to take shortcuts, without compromising on nutrition or quality ingredients, so you can spend less time in the kitchen this summer and still feel great about what you put on the table to nourish you and your family.

Ingredients (makes approximately 15 patties):

1 egg white (I used Nature’s Yoke Organic Large Brown Eggs)
2 T red wine (water can be substituted)
1/2 C cooked whole grains (I used our freshly-prepared steamed quinoa)
1 C chopped veggies (I used our fajita mix which helped cut down the prep time to just a minute or two)
1/8 t pepper, or to taste
1 lb 90% lean ground beef, raised without antibiotics, from Pat LaFrieda
Mini brioche slider rolls, sliced in half, with top scooped out

Recommended Toppings:

Directions:

Combine egg white with cooked whole grains, chopped veggies, and red wine.
Add lean ground beef until just mixed.
With clean hands, create small patties about 2.5” across and ½ inch thick. This recipe will yield approximately 15 patties.
Add patties to a hot skillet. No additional cooking oil needed. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side, until fully cooked; flipping once. Patties should reach an internal temperature of 160° Fahrenheit for food safety.
Remove fully cooked patties by lifting out of skillet and draining on paper towels.

To plate your burger, slice a mini brioche roll width-wise, and scoop out some of the breading from the rounded top piece. The main reason to do this is to provide a balance of bread to burger. Otherwise, the roll can be a bit overwhelming. Plus, the carved out top conveniently leaves room for toppings. Cutting down on calories is an added bonus!

Add your favorite toppings. I used honey Dijon mustard, a slice of a vine-ripened tomato, red leaf lettuce, red onion, and half-sour pickles (which taste fresher than regular pickles, and are lower in sodium).

Nutrition for Beef Burger, Brioche, and Toppings

150 calories; 5.5g total fat (8.5%); 2.5g sat fat (12.5%); 35mg cholesterol (11.5%); 300mg sodium (12.5%); 16g carbs; 1g fiber; 3g sugars; 9g protein; 4% calcium; 10% iron; 13% vitamin C; 8% vitamin A.

Vegan Quinoa-Black Bean Burger (145 calories)

This burger concept is packed with plant-based protein from the quinoa and the black beans.

The patty itself is vegan, but if you follow a strict vegan diet, please note that our mini-brioche rolls are not vegan.

Ingredients (makes approximately 15 patties)

1 15 oz can low-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 C FreshDirect salsa
1 C cooked whole grains (I used our FreshDirect cooked quinoa)
1/4 C Bragg Organic Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 t (or to taste), chili or cayenne powder
3 t Walnut oil

Recommended Toppings:
- FreshDirect guacamole
- Red onion

Directions:

Coarsely mash the rinsed and drained black beans.
Mix mashed black beans with cooked whole grains, salsa, apple cider vinegar, and chili powder until combined.
With clean hands, create small patties about 2.5” across and ½ inch thick. This recipe will yield approximately 15 patties.
For each batch, heat about a teaspoon of walnut oil in the skillet per about 5 patties. Cook for 3-5 minutes per side, or to desired doneness; flipping once.
Remove cooked patties by lifting out of skillet and draining on paper towels.

To plate your burger, slice a mini brioche roll width-wise, and scoop out some of the breading from the rounded top piece. As mentioned above, the main reason to do this is to provide a balance of bread to burger. Otherwise, the roll can be a bit overwhelming. Plus, the carved out top conveniently leaves room for toppings. Cutting down on calories is an added bonus! Add your favorite toppings. I used our guacamole and red onions.

Nutrition for Veggie Burger, Brioche, and Toppings

145 calories; 6.5g total fat (10%); 2g sat fat (10%); 0mg cholesterol; 280mg sodium (12%); 21g carbs; 3g fiber; 3g sugars; 5.5g protein; 4% calcium; 10% iron; 20% vitamin C; 6% vitamin A.