NACHO BURGERS

FOR THE BURGERS

2 pounds (900 g) of ground beef

2 tablespoons (30 mL) of ground cumin

2 tablespoons (30 mL) of dried oregano

1 teaspoon (5 mL) of salt

Lots of freshly ground pepper

1 onion, minced

FOR THE BURGER BUNS

1 teaspoon (5 mL) of chili powder

2 tablespoons (30 mL) of butter, melted

6 or 8 of your favorite burger buns

TO GARNISH THE BURGERS

1 heaping tablespoon (20 mL) of your favorite salsa per burger

¼ cup (60 mL) of any shredded cheese per burger

3 or 4 tortilla chips, crushed, per burger

Description

Build a hardwood fire and ultimately a bed of glowing coals. Or prepare and preheat your grill or stovetop griddle to high.

To make the burgers, have a clean plate on the counter and a few sheets of wax paper or plastic wrap nearby. Place the ground beef in a large bowl. Break it up a bit and spread it out evenly. Sprinkle the meat as evenly as you can with the cumin, oregano, salt, pepper and onions. Using your hands, thoroughly and evenly mix the works together. Form the proceeds into 6 or 8 evenly shaped thin burgers and place them on the plate, with the wax paper in between layers.

To ready the buns for the grill, stir the chili powder into the melted butter and brush the fragrant fat onto the cut sides of the buns. Just before grilling the burgers, toast the buns until lightly browned and delicious.

Grill the burgers until browned, 4 or 5 minutes a side. Move the finished burgers straight from the grill to their toasted buns so their juices soak into the bread. Top with the salsa, cheese, tortilla chips and bun tops. Serve and share!

SUN-DRIED TOMATO AND MUSHROOM LAMB BURGERS

SERVES 6  

When it comes to burgers, most people think of beef. Lamb offers cooks a more complex and sophisticated flavor to work with. The sweet and savory sun-dried tomatoes and earthy mushrooms harmonize perfectly with the rich lamb. My favorite way to enjoy burgers is on top of grilled portobello mushrooms.

 

 

 

INGREDIENTS

½ cup/80 g sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

½ cup/40 g dried porcini mushrooms, chopped

2 lbs/900 g ground lamb

2 pieces bacon, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

½ onion, grated

1 tsp/3 g chili powder

2 tsp/10 g sea salt

½ tsp pepper

½ cup/20 g fresh parsley

¼ cup/5 g fresh basil

1 jalapeño, minced

1 egg, lightly beaten

FOR THE PORTOBELLO MUSHROOMS:

6 portobello mushrooms, stemmed

sea salt and pepper

2 tbsp/30 g butter, melted

COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

Rehydrate sun-dried tomatoes by placing them in a bowl and covering them with warm water. Let them soak at room temperature for at least 45 minutes or until they feel flexible. Rehydrate dried mushrooms by placing them in a bowl and covering them with warm water for 30 to 45 minutes.

Preheat a grill over medium-high heat. Combine the sun-dried tomatoes, mushrooms, lamb, bacon, garlic, onion, chili powder, salt, pepper, parsley, basil, jalapeño and egg. Mix gently. Form into 6 patties. Remove the stems from the portobello mushrooms. Generously salt and pepper them and liberally brush with melted butter. Grill burgers for about 4 minutes a side for medium burgers. Cook portobello mushrooms for 5 minutes per side or until heated through and tender. Top each portobello mushroom with a burger and serve.

Grass-Fed Beef Burgers with Blue Cheese Sauce

Thick, rich Greek yogurt is a boon to the healthy cook, adding a creamy quality to sauces and dressings. Here it forms the base of a cheese sauce—all you’ll need to top the simply seasoned burgers.













Ingredients
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, halved lengthwise and sliced
1¼ pounds lean grass-fed ground beef or 90% lean ground beef
1 tablespoon plus
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
5 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
1½ ounces blue cheese, crumbled (about 1⁄3 cup)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
4 whole wheat hamburger buns
4 leaves green leaf lettuce
1 medium tomato, sliced

1 HEAT the broiler and coat a baking sheet with cooking spray. Heat the oil in a medium skillet on medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

2 COMBINE the beef, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, 4 tablespoons of the parsley, ¼ teaspoon salt, and freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl. Form into 4 patties, about 3″ wide and ½″ thick. Place on the prepared baking sheet and broil 6″ from the heat until the patties feel firm and the centers are no longer pink, turning halfway through, about 12 minutes.

3 MIX the yogurt, blue cheese, mustard, and the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley in a small bowl. Spread the top halves of the buns with the yogurt mixture. Top the bottom half of each bun with a patty, lettuce leaf, one-quarter of the onions, and a slice of tomato. Cover with the top halves of the buns and serve.

NUTRITION (per serving) 436 calories, 36 g protein, 31 g carbs, 19 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 661 mg sodium