13 (Healthier) Ways to Celebrate National Burger Month
By: Samantha Donohue,
SparkPeople Blogger
5/24/2012 2:00 PM
: 7 comments
: 13,413 Views
It’s National Burger Month and you’re probably wondering why SparkPeople is celebrating a food with such an unhealthy reputation. The reason is that SparkPeople sees beyond the calories, fat, and sodium to a tremendously fun and flexible vehicle for healthy eating. Each component—the patty, bun, spreads and toppings—provide opportunities for customizing to your tastes and nutritional needs. We’ve gathered our best tips and recipes to help you build a better burger, your own Spark burger.
Patty
Burgers typically consist of protein, grains, a binding agent, vegetables, and spices. Use 1 pound of protein, 1 cup of grains, 1 cup of vegetables, 2 tablespoons of binder and 1 teaspoon of spices.
Buns
Greek Turkey Burger (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Chef Meg's Tangy Chicken Burgers
Chef Meg's Spicy Sliders
Chef Meg's Salmon Cakes
Cheddar-Stuffed Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers
Buffalo Burgers with Cheddar Cheese
Thanksgiving turkey burgers
Chipotle Eggplant Veggie Burgers
MAHI MAHI BURGERS
Quinoa Turkey Burgers
Vegan Lentil Burgers
Portobello Burgers
Spicy Black Bean Burgers
Create your Spark burger: what is your healthy burger recipe?
Download our new e-book: "SparkPeople's Ultimate Grilling Guide: 75 Hearty, Healthy Recipes You Can Really Sink Your Teeth Into"! Click here to learn more.
Want more healthy recipes from Chef Meg and fellow SparkPeople members? Be sure to subscribe to SparkPeople's Recipe of the Day email. Click here to sign up!
Patty
Burgers typically consist of protein, grains, a binding agent, vegetables, and spices. Use 1 pound of protein, 1 cup of grains, 1 cup of vegetables, 2 tablespoons of binder and 1 teaspoon of spices.
| Protein | Grains | Binders | Vegetables |
| Ground turkey or chicken Lean ground beef Ground lamb Ground buffalo Salmon Mahi-Mahi Beans (pureed) Lentils | Oatmeal Quinoa Brown rice Oat bran Wheat Germ Whole wheat bread crumbs | Egg whites Flaxseed meal (mixed with water) Chia Seeds | Spinach, chopped Kale, chopped Onions, diced Carrots, shredded Zucchini, shredded Sweet potato, pureed Peppers, diced Corn Tomato paste Salsa Mushrooms |
Buns
- Sandwich thin
- Open face (Serve burger on top half the bun)
- Whole wheat bun
- Pita bread
- Tortilla
- Spinach
- Kale
- Tomato
- Pickles
- Onions
- Chef Meg's Caramelized Onions
- Roasted bell pepper
- Sprouts
- Avocado
- Mushrooms
- Homemade Ketchup
- Chef Meg's Tapenade
- Chef Meg's Creamy Fat Free Herb Dressing
- Chef Meg's Spicy Chili-Garlic Paste
- Chef Meg's Chipotle Mustard Dipping Sauce
- Spicy Yogurt Sauce
- Hummus
Greek Turkey Burger (Chef Meg's Makeover)
Chef Meg's Tangy Chicken Burgers
Chef Meg's Spicy Sliders
Chef Meg's Salmon Cakes
Cheddar-Stuffed Black Bean and Mushroom Burgers
Buffalo Burgers with Cheddar Cheese
Thanksgiving turkey burgers
Chipotle Eggplant Veggie Burgers
MAHI MAHI BURGERS
Quinoa Turkey Burgers
Vegan Lentil Burgers
Portobello Burgers
Spicy Black Bean Burgers
Create your Spark burger: what is your healthy burger recipe?
Download our new e-book: "SparkPeople's Ultimate Grilling Guide: 75 Hearty, Healthy Recipes You Can Really Sink Your Teeth Into"! Click here to learn more.
Want more healthy recipes from Chef Meg and fellow SparkPeople members? Be sure to subscribe to SparkPeople's Recipe of the Day email. Click here to sign up!
Did you know SparkRecipes is now on Facebook? Click here to "Like" us!
Order your copy of "The SparkPeople Cookbook" today.
 You will earn 3 SparkPoints |
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Comments
That being said my favorite is lean ground sirloin, topped with grilled mushrooms and onions and doused in A1 steaksauce on a whole wheat bun. It's from the Cook This Not That cookbook and it is devine. I also like to mix 1 part olive oil mayo, one part blue cheese crumbles and two parts non fat greek yogurt for a sandwich spread. Yum. - 5/24/2012 9:41:07 PM
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