If you’re like me, you’re cutting back on red meat more and more. In my house, turkey or chicken burgers are replacing beef. These juicy turkey burgers will in fact, be served tonight on whole wheat buns with lots of fresh lettuce, tomatoes, a bit of chopped red onion and a dab of mayonnaise. Roasted sweet potato wedges, a mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and a piece of luscious reduced-fat ricotta cheesecake with mango sauce will round out the menu. Can’t think of anything better right now. FYI, the turkey burger and cheesecake recipes come from Eating for Pregnancy: The Essential Nutrition Guide and Cookbook for Today’s Mothers-to-Be. You don’t have to be pregnant to enjoy the delicious and healthy recipes. I have tons of friends who buy my book for their non-pregnant friends just for the recipes. Years ago, when I was doing a cooking demo-food tasting at Barnes and Noble Bethesda, I had two people (not pregnant) buy the book after tasting the Noodles with Spinach, Red Bell Peppers and Sesame Dressing and my dessert staple, Apple-Blueberry Granola Crisp.
Juicy Turkey Burgers
Makes 4 burgers
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tabelspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tabelspoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsely
1 tablespoon canola oil, or canola cooking oil spray
- Combine all of the ingredients except the canola oil in a bowl and mix until well blended. If the mixture is too pasty or sticky, add 1 tablespoon water. (Note: The consistency should be softer than a burger made with ground beef, but firm enough to hold its shape.) Divide the turkey mixture into four portions, form each potion into a patty, and place on a large plate.
- If panfrying, heat the canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. If grilling, before preheating the grill, position a piece of foil over the grill rack and poke holes in it. (This will prevent the burgers from sticking to the grill and falling apart.) Just before cooking the burgers, generously spray the foil with canola oil cooking spray. Add the burgers to the skillet or grill and cook for 6 minutes, or until the underside is dark brown. Flip the burgers and cook on the second side for about 6 minutes, or until the center of the burgers is completely opaque and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center (through the side of the burger) reads 165 degrees F.
- Remove from the skillet or grill and serve immediately.
Note: You can form the burgers, covered and refrigerated, up to four hours in advance. Ground chicken can be substituted for the turkey.
Approximate Nutritional Information: Serving size: One 5-ounce turkey burger: Calories: 316 cals; Protein: 35 g; Carbohydrates: 3 g; Fat: 18 g; Fiber: 0 g; Sodium: 498 mg; Diabetic ExchangeL Fat 1, Meat (Lean) 5
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