Whether you are throwing a backyard cookout or preparing a dish to pass, consider placing a healthy twist on traditional Memorial Day favorites. Holidays have quite the knack for throwing us off track from making healthy eating decisions. After all, nothing quite beats a burger with a little char and a cold glass of lemonade on a warm day. By flipping this meal the Med way, you can have the best of both worlds; a juicy burger and fruit drink, but without the guilt.
The Mediterranean eating pattern emphasizes the importance of including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, fish, and beans into your diet. A traditional ground-beef burger can be made the Med way by substituting the ground beef with a different source of protein, such as beans. Or, replace a portion of the ground beef with vegetables, such as these Mushroom Beef Burgers. See the recipe below for Med-style burgers you are sure to love. For more Mediterranean recipes, visit MedInsteadofMeds.com.
Quinoa Pinto Bean Burger
Serves: 8-10 people
Serving size: 1 patty
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cool Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 2 (16-ounce) cans pinto beans
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ½ teaspoon ground coriander
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne
- 1 carrot, peeled and grated
- ½ cup minced onion
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon salt (use a little less if using Homemade Taco Seasoning)
- ½ teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour
- ½ cup whole-wheat bread crumbs
- 1 cup quinoa, cooked (you can use any type of quinoa)
- 2-3 tablespoons canola or other vegetable oil
Directions
- Drain and rinse the canned beans.
- Cook the canned beans in water over medium heat for 10-15 minutes. Drain well.
- Place ½ of the beans in a food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped.
- Add the spices and pulse again to combine.
- Add the carrot, onion, and egg and process until mixed, the mixture will not be smooth.
- Place the bean mixture in a large bowl and add salt, pepper, flour, bread crumbs, quinoa, and remaining beans. Combine.
- Form into patties (form 8-10 depending on how large you want the burgers).
- Refrigerate the burgers for at least an hour. Can be overnight.
- Cook the burgers in a large skillet with vegetable oil over medium-high heat, approximately 3-4 minutes per side.
Nutrition Information per Serving:
Serving Size: 1 patty; Vegetables: ¼ cup; Fruits: 0 cups; Calories: 141 calories; Carbohydrates: 19 grams; Fiber: 4 grams; Protein: 5 grams; Fat: 5 grams; Sodium: 382 mg
Fruity drinks, such as lemonade, are delicious; but they contain loads of added sugar. Mixing a smaller portion of fruit juice with club soda enables you to still enjoy this sweet treat, but with half the calories.
Cranberry Lime Soda
Serves: 1
Serving Size: 1 cup (8 ounces)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/3 cup cranberry juice
- 2/3 cup club soda
- 1 lime juice
Directions
- Combine cranberry juice and club soda. Splash with lime.
Nutrition Information per serving:
Serving Size: 1 cup; Vegetables: 0 cups; Fruits: 1/3 cup; Calories: 31 calories; Carbohydrates: 9 grams; Fiber: 0 grams; Protein: 0 grams; Fat: 0 grams; Sodium: 39 mg