Add a touch of Moroccan flavor to your burgers for a delicious upgrade to the classic hamburger. By incorporating warm and flavorful spices like cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, and plenty of fresh mint into the ground meat, you will achieve a uniquely delicious taste.
A key tip for achieving a caramelized surface and keeping the burger intact is to avoid flipping or moving it for the first 5 minutes after placing it in a preheated skillet.
Ingredients:
– It is recommended to use spices within 6 months of purchase. Label the spice jars with the purchase date to keep track of when the flavors might start to diminish.
– Any type of low-fat salad dressing can be used.
Instructions:
1. Mix the ingredients into the ground beef and begin cooking.
2. Prepare the yogurt sauce.
3. Slice the cucumber and tomato.
4. Toast the bread to complete the burger.
Shopping List:
You will need to purchase 3/4 pound of 95% lean ground beef, cumin powder, cinnamon powder, turmeric powder, 1 cup of plain fat-free yogurt, a bunch of fresh mint, a cucumber, a tomato, low-fat salad dressing, and whole wheat hamburger buns.
Kitchen staples: olive oil, salt, and black pepper.
2 servings:
– 3/4 pound of 95% lean ground beef
– 4 tablespoons chopped fresh mint, divided
– 1.5 teaspoons cumin powder, divided
– 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
– 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
– 2 teaspoons olive oil
– 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt
– 1 cucumber, sliced (about 2 cups)
– 1 tomato, diced (about 2 cups)
– Salt and freshly ground black pepper
– 2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing
– 2 whole wheat hamburger buns
1. Mix the ground beef, 2 tablespoons of chopped mint, 1 teaspoon of cumin powder, cinnamon powder, and turmeric powder together. Form two patties about 4 inches in diameter.
2. Heat oil in a medium non-stick skillet over high heat. Add the beef burgers and cook for 5 minutes without moving. Flip and cook for another 5 minutes until the meat thermometer reads 155 degrees Fahrenheit (about 68 degrees Celsius).
3. While the burgers cook, mix the yogurt, remaining mint, and cumin. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Wash the cucumber, leaving the skin on, and slice into 1/4-inch slices. Dice the tomato into half-inch pieces. Place cucumber slices and tomato on separate plates, drizzle with salad dressing, and season with salt and pepper.
5. Toast the buns in a toaster oven or under the broiler. Place the cooked burgers on the bottom buns, spoon the yogurt sauce over them, and cover with the top buns. Serve with cucumber slices and tomato dices.
Nutritional information per serving: 502 calories (31% from fat), 17.3g fat (5.1g saturated fat, 6.6g monounsaturated fat), 109mg cholesterol, 44.6g protein, 40.1g carbohydrates, 8.8g fiber, 283mg sodium.
This recipe is adapted from Linda Gassenheimer’s book “Fast and Flavorful: Great Diabetes Meals from Market to Table,” published by the American Diabetes Association. Reprinted with permission from the American Diabetes Association. Gassenheimer’s latest work is “Simply Smoothies: Fresh & Fast Diabetes-Friendly Snacks & Complete Meals,” also published by the American Diabetes Association. Orders: 1-800-232-6733 or www.shopdiabetes.org.