Low Calorie Burgers with Mustard Sauce

With more and more people choosing to eat at home, finding something to please the family that is quick, and healthy, is not always easy. This recipe is a low-calorie burger that is spiced up with the addition of a mustard sauce. The burger and sauce are approximately 170 calories, and if you add a hamburger bun, check the packaging, but this usually adds about another 120 calories. You can use ground beef or lamb, and both are equally good.

Ingredients (makes 6 servings)

• 1 beaten egg
• 1/3 cup soft bread crumbs (about 1/2 slice)
• 3 tablespoons skim milk
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound lean ground beef or lamb
• 2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt
• 2 tablespoons reduced-calorie mayonnaise or salad dressing
• 2 teaspoons Dijon-style mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 cup chopped seeded cucumber

Method

1. In a large mixing bowl stir together egg, bread crumbs, milk, onion, parsley, and salt. Add meat and mix well. Shape into six 1/2-inch thick patties.
2. Place meat patties on the unheated rack of a broiler pan. Broil 3 inches from the heat for 5 minutes. Turn and broil 5 to 7 minutes more or until meat is no longer pink.
3. Meanwhile, for sauce, in a small bowl stir together yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, and dill weed. Stir in cucumber. Spoon sauce over burgers.
   

Nutrition information per serving: 170 calories, 17 g protein, 3 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat, 101 mg cholesterol, 237 mg sodium, 253 mg potassium.

This recipe can be found with many other great ideas for saving calories without going crazy, in the Better Homes and Gardens New Dieter's Cookbook.

Benefits of Canned Tomatoes

Canned tomatoes have always been a staple food in my store cupboard, mainly because if everything else fails I can always make a quick pasta and marinara sauce. They are also the base for many soups, casseroles and sauces, as well as my favorite paella. Use them drained or with the juices, adding different herbs and spices to come up with totally different flavors.

So I was especially excited to read in a recent report presented at the American Dietetic Association's annual expo how beneficial canned tomatoes can be.

People who ate at least one-quarter cup of canned tomatoes had lower levels of C-reactive protein, which is one of the indicators of cardiovascular risk, than those who ate less than that amount. The research also showed that those who ate canned tomatoes had a greater intake of vitamins and nutrients. The study found that those who ate canned tomatoes consumed more of the nutrients that are lacking in many Americans' diets, including fiber, vitamins C and E, potassium, and magnesium. It was also found that those who ate canned tomatoes also consumed less total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and added sugars.

As well as being rich in antioxidants, including vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene, canned tomatoes are relatively inexpensive, at a time when many consumers are looking for nutritious, cost-conscious meals.

The recipes featured in the Gourmet Fusion store blog often contain canned tomatoes, check out some of the recipes below from our past blogs:

marinara sauce
spaghetti alla puttanesca
rigatoni with chicken
jambalaya
braciole
ossobucco
pizzaiola halibut
ratatouille
paella
marco polo's lobster fra diavolo