Whether you call it Memorial Day, Victoria Day or the May “2-4” long weekend, chances are you will probably find yourself near a BBQ over the next few days. With that in mind, I came up with a healthy alternative to the average burger and fries to help you make this long weekend your most delicious and nutritious yet.
What You Need
Main Dish – Healthiest Burger Ever
Whole Grain Hamburger Buns (Dempster’s makes a 100% whole grain hamburger bun)
Lean Ground Beef or Pre-Made Patties (Try President’s Choice Blue Menu Angus or vegetarian patties)
1 Head of Red Kale
1 Large Avocado
1 Tomato
1 Red Onion
Cheese Slices (optional freebie- any variety you desire, not required.)
Sriracha Sauce
Sides – Sweet Potato Medallions and Zucchini Wedges
2 Sweet potatoes
2 Zucchinis
Herbs/Spices: Basil, paprika, thyme, black pepper, garlic powder, rosemary or any salt-free blend.
Preparation Instructions
Step 1 – Prep
- Thinly slice tomato and onion into patty toppings, do the same with kale.
- Prepare avocado either by thinly slicing or mashing thoroughly with a fork.
- Slice sweet potato along its width into medallions, do not remove skin (it’s the healthiest part!).
- Slice zucchini along its length, and again twice more into wedges (as per picture).
- Sweet potatoes (rosemary) and Zucchini (garlic powder) should be seasoned and drizzled with olive oil.
- Whether using pre-made patties or ground beef brush with olive oil and season liberally with one or multiple of basil, paprika, thyme and black pepper. No salt required.
Step 2 – Grilling
Prepare vegetables and buns first at medium heat before moving on to high heat to cook the burger.
- Lightly toast whole grain buns on the grill if desired.
- Grill sweet potato medallions for a total of 20-30 mins until desired firmness, flipping occasionally.
- Grill zucchini wedges for about 5 minutes or until desired firmness.
- Grill the burgers last on high heat. If you are new to grilling burgers, have a look at this step-by-step guide to ensure they come out perfectly.
Step 3 – Presentation
- Add 1 red kale leaf to the base of the bun.
- Add burger patty next, followed by cheese slice (if used).
- Add avocado slices or mash next, followed by tomato , red onion and Sriracha.
- Push down the top of the whole grain bun and enjoy the healthiest burger ever.
- Serve with a side of zucchini wedges and sweet potato medallions to round off the meal.
There you have it folks. My healthy take on the upcoming May long weekend’s grilling festivities. If you are looking to keep things as healthy as possible this weekend while still enjoying yourself, give this delicious and healthy meal idea a try.
Andy De Santis RD MPH
Andy is a Toronto-based private practice dietitian and nutrition blogger. You can learn more about him at his website: AndyTheRD.com
