Sinner or Saint: Burgers

I Am Trying Out A New Salad Diet…

…it’s very easy to follow. Simply wash some fresh organic salad leaves, slice a juicy organic beef tomato and add some home-pickled cucumbers to a juicy, grilled beef burger and toasted sesame seed bun – and don’t forget the diet cola to save on calories.

It has to be said, for someone who followed a healthy vegetarian diet for almost 20 years, I have now seriously fallen far from the “healthy wagon”. I will always remember that first meal after I decided to eat meat again. We were at our local bistro pub, The Newbury, and I decided to throw all caution to the wind and dive into their famous organic, fresh beef gourmet burger.

(WARNING: any vegetarians may want to skip the next paragraph!)

The moment that meaty, morsel of beefy goodness hit my lips and the cheese, juicy goodness drizzled down my chin, I was completely awestricken – how I could have neglected my tastebuds so badly over the past two decades?

Since that burger, I have never looked back – and a good job too, because America is not short of a good burger! Within a half mile radius of our Seattle condo, we have a Red Robin, Johnny Rockets, McDonalds, Great State Burger, Relish, Steak n’ Shake, and even Whole Foods Market serves up a rather tasty burger. That’s not including my passion for In-N-Out which I HAVE to indulge in whenever we visit our sissy in LA.

Burgers are the bomb: FACT. But they aren’t all bad and can actually be rather nutritious and an excellent source of protein, which keeps you feeling fuller for longer. By making some small changes, such as using extra-lean beef, or chicken, instead of regular minced beef and swapping out the bread bun for a lettuce wrap, you can actually turn your fat-filled burger into a diet followers dream. Not convinced?

This week’s Sinner or Saint offers two alternative Burger Recipes. The first Chilli Burger Wellington Recipe is not recommended for those on a diet, but with a juicy beef burger topped with spicy beef chili and wrapped in delicious pastry casing, it certainly doesn’t fall short on taste! The saintly Chicken Guacamole Burger Recipe also doesn’t disappoint for those looking for a healthy alternative. With fresh, vibrant, flavour-filled ingredients, this burger is low in fat, low in calories, but high in tastebud credit.

…and don’t forget that you can repent for your sins, or celebrate your saintliness at the Arugula & Rocket Store’s January Sale!

Sinner or Saint: Chicken Guacamole Burger vs. Chili Burger Wellington

Saint’s Recipe: Chicken Guacamole Burger

Servings: 4 | Time: 20 minutes | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

For The Burgers:
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
1 medium avocado, ripe, cut in 1/2-inch dice
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon lime zest
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 pound lean ground chicken
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

To Serve:
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 hamburger buns, toasted OR 4 large lettuce leafs
Shredded lettuce
Thinly-sliced tomatoes
Lite mayonnaise

Instructions:

Gently combine the onion, cilantro, jalapeno, avocado, and lime juice in a large bowl. In a second bowl, combine the lime zest, egg, ground chicken, salt, and pepper until thoroughly mixed. Add the guacamole mixture and mix with a fork until just combined. Form into four 1/2-inch-thick patties, working the mixture just enough so it holds together. NOTE: Avoid over-compacting the patties.

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook until the bottom is well browned, about 5 minutes (when you slide a spatula under the burger, it should hold its shape). Flip the burgers over and cook another 4 to 5 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer stuck in the center registers 160°F. (The temperature will increase another 5 degrees before you eat the burger.) Serve on the toasted rolls or wrap in a large lettuce leaf.

[Recipe Courtesy of The Kitchn]

Sinner’s Recipe: Chilli Burger Wellington

Servings: 2 | Time: 1hr 15 minutes | Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients:

1 Sheet of Pastry Dough

2 Beef Burger Patties
1 Can Chilli
1 Egg, Beaten

Handful of Bacon Bits, or Grated Cheese (optional)

Pinch of Black Pepper

Pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 350°F (160°C).

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry dough.

Place a burger patty at the centre of one of the sheets of pastry dough and top with a generous layer of chilli.

Repeat previous step to make a total stack of 2 burgers and 2 layers chilli.

Top with a sprinkle of bacon bits or grated cheese (optional).

Brush the outer edges of the pastry with egg wash. Then fold the pastry over the burger stack and pinch the edges to seal.

Brush over the surface of the wellington with egg wash. Sprinkle with pepper and/or red chilli flakes (optional).

Place on a non-stick baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, or until the pastry is golden brown and the meat is cooked at the centre.

Do you have a recipe that you’d like to see on the blog? Have you made one of my recipes that you would love to share? Or have you discovered a great product that you cannot find in the shops? Email me at: info@arugulaandrocket.com – I’d love to hear from you!