The Ultimate Burger

For your next backyard gathering, grill up a tasty homemade burger in five healthy flavour variations.

While most of us don’t think of hamburgers as a healthy food, burgers can actually be considered a balanced meal as they provide both protein and carbohydrates. Most of the time, it’s what goes on top of the burger or on the side that’s the not-so-healthy culprit. Thankfully, we have plenty of easy ways to make a homemade burger both nutritious and delicious.

Start by preparing the burger patty with lean protein, such as extra-lean ground meat, ground chicken or turkey breast meat or high-fibre beans. Serve the patties in a whole wheat bun or an English muffin, or for a change of pace, skip the bun altogether and serve the patty over a Greek or green salad. Top burgers with a lower-fat cheese, small amounts of condiments and an assortment of crunchy veggies. Instead of high-fat sides, pair burgers with colourful salads, veggies and dip, fresh fruit, grilled vegetables, baked potatoes or your own homemade baked fries.

Whenever you enjoy burgers, be sure to take measures to keep your food safe. Keep raw and cooked foods separate by using different cutting boards and utensils for handling meat than for vegetables. Ensure burgers are cooked to a safe internal temperature by using an instant-read meat thermometer. Serve cooked burgers on a clean plate with clean utensils and refrigerate leftovers within two hours after cooking. And be sure to scrub your barbecue down after each use.

For a fresh take on the same old burger, try one of our five flavourful variations – each offers the ultimate in quick and healthy mealtime solutions.

Recipes in this article:

• VEGGIE BURGERS
• GREEK BEEF BURGERS
• CRANBERRY TURKEY BURGERS
• ASIAN-STYLE SALMON BURGERS
• TROPICAL CHICKEN BURGERS

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