It’s getting to the part of summer where turning on the oven sounds as appealing as… well, about as appealing as opening your triple-digit electric bill. Firing up the grill is a much more palatable option as the temperatures climb.
Though a summer staple, regular hamburgers can be bland- not to mention full of saturated fat. Fortunately there are some simple substitutions that you can make in order to keep the calories in check. Just like your favorite brunch beverage, these Bloody Mary Burgers will provide a nice kick without weighing you down. Thanks to the use of ground turkey, fresh vegetables, and light mayonnaise, the burgers stay moist without containing a lot of added fat. Even the most die-hard red meat eaters will love these, though you can always substitute lean ground beef (or even ground chicken) for the turkey if desired.
If you like things extra spicy, feel free to increase the amount of Tabasco or horseradish. Pickled green beans can be found at most local grocery stores. If you can’t locate the beans, regular dill pickles can be used instead.
Bloody Mary Turkey Burgers with Horseradish Mayo
Serves 4
For the burgers:
- 1 Tbs Olive Oil
- 3 Celery Ribs, Diced
- 1⁄2 Medium Yellow Onion, Chopped
- Cloves of Garlic, Chopped
- 2 Tbs Tomato Paste
- 1 Lb Lean Ground Turkey
- 2 Tbs Worcestershire Sauce
- 1⁄2 tsp Celery Salt
- 1⁄4 tsp Tabasco Sauce
For the horseradish mayo:
- 1⁄2 Cup Light Mayonnaise
- 3 tsp Creamed Horseradish
- 1 tsp Lemon Juice
- 1 tsp Dijon Mustard
Toppings, etc.
- Pickled Green Beans
- Large Tomato, Sliced
- 4 Wheat Hamburger Buns
Instructions:
- Preheat grill.
- Heat olive oil in a medium skillet. Add celery, onion, garlic and tomato paste and sauté 5-7 minutes, until onions have softened. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine ground turkey with sautéed vegetables, Worcestershire, celery salt, and Tabasco and stir to mix. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions and shape into patties.
- Place patties on grill. Since it can be hard to tell by sight when ground turkey is completely cooked, use a food thermometer to ensure that the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees before removing the patties from the grill.
- To make the horseradish mayo: Stir together mayo, horseradish, lemon juice and Dijon mustard in small bowl. If you like horseradish, feel free to add more to taste! Spread generously on buns.
- Place burgers on buns and top with 3-4 pickled green beans and a tomato slice.
- To round out the healthy BBQ fare, serve with baked potato wedges, fruit salad or grilled corn-on-the-cob.
