Build a better burger: put the cow out to pasture. Chef up one of these low-calorie, protein-rich impostors that bring more taste to the table than any manwich out there

Men's Fitness, Nov, 2003 by Robin Vitetta-Miller

THE HAMBURGER is about as all-American as a food could possibly be ... especially one named after some jerkwater town in Germany. As the fast-food signs constantly remind us, we gladly stuff our pie holes with billions of these meatwiches every year, loosening our collective belts as we decide whether to make it a super-double with jumbo fries and a swimming-pool-size frosty beverage.

Of course, our beefy friend can also be a major nutritional bad guy--the average cheeseburger runs on the wrong side of 500 calories, more than half of which come from artery-clogging animal fat. But that doesn't mean you have to give up on burgerliciousness altogether.

We've reinvented this tasty favorite with a few healthy and innovative twists, getting rid of the red meat entirely (and almost all of the saturated fat), leaving in the grilled goodness and high protein content. Instead of fast food, we're, left with nothing but good food fast. Try a patty that will blow away your taste buds for a change without blowing you up into one fat bastard.

Recipes

SALMON BURGERS With Creamy
Dill-Horseradish sauce

PREP TIME 10 minutes COOK TIME 14 minutes

WHAT YOU GET Omega-3 fatty acids, which protect
against blocked arteries, reduce blood levels of lipoproteins
associated with heart disease, and promote healing of
artery walls.

WHAT YOU NEED
cooking spray
3 7-oz packets of salmon, or three 6-oz cans, drained
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp fat-free mayonnaise, divided
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp horseradish
4 2-oz whole-wheat buns

HOW TO DO IT

* Preheat the broiler and also an outdoor grill or stove-top
grill pan (or nonstick skillet) over medium-high heat. Coat
a baking sheet with cooking spray.

* In a large bowl, combine the salmon, bread crumbs, 1/2
cup of the mayonnaise, mustard, and pepper. Mix everything
together until blended. Shape into four chef-worthy
patties, each about I inch thick, and then transfer them
to the baking sheet.

* Broil the burgers five minutes per side, until light brown
on both sides. Transfer them to the hot grill or skillet and
cook two minutes per side, until grill marks appear.

* Meanwhile, to make the creamy dill sauce, combine the
remaining two tablespoons mayonnaise, dill, and
horseradish.

* Arrange the burgers on buns. Top each burger with one
tablespoon dill sauce.

Makes four servings. PER SERVING: 334 CALORIES, 37 G
CARBS, 23 G PROTEIN, 10 G FAT (2 G SAT. FAT), 3 G FIBER

TURKEY CHEESEBURGERS
With Chipotle Ketchup

PREP TIME 10 minutes COOK TIME 11 minutes

WHAT YOU GET An excellent source of high-quality
protein and vitamin [B.sub.12], which helps the body use fats
and carbohydrates and assists the nervous system in
working properly.

WHAT YOU NEED

cooking spray
1 lb ground turkey breast
3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 slices reduced-fat Monterey Jack cheese (1 ounce each)
1/4 cup ketchup
1 chipotle chili in adobo sauce, minced (available in cans)
4 2-oz whole-wheat buns

HOW TO DO IT

* Coat outdoor grill or stove-top pan with cooking spray
and preheat (or preheat the broiler).

* In a large bowl, combine the turkey, cilantro, cumin, salt,
and pepper. Mix everything together until blended. Shape
the mixture into four patties, 1 inch thick.

* Grill or broil the burgers (when broiling, place the burgers
on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray)
five minutes per side, until browned on the outside and
cooked through in the middle.

* Place the cheese on top of burgers and cook one more
minute, until the cheese melts.

* Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the ketchup
and minced chipotle chili.

* Arrange the burgers on buns. Top each burger with one
tablespoon chipotle ketchup.

Makes four servings. PER SERVING: 301 CALORIES, 23 G
CARBS, 32 G PROTEIN, 8.7 G FAT (4.5 G SAT. FAT), 2 G FIBER

WILD MUSHROOM BURGERS
With Cheddar

PREP TIME 15 minutes CHILLING TIME 20 minutes
COOK TIME 16 minutes

WHAT YOU GET Lentinan, a molecule that boosts levels of
immune cells; vitamin B; and soluble fiber from brown rice.

WHAT YOU NEED

2 large shitake mushrooms (about 3/4 Ib with stems),
stems removed, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 large portobello mushrooms (handled the same as
above)
1 cup instant brown rice
1 egg
1 tsp dried sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
4 slices reduced-fat cheddar cheese (1 ounce each)
4 2-oz whole-wheat hamburger buns
4 lettuce leaves
4 tomato slices

HOW TO DO IT

* Place a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms
and saute for five minutes, until liquid evaporates,

* Bring 1 1/4 cups of water to a boil. Add rice, reduce heat
to low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Let stand for five.

* Transfer mushrooms to food processor. Add cooked rice,
egg, sage, salt, and pepper. Pulse the processor until well
blended. Shape into four patties, 1 inch thick. Cover with
plastic and refrigerate for 20 minutes.

* Cover grill pan with foil (poke several holes), then preheat.

* Grill or broil (same broiling rules apply) five minutes per
side, until browned on the outside and hot in the middle.

* Place the cheese on top of burgers and cook one minute.

* Place burgers, lettuce, and tomato on buns.

Makes four servings. PER SERVING: 381 CALORIES, 53 G
CARBS, 22 G PROTEIN, 8.5 G FAT (4 G SAT. FAT), 9 G FIBER