Get out the Grill and Dress up Those Burgers!

Well, I don’t know about you, but I love to grill – I’ll grill in the summer, winter, spring, and fall! Some people are fair weather grillers, so their grills have been stored away waiting to come out! With the onset of warmer weather, many people are bringing out their grills from the garage or shed, dusting them off, juicing up their propane tanks or purchasing a new bag of charcoal and getting set for summer!

This weekend was no exception for us! We started the grilling season off in great style My husband said that I made the best burger he has ever had! Wow, how’s that for a compliment? So, of course, I had to share it with our faithful Hauser Diet readers. I am going to share the recipe for Bleu Burgers with an Italian Twist that is particularly great for Lions and Otters, as well as a few more favorites of mine!

Just remember, burgers do not have to be boring! I came up with this recipe by adding a few ingredients that I had in my refrigerator and pantry in order to give the usual boring Saturday night burger some added interest! You can do the same thing! Placing a little cheese inside of the burger gives a little surprise when you cut into the burger. Plus the flavors cook into the meat and you don’t loose all of the cheese into the bottom of the grill when it melts off!

And another thing to remember – the key to a juicy burger is to make sure you don’t give in to the temptation to press down the burgers with the spatula while cooking them. That just allows all the juices to escape! The key is to cook the burger for 3 to 4 minutes per side, minimizing the number of times you have to flip them. Seal in those juices!

How to Dress Up a Burger – the Hauser Diet Way!

Bleu Burgers

Best for Lions and Otters (and Bears occasionally):

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb organic ground sirloin
  • 2 natural Italian sausages, removed from casing
  • 2 large cloves garlic, chopped
  • 3 large shallots, chopped (or substitute 1/2 medium onion)
  • 1/4 cup chili sauce
  • 2 Tbsp ketchup
  • 2 dashes of soy sauce
  • 1/4 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1/3 to 1/4 of a cup of Bleu cheese crumbles

What to do:
Mix all of the above ingredients together in a large bowl, except for the bleu cheese. Divide meat mixture up into 6 balls. Take one ball of meat mixture, rip off about 1/3 of it and set aside. Form a square patty with the remaining 2/3 of the meat mixture, patting to about 1/2 inch thick. Place about 1 Tbsp bleu cheese in the center of the patty. Top with the remaining 1/3 of the meat mixture, closing the seams of the meat, so that the cheese does not escape. Repeat the same process for all of the beef patties. Grill over medium heat to desired doneness. Spread with ketchup and cook 2 minutes longer.

These burgers are so good, you won’t even need condiments, and definitely not a bun! Serve with your favorite vegetables and/or salad!

Here’s another one of my favorite burger whip ups

Bacon Gouda Burgers

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound organic ground sirloin
  • 4 slices bacon, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces and cooked
  • 1 large sweet onion, 1/2 chopped and 1/2 sliced into rings
  • 1/4 red bell pepper, chopped finely
  • 1/4 green bell pepper, chopped finely
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce
  • 4 Tbsp raspberry jam/preserves, divided
  • Dash or two of hot sauce (We like chipotle)
  • 1/4 tsp kosher salt
  • Dash of pepper
  • 4 ounces gouda (or fontina) cheese
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 2 Tbsp of steak sauce

What to do:
Mix beef, bacon, chopped onion, chopped red and green peppers, garlic, Worchestershire sauce, 2 Tbsp raspberry preserves, and hot sauce together in a large mixing bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Divide meat mixture up into 6 balls. Take one ball of meat mixture, rip off about 1/3 of it and set aside. Form a square patty with the remaining 2/3 of the meat mixture, patting to about ½ inch thick. Place about 1 Tbsp cheese in the center of the patty. Top with the remaining 1/3 of the meat mixture, closing the seams of the meat, so that the cheese does not escape. Repeat the same process for all of the beef patties. Grill over medium heat to desired doneness. While burgers are cooking, take a stainless steel sauce pan and heat 1 Tbsp oil in pan on the grill. Add sliced onions and sauté until carmelized. Add steak sauce and remaining 2 Tbsp raspberry preserves to onions and sauté together. Top burgers with sautéed onion mixture. Ooh, talk about delish!

Again, these burgers require no bun or condiments! They are so good just on their own. Serve with your favorite salad and vegetable dish. Check out our recipes on www.hauserdiet.com for ideas!

What About the Monkeys and Giraffes?

burgers_01Monkeys can occasionally have one of the above burgers, but should have a smaller sized burger to accompany their veggies. Giraffes, unfortunately are going to have to pass on these scrumptious burgers. But we will share with you one of the recipes from the Hauser Diet book for vegetarian burgers that is just out of this world!

Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients:

  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
  • 1/2 medium onion, chopped
  • 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, sliced
  • 2 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • Dash of hot sauce
  • 3/4 cup bread crumbs
  • 1 egg
  • Salt and pepper
  • 4 ounces Chihuahua or cheddar cheese, shredded

What to do:
Place black beans, onions, walnuts, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse until just mashed together. (This can also be done by hand). Mix in cilantro and spices. Add egg and mix. Add bread crumbs 1/3 at a time to make desired consistency. Salt and pepper to taste. Divide black bean mixture into 4 balls. Take one ball of bean mixture, rip off about 1/3 of it and set aside. Form a square patty with the remaining 2/3 of the bean mixture, patting to about ½ inch thick. Place about 1 Tbsp cheese in the center of the patty. Top with the remaining 1/3 of the bean mixture, closing the seams, so that the cheese does not escape. Repeat the same process for all of the patties and refrigerate for 30 to 60 minutes prior to grilling. Grill about 4 minutes per side. If your patties seem to fall apart or fall through the grill grates, use a grill basket or a baking sheet on top of the grill.

These black bean burgers can be enjoyed by all Hauser Diet Types, but are best for Giraffes and Monkeys because they are lower in fat and protein, higher in carbohydrates. We came up with this recipe by using ingredients from our pantry and refrigerator. We like to serve these with fresh salsa and guacamole.

Cooking the Hauser Diet way can be so much fun! If you don’t know your Hauser Diet Type, then it’s time you came in to get checked out! You’ll body responds best when you feed it its optimal fuel source. If you’re tired or don’t feel that you are maximizing all that you can do in a day, you might be eating the wrong foods. Once you figure out what you should be eating, the world is wide open to you. As you can see from these recipes, cooking can be fun and delicious!