Rachel brought these outrageously different burgers to me one afternoon while I was hard at work on this book. Turkey is an especially lean meat, so you really have to add some moisture to it; Rachel's done that here by using veggies. She made a lot of these, like we always do, to be sure we have leftovers -- and I couldn't stop eating them for the next two days! Now, five years after we were introduced to eating low-carb, I've all but forgotten that burgers once came with a bun!

Recipe courtesy of George Stella

Show: Low Carb and Lovin' It

Episode: Healthy Habits

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Total:: 30 min
Prep:: 15 min
Cook:: 15 min

Yield:: 5 servings (2 burgers each)

Level:: Easy

Nutrition Info

Ingredients

Burgers:

2 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar
1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon Quick and Easy Sugar-Free Ketchup, recipe follows
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Garnish:

10 tablespoons mayonnaise
10 red leaf lettuce leaves
10 tomato slices
10 onion slices
10 pickle spears

Quick and Easy Sugar-Free Ketchup:

8 ounces no-sugar-added tomato sauce
6 ounces no-sugar-added tomato paste
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1/4 cup sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda)

Directions

Garnish:

Make the Burgers: Mix all the ingredients together with your hands, except the oil, in a bowl.

Divide the meat mixture into 10 equal-sized patties.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook the burgers, turning once, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 7 minutes per side. (An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the thickest burger should read at least 165 degrees F.)

Divide the burgers among plates--2 to a plate. Dollop each serving with mayonnaise and stack lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle on top.

Quick and Easy Sugar-Free Ketchup:

Mix all ingredients together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe courtesy of George Stella's Livin' Low Carb: Family Recipes Stella-Style, Simon and Schuster, 2005

My Private Notes

Name: Knife-and-Fork Chili Turkey Burgers
Prep time: P0Y0M0DT0H15M0.000S
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H15M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT0H30M0.000S
Yield: 5 servings (2 burgers each)
Ingredients: 2 1/2 pounds ground turkey; 1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar; 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper; 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion; 1 tablespoon Quick and Easy Sugar-Free Ketchup, recipe follows; 1 tablespoon chili powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 1/4 teaspoon black pepper; Pinch cayenne pepper; 1 large egg, beaten; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 10 tablespoons mayonnaise; 10 red leaf lettuce leaves; 10 tomato slices; 10 onion slices; 10 pickle spears; 8 ounces no-sugar-added tomato sauce; 6 ounces no-sugar-added tomato paste; 2 tablespoons white vinegar; 1/4 cup sugar substitute (recommended: Splenda)