Burger Night
One of the things I envy about my husband is his ability to go to local bar and order a big, fat, juicy burger in all its glory. (I also envy his ability to smash these repeatedly and maintain his rockin’ bod, but that’s another point entirely.) Prior to my Celiac diagnosis, I would accompany my husband and simply order the burger of my choice with no bun, and plan to stash half for leftovers. With risks of cross contamination from shared grills, this simply isn’t an option for me anymore.
Luckily, my husband loves to grill, and he is meticulous about keeping his griddle top clean and safe for me. We enjoy burgers about once a week, and I frequently prepare mine in a bowl with all the classic goodies (as seen above.) Our table usually has 4 different style burger dinners, my bowl, my son’s plain burger patty with ketchup on the side, my daughter’s cheeseburger with ketchup and ranch, and my husband’s triple barbecue sauce drenched cheeseburger – all NAKED (bunless, I mean.) The possibilities are nearly endless for burger night!
Depending on the night we will have green beans, gluten free fries, fruit salad, or another form of potato on the side. Today, I’m enjoying my bowl for lunch with a few blueberries to add a pop of color. What do you like to eat with your burger?
The Recipe
- Smash burger patties
- Ground meat of your choice (we typically use 80/20)
- Favorite seasoning (I love Kinder’s “The Blend” Salt, Pepper & Garlic)
- Parchment paper cut into ~6″ squares
- Bowl Base – all ingredients chopped or finely shredded
- Iceburg Lettuce
- Tomato of choice (I use Roma)
- Onion of Choice (I prefer sweet)
- Pickles of Choice (Meijer Brand Hamburger Dill Chips for me – labelled GF)
- Shredded Cheese (Kraft labels their cheeses as 0g lactose per serving)
- Dressing
- 1 Tbsp Mayonnaise (I prefer Hellman’s, choose Light for weight loss goals)
- 1/2 Tbsp Ketchup (Heinz is labelled GF; beware the no sugar added does NOT say GF)
Preparing the Burger Patties
- Take your ground meat and form approximately 1/4 lb balls. Cover and place in a safe place on the countertop while you gather other supplies, including your favorite burger press or heavy duty flat spatula.
- Heat your griddle (or large nonstick pan) to medium/high and place burger balls on griddle spaced at least 4″ apart. (My husband prefers to cook only 2-4 patties at a time because they cook so quickly.)
- Center your parchment paper over each ball and smash the burger to desired thinness (we recommend ultra thin.) Remove paper and top with generous amount of preferred seasoning.
- Allow to cook for about 2 minutes before flipping and cooking for an additional minute. The thinness of the patty should allow you to visualize the burger being well done.
Preparing and Plating the Bowl
Usually, my husband and I tag team this meal and I’m preparing the bowls and plates while he is cooking the burger patties. If I’m flying solo, I will prepare the bowls before cooking the burgers so I can enjoy the burger right off the griddle.
- Chop your iceberg lettuce and line the base of your bowl. I prefer my bowl to be about 2/3 lettuce.
- Chop and add your desired amounts of tomato, onion, and pickle
- Sprinkle your bowl with shredded cheese (I use about a Tbsp)
- Drizzle ketchup/mayonnaise mixture over the top (or keep on the side to dip your fork in before each bite to control the amount of dressing)
- Top with crumbled burger patty
Where’s the Breakdown?
Many online recipes with give you a nutrient breakdown and calorie count. I’m going to avoid this because my recipes are flexible. Often, you will measure with your heart and choose your own protein or brand of ingredients. The ratios of this recipe provide a lean meal appropriate for those trying to lose or maintain weight goals and also provide a delicious meal even if you aren’t counting calories.
I’m also going to avoid a time breakdown on my recipes. As much as I try, I never seem to fall in line with how long recipes say they should take to prepare. Instead, I classify this meal as a fairly quick prepare. If you have a helper in the kitchen it will be quicker. If you are an ingredient prepper and have a fridge full of chopped veggies, it will be even easier to prepare. If you are flying solo and have to start from scratch, it still shouldn’t take more than the time it would take to order something online and wait for delivery (unless you live next door to that oddly quick sandwich delivery shop.)
The Disclaimer
Sharing recipes for people with Celiac disease is stressful. The forums are filled with people who have different comfort levels for prepared ingredients and shared food preparation areas. I feel safe with each of the recipes I share prepared in the way I share them. That being said, I am not a dietician or a physician. Please follow the advice of your trusted professionals. Feel free to adapt these recipes to your comfort level and, if you can do so kindly, share those tips with the group.
Bariatric Friendly can have many interpretations. I use the guidelines from my physician’s office as a starting point in my recipes. Please follow your surgeon’s suggestions. This recipe is not appropriate for patients who have undergone recent surgery and/or are on liquid or soft food diets.