Chili Burgers / Spicy Sweet Potato Fries

If you're like me, every once in a while, you get a craving for a big juicy burger with fries.  Turkey burgers are a good lower calorie solution, but sometimes I really need my burger to be made with beef.  So how do I get that big juicy burger without the big juicy body to go with it?  Here's a good recipe to try!  If you only like a little bit of spice, you should remove the seeds and membrane from the jalapeño... but if you like more of a spice, you can leave them in (that's what I did).  I am also completely in love with this sweet potato recipe!



Chili Burgers
(From EatingWell)
Serves 4

1 tsp canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 tsp ground cumin
1 cup canned black beans
12 oz 90% lean ground beef
2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 whole wheat Kaiser rolls

Heat oil in a small nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and saute until light golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, jalapeño, and cumin; saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes longer. (If the mixture becomes too dry, add 1 Tbsp water.) Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl.

Prepare the grill or preheat the broiler. Add beans to the onion mixture and mash coarsely with a potato masher. Add beef, tomato paste, cilantro, thyme, salt and pepper; mix thoroughly but lightly. Shape the mixture into four 3/4-inch-thick patties.

Grill or broil the patties on a lightly oiled rack until browned and cooked through, aout 5 minutes per side. Place on rolls and garnish with tomato and lettuce.

Nutrition Info: 377 calories; 8g fat; 53mg cholesterol; 50g carb, 30g protein; 7g fiber; 705mg sodium.

If you'd like to cut out a few more calories/carbs, you can use light wheat burger buns instead of Kaiser rolls.  This is a hearty burger, so I preferred using the bigger rolls.


Spicy Sweet Potato Fries
(From Weight Watchers)
Serves 4

2 large sweet potatoes, (about 1 3⁄4 pounds), peeled and cut into 1⁄4-inch-thick wedges

1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
2 tsp olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Spray a large baking sheet with nonstick spray.

Combine the potatoes, chili powder, Cajun seasoning, and oil in a large bowl. Spread the potatoes in one layer on the baking sheet. Bake until tender and golden, 30–40 minutes. Yields generous 1⁄2 cup per serving.