Arthritis-Friendly Recipe: Better-for-you Burgers

BBQ season is in full swing now and for many it's hard to imagine having one without burgers. Unfortunately they aren't always the healthiest option on the grill. They can be high in saturated fat and shop bought ones often have some fairly grim fillers lurking in them. But, it's easy to make your own healthier burgers that taste even better than the ready-made kind. If you have kids, get them involved by letting them help you make and shape these. Both the carrot or breadcrumbs act to lighten the mix and give the burgers that familiar texture but if you prefer things really meaty, just leave them out. You can also try mixing in different herbs and spices to suit your mood. To make shaping the burgers easy if you find it hard to roll them, just take a tablespoon full and put it on the baking pan, then flatten with a spatula. Serve the burgers with buns and toppings or sweet potato fries.

Ingredients:
250g extra lean beef mince (5% fat)
2 tablespoon tomato puree
1 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
2 tsp French mustard
1 crushed clove garlic
Salt and black pepper to season.
EITHER 1 grated carrot or 2 tablespoons brown breadcrumbs


Serves 2 (easily doubled)


Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. Split the mixture into four and shape into burgers by rolling into a ball between your hands and then flattening. Put burgers on foil lined pan and grill on a medium-heat for about 4 minutes a side or until cooked how you like them!




Arthritis diet notes
Red meat is best eaten occasionally if you have arthritis as it has been linked to increased inflammation. However, if you choose lean cuts it is an excellent sources of iron which is particularly important if you have inflammatory arthritis as it can cause anaemia. Enjoy a good squirt of tomato sauce on these - it's rich in the antioxidant lycopene. 


 If you want more tips on eating healthily at BBQs and all summer long, have a look at this post.

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