5 must-try burger toppers
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Summer may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still discover news ways to enjoy a juicy burger hot off the grill. Check out these easy to prepare toppings that are low in calories, big on flavor, and packed with healthy vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein.
Sriracha Greek Yogurt and Cucumbers
The flavor combination of creamy, cool yogurt and cucumber with spicy sriracha will probably outshine your burger patty, but your taste buds (and waistline) won’t mind. Plain Greek Yogurt is an excellent source of lean protein, and mixing it with spicy Asian sriracha not only amps up the flavor, the compound capsaicin in the sauce will give your metabolism an extra kick.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Goat Cheese and Artichoke Hearts
Combine chopped, canned artichoke hearts with soft goat cheese. Tangy, creamy goat cheese is full of flavor, and a serving has just 100 milligrams of sodium – far less than traditional American cheese, which has a whopping 470 milligrams of sodium!
Spicy Tomato Chutney
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Homemade or jarred, this amazing tomato topper is full of the antioxidant lycopene, which helps protect skin from the sun’s harmful rays. Another plus: Chutney’s cooked tomatoes have about 35 percent more antioxidants than fresh tomato.
Shredded Cabbage with Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce
A low calorie vegetable like cabbage becomes a diet disaster when tossed with fatty mayonnaise. For a much lighter cabbage dressing, go with spicy adobo sauce. You’ll love its smoky flavor on a burger and welcome its bonus of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Lemony-Herbed Onion
For a topper that’s tangy and crunchy, squeeze fresh lemon juice over thinly sliced raw onions and toss with fresh chopped cilantro. Keeping the onions raw maximizes their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, while also promoting growth of healthy gut bacteria that’s helpful for weight loss.
Tanya Zuckerbrot MS, RD, is a Registered Dietitian in New York City and the author of two bestselling diet books: The F-Factor Diet and The Miracle Carb Diet: Make Calories and Fat Disappear – with Fiber. Subscribe to Tanya’s FREE Weekly Newsletter and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest. To learn more about Tanya’s private nutrition counseling services visit www.ffactor.com