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3 Tasty Turkey Burgers to Satisfy Your Summer BBQ Cravings

By Shannon Crocker MSc RD, Vibrant Nutrition Communications

 

Summer plans may look a little more muted than we all expected this year. Planning for regular outdoor meals, whether it’s around a physically distanced campfire or quiet cottage getaway, can help bring joy to your summer holidays.

A favourite outdoor summer meal for my family is barbecued turkey burgers. Add a piece of local, aged cheese, a thick slice of tomato from the garden, some crunchy leaf lettuce (my dad grows way too much!), and slivers of red onion and you’ve got a quick, healthy meal that delivers big-time taste satisfaction.

Ground turkey is a grilling go-to for my burgers for a few reasons:

  • Turkey burgers are delicious! Ground turkey is super flavourful, so it needs little in the way of seasoning to create a really yummy burger. It’s extra lean yet still moist, which makes for a juicy barbecued burger too.
  • Turkey is nutritious. Ground turkey is lean and nutrient-rich, so every bite of your burger will be filled with health-boosting nutrients like high quality protein, brain-loving vitamin B12, immune-strengthening zinc and energizing iron.
  • Versatility plus! Sure, turkey is tasty on its own in a simple burger, but it also pairs perfectly with so many flavours. You could create a new turkey burger flavour combo every week of the summer and not run out of scrumptious options!

I always recommend making your own turkey burgers at home with basic ingredients. It’s so easy and it saves you money – boxed burgers can be expensive. Plus, making your own burgers with fresh Canadian ground turkey also allows you to control the ingredients that are going onto your family’s plate.

Here are three tasty turkey burgers to get you started on that challenge to try a new turkey burger flavour combo every week:

Turkey Taco Burger: My kids love this taco-inspired burger! The corn salsa adds a fun twist to a classic burger. Try serving this burger wrapped in a warmed tortilla or a leaf lettuce “bun.” Or, make a double batch of sliders and enjoy the extra mini burger patties another night in a veggie-filled taco power bowl.

Cheddar Smoky Turkey Lentil Burgers: Turkey and lentils pair together to create a sort of nutrition synergy. The zinc and iron in the ground turkey helps to absorb the zinc and iron in the lentils, so you get even more nutritional bang for your buck.

Great Canadian Burger with Maple Whisky BBQ Sauce: This burger gets high marks from my grilling partner (he’s kind of protective of the grill area and very picky about the quality of food coming from it!). The maple-y sweetness with the kick of the whiskey in the sauce lifts this burger up to the top of his summer selection.

One more tip from this experienced griller: brush the turkey burgers lightly with canola oil before putting them on the grill so they don’t stick.

This summer, more than ever, it’s important to support our Canadian farmers and buy local foods we grow and produce in our amazing country. As you enjoy your outdoor barbecued meals, choose Canadian foods first. Choose Canadian turkey.

Happy Healthy Grilling,

 

Shannon