Looking for a "lighter" way to have a cheeseburger, no tofu please!

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13

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  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
    edited March 2016
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    I have bunless burgers all the time and I wish it satisfied my cheeseburger craving when I have one... but it just doesn't.

    And yeah I totally agree with the comment about French fries... I can think of maybe a couple places that have fries that are actually worth the calories. It's easy to make at home for less calories too (just use a bit of oil and bake).
  • kas1317
    kas1317 Posts: 67 Member
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    ground turkey. make patties like a hamburger. I put mustard on them (no calories)
  • Ultima_Morpha
    Ultima_Morpha Posts: 895 Member
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    Leaner ground beef, cooked medium rare with Laughing Cow Swiss wedge spread on top. Thin buns.
  • rhtexasgal
    rhtexasgal Posts: 572 Member
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    If you have the lean ground beef, mix some Jimmy Dean ground sausage in with it to add the "moisture" it needs so as not to be dry. A one ounce serving is only 90 calories ... then you can forgo a bun and wrap that juicy cheeseburger in large lettuce leaves. 93/7 ground beef is typically around 170 calories for 4 ounces. Add the 1 ounce of sausage and 1 oz of gouda cheese (about 90 calories) for a total of around 350 calories ... that is a pretty good calorie count in my book!
  • jenfitnessmama
    jenfitnessmama Posts: 138 Member
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    You could use lettuce instead of a bun :)
  • MinmoInk
    MinmoInk Posts: 345 Member
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    @lemurcat12 mmm spicy brown mustard and raw onions for me :)
  • rsleighty
    rsleighty Posts: 214 Member
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    Ground chicken. Season simply with pepper and salt if you use it. Make patties and cook to 165. Split one bun in half. Put one patty on each half of the bun. Top with mashed avocado, sliced onion and garlic pepper. Squeeze a little fresh lime over the top.
    This has become my new favorite food!!
  • lauraesh0384
    lauraesh0384 Posts: 463 Member
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    If I want to have a burger I'll buy the 93/7 beef. It's a lot more expensive at almost $5/lb but it's only 160 calories per 4 ounces. We also buy turkey burger but that's 250 calories so I tend to not use that for burgers knowing I'll be putting mayo and cheese on it and using a bun.
  • JuliaHaleFitness
    JuliaHaleFitness Posts: 56 Member
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    As long as you are using lean ground meat--beef is fine! Turkey, chicken and bison are great to. I usually dice up onions and mushrooms and sauté those to add to the meat so I can a big burger and can't tell the difference! I go bunless, but add avocado for creaminess and healthy fat, sautéed onions and mushrooms on top and fresh tomato for crunch!!
  • questionfear
    questionfear Posts: 527 Member
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    I am all about skipping the bun. I've also recently discovered the joys of getting a burger with a fried egg on it (best if the yolk is still runny), and I would much rather cut up a bunless burger with an egg than have a non-egged burger with a bun.

    And yea, throw some lettuce and tomato under that and it's the best...mmm...
  • cross2bear
    cross2bear Posts: 1,106 Member
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    I use x lean ground beef and mix it half and half with ground chicken to make up for the reduced fat in the beef. You can of course play with the proportions to get something that you prefer.
  • CrabNebula
    CrabNebula Posts: 1,119 Member
    edited March 2016
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    I learned that burgers taste far better without a bread bun and usually without cheese. I wrap mine in lettuce or cabbage, add onion, horseradish, ketchup, mustard. I think the bun takes away from the taste of the meat. Thinwhiches are OK, but might as well just save nearly 100 cals and not bother. I rarely taste the cheese well enough in a burger to make a difference. I will occasionally lightly sprinkle something like blue, feta, or goat cheese on my burger, but otherwise, I don't bother.

    When I want to spluge on a burger, I will buy bison. My local Costco just started carrying ground bison again, so I will be picking some up next week. Bison is just...omg, you won't go back to ground beef for burgers. All of my family are bison burger converts. Otherwise, we go with salmon or turkey burgers.
  • ashleyjongepier
    ashleyjongepier Posts: 130 Member
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    I used lettuce as a bun the other day, game changer.
  • sourcandies
    sourcandies Posts: 42 Member
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    There's Gardien Veggie Burgers - 110 calories each, rice based.
    I really liked them, they have visible vegetables in the pattie and they're spiced similarly to sausage.
  • Mapalicious
    Mapalicious Posts: 412 Member
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    4 oz ground venison or bison/buffalo (flavored w/ salt, onion, garlic)

    1/2 of a hamburger bun on the bottom
    + 1 roasted portobello mushroom cap on top

    1/2 ounce of sharp cheddar cheese

    Lettuce, tomato, ketchup, mustard

    YUM!
  • marphoria
    marphoria Posts: 14 Member
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    Queenmunchy wrote: »
    Because lean beef can be so dry, I mix it with finely chopped mushroom and it gives moisture without taking away from the meaty flavor.

    Oooh, this sounds like a great idea! Need to try this next time I make burgers.

    For OP: I make my burgers with lean ground beef (seasoned with salt/pepper/paprika), gouda or havarti cheese, avocado, onion and spinach. Sometimes a fried egg and/or bacon for extra protein.

    I used to love brioche buns (and just eat half of the burger), but I recently started eating my burgers without the bun and don't miss it :]
  • vikinglander
    vikinglander Posts: 1,547 Member
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    Go to Whole Foods Market. Buy grass fed 90% ground beef. Just pay the $9.99/lb. You'll be glad you did. Buy a small piece of their buffalo milk semi-soft cheese. Go to the cheese counter and ask for it. Go home and shape yourself some 4 oz. patties. Lightly salt them. Sear the patties in butter on medium high heat. Only 3 minutes per side. If you cook them past medium rare I will come to your house and take them away from you. When you flip them, put a half ounce slice of the cheese on them. Serve them over a bed of greens with your favorite dressing. Drain the fats from the pan over the greens, too.
    Do NOT put ketchup on these!
    This is true heaven.
  • superfox12082
    superfox12082 Posts: 512 Member
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    amyrebeccah wrote: »
    I don't like the light buns because they just kind of taste like cotton to me, but I switch out buns for a light english muffin, which is 100 calories. Otherwise I do what people do above, leaner beef, carefully measured cheese. Sometimes even a slice of bacon and/or some bleu cheese. Cheeseburgers are pretty easy to fit to calories.

    Thomas makes an excellent multi grain english muffin that is only 100 calories. They're great! And don't taste like cardboard. I've been using them for everything.
  • Brithicks
    Brithicks Posts: 148 Member
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    I use 93/7 ground beef, ground sirloin, or ground turkey. Mix in a half of a chopped onion and a chopped zucchini and add burger seasoning (make my own). Divide into burgers and grill them up. I put mine on top of roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes with a quarter avocado, a couple table spoons of homemade green chili, and a table spoon of fage greek yogurt. YUM! I make hubbies an open faced cheese version of mine with a bun on the bottom and the potatoes on the side, and my girls like theirs with cheese, no bun, and potatoes on the side with homemade ranch. I just don't really miss the bun at all. But if you need a bun, try a slim one or just a bottom? I would rather eat avocado on top of everything and save cheese for a really good cheese on its own.

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