Burger and Fries, But Light

Eating these sweet potato fries makes me feel self-righteous as in, "Ha! Take that, you naturally thin people! I can eat fries, too!" These "fries" are baked, of course, but they taste so good that I don't really care how they were made.

One large sweet potato is more than enough for two people. Give it a good scrub and chop it into fairly thin slices. Toss the potato slices in 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 tsp of garlic powder (or garlic salt if you prefer), and 1/4 tsp of salt. The recipe from our Cook Yourself Thin ladies recommends 1/2 tsp of chili powder, but I double that to get them nicely coated.

Spread the fries on a baking sheet and bake them for about 30 minutes in a 425 degree oven. Every ten minutes, take them out of the oven and toss them so they bake evenly. To add a little crisp, I put them under the broiler for about 3-5 minutes at the very end.

Voila! And, did I mention that these yum sticks are only 89 calories per serving? How fantastic is that? One sweet potato yields about two servings, by the way. Adjust the seasoning ratio if you add more potatoes.

I usually have the turkey burger patties ready to go and start them about the same time that I put the sweet potato fries in the oven. I cook the turkey burgers in a pan on the stovetop at a medium-low heat for a longer time so that they cook all the way through. Unlike a beef burger, pink in the middle is not desirable for poultry. In fact, I took a long break from this recipe because I made it once when the DH and I were dating and he bit into a raw-in-the-middle turkey burger and banned it from the repertoire for about a year. True story.

This recipe for Basil Turkey Burgers is from a Light and Luscious cookbook that I bought ten years ago for $3.95 from the clearance rack at the bookstore. It is light and luscious, indeed, at about 255 calories per burger (bun included!).

Combine 12 oz of ground turkey, 2 tbsp finely chopped onion, 1 tbsp dry bread crumbs, 1 tsbp snipped fresh basil or 1 tsp dried basil, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper. Can you guess what I'm going to say here? I usually add more basil and some fresh cracked pepper to make it more flavorful. Then, form four burgers from the meat. To be quite honest, I usually use more than 12 oz of ground turkey because my preferred brand (Jennie-O) just doesn't come in a 12 oz package. It all works out pretty well, even with a little more turkey per burger.

Can you guess who gets the burger with the slice of cheese (and another 90 calories)? That's right, it's me! The DH gets the extra charred one. It isn't that I am a negligent cook, my husband likes things burned. He's a freak, but I love him, and I hope you love this delicious burger and fry combo. Remember that the real secret to enjoying a turkey burger is that knowing it will NOT taste like a regular hamburger. It is its own entity and must be appreciated as such.

Next up: Asparagus and Mushroom Frittata