Kasey's Kitchen: Burgers That Won't Ruin Your Buns! Plus A Giveaway!

Photo by MyRecipies.com

The Fourth of July is rapidly approaching and with it usually comes lavish cookouts with burgers, hot dogs, ice cold beer, you know... all the good stuff! Well here are a few ways to enjoy the holiday and not worry about ruining your bikini-bod efforts! Plus a giveaway at the bottom of the post!

Tip #1 - Swap Your Bread

It's no secret that carbs are evil... that's why they taste so good! Make one simple swap and save at least 150 calories! Try something like the sandwich thins or flatbreads that you can find in the deli section!

Tip #2 - Swap Your Meat

Well this is probably a no-brainer but swapping out that all-beef patty for ground turkey or ground chicken can hold off almost 100 calories and 8 grams of fat! In my opinion there’s way more you can do with turkey burgers … caprese burger, Hawaiian burger, Greek burger, or Southwest burgers, just to name a few!

Tip #3 - Forget Meat All Together

I know, I know. That thought to some people is sacrilege but hear me out. I recently tried these new Mediterranean chickpea burgers from Morningstar Farms. Am I a vegetarian? No, my husband would probably divorce me if I were, but these were pretty amazing. I was shocked how much flavor was packed into one little patty! These have a whopping 70% less fat than a regular beef burger and only 110 calories per patty. Put that with your flatbread and you’ve got yourself some satisfaction! Want to take it to the next level? See tip #4!

Tip #4 - Upgrade Your Condiments

I was shocked when I actually started reading what’s in condiments. Half of the stuff I can’t even pronounce! Even knowing the facts, I do still find it hard to stand clear of the Heinz but I’ve recently become addicted to the cool, smooth flavors of tzatziki sauce! If you’re not familiar with it, it’s a traditional Greek sauce that is made of yogurt, cucumber and garlic. Here’s how I make my own, it’s super quick and easy.

1 cup of non-fat plain yogurt

½ cup of chopped seedless cucumber

1 clove of garlic

salt and pepper

fresh dill, to taste

light squeeze of lemon juice

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl, keep chilled until you’re ready to serve!

Need the perfect summer cookout gear? Well you're in luck! Enter in the contest below and you could win this awesome set of BBQ essentials from The Pampered Chef! I may be biased, but I LOVE the colors :-) **Please allow a few seconds for the giveaway widget to load!