Food Swap

Yesterday at the grocery store I saw something I can't get out of my mind. A young mom who was so overweight and out of breath that she could not pick up her young son to put him in the seat of the basket, so she instructed him to "climb on up". A teenage boy who had just brought the carts in off the lot looked up, just as I did. Both of us had a look of concern but didn't know what to do. The cart boy said "Ooooh, be careful". After watching as the little boy struggled and the cart started to fall with him, I walked over and asked if she would like me to lift him up and put him in the seat.

With our hurried lifesyles, and the food choices we have so readily available on every street corner, it's no wonder 65% of Americans are already overweight or obese, and heart disease is the number one killer in this country. Here's a delicious option when you have a taste for a big, fat bacon burger.

Try something different this week.

A Baconater Triple Burger from Wendy's contains 1330 calories, 86 grams of fat, and 47 grams of carbohydrates. That's as many calories as the average woman should be consuming in an entire day! And that's BEFORE you add the fries and coke!

This is a delicious quarter pound bacon burger alternative from The Biggest Loser Family Cookbook containing 295 calories, 9 grams of fat, and 25 grams of carbs. This recipe makes four burgers:

4 strips extra lean turkey bacon, each cut in half
1 lb 96% lean ground beef
4 whole grain or whole wheat hamburger buns
1 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves
4 large tomato slices
4 Tbls lowfat mayo

Preheat a grill to high heat.

Place a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and add the bacon strips. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or until crisp. Remove from the pan and cover to keep warm.

Divide the beef into 4 equal portions and shape into balls, packing them tightly as you do. Press each into a patty that is about 1⁄2" larger than the diameter of the buns.

Grill the burgers for about 2 minutes per side for medium rare, or until desired doneness (do not smash the burgers with a spatula). Place the bun halves, cut sides down, on the upper grill rack or away from direct flame until toasted, about 20 seconds.

Place each toasted bun bottom on a plate. Top with the spinach, tomato, patties, then 2 pieces of bacon each. Spread 1 tablespoon mayonnaise evenly on each bun top, flip atop the patties, and serve.

Note: The burgers should be grilled, not fried, and though you may be tempted to use 93% lean ground beef instead of 96% lean, don't. Though they don't sound very different, 93% lean has almost twice the fat as 96% lean, less calories, and less fat.