Have your burger and lots of veggies, too! If you want to up your healthy grilling game this year, this is the recipe to try. These beef burgers are full of flavour thanks to grated veg, are gluten- and dairy-free and help the whole family increase their veggie intake for the day. Serve with Smoky Sweet Potato and Carrot Fries!

Prep 15 min | Cook 10 min | Makes 8 burgers

Ingredients

2 lbs (900 g) ground beef (ideally grass-fed)
1 medium zucchini, grated and squeezed of excess moisture
1 small sweet potato, grated
1 small red onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 tbsp (15 mL) balsamic vinegar
1 tsp (5 mL) salt
½ tsp (2 mL) pepper

Directions

  1. Preheat the grill to high heat.
  2. Add the ground beef, veggies, eggs, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper to a large bowl. Use your hands to gently combine the ingredients. Divide into patties about 1-in. (2.5-cm) thick and 4 in. (10 cm) across. Transfer the patties to the refrigerator until they’re ready to cook.
  3. When the grill is heated, transfer the veggie burgers and cook about 10 minutes, or until cooked through, flipping as needed.
  4. Finish with your favourite toppings!

Tip:

To freeze these burgers, line a baking tray with parchment paper and place uncooked patties in a single layer. Transfer the tray to the freezer until the patties are frozen, then store them in a freezer-safe container or bag.

Excerpted from The Food Doula: A Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy and a Nourished New Mom by Lindsay Taylor, 2021, Plumleaf Press.