Eat like an athlete: Low-fat burger
Burgers are high in calories and full of fat, right? They don’t have to be – elite sports nutritionist Liam Holmes has a healthy version you can make at home
Ingredients
400g lean steak mince
50g feta - crumbled
1 egg
1 teaspoon of English mustard (substitute for spice paste if you want)
1 teaspoon of Garlic powder
Salt and pepper
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1 red onion
Handful of chopped coriander
Olive oil
Amount per serving
Calories 280
Protein 35g
Carbohydrates 3g
Fats 14g
Sides: sweet potato wedges - 120 kcal and coleslaw - 220 kcal
Method
1 Pre-heat the oven to 190 degrees. Set grill to a medium to high heat
2 Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion for five minutes or until soft. Then leave to cool
3 Put the onion in a large bowl with the mince, egg, garlic, mustard, feta and mix well to combine. Divide the mince into six fat burgers
4 Wrap each burger with cling film and pop in the fridge for a couple of hours
5 Drizzle the burgers with a little olive oil and grill for four minutes on each side then pop in the oven for five minutes
6 Serve with your choice of bun and toppings!
Benefits
The bun
“Swapping traditional white bread for a thin, wholewheat and seeded bun will shave off calories,” says Holmes. “The bun also provides more nutrients, including thiamin, which helps turn carbohydrates into energy - drip feeding you fuel for 90 minutes. Eat this two to three hours before a game.”
The pattie
“Choosing a leaner beef mince is the first thing you can do to make the burger healthier. Alternatively you can use turkey or chicken mince – which is even leaner – to make your burger patty. Leaner meat lowers the fat content, but reduces the flavour so it’s crucial you add some spice and seasoning into the mix. Beef mince is packed with protein, which is ideal before a tough training session or after a game to repair your muscles.”
Toppings
“Swap American cheese - which is used on traditional fast food burgers - for goats’ cheese, feta or good quality mozzarella and load up on the salad leaves, tomatoes and onion. Adding avocado, hummus or other grilled vegetables can add flavour without excessive calories. Avocados are full of healthy fats which help to absorb vitamins A, D, E and K in the vegetables, which will aid overall health meaning you’re fighting fit throughout the season.”
For more nutritional advice visit phnutrition.co.uk, follow @pH_NutritionUK and like facebook.com/phnutrition
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