Recipe: Cheeseburger Salad

Ya’ll? Healthy eating is HARD. Especially when you don’t want to keep your family from enjoying foods they love.

I had a good time going out on Saturday night for St. Patty’s, therefore I was left with a massive hangover on Sunday. The drive-thru was calling me, but I wisely chose to ignore it ad make my own version of fast food.

Despite the frigid temps, the sun was shining so we decided to make the most of it and grill. My tummy wanted a greasy burger. Since I’ve been trying to keep my dinners around 400 calories or less, it was going to be a tough task. Then, I had a stroke of genius. Why don’t I just make a big ole burger salad? All that would be missing is the bun.

Move over taco salad. Hello cheeseburger salad! This is going to be my new best friend.

INGREDIENTS

• 6 leaves of romaine lettuce, chopped
• 1/4 cup 2% milk cheese {2% cheese is much tastier than reduced fat in my opinion, and has 30 cals less than regular}
• 3 dill pickles, chopped
• 5-6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 3 oz. of lean ground beef, grilled burger-style and chopped

Dressing:

• 1 tbsp prepared mustard
• 1 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp mayo with olive oil

Toss together lettuce, cheese, pickles, tomatoes and beef. Mix together mustard, ketchup and mayo in a small cup. Coat salad with dressing and toss again.

Voila! It’s like an amazing hamburger, but without the extra 150 cals a bun can bring, plus the nutrients brought by the lettuce and tomatoes. But don’t mess with the pickles! To me, they were key in the flavor factor.

I ate this entire salad myself. With that said, it is really filling, unlike some of the lower cal recipes I’ve tried. The total calorie count was 377, however, this number can easily be reduced by adjusting the cheese or condiment amounts, or using ground turkey or veggie burgers instead of beef. Plus, there are endless options for toppings to add! A hard boiled egg, some avocado slices or sauteed mushrooms, perhaps?

If you’re craving a burger, I highly suggest giving this delicious swap a shot 😀 I know I’m ready to sit out in the sun and enjoy it all summer!

I need more healthy swap ideas! What are your favorite “bad” foods made healthier?