Barbell Burger
INGREDIENTS
Barbell Burgers:
1/4 cup tomato paste
1/4 cup Purple Puree
1/4 cup oat bran, plus additional as needed
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1 lb lean ground beef
4 hamburger buns or English muffins, preferably whole-grain
Optional extra boost: lettuce, tomato slices, grilled onions, mushrooms
Purple Puree
3 cups raw baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries, no syrup or sugar added
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1 to 2 Tbsp. water
Makes about 1 cup of puree
PREPARATION
To Prepare Babell Burgers;
Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high, or heat an indoor grill pan to medium-high and spray with oil.
In a large bowl, mix tomato paste, Purple Puree, oat bran, Worcestershire sauce and salt. Add the ground beef, mixing with your hands until well-combined. If the mixture is too sticky, add a bit more oat bran.
Using damp hands, shape mixture into four 1⁄4-lb patties. The burgers may be prepared a day ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator or frozen. If you are not freezing for future use, proceed to the next steps.
Spray both sides of the burgers with oil and place them on the prepared grill. Cook for 4 to 7 minutes on each side, or to desired doneness.
Serve on whole-grain buns or English muffins.
To Prepare Purple Puree:
Thoroughly wash the spinach, even if the package says “prewashed.” If using frozen blueberries, thaw a little under cold water, and drain.
Fill the bowl of your food processor with the spinach, blueberries, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of water; puree on high until as smooth as possible. Stop occasionally to push the contents to the bottom. If necessary, use another tablespoon of water to smooth out the puree.
This recipe makes about 1 cup of puree; double it if you want to store another cup. It will keep in the refrigerator up to three days. Or you can freeze 1⁄4-cup portions in sealed plastic bags or small plastic containers.
