Fast food franchises that rely on lower quality blended burger patties, have really done a disservice to the reputation of the American hamburger. Classified as ‘junk food’ in most cases, we’d like American consumers to consider that a hamburger is part of a healthy and nutritionally balanced diet. As long as you start with a healthy beef burger and explore the benefit of vitamin and nutrient rich toppings you can add at home.
Scratch burgers are awesome, and nothing beats a homemade burger. But in the hustle and bustle of daily life, taking the time to mix up your own homemade burger is often impossible, especially if you have a family to feed and a schedule to keep. And let’s not get started about the mess; the eggs, the raw ground beef, breadcrumbs and then portioning and creating each individual burger patty.
Maybe on the weekend. But definitely not when you are looking for a quick, no-mess home cooked meal in under thirty minutes. That’s where Free Graze premium frozen burgers, can help.
Our patties are formulated to be cooked from frozen and placed directly on the grill. Sourced exclusively from antibiotic and hormone free meat, we add no artificial preservatives to our premium burgers. So when you buy our delicious Bacon Cheddar burger, you know that we used REAL bacon and cheddar with our premium grass-fed beef, to create a wholesome meal for your family.
Want some healthy burger topping ideas? Make it fun by experimenting with some of these topping and combination suggestions from our Free Graze Foods test kitchen.
Free Graze Cage-Free Turkey Patty and Avocado
Even though most avocadoes originate in Mexico, the use of avocado as a topping on burgers is strongly associated with the healthy eating trends that originate in California. It’s a delicious and nutritious way to add extra flavor and essential vitamins and nutrients to your burger, for a balanced meal.
The avocado is a super food, and contains the following nutritional benefits in a 1 cup serving:
· 0 mg of cholesterol
· 708 mg of potassium
· 10 grams of dietary fiber
· 2.9 grams of protein
· 2.7 grams of polyunsaturated fat (good fat)
· Only 1 gram of carbohydrate
· 14.6 mg of vitamin C
Try combining the avocado with some Pico de Gallo and a lightly seasoned fat free mayonnaise dressing, or a savory homemade cranberry sauce for a delicious and healthy lunch or dinner idea. Learn more about our cage-free (free range), vegetarian fed Free Graze Turkey Patties.
Free Graze Roasted Green Chiles and Beef Burger
Grilled peppers and premium grade beef burgers are a match made in culinary heaven. Did you know that Chile peppers are very high in vitamin C and vitamin A? Green chiles are also a rich source of capsaicin, a compound that helps release natural endorphins that provide an energy boost and improve mood. They are a natural ‘pick me up’ and perfect as a topping that will give you that extra energy you need during a long day.
In a single 1/3 cup serving of Green chile pepper, you gain some real nutritional benefits including:
· 340 mg of potassium
· 2 grams of protein
· 404% of RDA for calcium
· 6% of RDA for iron
· 15% of RDA for vitamin B-6
· Only 30 calories
· 7.1 grams of carbohydrates
By topping your Free Graze ¼ pound Original Beef burger with grilled or roasted fresh green chiles, you are combing our premium beef patty with a number of antioxidant rich benefits. Green chiles have immunity boosting properties, and also help balance gut bacteria and reduce inflammation. And they taste REALLY great too.
Create Your Own ‘Aloha Burger’ at Home with Free Graze
If you love pineapple on pizza, you’re going to love it grilled as a delicious topping on your Free Graze burger. We recommend combining the rich flavors of our Free Graze Sweet Onion burger with grilled pineapple for a delicious sweet and savory combination.
Pineapples are an underappreciated superfood. In a single 3.5 ounce serving of pineapple, you can add these nutritional benefits to your home-cooked burger:
· 12 mg of magnesium
· 109 mg of potassium
· 48 mg of vitamin C
· 18 micrograms of folate
· 0 saturated fat
Depending on the brand of pineapple you choose, the fruit also contains additional trace amounts of iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin and essential vitamins B-6, A, vitamin E and vitamin K. Make sure to lightly grill the pineapple (do not over cook) to retain the nutritional value in every serving.
Grilled Sweet Potato and Free Graze Jalapeño Burger
Have you tried our Free Graze Jalapeño premium beef burger? It’s made from grass-fed, antibiotic and hormone free meat, and provides 24 grams of healthy protein in every patty. We use 100% GMO free fresh jalapeños for a spicy (but not five-alarm hot) flavor in every bite.
Given the spicy ingredients in our jalapeño burger, we recommend adding a slice of grilled sweet potato as a savory topping that boosts the nutritional value of your meal. The sweetness of the grilled yam, with the savory flavor of jalapeños balances the burger, and the sweet potato fiber adds an extra filling boost to the meal.
To make the grilled sweet potatoes, simply peel and then slice in ¼ inch thick rounds, and lightly salt on both sides before grilling. We recommend using larger grains of Kosher salt, as it helps reduce sticking on the grill. Cook each slide for approximately 4-5 minutes on lower heat and toward the edges of your grill, and flip once for a total cooking time of 10 minutes.
Garnish your burger with a spicy light mayo or top it with a mild cheese like Swiss or Brie.
There are so many fun and healthy ways to elevate your burger with exciting flavor combinations. Try our suggestions or create your own, and if you have a secret topping recipe or burger sauce that you like to use at home with our Free Graze burgers, leave us a comment or share with us on Facebook. We’d love to hear your suggestions.
