Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Burgers - 14g Carbs, 2g Fiber

Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Burgers - 14g Carbs, 2g Fiber

These tasty turkey burgers, served on toasted foccacia and dressed with marinara sauce, are reminiscent of a sausage pizza. Shredded mozzarella combined with fresh basil melts beautifully inside these gems.
Servings: 4
ACTIVE TIME: 50 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 50 minutes
EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

--> Marinara Sauce
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups chopped plum tomatoes, with juices
6 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil

--> Burgers
1 pound 93%-lean ground turkey
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 4-inch-square slices foccacia bread (about 2 oz each), toasted

To prepare marinara:
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, cover and cook, stirring frequently, until translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in fresh tomatoes and any juices, sun-dried tomatoes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have broken down, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in basil and remove from the heat. Transfer to a food processor and pulse to form a coarse-textured sauce. Return to the pan and set aside.

To prepare burgers:
Place turkey, scallions, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, lemon zest, oregano, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Gently combine, without overmixing, until evenly incorporated. Form into 8 thin patties about 4-inches wide and 3/8 inch thick. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and basil and place an equal amount in the center of 4 patties. Cover with the remaining patties and crimp the edges closed. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat (see Grilling Variation). Add burgers and cook, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes total. Warm the marinara on the stove. To assemble the burgers, spread 3 tablespoons of marinara on each toasted foccacia, top with a burger, about 3 more tablespoons of marinara and 1 tablespoon of the remaining cheese. Grilling Variation: To grill the turkey burgers, preheat a grill to medium-high. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the patties, turning once, until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers 165 degrees F, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Tip:
To oil the grill rack, oil a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.) When grilling delicate foods like tofu and fish, it is helpful to spray the food with cooking spray.

Servings: 4
Nutrition per Serving: 299 Calories, 15g Fat, 4g Sat, 5g Mono, 74mg Cholesterol, 14g Carbs, 2g Fiber, 28g Protein, 706mg Sodium, 382mg Potassium
Nutrition bonus: Vitamin C (35% daily value), Vitamin A (20% dv), Calcium & Iron (15% dv)
Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1 vegetable, 3 1/2 lean meat, 1 fat
1 Carbohydrate Serving