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Building A Better Burger

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It’s officially mid-summer, the peak time for beach weekends, outdoor family activities and backyard barbeques. Summer grilling doesn’t need to consist of plain old hamburgers. Adding veggies to classic barbeque dishes is a great way to elevate flavor and add extra nutrition. Your kids may not even notice the healthy additions!

Before your next big cookout, check out these recipe ideas for building a better burger this summer.

Bring on the Black Beans

Black beans are fiber-rich, which means they will help keep your appetite satisfied for longer and are a healthy alternative to meat. Black bean patties aren’t just for vegetarians; even meat-lovers will enjoy this dish when topped with traditional condiments and a fresh bun. Use two cans of Libby’s® Organic Black Beans from Food Network personality Sandra Lee’s Black Bean Burger recipe.

Crazy About Corn

Have you ever considered adding canned corn to your burger patty? Mix corn with your favorite seasonings such as salt and pepper and onions, and add into your patty mixture for a new spin on a classic dish. This recipe is equally delicious for beef, turkey and black bean patties.

Pile on the Toppings

If your burgers are typically dressed with only ketchup and mustard, add some more veggies, fruit and herbs for a pop of flavor and tasty texture. Libby’s® Crispy Sauerkraut adds a bit of crunch and zest to a juicy burger. Other unique combinations include feta and fresh dill or avocado, lime juice and cilantro.

Australian Inspiration

Did you know that beets are a common burger topping in Australia? Take a note from our friends down under and try adding this super food to your meal. Truly authentic Aussie Burgers will also be topped with a fried egg, but you can also try a gourmet variation such as Libby’s® Sliced Beets and goat cheese.

Summer Salads for Every Occasion

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‘Tis the season for light, fresh meals full of flavorful veggies. We all have our go-to salads we make over and over again, but here’s some inspiration to pull you out of your salad rut to create delicious combinations the whole family will enjoy.

Super Food Salad

Dinner salads are a smart way to work in a variety of nutritious ingredients into one meal. Start with a leafy green such as romaine lettuce or spinach, add a colorful assortment of your favorite veggies and top it off with a protein source like hardboiled eggs, grilled chicken, beans, or canned fish.  For added flavor, incorporate fresh herbs such as dill, basil and parsley.  Beware of creamy dressings that can negate the healthy properties of your salad and instead opt for vinaigrette which is easy to make with a few staple pantry ingredients. We like this Salmon & Dill Green Bean salad as a complete meal in a bowl.

Salad for Picky Eaters

While it may seem that salads and kids don’t mix, sometimes picky eaters may be sensitive to particular textures or temperatures.  Mellowing out the intense textures in a salad could help.  For instance, if raw carrots are too rough or crunchy, try using Libby’s® Sliced Carrots and Sliced Beets over a bed of soft spring mix.  Our Beet & Carrot Salad is a great salad to start with.

Appetizer Salad for Backyard Barbecues

Complement your grilled burgers or chicken skewers with a tangy Easy Three Bean Salad instead of a high-calorie potato or macaroni salad.  This versatile salad can be served as a topping with tortilla chips or French bread, a top a bed of lettuce or simply on its own.

Salads in a Snap

With a well-stocked pantry, you can create a fantastic salad in minutes. Keep on hand canned veggies like Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn and Libby’s® Sweet Peas plus nuts, seeds, beans, canned fish and dried cranberries. In the fridge, store bagged lettuce and, if you have time, precooked quinoa and precut veggies. With all the ingredients right at your fingertips, a healthy, yummy salad is easy to throw together!

Facebook Sweepstakes: Building Blocks for Healthy Eating

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With summer just around the corner, Libby’s® Vegetable Cups can help you and your family enjoy healthy foods that taste good and are easy to eat, whether you are eating at the kitchen table or the picnic table. Libby’s® Vegetable Cups not only make a convenient side dish, but also double as a fun, frozen treat! These flavorful veggie combos are frozen right in their individual containers for a nutritious, pre-portioned snack.

Try the recipes below by Deanna Segrave-Daly, RD, LDN for a refreshing and delicious summer treat.

In addition, share your ideas for delicious frozen pop combinations on Facebook for the chance to win a $250 Visa gift card to use toward your own healthy summertime meals. Read the official rules here.

How To Enter:

1. Comment on a Building Blocks Sweepstakes’ Facebook post with your own original fruit & veggie pop flavor combination.

2. Submit a new idea once per day for your chance to win a $250 Visa gift card.

Sweepstakes lasts from 12:00:00 PM ET on Friday, June 6 until 11:59:59 PM ET on Friday, June 20th. 

Sweet Corn Frozen Pops

Makes 6 pops

Ingredients:

  • 4 Libby’s® Whole Kernel Sweet Corn Cups (4 oz. each)
  • 1 cup low-fat milk
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1¼ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Supplies:

  • 6 Popsicle sticks
  • 2 4-oz. paper cups (for extra mixture)

Instructions:

Add corn to a bowl. Do not throw out cups; wash and dry them to use for freezing pops. Mash corn with a potato masher to release liquid.

In a medium pot over medium heat, add corn, milk and sugar. Heat for 5 minutes, mixing a few times, until sugar dissolves and corn softens. Remove from heat and puree in blender. Pour through mesh sieve into a medium bowl. Cool in refrigerator for about 10 minutes.

Whisk yogurt and vanilla extract into cooled corn milk. Pour mixture into four empty Libby’s Cups and the remaining mixture into two 4-oz. paper cups. Position a 3½-inch popsicle stick in the center of each cup and freeze overnight.

Cost Per Serving: $0.87

Total Cost For Recipe: $5.21

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (One Sweet Corn Pop): Calories: 97, Total Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 0g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 135mg, Carbohydrates: 16g, Dietary Fiber: 1g, Protein: 6g, Vitamin A 2% DV, Vitamin C 67% DV, Calcium 11% DV, Iron 3% DV

Avocado Sweet Pea Frozen Pops

Makes 8 pops

Ingredients:

  • 4 Libby’s® Sweet Peas Cups (4 oz. each)
  • 2 ripe medium avocados, peeled and pitted
  • 1½ cup low-fat milk
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 large lime)

Supplies:

  • 8 Popsicle sticks
  • 4 4-oz. paper cups (for extra mixture)

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to blender or food processor. Do not throw out cups; wash and dry them to use for freezing pops. Puree until well mixed.

Pour mixture into four empty Libby’s Cups and the remaining mixture into four 4-oz. paper cups. Position a 3½-inch popsicle stick in the center of each cup and freeze overnight.

Cost Per Serving: $0.92

Total Cost For Recipe: $7.34

Nutrition Facts Per Serving (One Avocado Sweet Pea Pop): Calories: 119, Total Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 2mg, Sodium: 100mg, Carbohydrates: 15g, Dietary Fiber: 3g, Protein: 3g, Vitamin A 5% DV, Vitamin C 58% DV, Calcium 7% DV, Iron 2% DV

 

 

 

Eat Your Veggies… For Dessert!

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The last place you’d expect to digest your daily dose of greens is during the sweetest treat of your day – dessert. Though we fully support indulgence in moderation, experimenting with veggies as a baking ingredient substitute is a guilt-free way to have your cake and eat it too. Rather than ending a meal with empty calories, infuse your favorite desserts with nutritious ingredients that add fiber, antioxidants and vitamins. Here are some easy ways to sneak in vegetables into your favorite baked goods and snacks. You won’t even taste the difference!

Black Bean Brownies

To a chocoholic, there is nothing more satisfying than a rich, fudgy brownie. Combine a can of Libby’s® Organic Black Beans with chocolate chips, eggs and a few other baking staples for a luxurious dessert packed with fiber and protein! This recipe from Yummy, Healthy, Easy only takes thirty minutes and is gluten-free.

Red Velvet Cupcakes

Thanks to gourmet bakeries, cupcakes are a delicate indulgence traditionally served during special occasions. Whip up red velvet cupcakes with a healthy twist to make them a year-round treat! Canned beets pack a nutritional punch with beta-caratone, folic acid and bone-building manganese. Kiwi Magazine also notes that the red color of the vegetable naturally dyes the cupcake batter, eliminating the need to add artificial food coloring.

Carrot Cake

Carrot cake is a classic dessert that incorporates vegetables without having to substitute ingredients. Our Carrot Cake Bites recipe calls for one can of Libby’s® Sliced Carrots, mashed with a fork. This ingredient results in a more moist cake than using raw carrots, and the bite sized form of this decadent dessert helps to minimize overeating.

Snickerdoodle Dessert Hummus

Just like savory hummus, the sweet version of this healthy snack contains canned garbanzo beans, also known as chickpeas. By adding simple ingredients such as almond butter, brown sugar, cinnamon and maple syrup to roughly one can of Libby’s® Organic Garbanzo Beans, this dish tastes like your favorite snickerdoodle cookie with added fiber from the garbanzo beans. Nutmeg Notebook recommends serving this as a dip for crunchy apple slices or a spread for whole wheat toast.

Do you have any favorite ways to incorporate veggies into your desserts? Let us know on Facebook!