Low-Fat Turkey and Apple Burgers

Reflux-friendly* burgers with a nod to the Middle East

I have listed this recipe in the ‘Induction Reflux Diet’ category, but if you are following the two-week ‘Induction Reflux Diet’, please do not include the yoghurt dressing. 

For the Burgers (makes 8 generously sized burgers): 

• 800 g turkey mince (to stick rigidly to the ‘Induction Reflux Diet’, use turkey breast mince, otherwise you can also use lean turkey leg mince)
• 20g porridge oats
• 2 slices wholemeal bread
• 1 sweet red apple (e.g. pink lady), finely grated
• 2tsp ground mixed spice (an off-the-shelf spice mix containing cinnamon, coriander seed, dill, ginger, cloves and nutmeg)
• 1tsp fine sea salt (I salt my food very generously and of course realise that there are potential issues with a high salt intake, so adjust as necessary to suit your taste or health requirements)
• To serve: Wholemeal flatbread or burger buns

For the cucumber sauce: 

• 1 small pot (150g) 0% fat plain yoghurt
• 100g cucumber, finely diced
• 1/4 tsp fine sea solt
• 2tbsp firm Silken Tofu, previously blitzed to a creamy consistency in a food processor – I do this in my Nutribullet (this ingredient is optional but makes the sauce a bit thicker/creamier)

For the Fennel Salad:

• 1 head of fennel per person, trimmed and thinly sliced horizontally
• 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil per person
• sea salt (fine or flakes) to taste

Method: 

Pre-heat oven to 200°C (fan) – adjust temperature settings according to your type of oven.

Toast the two slices of wholemeal bread, then blitz them in a food processor with the porridge oats so you obtain a reasonably fine breadcrumb mix.

In a large bowl, combine the turkey mince, breadcrumbs, spice mix, grated apple and salt and mix well by hand, to ensure the seasoning is well distributed amongst the meat.

Separate the meat mixture into 8 equal portions and flatten these into burger shapes and place them onto a non-stick oven tray (I love using my Pampered Chef rectangle stone and, having now realised that Pampered Chef have discontinued their UK operations, hope nothing happens to it as it is my most used kitchen accessory!).

Place into pre-heated oven and cook for 20 minutes.

While the burgers are cooking, prepare your sauce and fennel salad: 

For the sauce, finely dice the cucumber, mix with the yoghurt and Tofu and season with salt.

For the fennel salad, simply trim and thinly slice (horizontally) the fennel, add oil and salt – if you do this early on in the cooking of the burgers and leave it to stand, the fennel will release some of its juices and make for a moister salad, requiring less oil.

Once the burgers are ready, serve them in your choice of wholemeal bread/bread buns/flatbread and enjoy!

Gloriously Simple, Gloriously Good!

*Please note I am not a doctor, speech therapist or in any way medically qualified.  The recipes are a combination of my interpretation of the rules outlined in the ‘Dropping Acid – The Reflux Diet’ book and ingredients that work for my reflux.  If you believe you suffer from reflux, please seek advice from a medical professional to confirm your diagnosis and work out the best course of treatment/management for you.  I hope that my recipes can help you as part of this management.  The recipes are, by their nature, very low in fat, so are also suitable for anyone wishing to follow a low-fat diet.