The next time you crave a cheeseburger but you don't want to indulge in a calorie bomb, try this salad instead. It's got all the fixings of a savory burger -- crisp lettuce, cheddar cheese, dill pickles and a sauce that some think is even better than MacDonalds' Big Mac sauce -- but none of the guilt.
This salad bowl is a longtime favorite of Weight Watchers members but I hadn't tried it until now. The only change I made in the original WW recipe was using 93% ground turkey instead of beef. It was delicious. Oh, and I didn't miss the bun.
Finally, you can have your burger and eat it too. You needn't miss out on any of your favorite foods while losing or maintaining your weight. Life is good.
Cooking spray
1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 small onion, finely chopped
6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
4 medium plum tomatoes, diced
15 dill pickle sandwich slices
8 Tbsp. shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
6 thin slices red onion (optional)
Special Sauce ingredients:
1 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. light mayonnaise
1 1/2 tsp. yellow mustard
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Remaining 1 Tbsp. onion, finely chopped
3 dill pickle slices, finely chopped
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high. Add the ground turkey and salt. Reserve 1 Tbsp. of the yellow onion and add the remaining yellow onion to the skillet. Cook, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until the turkey is cooked through and no longer pink, 7 to 9 minutes. Set aside and let cool.
Meanwhile, place 1½ cups lettuce each in 4 medium bowls. Top each bowl with a quarter of the tomato, 3 pickle slices, 2 tbsp cheese and the optional red onion slices.
To make the sauce: in a small bowl stir the ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and reserved 1 Tbsp. yellow onion. Finely chop the remaining 3 dill pickle slices and add to the bowl.
Divide the turkey mixture among the bowls of lettuce. Serve with the special sauce.
Serves 4
Serving size: about 2 cups
WW Points