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Recipes

   
trim&TERRIFIC cookbook cover

Tuna Burgers

If you prefer hamburgers to any food, try this great tuna alternative with an Asian flair. It’s as simple to make as any hamburger, but so much better for you!

For this recipe, and for dozens of other Association-approved recipes, purchase Holly Clegg's Trim & Terrific Diabetic Cooking from our online store. When you order directly from the American Diabetes Association, proceeds benefit important diabetes research, education and advocacy efforts. Thank you for your support.

trim&TERRIFIC cookbook

Holly Clegg

"While burgers cooked in a skillet are flavorsome, there's nothing like the taste of a burger cooked on a grill, nicely seared with the juices sealed in and smoke flavored. Heat the grill over medium flame, and sear to your desired doneness. Tuna burgers make a great innovative burger choice—you might use a grill basket coated with nonstick cooking spray to help keep your tuna burgers from sticking. Another option, use a grill pan inside to give your tuna burgers that grilled look. And, try serving with fruit salsas, the perfect complement to tuna burgers."

Ingredients
1 1/4 pounds fresh tuna
2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lite soy sauce
3 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger, or 1/2 tsp ground ginger
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
1 tsp sesame oil
1 recipe Mandarin sauce (optional; see recipe below)

Preparation
1. Remove any skin from the tuna and coarsely chop in a blender or food processor (or with a knife) until it is the consistency and texture of ground beef.

2. Transfer the tuna to a bowl and combine with the garlic, mustard, soy sauce, green onions, ginger, and salt and pepper (if using). Shape the tuna into 4 patties and refrigerate 30 minutes before cooking.

3. Heat the sesame oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat and cook the tuna burgers for 2-4 minutes on each side until done. Serve topped with Mandarin sauce (if using).

Mandarin Sauce
1 Tbsp teriyaki sauce
1 Tbsp lite soy sauce
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp honey
1 (8 oz) can mandarin oranges, drained and chopped
1/3 cup mandarin juice, reserved from can

1. In a small saucepan, bring all ingredients to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Nutrition Information
Exchanges/Choices
4 Very Lean Meat

Calories:  179
    Calories from Fat: 25
Total Fat: 3 g
    Saturated Fat: 0 g
Cholesterol: 64 mg
Sodium: 166 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 3 g
    Dietary Fiber: 1 g
    Sugars: 1 g
Protein: 34 g

Author Bio
Holly Clegg, author of the best selling trim&TERRIFIC® cookbook series, including trim&TERRIFIC® Diabetic Cooking with the American Diabetes Association, has sold over 1 million copies. Holly has promoted her easy, healthy recipes on national shows including Fox & Friends, NBC Weekend Today, QVC, dLife (CNBC) and The 700 Club. She partnered with Walmart to promote healthy, affordable cooking through webisodes, and she's the national spokesperson for AmMed Direct Mail Order Supplies. In May 2011, Holly was featured as an expert in USA Today on whipping up a diabetic friendly wedding. 
 
Holly's recipes are user friendly, pantry friendly, and quick to help today's busy person fit eating healthier into their lifestyle. Each recipe includes the diabetic and nutritional analysis.

 

Not all recipes presented here are necessarily appropriate for all people with diabetes, nor will all recipes fit into every meal plan. No two meal plans are alike. Work with your health care provider, diabetes educator or dietitian to design a meal plan that's right for you, and includes the foods you love. A key message for people with diabetes is "Carbs Count." Foods high in carbs (carbohydrates) -- bread, tortillas, rice, crackers, cereal, fruit, juice, milk, yogurt, potatoes, corn, peas, sweets -- raise your blood glucose levels the most.

For many people, having 3 or 4 servings of a carb choice at each meal and 1 or 2 servings at snacks is about right. Keep an eye on your total number of servings. For example, if you choose to have dessert, cut back on potatoes.

Round out your meals with a serving of:

  • Meat (such as fish or chicken) or meat substitute (such as beans, eggs, cheese, and tofu) about the size of a deck of cards and
  • Non-starchy vegetables (such as broccoli or lettuce). If you have three (3) or more servings of non-starchy vegetables, count them as a carbohydrate choice. Three (3) servings is equal to 1 1/2 cups of cooked vegetables, or three (3) cups of raw vegetables.

Check your blood glucose to see how your food choices or these recipes affect your blood glucose. If your meal plan isn't working for you, talk to your dietitian about making a new one.

Along with exercise and medications (insulin or oral diabetes pills), nutrition is important for good diabetes management. By eating well-balanced meals in the correct amounts, you can keep your blood glucose level as close to normal (non-diabetes level) as possible.

The recipes on this page are only a part of what is offered in recipe books from the American Diabetes Association. Many also include information on meal planning, portion control, food buying and seasoning, as well as general cooking hints and tips for people with diabetes.

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