Lean beef burgers stuffed with blue cheese nuggets

Cheese-stuffed burgers on a healthy diet? You bet. Even better for snacks. The trick is to stretch the meat with grated vegetables and top your burger with plenty of tomato and greens. Hidden inside, a nugget of blue cheese. If you're not a fan of blue, substitute with shredded cheddar or mozzarella.

Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Serves: 4

To make the patties

• 250 g (8 oz.) extra-lean ground beef
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 250 g (1 c.) shredded zucchini (1/2 small)
• 75 g (1/3 c.) finely chopped onion (1/2 small)
• 150 g (2/3 c.) whole wheat panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs) or fresh whole wheat bread crumbs (See Cook's tip)
• 15 ml (1 tbsp.) Worcestershire sauce
• 10 ml (2 tsp.) Dijon mustard
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp.) salt
• 1 ml (1/4 tsp.) freshly ground black pepper
• 50 g (1/4 c.) crumbled blue cheese

Roll and garnishes

• 250 g (1 c.) thinly sliced sweet onion or red onion
• 500 g (2 c.) baby spinach or arugula, washed and dried
• 1 medium tomato, sliced
• 4 whole wheat English muffins, split

To make the patties:

1. In a large bowl, mix the beef, egg white, zucchini, onion, panko, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, salt and pepper.
2. Form into eight patties, one centimetre (1/2-inch) thick. Place about 15 grams (one tablespoon) cheese on each of the four patties. Then, place a second patty on top to enclose the cheese.
3. Press to seal in the cheese and form into one-centimetre thick (1/2-inch) patties.

To cook the patties:

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Lightly oil the grill grate by rubbing it with a piece of oil-soaked paper towel.
2. Grill the patties until browned and cooked through (an instant-read thermometer inserted in the centre should register 71°C/160°F), about five minutes per side.
3. About one minute before the patties are done place the muffins, cut side down, on the grill until lightly toasted, 30 to 60 seconds.

To assemble the burgers, divide the baby spinach leaves and tomato slices among the muffin bottoms. Add the patties and top with the onion slices. Replace the muffin tops.

One serving is one patty with one English muffin and garnishes.

Every serving contains: 322 calories; 23 g protein; 43 g carbohydrates; 7g fibre; 7 g total fat; 3 g saturated fat; 41 mg cholesterol and 909 mg sodium.

To make fresh, whole-wheat breadcrumbs, trim the crusts from two slices of whole-wheat bread. Tear the bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form.

Try this recipe tonight for a satisfying burger that is surprisingly healthy.