Greek Lamb Burgers

These were really good. Of course we used gnd sirloin instead of turkey. The sauce needed some tweaking...we added McCormick's Greek seasoning, dill, garlic...all to taste.

Greek Lamb Burgers

Fresh rosemary, oregano, and lemon rind harmonize with the richness of lamb and feta cheese. If you don't want to make the sauce, serve with a drizzle of plain, fat-free yogurt. Tuck tomato slices and lettuce leaves into the pita pockets, if desired. Serve with fresh fruit and lemonade.

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled reduced-fat feta cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 pound lean ground lamb
3/4 pound ground turkey breast
Cooking spray
3 (6-inch) pitas, cut in half
6 tablespoons Easy Tzatziki Sauce

Prepare grill.

Combine first 8 ingredients. Divide mixture into 6 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty.

Place patties on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer registers 165°. Remove from grill; let stand 5 minutes. Place 1 patty in each pita half; drizzle each serving with 1 tablespoon Easy Tzatziki Sauce.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 stuffed pita half)

CALORIES 275 (34% from fat); FAT 10.3g (sat 4.4g,mono 3.6g,poly 0.8g); IRON 1.9mg; CHOLESTEROL 62mg; CALCIUM 78mg; CARBOHYDRATE 19.1g; SODIUM 576mg; PROTEIN 25.9g; FIBER 0.8g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2007

Easy Tzatziki Sauce

Serve this tangy, creamy Greek sauce with lamb or beef, or any burger with Mediterranean or Middle Eastern spices. It's also a good dip for vegetable sticks or soft pita wedges. For a pretty embellishment, float a rosemary sprig on top of the dip.

This recipe goes with Greek Lamb Burgers

3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt
2 tablespoons grated peeled seeded cucumber
1 1/2 teaspoons minced onion
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Yield: About 3/4 cup (serving size: 1 tablespoon)

CALORIES 10 (18% from fat); FAT 0.2g (sat 0.1g,mono 0.1g,poly 0.0g); IRON 0.0mg; CHOLESTEROL 1mg; CALCIUM 28mg; CARBOHYDRATE 1.2g; SODIUM 35mg; PROTEIN 0.8g; FIBER 0.0g

Cooking Light, AUGUST 2007