A night that is not only filling but is filled with veggies and the kiddos love it, too!
Burger night around here looks different every time we make it but has a few standard components: burgers on the skillet, carrot fries or sweet potato fries in the oven, and some sort of fresh vegetable on the side.
Some nights I make a lettuce wrap with the burger, other times I eat the whole darn bun. It depends on how I’m feeling and let me just tell you right now girlfriend if you need someone to give you permission to eat the bun, EAT THE BUN. Buy a high quality french brioche or get some hearty bread from a local bakery. For me, it’s about knowing what my body needs and how it feels, indulging when I want to and not feeling bad, and or wrapping that hunk of beef in iceberg lettuce (… and not feeling bad).
My favorite combination is lettuce burger, arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette, and carrot fries! As a kid–friendly alternative to the arugula salad we’ll chop a cucumber to dip in ranch or have chopped avocado on the side.
What makes it cleaner
All. The. Veggies. Also, swapping traditional fried french fries with a fresh vegetable or even sweet potato fries you can bake in the oven to make it more nutrient dense. We love Annie’s frozen sweet potato fries! Also, swapping traditional burger seasoning blends or sauces with higher quality ingredients.
What makes it simpler
Initially it may look like it requires a lot of ingredients but it comes together quickly and requires minimal effort for all the different components. You can make “fries” ahead of time and warm in the oven to make it come together in 10 minutes on a weeknight, you can also pre-make the patties and have them in the fridge ready to go as well as the salad dressing! I love that this weeknight meal has so many high quality, wholesome ingredients!
Burgers with Arugula Salad and Carrot “Fries”
Ingredients
For the hamburgers:
- 2 lbs ground beef
- 2 tsp coconut aminos
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp Meat Magic from Magic Seasonings or your favorite hamburger blend
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
- sliced cheese if desired
For the Carrot Fries:
- 1 lb carrots
- 1 1/2 Tbs avocado oil
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tsp dried parsley
For the Arugula Salad:
- 1 pack of Arugula
- Feta Cheese
For the Lemon Honey Vinagrette:
- 1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1/3 C lemon juice about 2 lemons
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 cloves of garlic minced
- 1 Tbs honey
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
For the burgers:
- Put all ingredients together in a large bowl and mix together.
- Shape into 6 equal sized patties.
- Turn skillet to medium-high heat.
- Sear patties for 4-5 minutes on each side *This is medium to medium-well.
- Transfer to plate to cool and top with cheese, if desired.
For the carrot fries:
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper.
- Add carrots, olive oil, and salt to baking sheet and toss to coat.
- Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway though.
- Remove from oven and top with parsley.
Lemon Honey Vinaigrette:
- Add all ingredients to a mason jar or jar with tight lid. Shake to combine.
For the arugula salad:
- Add desired arugula to plate, top with feta, and lemon honey vinaigrette.