It’s finally that time of year – grill time!  So if you’re craving a quick and easy, high protein, low-carb meal (at least for the hamburger part!), this recipe should be right up your alley!  I know you could use a gluten free bun or some other gluten free bread for this, but this time I just went with a nice leaf of Romaine Lettuce.  In part, I was trying to keep with my Slow Carb Diet , and in part I was being lazy.  Finding quality gluten free baked goods can be a chore, and we don’t have a good local bakery that does gluten free.  The frozen options are super expensive as well!  So let’s keep this simple!

Ingredients Used:

• Trader Joe’s 94/6 Lean Ground Beef
• 1/3 cup diced red onion
• Johnny’s Seasoning Salt to taste
• Several dashes Worcestershire Sauce
• Trader Joe’s Quattro Formaggio Cheese Blend
• Just the Leaves Romano Lettuce
• Trader Joe’s Pacific Northwest Crinkle Wedge Potatoes
• Trader Joe’s Extra Virgin Italian Olive Oil Spray

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and kneed until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed.  This makes either two 1/2lb. burgers or four 1/4 burgers.  I’m partial to the 1/2lb ones myself.  On a good medium-hot grill, I put the patties on for 3 minutes each side.  This will probably be rare-medium rare in most cases.  Adjust to your taste. Add a sprinkle of cheese at the end, letting it melt.

Before you set the burgers on the grill, however, you should get the fries cooking.  Using our toaster oven at 400, put a single layer of fries on a baking sheet sprayed with the cooking spray.  I like to add Johnny’s, you can if you like.  I spray the top of the fries and put them in the oven.  Bake until they reach your desired level of goodness.  I like crispy with soft middle, 20 -25 minutes.  (Fries are not part of the Slow Carb Diet, these were cheat day fare!)

The All American Cheeseburger is ripe for any garnish, from bacon and avocado to ham and fried egg! I went with the basic condiments and thoroughly enjoyed this classic.

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What’s your favorite way to dress up a burger?

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