Healthy Barbecue Recipe: Grilled Lemon-Basil Tofu Burgers

Nothing says summer like a barbecue. And the best part? You don’t have to break your diet to enjoy a good meal.

The next time you decide to barbecue, choose a healthy alternative to high-calorie and high-fat beef burgers or hot dogs. These crispy, marinated tofu slices topped with olive and garlic mayonnaise are delicious, quick and healthy– and it keeps you on track for achieving your weight-loss goals.

Nutritional Information:
Amount per serving

• Calories: 276
• Calories from fat: 37 percent
• Fat: 11.3 g
• Saturated fat: 1.9 g
• Monounsaturated fat: 5.7 g
• Polyunsaturated fat: 2.2 g
• Protein: 10.5 g
• Carbohydrate: 34.5 g Fiber: 1.5 g
• Cholesterol: 5 mg
• Iron: 2.4 mg
• Sodium: 743 mg
• Calcium: 101 mg

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced and divided
• 1 pound firm or extra firm tofu, drained
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup finely chopped, pitted kalamata olives
• 3 tablespoons reduced-fat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 6 (1 ½ ounce) hamburger buns
• 6 (1/4 inch-thick) slices tomato
• 1 cup trimmed watercress

Preparation:

1. Combine first 8 ingredients and 3 garlic cloves in a small bowl.
2. Cut tofu crosswise into 6 slices. Pat each square dry with paper towels.
3. Place tofu slices on a jelly-roll pan. Brush both sides with lemon juice mixture; reserve remaining juice mixture. Let tofu stand for an hour. 
4. Prepare grill. 
5. Place tofu slices on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill for 3 minutes on each side then brush with the reserved juice mixture. 
6. Combine remaining minced garlic clove, chopped olives, sour cream and mayonnaise in a small bowl; stir well. Spread about 1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixture over bottom half of each hamburger bun; top each with a tofu slice, a tomato slice, about 2 tablespoons watercress and top half of bun.

This recipe is courtesy of Lorrie Hulston Corvin, Cooking Light (August 2006).