Mixing dried cherries into ground beef reduces fat and increases antioxidants. Serve the burgers with your favorite garnishes.

Makes 4 servings

ACTIVE TIME: 30 minutes

TOTAL TIME: 30 minutes

EASE OF PREPARATION: Easy

1/2 small sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, cut into thin rounds
12 ounces lean ground beef
1/2 cup dried cherries, finely chopped
1/2 cup coarse dry whole-wheat breadcrumbs
(see Note)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 whole-wheat English muffins, split
4 lettuce leaves
1/4 cup Cherry Ketchup (recipe follows)

1. Place onion in a medium bowl, cover with ice water and let soak while you prepare burgers.
2. Preheat grill to medium (see Broiler Variation).
3. Place beef in a large bowl and gently mix in cherries, breadcrumbs, garlic, vinegar, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper until combined. Divide into 4 equal portions and form into 1/2-inch-thick patties. Make a slight impression in the center of each. (This is so the patties cook evenly and don’t puff up.)
4. Oil the grill rack (see Tip). Grill the patties until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160°F, 5 to 6 minutes per side.
5. Toast English muffins. Drain the onions. Assemble the burgers on the English muffins with onion slices, lettuce and about 1 tablespoon Cherry Ketchup each.

Broiler variation: Coat a broiler pan with cooking spray. Broil patties 3 to 4 inches from the heat source until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160°F, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 431 calories; 10 g fat (3 g sat, 0 g mono); 65 mg cholesterol; 54 g carbohydrate; 32 g protein; 7 g fiber; 587 mg sodium; 175 mg potassium.
Nutrition bonus: Calcium (19% daily value), Iron & Vitamin A (15% dv).
3 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fruit, 3 lean meat

TIP: Note: We like Ian’s brand labeled “Panko breadcrumbs.” Find them in the natural-foods section of large supermarkets. To make your own, trim crusts from whole-wheat bread. Tear bread into pieces and process in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 250°F until crispy, about 15 minutes. One slice of fresh bread makes about 1/3 cup dry crumbs.

Tip: To oil a grill rack: Oil a folded paper towel and use tongs to rub it over the rack. (Do not use cooking spray on a hot grill.

RELATED RECIPES: Cherry Ketchup

These are really good burgers. I was pleased with how moist they turned out and the cherry ketchup was a nice topping. An Engligh muffin is the perfect accompaniment to the flavors of this burger.

Sally

My husband and teenage son loved them. I had some "not so good for you" ready made burgers I needed to use up the other night. Mentioned to my teen that we were having burgers for dinner, he was crestfallen when I said it would NOT be cherry burgers. All of us are hooked!

joyfulsong, DeWitt, MI