A classic pub beef burger is always comforting and delicious – until you squeeze it, that is! The waterfall of fat that pours out of it is enough to make any fitness freak wince.

What if you could still have that delicious burger but somehow be healthy too? Well now you can!

These burgers combine chilli, pumpkin and turkey – one of my favourite combinations. High protein, delicious and quick to both prepare and cook, these can be made for eating straight away, or as a meal prep – believe it or not, they’re delicious eaten cold!

Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree With an abundance of pumpkins around at the moment, I took advantage by buying a large pumpkin to make homemade pumpkin puree. A fraction of the price of buying ready canned, you get a heck of a lot more too, all for a little bit of extra effort! I simply chopped it up, steamed it under tender and pureed it, and replacing the lost weight in water from the steaming process.

Adding pumpkin puree prevents foods prone to drying out from doing just that, ensuring they stay moist and delicious. No one likes a dry burger! Not only does it do this, but it also adds a few more vitamins and minerals to your meat.

Turkey also happens to be one of the lowest fat meats around, it’s high in selenium, which is essential for healthy thyroid and immune system function, and also high in B vitamins – these burgers alone will give you 60-65% of your RDA! So you’re getting a nutrient dense, tasty punch of protein with these burgers, for minimal cost too!

We love to see your versions of our recipes – be sure to share your photos and opinions of these turkey burgers on Twitter (@TrainEatGain).

Ingredients

Servings: 1 (6 small burgers)

Macros*: Calories 254 kcal, Protein 46.1g, Carbs 7.6g, Fat 4.3g

200g turkey breast mince

30g pumpkin puree

1tsp chilli puree

1tsp light soy sauce/liquid aminos

1tsp cider vinegar

2tsp water

1tsp garlic powder

1tsp onion powder

1/2tsp paprika

1/2tsp smoke powder*

1/2tsp truvia/brown sugar

1/4tsp psyllium husk powder

Salt, to taste

1/2 red chilli, chopped (optional)

Bunch coriander, chopped (optional)

*If you don’t have smoke powder, omit the paprika, and use 1tsp smoked paprika instead.

Method

In a bowl, combine everything except the turkey, and mix to a paste. Add the turkey and mix to a paste until fully combined. Stir in the fresh chilli and coriander, if using. Shape the mixture into patties – the mix is supposed to be quite wet. Heat a non-stick frying pan to medium heat. Add a little coconut oil or spray oil. Add the patties and cook on both sides until done – mine took about 8-10 minutes. Serve with what you wish!

Tip: If you’re worried about over cooking the turkey burgers and drying them out, (they shouldn’t do due to the pumpkin), or really short on time, you can brown them on each side for a couple of minutes in the pan, then place on a plate and cover, and give them a blast in the microwave. Return them to the pan if you want to get a nice outer coating.

*Note: Macros are given for 1 serving (6 small burgers).