Turkey-Spinach Sliders and Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

Let’s face it: Sometimes you just want comfort food, and it would be extra nice if said meal didn’t leave you in a food coma. Enter the healthiest sliders-and-fries meal we’ve ever enjoyed!

If you’re tight on time, the patties can be formed one day ahead. Cover and chill, but be sure to bring to room temperature before cooking. We’ve also prepped our sweet potato fries the night before as well. Simply peel and slice into thin fries, then seal in a Ziploc bag in the refrigerator until you’re ready to cook.

Turkey-Spinach Sliders

Ingredients:

1/2 bunch flat-leaf spinach, thick stems removed, leaves chopped (about 4 cups)

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 lb. lean ground turkey

3/4 tsp. ground cumin

Salt

Pepper

3 Tbsp. olive oil

Slider buns, or small dinner rolls, split and lightly toasted for serving

Preparation:

Combine spinach, garlic, turkey and cumin in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Using a fork, mix gently just to combine.

Form turkey mixture into 8-12 patties, depending on desired thickness.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, cook patties until golden brown and cooked through (try not to press down on the patties with your spatula while cooking), about 5 minutes per side.

They look a little weird while cooking, but they are delicious!

Transfer to a plate. Serve on buns with desired condiments (we’re plain burger people except for a little cheddar cheese, but you can add anything you’d like).

What goes best with burgers? Fries! And sweet potato fries are a fun twist on the usual pairing and pack a serious nutritional punch. A 7-ounce (1 cup) serving of sweet potatoes contains 65% of the minimum necessary daily amount of Vitamin C.

Sweet potatoes are also high in calcium, folate, potassium and beta-carotene. In case you didn’t know, beta-carotene is an antioxidant that converts to Vitamin A in the body: one serving of sweet potatoes can provide you with as much as 700% of the recommended daily amount of Vitamin A. The Center for Science in the Public Interest rates sweet potatoes as the number one most nutritious vegetable.

Homemade Sweet Potato Fries

Ingredients:

1 or 2 sweet potatoes (1 large works for 2 people)

Olive oil

Sea salt

Preparation: 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees, and spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Peel and slice the sweet potato into thin fries (the thinner the fries, the faster they will cook) and place on the baking sheet.

A little olive oil and sea salt ensure these fries are healthy AND tasty.

Brush lightly with olive oil, sprinkle with sea salt and place in the oven for 20-25 minutes, turning halfway through.

Note: We have a gas stove/oven, so cooking can be tricky. You want the fries to be crispy, but not burned. 

Voila: Homemade, healthy fast food!

Three sliders and one-half of a sweet potato equals a serving, so here’s the nutritional breakdown:

Calories: 400

Fat:  12 g

Protein:  30 g

Carbs:  51g

Enjoy!

GnC