by Jennifer Mae

Summer is grilling season and time to break out the burgers. Plain old hamburgers won’t do this summer. So be creative! Surprise your family and friends with a hamburger loaded down with fabulous taste. Look for unique toppings, mix-ins and condiments for your heavenly hamburgers.

Here are some creative ways to grill your family and friends some heavenly hamburgers made from healthy ingredients that pack a big flavor punch.

Unique Mix-in Ideas

Add some unique mix-ins for your heavenly hamburgers. Get the taste buds going by adding a package of taco mix for a spicy Mexican hamburger. A packet of dried Italian dressing spices up any beef burger with a zesty flavor that will melt in your mouth.

Why not break out of the mix-in mold? Try an Asian-style burger. Mix a teaspoon of ginger and crushed garlic into the ground beef. Next, add two or three tablespoons of soy or teriyaki sauce to the ground beef mixture. Make hamburger patties. Cook on a hot grill and serve on whole wheat hamburger bun with sweet and hot mustard. Yummy!

Mediterranean spices make for a great burger taste. Just add garlic salt, olive oil and thyme to your ground beef. Mix thoroughly. Grill the hamburger patties and serve on pita bread. Ask your family about their favorite food then try to create that flavor of burger. How about pizza burgers? Chocolate burgers? The sky’s the limit on creativity and taste this summer.

Creative Toppings

Don’t settle for the plain old toppings of the past for your grilled hamburgers. Create new and improved toppings for your heavenly hamburgers. Serve the Mexican burgers with several nacho chips and a slice of cheddar cheese melted on top for some ole good flavor.

Zesty Italian hamburgers can be topped with grated parmesan cheese and a few fresh basil leaves from your garden. Delightful!

Don’t forget crunchy vegetables like sweet Vidalia onions, Romaine lettuce and juicy sliced tomatoes. How about this? Slice up some white onions thin and fry them in olive oil until crunchy. Sprinkle these skinny fried onions onto your heavenly hamburgers for a savory treat.

Wow! These healthy toppings never go out of style so freely add them to your heavenly hamburgers.

Alternative Meat Burgers

Grill some alternative burgers this summer for some healthy eating. Ground chicken makes delicious burgers. Just add some garlic powder and seasoning salt to the ground chicken. Mix thoroughly and make patties. Prepare on hot grill for 20 minutes. Serve on toasted whole wheat bun with a Romaine lettuce, sliced onions and sliced tomatoes.

Ground turkey is also another great alternative for beef. Experiment with various spices and toppings when using alternative meats to provide the best flavor possible for friends and family. Look for online recipes for some great chicken or turkey burger offerings.

Vegetarian burgers

For the vegetarians in your life, why not grill up a veggie burger worth bragging about? Tofu or soy burgers are available at most natural food grocery stores. Purchase these frozen tofu or soy burgers and follow the directions for grilling or baking on the back of the package.

Make these veggie burgers your own unique creation with special toppings or sauces. Zesty taco salsa heats up the flavor of a veggie soy burger and sweet barbeque sauce will give some southern comfort to a tofu burger. Add onions, lettuce and tomatoes to the veggie burgers and serve on whole wheat buns or Kaiser rolls.

Veggie burgers provide necessary protein and help cut back on beef. Even non-vegetarians will enjoy chowing down on these tasty burgers. W ho knows? Perhaps heavenly vegetarian burgers will become a grilling favorite this summer”

Super Sides for Burgers

So you’ve grilled the greatest burgers in the world, but what about the sides? Serve your guests the best this summer. Choose a fresh green salad or a veggie tray loaded with colorful vegetables. Whip up a delightful creamy dip with low- fat plain yogurt flavored with garlic salt and chives. Replace potato chips or tortilla chips with gluten free flax seed crackers and hummus. Create a healthy summer menu for your picnics; your guests will love the alternatives and the sweet benefits, too.

Pickles and Such

Pickles are a burger’s best friend. Whether you choose bread and butter pickles or kosher dills; make sure to set out a bowl of pickles for your guests. Low in calories and big on flavor; pickles make all kinds of burgers taste heavenly.

Homemade pickles taste best so search for an easy online recipe to make a batch this summer or buy some at a local farmer’s market. Low-fat mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard are also essential hamburger additions. Make sure to have them on hands this summer to top your burgers off right.