Talk Macros to Me

Who else grew up on McDonalds after soccer practice? I still remember they offered happy value meal #6 – two cheeseburgers, fries and a coke. I can literally taste it in my mouth just thinking about it, followed by a cringe of how unhealthy that was. Those were the times! And boy were they loaded with saturated fat! McDonalds plays in the background of so many happy childhood memories and while it’s not on my frequent list these days, it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Years past and as I grew older and my taste became more refined. I graduated from the two cheeseburgers to a Big Mac. After all, I was in college and responsible, mature kids need their veggies so the added lettuce, tomato and pickles were just what the doctor ordered.

Thankfully, my nutrition habits have come a long way and I’ve learned to prioritize my health and make different choices when it comes to food. But that doesn’t mean I have to compromise taste! These Big Mac bowls are DELISH and will remind you of the real thing – just a little healthier and something you can feel good about reaching for seconds.

These are great to meal prep and versatile for the whole family to assemble to their liking. My kids prefer their burger meat over rice and I turn into a pickle fiend and cover my bowl in extra extra extra toppings and serve over a sweet potato. Alternatively, you can pop some frozen sweet potato fries in the oven and use those as a base or roast some whole sweet potatoes as the base.

You can easily prepare potatoes in an instant pot or bake in the oven according to size. I cook mine in an instant pot using this recipe by Sweet Peas and Saffron and they turn out perfect every time.

Let me know how you like them! And tag #talkmacrostome if you end up making these. I’d love to see how they turn out.

Ingredients

• 2 lb ground beef 93% (or turkey if you prefer)
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt + 1 teaspoon salt + 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
• Avocado cooking spray
• 15oz cubed sweet potatos
• 2 large heads of Romain or iceberg lettuce, chopped
• 2 beef steak tomatoes, chopped
• 1 cup low-fat plain greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup relish
• 3 Tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon ketchup
• 1/4 cup pickle chips, chopped

Directions

1. Prepare sauce by combining Greek yogurt, ketchup, relish, red onion, vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt. Mix well. Set aside. I prefer to make the sauce in advance and refrigerate for a few hours to allow flavors to marry.
2. Preheat oven to 400.
3. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil. Add the cubed sweet potato. Give the potatoes a quick spray, toss and season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt. put in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.
4. Chop tomatoes and place in a strainer in the sink to allow juice to drain.
5. Prepare burger meat by lightly spraying a large pan over medium heat with a spritz of avocado oil. Add ground beef and breakup while continuing to cook until almost cooked through.
6. Add sweet onions and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper and mix well for one minute. Transfer to a serving container.
7. Add your lettuce to a bowl and top with hamburger, chopped tomatoes, sweet potato, pickles and drizzle with Big Mac sauce.