Long before The Counter came to Palo Alto, my burgers were naked and topless — that is, bun-less. The Counter features an endless variety of burgers, including the salad-burger: a custom blend of greens and toppings stacked high around a perfectly symmetrical patty — an un-burger, naked and proud.
To some, this trend may seem a culinary crime, a taste transgression, a complete disregard for condiments, fries, onion rings, and yes, the bun. But going naked and topless (as in bun-less) may be just the way to save a few pounds and, in the long run, reclaim your waistline.
Grabbing a booth at Jeffrey’s or throwing back a hard cider with a burger at the Dutch Goose is now a safe practice for us “no bun, please” kind of gals. And the only reason I say gals is that I have yet to meet a man who eats his burger bun-less.
And just as buns are no longer a must, ordering a burger no longer has to mean beef. In fact, beef is moving over to make room for the topless big bird as turkey burgers gobble up restaurant menu space. Why? Turkey offers a good source of lean protein and about half the saturated fat of red meat, making it a much more healthful, figure-friendly choice. Even at the Oasis — a long-standing institution for after-game beers, where you can measure your sobriety by the mugs lined up on the bar and the pile of peanut shells at your feet — I would without shame order my turkey burger, naked.
Although a typical bun adds only about 200 calories and 3 grams of fat, it’s the double-digit carbohydrates that produce the muffin-top cascading over the waistband of our jeans. It’s no wonder (no bun-pun intended) this no-bun change can make a big difference.
Cutting just 200 calories a day, especially empty carbohydrate found in white bread, can lead to a loss of 1 pound of pure fat in just over two weeks. So the next time you sit down beside a quarter-pounder-carnivore, do it without conflict, without judgment, and without a bun!
True or False: Does turkey make you sleepy? False. Tryptophan, the “sleepy” enzyme found in turkey, is far too low for any effect and doesn’t activate unless the stomach is empty. The sleepy feeling many have after a holiday dinner is more likely the wine and pumpkin pie, or the turkey sitting next to you, not the one in your tummy.
A Bit of History: Put the meat cleaver away, throw out the tenderizer and hop on the nearest horse, for this bit of history is a kick in the “arse.” Around 1209, when Genghis Khan was busy waging war in Asia, he and his men would spend days on their horses, many times never dismounting (yuck!). This gave them little opportunity to stop by the nearest Wendy’s for a quick bite to eat.
Being a resourceful cavalry, Khan and his men devised a way to fight and feed at the same time. They stuffed bits of lamb and mutton in a pouch and stuck it under their saddle. The constant riding and bouncing tenderized the raw meat, making it easy to grab and eat while riding into battle. Sounds like the modern-day morning commute.
Yvonne Tally of Menlo Park is a food coach and certified nutrition specialist, a professional private chef, and a certified fitness and Pilates trainer. She is co-owner of Poised, a personal training and whole-life consulting company in Menlo Park. You can contact her at yvonne.tally@poisedfit.com.
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