Haggis is not on the menu this week. Neither is whisky. But it is my birthday.

I may not entirely be doing Burns Night proper, but I am having a little celebration (without the booze sadly) with a hearty (and healthy) supper.

Homemade Burgers…If you’re dusting off the tartan and having a knees-up for Scotland’s national poet, my Burns Supper Super Burger is an ideal alternative to traditional haggis.

It’s got the juicy, gorgeous flavours you’d expect of a homemade burger, without all the fat. The same comfort food hug, without the dry, crumbly patty that often results from lean mince.

If you’re at the Protein and Healthy Fats phase of my Metabolic Fat-Loss Diet, these burgers provide a delicious lean protein hit to curb cravings. You don’t have to go hungry on this diet!

Prep the patties ahead and bung them in the freezer, so you can spend more of the evening winding down with family. Serve with a variety of veg, get the fire crackling and hunker down with a few poems.

So long as the central focus of the night is on the company you’re with, I’m sure the great man himself would approve.

Homemade burgers

267 calories

Serves 2 • Ready in 20 mins

250g (9oz) extra-lean minced (ground) beef (435 cals)
1 shallot, peeled and finely diced (5 cals)
1 small garlic clove, peeled and finely chopped (3 cals)
½ tsp dried herbs
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (3 cals)
1 small free-range egg, beaten (60 cals)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp olive oil (27 cals)

• Place the minced beef, shallot, garlic, dried herbs, Worcestershire sauce, egg in a large bowl. Season generously with salt and pepper and mix together by hand until fully combined.
• Divide the mixture into 4 equal pieces and roll each one into a ball, then flatten with the palm of your hand to make a burger shape. Place the burgers on a plate, cover and chill in the refrigerator for about an hour or the freezer for 10 minutes.
• Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan (skillet) and fry for 8–10 minutes, turning once. Serve immediately.

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