Lamb and Turkey Pita Burgers

6 pitas (4- or 5-inches wide)

¼ cup diced onion

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¼ teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

12 ounces lean ground lamb

12 ounces lean ground turkey breast

12 small lettuce, arugula or radicchio leaves

Sauce

2 juicy lemon wedges, for 2 teaspoons juice

¼ cup low-fat mayonnaise (do not use nonfat)

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper

For the burgers: Grease a large grill pan with nonstick cooking oil spray; heat the pan over medium-high heat.

While it’s heating up, cut the pitas in half, to form a total of 12 pockets. Make two stacks of six, wrapping each stack in foil. Place the packages in the grill pan to warm while you prep the burger mixture.

Put the onion in a mixing bowl with tomato paste, salt, cinnamon, ginger, ground lamb and ground turkey; using your clean hands to blend and shape the mixture into 12 equal portions. Flatten each into an oval patty that’s slightly less than ½-inch thick.

Arrange the meat in the grill pan. Cook for 5 minutes, until the undersides are browned and release fairly easily, then turn the burgers over and cook on the second side for 3-5 minutes, until they are browned and cooked through.

While the burgers are cooking, make the sauce: Squeeze the lemon wedges into a medium bowl; whisk in mayonnaise, cumin and pepper to form a sauce. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Place a lettuce leaf, a burger and about 1½ teaspoons of the sauce inside each warm pita half. Serve right away.

Serves four to six.

Nutrition values per serving (assumes 6): 410 calories, 21 g fat (7 g saturated), 30 g carbohydrates, 4 g dietary fiber, 3 g sugar, 27 g protein, 85 mg cholesterol, 500 mg sodium.

Adapted from “Cooking Light Crave! Stacked, Stuffed, Cheesy, Crunchy and Chocolaty Comfort Foods” (Oxmoor House, 2013)