The traditional hamburger will always have a special place on America's plate, but as people seek new flavor options and continue to discover the nutritional benefits of veggie patties, taste buds are embracing a whole new definition of "burger."

Many restaurants that offer burgers on their menus now also offer veggie alternatives, and the frozen food aisles in grocery stores are stocked with an increasing array of options. From black bean burgers to Cheddar burgers, these veggie creations come in a variety of flavors and can be conveniently cooked in the microwave, conventional oven or toaster oven.

"The great thing about today's veggie burgers is that you can reap the benefits of veggie foods and still satisfy your burger craving, beyond the typical burger on a bun," said Regina Ragone, R.D. "Substituting a veggie burger for a regular hamburger usually helps you cut your saturated fat intake, which is really important for a healthy heart."

Typically, veggie burgers are made with soy, which means they usually have fewer calories and almost half the fat of a traditional hamburger, while providing veggie protein. Some burgers also offer a refreshing taste of garden vegetables, using ingredients such as carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, zucchini or peppers, making it even easier to eat your veggies.

To help create a better burger, the veggie burger experts at Morningstar Farms® offer the following tips:

• Jump-start your lunch with a veggie burger salad. Toss strips of veggie burger with leafy greens, dried cranberries, Brie cheese, walnuts and balsamic vinaigrette.
• Spice things up and create a "South of the Border" burrito dinner. Cut a black bean veggie burger into strips and add shredded cheese, sautéed peppers and onions, lettuce, and diced tomatoes in a whole-wheat tortilla. Top with salsa, guacamole and/or low-fat sour cream.
• Take it to the top with a double veggie burger. Alternate two veggie burgers with low-fat cheese, lettuce and tomato. Top with mustard or ketchup and serve with baked sweet-potato fries for a healthy American classic.

Savor the rich flavors of mushroom with this recipe from Roxanne Chan of Albany, NY, winner of the first Morningstar Farms Better Burger Challenge. The whole family will enjoy this creative and nutritious twist on the traditional hamburger.

Morningstar™ Mushroom Mozzarella Melts

Ingredients

• 4 large Portobello mushrooms, stems removed, cleaned
• 2 tablespoons Italian dressing
• 1 package of Morningstar Farms® Mushroom Lover's Burger
• 4 tablespoons prepared pesto sauce
• 4 slices tomato
• 4 slices mozzarella cheese
• Basil sprigs for garnish

Directions

1. Brush the mushrooms with dressing. Place on boiler rack 6 inches from heat source and cook 10 minutes or until tender, turning once. Place mushrooms on baking sheet.
2. Prepare burgers according to package directions and place on top of mushrooms.
3. Spread pesto over burgers, then top with tomato slices and cheese.
4. Place baking sheet under broiler and broil 1 or 2 minutes or until cheese melts and is bubbly. Served garnished with basil.

Note: Instead of using the broiler, you can use the grill to prepare these melts.

Makes 4 servings.