The percentage of consumers who identify themselves as vegans has increased from 1 percent in 2009 to 2.5 percent in 2012, according to a Harris Interactive poll. About double that number?5 percent of Americans?consider themselves vegetarians, not counting the added number of "flexitarians" who occasionally go meatless. With more people eating a plant-based diet all or part of the time, menus are offering a wider and more inspired selection of vegetarian and vegan choices

On-Trend Recipe - Farro Burger with Avocado
by Little Bear
Los Angeles

Veggie burgers have grown in scope and creativity over the years, as they've evolved into a more popular choice for vegetarians and meat eaters alike. At Little Bear, the kitchen blends farro with beans and mushrooms to form a patty that cooks and looks a lot like meat. The topping is vegan, too, composed of roasted red pepper, creamy avocado and aioli made with tofu.

So, the stats are pretty unappetizing, but that doesn't mean you have to swear off burgers for good. When it comes to chowing down on this barbecue favorite, it's always better to go homemade, where you have complete control over the ingredients going in to your meal.

Follow these tips for a better-for-you burger:

•Go organic. To avoid additives and hormones, shop your local farmer's market for locally-sourced, organic meat products.

• Opt for lean turkey meat over beef. "Beef burgers add up fast in the fat department - especially saturated fat, which is important to keep track of for cardiovascular health and your waistline," says Keren Gilbert, MS, RD, founder and president of Decision Nutrition. "Lean turkey meat has half the saturated fat of beef; make sure the label says at least 93 percent lean."

• Increase moisture. "Lean turkey burgers tend to be dry since the fat content is low," says Gilbert. "To up the moisture of your burger, I suggest adding onions, shredded zucchini, shredded carrots, or spinach." These veggies also up the fiber content, helping you to feel more satiated, Gilbert adds.

• Add a healthy binding agent. Breadcrumbs are the most popular ingredient for binding ground meat, but Gilbert suggests swapping them for fiber-rich oats. Another option: Chia seeds, which are a great binder that also ups the nutritional profile of your burger. She recommends using 1/2 cup of either ingredient to 1 pound of turkey.

• Season smart. Up the flavor of your patty with calorie-free flavorings. Gilbert suggests hot sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, or paprika.

• Condiment swap. "Even a lean, healthy burger can take a turn for the worse when topped with bacon, cheese, or creamy sauces," says Gilbert. She suggests passing on the caloric add-ons in favor of salsa, mustard, or veggie toppings like peppers and onions.

Early summer is by far my favorite time of year in Iowa. First of all, the weather is perfect. The temperatures are mild, the high humidity hasn't kicked in and the mosquitoes aren't yet buzzing around in full force.

Plus, I'm catching up on all the outdoor activities I missed so much during the brutally cold winter. I'm spending a lot of time on the bike trails and in my backyard garden. I'm also traveling to family get-togethers, where we gather outside around the grill, listening to the chirping birds and smelling the sizzling hamburgers while we marvel about how fast the grass is growing. (What else can we Iowans complain about when we can't gripe about the weather?)

In this edition of the Iowa Dish, we take a closer look at the prices for steaks, Iowa pork chops and other grilling favorites and why they are higher. We share summer grilling tips from an Iowa dietician and tell you about a new app to help grill foods safely.

In addition, we introduce you to an Iowa family that is making yogurt on the farm with milk from their Holstein cows. Plus, be sure to check out the latest Iowa Minute video on how cows can now milk themselves with the newest robotic milkers.

We're also sharing a winning recipe from the Iowa Farm Bureau Cookout Contest, held annually at the Iowa State Fair, for a beef roast on the grill. It's a budget-friendly cut of meat that's full of flavor.

If you have a favorite grilling recipe, or you have a question about farming in Iowa or about food in general, feel free to email me at TheIowaDish@ifbf.org. We may cover the topic in a future issue. Enjoy the summer!

How Committed is Your State to Local Foods?
Physician-Chef Shares 4 Reasons You Should Care

Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire, respectively, claimed the top three spots in the 2014 Locavore Index, a ranking of each state's (and the District of Columbia's) commitment to promoting and providing locally grown foods.

At the bottom of the heap are Arizona, Nevada and Texas, with the Lone Star State dead last despite the fact that it's the nation's No. 1 cattle producer and No. 3 for crops receipts, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

"There are many good reasons to eat locally produced foods, the first among them that they're very good for us," says cardiologist and professional chef Michael S. Fenster, MD, (www.whatscookingwithdoc.com), author of "Eating Well, Living Better" and "The Fallacy of the Calorie," (Koehler Books; fall 2014).

"There's a direct relationship between our food, our environment, our genetics and our health. Eating locally grown foods gives us our most nutritious meals, most flavorful meals. Few choices have as many personal ramifications as that which we decide to stuff into our gob."

He offers four more reasons - "the tip of the iceberg lettuce, so to speak" -- to go localvore:

•  Money: Eating organically, eating fresh and finding the seasonal local foodstuffs can be expensive - if you do all your shopping at the supermarket, Dr. Mike says.

"Finding healthful produce at venues like a local farmer's market can result in prices that are at least comparable, if not substantially less than, those at the megamarket, which has the additional costs of shipping from the nether regions," he says.

Likewise, visiting a local fishmonger can result in tasty bargains compared to flash-frozen fish flesh. Shopping for what is bountifully in season, and thus locally overstocked, can mean big savings.

"Finally, by purchasing items produced locally, your money strengthens the local economy and helps sustain the people producing the types of food stuffs that you wish to sustain yourself upon," he says. "That is the smiley face circle of life."

•  Freshness: In some ways, it's amazing we're alive considering all the food we eat that's dead, Dr. Mike says, noting almost 60 percent of the modern Western diet is prepackaged, preserved and processed.

"Any time we manipulate our comestibles in such a fashion, we add compounds that are not naturally found in them or remove parts that are," he says. "Those pre-cut vegetables in the supermarket may be convenient, but they started losing nutritional value and flavor as soon as they were sliced and diced."

Because local growers don't have to add preservatives or pick produce weeks early to ensure they'll produce will keep during shipping, local foods can be consumed at the peak of freshness and ripeness - when they taste their very best.

•  Rhythms: Our great hairy ancestors have always been omnivores.

"There is ample evidence that the reason we as a species became the smartest kids on the block is that we took advantage of a varied diet.  This hardwired drive for diversity in dining is also one reason why restrictive diets that seek to severely limit what we consume almost always, ultimately fail," Dr. Mike says.

By leveraging the seasonal and cyclic variations that naturally occur, your palate will never become dull and monochromatic, he promises.  A pleasant dining experience directly lights up our primal happy-happy joy-joy place, an experience that contributes directly to overall well-being.

•  Sustainability: All the reasons for purchasing high-quality ingredients locally ultimately circle back and rest upon the concept of sustainability. In knowing where your food comes from, in being able to ascertain both what it contains and what it does not contain, you take a proactive step in determining your own health and wellness, Dr. Mike says.

By focusing on procuring the best for you and those who depend upon you, you act to sustain yourself and your family. By affecting such a posture, you deliver local impact.

"With enough people acting locally, the impact becomes regional and if enough people demand control over their foodstuffs then, like a crazy cat video gone viral, it can have a global effect."

About Michael S. Fenster, MD

Michael Fenster, M.D., F.A.C.C., FSCA&I, PEMBA, is a board-certified interventional cardiologist. Also known as "Dr. Mike," author of "Eating Well, Living Better: The Grassroots Gourmet Guide to Good Health and Great Food," (www.whatscookingwithdoc.com), he combines his culinary talents and Asian philosophy with medical expertise, creating winning recipes for healthy eating. A certified wine professional and chef, Dr. Mike worked professionally in kitchens prior to entering medical school and maintained his passion for food and wine throughout his medical career.