Beet Burgers

Believe it or not, this was not even part of any intentional Vday theme, but these pinkalicious beet burgers just happened to make it onto my menu earlier this week. And I am glad they did. Boasting a clan of unusual ingredients, it is a true veggie burger unlike any you could ever find in the freezer aisle, which to me are the epitome of blah. This new version will bring your vegetarian world from the dorm room to the banquet table.

Utilizing whole grains such as brown rice and oatmeal, it has a hearty texture and will keep you satisfied through the night. Plus, it is always nice to have a few recipes in the box that use up the leftover rice that has been sitting in your fridge since last weekend.  The trick is to let the mixture blend in the food processor for several minutes until it comes together to form a sticky patty, which takes the rice breaking down and releasing it's glutenous properties.

I love the idea of shredded beets (which give the raw patties the appearance of their slightly bloodier relative), but if it is a bit too crimson for you, I could imagine using carrots and parsnips instead without sacrificing flavor.  While we are on the subject of recipe tailoring, I could easily picture these burgers heading south with cumin replacing the thyme, cornmeal instead of oats and a few fresh corn kernels thrown in at the last minute. Just a thought.

One last note (well, teaser really): See those delectable green leafies in the background? They are my new obsession- kale chips. I have been making them lately with plenty of garlic and nutritional yeast and a generous pinch of habanero flakes. I swear I eat them like most people eat chicken wings, and with a much healthier conscious. Look forward to the recipe in the upcoming weeks...

Beet Burgers

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 medium beet, roughly chopped

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1 ½ cup or 15 oz can kidney beans, cooked and rinsed

½ cup oatmeal, uncooked

1 cup brown rice, cooked

1 tsp chipotle powder, plus more to taste

1 tbs. tamari

1 tbs. tomato paste

¼ tsp. oregano

¼ tsp. thyme

¼ cup brown rice flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a food processor, add beet, onion and garlic and process until fairly smooth. Add beans and pulse several more times. Add the remaining ingredients and process until well blended. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using your hands, take about ½ cup of beet mixture from the food processor and shape it into a patty. Place on parchment paper and repeat with remaining beet mixture.  Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottoms begin to brown lightly. Flip and bake for an additional 10 minutes, checking to make sure they aren’t getting too tough.

Serve Beet Burgers over fresh greens, topped with avocado, a dollop of hummus and fresh sprouts.