The superfood this month is a vegetable that is as vibrant in color as it is versatile: beetroots (commonly referred to as beets). These hardy root vegetables are known for their earthy, sweet taste and boast an impressive nutrient profile. While being low in calories, beets are one of the few vegetables that contain a bit of almost every vitamin and mineral your body needs. More notably, beets are an excellent source of folate, manganese, copper, and dietary fiber. Outside of being highly nutritious, other plant-based compounds found in beets offer a host of additional health benefits like regulating blood pressure, improving athletic performance, fighting inflammation and cancer, and supporting brain health. Beets can be easily incorporated into your diet with preparations like salads, dips, and juices. This Smoky Beet Burger recipe uses the superfood in an innovative way and is a great way to kick off those Meatless Mondays.
Ingredients
- 2 medium beets, peeled and grated
- ¾ cup rolled oats
- ½ cup canned lentils
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ medium yellow onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1 Tbsp natural peanut butter
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse until patty mixture forms. Mixture should be firm and similar in texture to ground meat.
- Form mixture into four patties and rub oil or water into hands between forming each patty to keep mixture from sticking to your hands.
- Add oil to a large, heated skillet over medium heat. Add patties when hot and cook for about 3-5 minutes per side until nicely browned on both sides.
- Serve hot on burger bun with your favorite condiments.