Beet and Brown Rice Burgers

Beets… I’ve been trying to like beets for years. I think they’re pretty and I know they’re good for me, but they taste like dirt—and I just don’t like the taste of dirt (and yes, I have washed, cooked and peeled them).

Well guess what world, I like these—a lot. In fact, I like these so much that we’ve been getting fresh beets from our CSA on a weekly basis just so we can make them again and again.

(Adapted from Cooking Light)

½ cup brown rice

small bunch beets

½ cup bread crumbs (we use gluten-free rice crumbs)

½ cup chopped walnuts, toasted

¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped

¼ cup diced shallot (~1 small shallot. If you have extra shallot, slice, sauté and serve on top of the burgers

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 eggs

olive oil

goat cheese log, sliced

1. Cook the rice.

2. Cook the beets (Preheat oven to 350°. Wash beets and place them in a baking dish with about ½-inch of water. Cover the dish with a lid or tinfoil and cook for about 45 minutes, until the beets are poke-able. Once the beets are cool enough to handle, peel and dice them.)

3. Turn the oven to 400° and place a baking sheet in the oven.

4. Combine rice, beets, bread crumbs, walnuts, parsley and shallots in a large bowl.

5. In a small bowl, combine the eggs and mustard. Whisk.

6. Dump the egg mixture into the rice-beet extravaganza and stir until well-combined.

7. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

8. Make burgers. Here’s how we do it: Spritz a ramekin (small dessert-size) with olive oil and then pack the burger mixture into said ramekin. Carefully flip the ramekin over into the skillet.

9. Cook each burger for 2 minutes, then carefully move them from the pan to the preheated baking sheet, placing them cooked side up.

10. Once all your burgers are on the hot baking sheet, top each one with a round of goat cheese and place in the oven.

11. Cook for 2 minutes or so, until the cheese softens. Serve.