This might make one of my top 5 all time favorite meals. It all started with thinking it was going to be a Pho night (pho real!?) because the only thing I had in my fridge were some roasted beets (thanks to my meal prep Sunday) and a can of chickpeas. Because I am incredibly against food waste, I decided to get creative and it worked! Not going to lie, sometimes my creative nights get a little out of hand and we end up with a grilled cheese. SO nutritious. Never hurts to try though, right?!
Beetelicious
So first a little bit about the goodness of beets. The natural color of red beets means they have all kinds of antioxidants, potassium, vitamins C & B-6, magnesium, iron, folate, fiber (gosh I LOVE fiber), and even a little protein. They have also been shown to reduce inflammation and lower blood pressure. The red beets have more nutrients than the yellow ones, not that the yellow ones are lacking in their own nutrients, but if available, go for the red ones.
To cook them, roast in the oven with a little bit of olive oil tightly wrapped in foil. I usually do this when I am cooking something else in the oven even if it is a few days before I am going to use them. It usually takes about 45 minutes in a 400 degree oven. So a little longer if your oven is at a lower temp or less time if at higher temp depending on what else you’re cooking at the same time. Once they have cooled, take a paper towel to rub off the outer skins.
DO NOT BOIL THE BEETS! You will lose a lot of the nutrients in the water. That would be so sad. And try not to buy canned beets, they’re just not created equal to the roasted ones.
Now for the recipe!
(Print using the link right above!)
Makes 4-6 burgers (depending on how big you make them); Total time: 1hr 45 minutes; Hands on time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 3 large red beets
- 1 c. chickpeas (if canned, drain and rinse; save leftovers for salads!)
- 1/4th c. oats
- 2 eggs
- 1/4th of medium onion
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1 tbsp. feta cheese
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- 2 tbsp. olive oil (divided)
- Whole Wheat Bread or Buns
Toppings:
- Avocado
- Feta Cheese
- Sprouts (I really like radish sprouts!)
Directions:
To roast beets, set oven to 400 degrees and cut off any greens of beets and the “tail”. Wash off the beets and pat dry. Wrap them all together tightly in foil with a little bit of olive oil. Roast for 30-45 minutes or until tender. Once done, let cool and use a paper towel to wipe off the skin. Set aside.
If you have a food processor, mince the onion, 1 tbsp. of olive oil, garlic, and chickpeas all together. If not, mince the onion and garlic using a knife and then with the back of a fork, smash the chickpeas. Stir all together with the 1 tbsp. of olive oil.
Using the biggest holes on a cheese grater, grate the beets until you have about 1.5 cups. A little less or a little more is ok.
In a large bowl, combine the eggs, chickpea mixture, beets, oats, feta cheese, Italian seasoning, and a pinch of salt. Stir until combined and cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes so everything melds together. This can be done the day before if you want.
Heat the other tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet pan over medium heat. Once the skillet is coated in oil, make a patty using your hands so that it is about ½ inch thick and drop onto the pan. It should be lightly browned before flipping, about 5-7 minutes. This way it will stay together when you flip. Meanwhile, toast bread/buns with a little bit of butter and prep toppings. Pile on the toppings and enjoy!
**I like to make extra to put on salads through the week 🙂