Beetroot and brown rice burgers
Prep and cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes: Six
10cm burgers
Beetroot
and brown rice burgers
Per serving:
135 calories; 4g protein; 8g fat (1g saturated fat); 12g carbohydrate (3g
sugar); 0.4g salt; 4.5g fibre
·
3 medium beetroot, scrubbed clean, ends trimmed
·
4 tbsp olive oil
·
1 red onion, diced
·
½ tsp salt and freshly ground black pepper
·
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
·
225g cooked black or kidney beans
·
65g cooked brown rice
·
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- Grate the beetroot. In a large, lidded
sauté pan, heat two tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion
and cook for about six to eight minutes, until soft and translucent. Add
the beetroots and salt, and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 10 – 12
minutes, until the beetroot is completely softened. Add the vinegar, toss
again and scrape up the browned bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Set
aside and allow to cool slightly.
- In a mixing bowl, coarsely mash the beans
with a potato masher or fork. Fold in the beetroot mixture, rice, parsley,
and black pepper to taste. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, and shape
into six patties, about 1cm thick.
- In a sauté pan, heat the remaining two
tablespoons of oil over a high heat. Add the patties, which should sizzle
– this creates a nice crust. Cook for one minute then reduce the heat to
medium and cook for a further two to three minutes. Carefully flip the
burgers and cook until browned and firm, about four to five minutes.
Chef’s tip:
Red wine vinegar brings a slightly floral and acidic note to this burger. Sear
it on a high heat to help keep its shape.
Spinach chickpea burgers
Prep and cooking time: 35 minutes
Makes: Five
10cm burgers
Spinach
chickpea burgers
Per serving:
181 calories; 9g protein; 11g fat (2g saturated fat); 12g carbohydrate (1g
sugar); 1g salt; 5g fibre
·
1 tbsp olive oil
·
1 tsp toasted cumin seeds
·
150g fresh spinach
·
225g cooked chickpeas
·
2 eggs
·
Juice of ½ lemon
·
1 tsp salt
·
14g chickpea flour
- Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a
frying pan. Add the cumin seeds and spinach, and cook, tossing for two to
three minutes until the spinach wilts. Transfer to a heatproof plate and
allow to cool. Drain and wrap in a tea towel to squeeze out as much liquid
as possible, and chop finely.
- Blend the eggs, lemon juice, salt and
175g of the chickpeas in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture
resembles a chunky houmous.
- In a large bowl, combine the spinach with
the remaining chickpeas and mash coarsely with a potato masher. Add the
egg mixture and stir thoroughly, then fold in the chickpea flour. The
mixture should be sticky but pliable. If the mixture is too wet, add more
flour, one teaspoon at a time, or if too dry, add a bit of water. Shape
into five patties.
- In an oven-proof frying pan, heat the
remaining two tablespoons of oil over a medium-high heat. When hot, add
the patties and cook for three to five minutes on each side until browned.
Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 12 – 15 minutes, until the
burgers are firm and cooked through.
Chef’s tip:
Mash some of the chickpeas by hand, rather than blitzing all of them, as this
gives the burger texture.
Lukas’s five top burger tips
·
Veggie cooking requires work, so clean and prep
your vegetables as soon as you bring them home to save time later.
·
Dark, leafy greens are a great addition to any
burger recipe – they’re available year round, are easy to cool, are very
versatile and they’re packed with iron and fibre.
·
To substitute eggs in any recipe, use flaxseed.
For the equivalent of one egg, take one tablespoon of powdered flaxseed and mix
three tablespoons of water. It blinds perfectly and adds heart-healthy
omega-3s.
·
For gluten-free burgers, plain gluten-free
breadcrumbs don’t always absorb or bind the mixture well. Try grinding and
toasting the crumbs first for a firmer patty
·
Begin with what you love. If you’re new to a
vegetarian or vegan diet, don’t start with foods you don’t like. Identify the
meat-free dishes you enjoy and work from there.
