I like my food to taste good – to have flavour. I don’t eat meat and have no inclination to opt for over-processed substitutes that are trying to look or taste like meat. Foods that often, deliver little or no nutrition and even less flavour. (Thats just me, what you do is your own bag and no judgements from me) But food is such a part of our daily life that finding a way to enjoy the meal I sit down to is important – even if prep time is limited. I want to try to eat healthily but I want my tastebuds to be as happy as the rest of my body.
And sometimes I want proper burger – just minus the meat. Now I know that can be a challenge, though its getting better, more veggie burgers than not are actually pretty awful, so I admit I was a little surprised when I found James May (yes the car guy!) offering this recipe for one of the best beetroot burgers you’ll taste. Don’t be put off by the use of beetroot it takes on a lovely deep non-earthy taste with the addition of nutritional yeast.
I’ll be honest when I’m in the mood, I want this fully loaded – pickles; chilli cheese; lettuce; sourdough bun – the lot. Because when I want a burger, those are the things I want to get my teeth into. We should in my humble opinion build our own burger to give us very most out of every bite in just the right quantities and with just the right condiments! Its not an every day thing and we can make it a healthier option without losing all the textures and flavours we love.
Back to Mr May – I admit to kinda liking his view on cooking because yes, sometimes I want to potter in the kitchen, but we all lead busy lives and there are days when grabbing something tasty that’s waiting in the freezer or knocking up a simple quick supper is what’s needed. His view that ‘the great thing about cooking is that it’s accessible’ is just as true about healthy vegetarian cooking as it is about any other cooking, it’s just that the non veggie among us often find this different way of approaching a meal a little daunting. My husband is in fact a very good cook. When we first lived together however, he was a firm meat eater (still is but less often) and the thought of preparing a veggie meal for me turned him an interesting shade of grey. This is a recipe that he’ll knock up in moments and one that we will both eat with pleasure.
SERVES 5/6
Ingredients:
• 400g tin red kidney beans
Kidney beans are one of the richest sources of plant bases proteins including lectins and protease inhibitors. Mainly composed of starchy slow release carbs these beans rank very low on the glycemic index meaning digestion takes longer, causing a lower and more gradual rise in blood sugar than other starches, and making kidney beans particularly beneficial for people with type 2 diabetes. They are also a good source of several vitamins and minerals, such as molybdenum, folate, iron, copper, manganese, potassium, and vitamin K1.
• 1 onion
Antioxidants, sulphur compounds, and prebiotics support heart health, blood sugar control, strong immunity, and gut health by fighting inflammation, improving digestion, and potentially reducing cancer risk, while also providing essential nutrients like Vitamin C and potassium. They act as anti-inflammatory agents, promote healthy gut bacteria, and contain compounds that may lower cholesterol and blood pressure.
• 150g portobello mushrooms
Like all mushrooms, portobello mushrooms are really fungi, not vegetables. Fungi aren’t plants or animals – they’re a unique kingdom of living things. One of the oldest types of life on Earth, with the oldest Fungi appearing about a billion years ago. They are low in fat and calories with an umami quality that makes them a good substitute for foods higher in fat and calories like meat and cheese.(Yes I know I said often cheese as an addition to my burger but its about balance!) They are also a good source of many nutrients, including: B vitamins Phosphorus; Selenium ;Copper & potassium
• 4 tbsp olive oil
Olive oil is rich in healthy monounsaturated fats including oleic acid which can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. It contains large amounts of antioxidants which may may help reduce your risk of chronic diseases that affect your cardiovascular and central nervous system. As well as helping to protect blood cholesterol from oxidation — two benefits that may lower your risk of heart disease. Contrary to popular belief olive oil is not associated with weight gain and obesity– eating excessive amounts of calories may lead to weight gain but numerous studies found that diets high in olive oil helped promote weight loss more than diets low in olive oil. Consuming excessive amounts of any food could lead to weight gain.
• 160g cooked beetroot, grated
I like to use the chilli version but to be honest it costs way more then the general cooked version so often add a chopped chilli to the mix instead. Rich in protective antioxidants red beetroots have been ranked as one of the 10 most potent antioxidant vegetables. This means they help the body combat the damaging effects of a oxidation. Naturally rich in nitrates which help to improve blood flow by relaxing the blood vessels, which potentially lowers blood pressure as well as improving brain health, motor functions and reaction times.. Studies suggest that when athletes add beetroot juice to their regime, it may support exercise endurance and improve performance. whilst it has a high fibre content and offers a rich source of folate, potassium and other nutrients.
• 130g apple and herb stuffing mix
• 20g chopped parsley
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
Nutritional yeast is an inactivated version of the yeast you use to make bread or beer. It has a savoury or umami flavour and may help lower cholesterol, boost your immune health, and more. Its a great source of plant-based protein, B vitamins, and trace minerals. (One of the biggest nutritional concerns for people following a diet which excludes all animal products, is getting enough vitamin B12 and whilst it can be taken a supplement nutritional yeast is a great way of adding this to your diet.) It contains the antioxidants glutathione and Selen methionine, – powerful antioxidants which may protect your body from chronic diseases. Studies suggest carbs like alpha mannan and beta glucan may boost immunity.
Here’s How :
- Drain and rinse the beans and put in a large bowl.
- Roughly chop the onion and mushrooms, then blitz in a food processor until fine. In a frying pan, add 2 tablespoons olive oil and fry the onion/mushroom mixture( I add fresh chilli here though flakes would suffice) cook until soft.
- Add to the beans along with the grated beetroot, the stuffing mix, parsley and yeast. Season with salt and black pepper. Squish it all together (You could use a masher) but I use my hands to break down the beans a little so they dont become mushy but you’re not left with whole beans in the mixture. I use a 2 inch tall large cookie cutter (circular) to push the mixture into a burger shape (not too dense but enough to hold) around an inch thick then leave to chill in the fridge which seems to set them nicely.
- From there you can either freeze separated by greaseproof paper so you can use them individually when you need them or go ahead and cook. You don’t need much oil.
- Heat a nonstick pan on a low heat, add the remaining oil and fry the burgers in batches for about 5 min on each side until they are cooked through.
Serve with rolls; little gem lettuce ;mayo (I mix half may half Greek yoghurt but the decision is yours); pickles; sliced tomatoes or anything else your heart desires. Its about balance!
