Recipe: Beet Burgers, from “Eat Like You Give a Damn” (With a Bonus Giveaway for the Flock)

Whether you’re a new or an ‘old’ vegan, you’ll want to check out the cookbook, Eat Like You Give A Damn: Recipes for the New Ethical Vegan, by Herbivore Clothing‘s Michelle Schwegmann and Josh Hooten! Try the scrumptious recipe below, and share the results at your next gathering, because you know you give a damn!
Flock members, be sure to read on after the recipe for your chance to win a copy of this book! Not yet a flock member? Join us today! You’ll get presents, win stuff, and feel good about helping Our Hen House change the world for animals. (Plus, your contributions are tax-deductible.)
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Beet Burgers
— from Eat Like You Give A Damn: Recipes for the New Ethical Vegan by Michelle Schwegmann and Josh Hooten —
(Printed with permission from the Book Publishing Co. Thank you!)
Everything about these burgers is delicious. We’ve fine-tuned them that way through months of enjoyable recipe testing. Roasting the vegetables and tofu makes them taste incredible, and beets make the meatiest-looking veggie burger ever. There is no need to chop the vegetables uniformly or in small pieces, because you’ll be using a food processor to make the ground “meat,” so the prep work is super easy.
Makes 6 Burgers

2 cups quartered crimini mushrooms
1½ cups coarsely chopped beet (see tip)
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
4 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
1 pound super-firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 cup cooked quinoa, farro, or brown rice
¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
PREHEAT THE OVEN to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Put the mushrooms, beet, onion, and garlic in a large bowl. Using your hands, crumble the tofu into the bowl, making sure to break up the pieces well, and stir to combine. Add the oil, tamari, and thyme and mix well. Spread the mixture on the lined baking sheet so it covers the whole sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Stir and spread out the mixture again. Bake for 25 minutes longer, until the beet is tender and easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
Transfer to a food processor. Add the quinoa, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper. Pulse eight to ten times, stopping occasionally to scrape down the work bowl, until all the ingredients are well chopped and stick together. Return the mixture to the large bowl.
Form into 6 patties, putting each patty on waxed paper as it’s shaped.
Mist a large skillet (cast iron if you have one) with cooking spray and heat over medium heat. When hot, cook the patties until crispy (in batches, if necessary), about 5 minutes per side.
Tip: Use a beet about the size of a baseball. Scrub it well so you can leave the skin on.
Per burger: 204 calories, 14 g protein, 10 g fat (2 g sat), 16 g carbohydrates, 491 mg sodium, 253 mg calcium, 4 g fiber
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If you’re in the flock, read on for your chance to win a copy of Eat Like You Give a Damn!
#PRIVATE# Hello Flock Friends!
Do you give a damn? Of course you do! Enter this contest by sending an email to me — anne [at] ourhenhouse [dot] org — by midnight ET on 9/4/15. Include your postal address, too.
Eat a beet today!
Anne