"Bloody" Beet Veggie Burger: A quick, Red, healthy and tasty meal

This vegan burger comes together quickly and effortlessly. Due to the use of whole brown rice, it has a pleasant toothsome chew. Chilling the oats and rice gives them more time to absorb any excess moisture and disseminate that meaty red beet hue. Vegan mayo and butter can be found in well-stocked supermarket stores. Alternatively, or keep it vegetarian by substituting regular versions.

Ingredients

• 1 cup walnut halves

• 1 large mushroom, gills removed, roughly chopped (about 4 oz.)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegan butter

• 1 cup cooked brown rice

• 1/4 cup old-fashioned regular rolled oats

• 2 tablespoons grated red beet (grated on a Microplane grater)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon black pepper

• 1 garlic clove, grated

• 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise, divided

• 4 whole-wheat hamburger buns

• 4 tablespoons unsalted ketchup

• 4 teaspoons yellow mustard

• 2 green leaf lettuce leaves, halved

• 3 ounces sliced tomato

• 1 ounce thinly sliced red onion

DIRECTION

1. In a food processor, finely grind walnuts; transfer to a large mixing bowl. Mushrooms should be finely chopped in a food processor. Add the butter and process until it's barely combined. Toss together the mushroom-butter mixture, brown rice, oats, beet, soy sauce, salt, pepper, garlic, and 2 tablespoons mayonnaise in a mixing dish with ground walnuts. Chill 1 hour.

2. Make 4 1/2-inch thick patties out of the mixture. Heat a grill pan over high. Coat the pan with cooking spray. Cook patties for 3 minutes per side, or until cooked through and lightly browned. On buns, spread ketchup, mustard, and the remaining 1 tablespoon mayonnaise. Serve beet burgers on buns topped with lettuce, tomato, and onion.