Beet & Brown Rice Sliders, a Cooking Light recipe renovationI am always looking for veggie burger recipes, as I still haven’t found one I go back to over and over again. This one, made from beets and brown rice, intrigued me. Beets in a slider? I love beets, and thought these sounded easy.

The renovation: The original recipe by Julianna Grimes for Cooking Light was pretty close to vegan and gluten-free, so didn’t need much renovating. I did think the burgers would taste better if the shallots were sauteed, and with a little less mustard, so I adjusted the recipe accordingly. I replaced egg with flax seeds, panko with bread crumbs made from the bread scraps after cutting the circles out, and goat cheese with vegan cheese slices.

Suitable for:
vegan, gluten-free, reduced-sugar diets

Not for:
low-sodium, weight loss, or migraine diets

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Beet & Brown Rice Sliders, a Cooking Light recipe renovation

Beet and brown rice sliders

Tasty little sliders with rich and hearty flavors.
5 from 2 votes
Course Dinner, Lunch
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings of 2 sliders

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 cup brown rice cooked (70 g)
  • 16 bread (gluten-free) thin slices
  • 1 tbsp flax seeds (ground) (6 g) ground
  • 2 tbsp olive oil (extra virgin) organic, extra virgin
  • 6 tbsp walnuts (45 g) finely chopped
  • 2 tbsp shallots finely minced
  • 1 beets medium, cooked, peeled and grated
  • 1/2 cup bread (gluten-free) crumbs (made from the slices above)
  • 1/4 cup Italian flat-leaf parsley (fresh) chopped
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 tbsp mustard (prepared) Dijon
  • 8 cheese slices (vegan)
  • 1 bunch arugula watercress

Instructions
 

  • Rinse and drain the rice three times. Add 1 C. (250 ml) filtered water to the rice in a saucepan, put on the lid, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat (about 5 minutes). Turn down to simmer and cook for 35 minutes, leaving the lid on. Turn off the heat and let sit for 10 minutes. Mash the rice with a potato masher or your hands to get it really sticky.
  • Preheat broiler to high.
  • Cut each bread slice into a 3 inch (6-8 cm) circle using a round cutter. Lightly coat bread rounds and scraps with cooking spray. Arrange all pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Broil 2 minutes on each side or until lightly toasted. Cool on a wire rack. When cool, pulse the scraps in the food processor to create bread crumbs, then use about 1/2 C. (or as much as are needed) to get the right texture. Store the rest in a tightly lidded container for another use.
  • Reduce oven temperature to 400F/200C/gas mark 6. Place a baking sheet covered in parchment paper in oven to preheat.
  • Put the ground flax seeds and 4 tbsp 60 ml filtered water together in a small bowl and set aside.
  • Saute the walnuts and the minced shallots in about 1 T. (15 ml) olive oil until golden brown.
  • Combine rice, walnuts, shallots, beets, bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk mustard into the flax mixture. Add mustard mixture to rice mixture; stir until well blended.
  • Pack rice mixture into a round cookie cutter, setting each on waxed paper. Remove mold. Form 8 patties.
  • Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil to pan; swirl to coat. Carefully add 4 patties to pan; cook 2 minutes. Transfer patties to preheated baking sheet, turning patties over and arranging in a single layer.
  • Repeat procedure with remaining oil and the last 4 patties.
  • Place pan in oven; bake patties for 9 minutes. If desired, top each patty with 1 vegan cheese slice; bake an additional 1 minute or until cheese is soft and patties are set.
  • Place 8 toasted bread rounds on a flat surface; top each round with 1 patty. Divide watercress or arugula evenly among sliders; top with the remaining toasted bread rounds.

Notes

Per serving of 2 sliders:  
  • 655 calories
  • 33 g fat
  • 0 g cholesterol
  • 1040 mg sodium
  • 115 mg potassium
  • 78 g carbohydrate
  • 8 g fiber
  • 9 g sugars
  • 15 g protein
  • 18  Weight Watchers Points Plus