Editor’s Note: This story appeared in the December 2015 ORANGE Issue IV. 

Veggie burgers are not just for vegetarians, and these beet veggie burgers will please vegetarians and carnivores alike. This recipe takes plain ol’ black bean veggie patties to a whole new level.

By Megan Prendergast and Melyssa Fairfield
Photos by Megan Prendergast and Yanhuan Ji

Smoky Beet Burgers

Makes six burgers 

Ingredients

Burger patties
1 small red onion, diced, about 1 cup
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups peeled and shredded beets, about 2 medium-sized beets or 1 large beet
1/2 cup quinoa, cooked
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup oat flour
salt and pepper to taste

Extras

Burger fix-ins of your choice
6 burger buns, toasted

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium heat in skillet. Once hot, add diced onion, garlic and a pinch of salt. Cook until fragrant and onions have softened, stirring continuously. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Using a food processor, puree chickpeas until smooth. In a large mixing bowl, add onions, garlic and pureed chickpeas, and mix until combined. Add shredded beets, cooked quinoa, cumin and smoked paprika. Stir. Add oat flour to the mixture, and stir until the mixture holds together.

3. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.

4. Press about 1/3 cup of the mixture into a biscuit cutter to shape into six patties. Arrange patties on baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes — this will help the patties keep their shape while baking. Bake for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through. Or pan-fry patties on the stove, about 5 minutes on each side over medium-high heat.

5. While patties are cooking, prepare burgers with fix-ins. Add beet patties to your burger, and enjoy.

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese 

If you crave creamy, decadent macaroni and cheese and the out-of-the box variety just isn’t cutting it anymore, this recipe is perfect for you. The addition of butternut squash to a simple cheese sauce even sneaks some veggies into your diet, making it a delicious alternative to the old box mac and cheese standby. 

Ingredients 

12 ounces cavatappi or any other short pasta
12 ounces roasted butternut squash
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup milk, any unsweetened, unflavored kind
1 cup vegetable stock
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste 

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F 

2. Cook pasta according to package instructions, but take it out 1-2 minutes before done so it’s not completely cooked. Set pasta aside. 

3. Puree 12 ounces of roasted butternut squash (no skin) until smooth. Add a splash of milk or vegetable stock if the squash is too thick or difficult to blend. 

4. Start the cheese sauce. Melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons flour, whisking together until flour is light brown, about 2 minutes. 

5. Add the milk (I used unsweetened almond milk) and vegetable broth to the pan and whisk lightly for 3-4 minutes until the mixture starts to thicken. 

6. Stir in the pureed squash until it is fully incorporated, then add all of the cheese, stirring until completely melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

7. Add pasta to sauce and mix until all of the pasta is coated. 

8. Divide mixture among small individual dishes or one large dish, cover top of pasta with cheddar cheese and bake for 20 minutes until top is bubbly.

Carrot Apple Spice Sangria 

Sangria may have a reputation for being the ultimate summer drink, but this spiced sangria is a great fall or winter alternative. The spices and apple cider are deliciously aromatic, and the addition of carrot juice makes for a hearty winter cocktail. 

Ingredients

1 750-ml bottle of dry white wine
2 cups spiced apple cider
8 ounces carrot juice
3 medium or large apples
3 cinnamon sticks
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

1. Pour wine and spiced apple cider into a large pitcher and stir.

2. Chop apples, discarding the core, and add to the pitcher.

3. Add cinnamon sticks, allspice and nutmeg to the pitcher and stir.

4. Let sangria sit in the fridge for at least 3 hours, preferably overnight to let all of the flavors meld together.

5. Fill glasses halfway with sangria and top with carrot juice until glass is 3/4 full. Serve with cinnamon sticks.