As I am known to be a meat-loving omnivore, some might be surprised to know that vegetarian meals are served several nights a week in our household. Being good for your family's physical health as well as being gentler on the planet are two big reasons to include more meatless dinners in your weekly menu planning. Despite common misconceptions, modern plant-based cooking is full of delicious, protein-rich, and satisfying dishes that could never be mistaken for "rabbit food". This week's veggie burger is a flavorful option made from nutritious ingredients that tastes better than any I've ever found in grocery stores. Wonderful as-is or with cheese, these burgers brown beautifully in a skillet and are easy enough for a quick weeknight meal.

Ingredients:

⅔ cup medium-grind bulgur

1 large beet (about 9 ounces), peeled and shredded

1 cup walnuts

½ cup fresh basil leaves

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed

4 ounces tomato paste

2 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs

½ teaspoon paprika

Salt and fresh ground black pepper

6 to 8 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 burger buns

Favorite burger toppings and garnishes

Directions:

In a small saucepan, bring 1 ½ cups water and ½ teaspoon of salt to a boil. Take off the heat, stir in the bulgur, then cover and let stand until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and spread on a tray to cool.

While the bulgur is cooling, place the beets, walnuts, basil, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until evenly chopped, about 12 pulses, scraping down the sides with a spatula as needed. Next, add the beans, tomato paste, mustard, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon black pepper, and paprika, along with 2 tablespoons of water. Pulse until well-mixed, about 8 to 10 more pulses. Mixture should stick together, however, you don't want it to be too finely pureed.

Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl, then stir in the panko and cooled bulgur. Taste and adjust seasoning. Divide mixture into 8 equal pieces, then shape into burger patties, 3 ½ inches in diameter.

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees and set up a rimmed baking sheet with a wire rack. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a large cast-iron or non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot and the oil is shimmering, cook 4 patties until crisp and browned on the first side, about 4 minutes. Gently flip burgers and cook another 4 minutes or so, until browned. Add more oil to the pan as you go if needed. Transfer burgers to the baking sheet and set them in the oven to keep warm. Add 3 more tablespoons of oil to the pan and repeat the process to cook the remaining patties. Serve on toasted buns with your favorite burger toppings.

Notes:

These burger patties are vegan as prepared above. To make a lacto-vegetarian friendly cheeseburger, add slices of your favorite real dairy cheese, (cheddar or pepper jack are favorites), to the patties after you flip the first side over. Then cover pan with a lid to steam and melt the cheese on top, as the patties cook on the second side. To keep it vegan, try soy or cashew cheese.

Bulgur is a cracked parboiled whole grain wheat. You can find it in larger grocery stores, or health food stores, often in the bulk foods section. The Bob's Red Mill brand is a wonderful source. It is also a lovely grain to use in salads, such as classic tabbouleh, or in hearty soups. If you can't find bulgur you could try using plain cracked wheat, quinoa, or amaranth. Adjust cooking times for different grains in the first step.

Uncooked patties freeze beautifully, layered between wax paper sheets, and stored in freezer bags. Thaw before using to ensure even cooking. They are a lifesaver to have on hand as an option when surprise dietary restrictions show up at your next barbeque. This week I served these as cheeseburgers on brioche buns, with Dijon, vegenaise, red onion, lettuce, and avocado. No one missed the beef. Enjoy!