Roasted Beet Burgers with Crispy Kale & Creamy Thyme Tahini Sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F. Place the diced beets onto a large rimmed sheet pan in a single layer. Drizzle with a little bit if olive oil and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast beets for about 40-45 minutes, until they are cooked through. Remove from oven and let them cool for about 10 minutes.

2. In a food processor, add the beets, chickpeas, brown rice, thyme, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt, and pepper. Process ingredients for about 15-30 seconds until everything is mixed together. You don’t want to process until ingredients form a paste, just until everything comes together.

3. Form the mixture into patties, you will get about 6-8 depending on how big you make them. Place patties on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place baking sheet in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. This will make it easier for you to handle them when cooking.

4. To cook beet burgers, place a large pan over medium heat and coat the bottom with olive oil. Once the pan is hot, add the beet burgers and cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side.

5. Place the crispy kale (recipe below) on the bottom of the bun, top with the beet burger, and spread the top of the bun with the thyme tahini sauce. Enjoy!

For the crispy kale:
1. Heat the oven to 375 F. Stack kale leaves on top of each other on a cutting board and cut into 1/4 to 1/2 inch ribbons. Place kale ribbons on a large baking sheet and drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place kale in the oven and cook for about 10-12 minutes, until kale is crispy, flipping once.

For the thyme tahini sauce:
1. Add all ingredients into a blender or a medium sized bowl. Mix until combined. Add additional water as needed to reach your desired thickness.