A veggie burger that can't be "beet"

My fall garden is in full swing, and I love all the fun colors, flavors and textures that come with harvest time. While burgers are one of my top 5 favorite foods, veggie burgers are in my top 10 and something I love to make at home. I don't see them as a meat replacement, but rather as a delicious treat all on their own! The best thing about these burgers? The bright pink/purple color! Enjoy :)

Veggie Beet Burger

1/3 cup rolled oats
3 medium beets, roasted, peeled and quartered (I roast mine 1-2 days early to let them cool before peeling)
1 cup cooked black rice (or any other rice you have on hand)
1 15-oz can chickpeas (black beans would be nice here too)
2 garlic cloves
1/4 red onion (about 1/2 cup chopped)
1 egg
1 teaspoon cumin
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
6 hamburger buns (scoop out some of the insides to help contain the burger while eating if you like)
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
Prepared pesto (I made some a couple days earlier with basil from the garden)
Goat cheese
Greens like spinach, kale or whatever else you might have in your fall garden!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Place oats in a food processor and pulse until fine like flour. Remove. Place beets in the food processor bowl and pulse until roughly chopped. Add in rice, chickpeas, garlic and onion and pulse until well combined and chopped. Add egg, spices and oat flour and pulse a few times to combine.

Using plastic gloves (unless you're not worried about dying your hands purple!) shape 6 patties out of the beet mixture and place on baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes. Remove and let cool 5 minutes.

Lightly oil the insides of the burger puns and sear in a hot skillet until toasted. Smear in some pesto and goat cheese, then add a layer of greens. Add beet patties and enjoy!

Note, these patties are even tastier (and hold together a bit better) the next day. I reheat mine in the toaster oven for about 5 minutes at 350 degrees.