Quinoa Garden Cakes

I actually got this recipe from the Whole Foods website. We had lunch one day at Whole Foods, and I found so much inspiration in their various "salad" bar offerings. I couldn't find any of the recipes on their website of things I had tried, but I did find this recipe. It is now my favorite way to eat quinoa. I have recently started to look into the actual nutrients behind all of this healthy food I've been preparing. I know it's good for me, but I don't really know why. Apparently, quinoa is a complete protein. For vegetarians, this is like a miracle food. (Also, it doesn't look like it, but it's actually pronounced KEEN-wa. I know, I know. It sounds silly.)

Anyway, if that's off-putting, then just take away from this that these little cakes are super tasty! They're also very easy, and can be easily modified with whatever vegetables you have on hand. Here's the ingredients from the original recipe. Note - I have never followed this recipe exactly.

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 1/2 tablespoons minced red onion
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
2/3 cup grated carrot
2/3 cup grated yellow squash, seeds removed
1/2 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
Zest of 1 large lemon
4 tablespoons unbleached white flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh dill, minced

First things first, you have to rinse the quinoa well. I actually had to buy a mesh sieve specifically for this purpose, as my colander has holes that are too big. This is a necessary step, and if you skip it, the quinoa is very bitter. It might even be bad for you, I don't know. After the quinoa is rinsed, add it to the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until all of the water is absorbed. So easy! The quinoa will be light and fluffy. You will need to spread it out on a plate or cookie sheet to let it cool a bit. I know you're not supposed to do this, but I usually put it in the freezer for a few minutes to cool it off quickly. There will be an egg added to the mixture, and you don't want the quinoa to be so hot that it cooks the egg.

The various vegetables are the part that you can play with. I have always used a full package of frozen spinach (seriously, frozen spinach is the best. It is so easy, very cheap, and there's a lot of spinach packed in those little boxes). I've never tried it with the squash, but I bet that would be really good. And I've tried it both with and without carrot. I like the addition of it, even though I don't like carrot really. It adds a bit of sweetness, and it's a good way to trick myself into eating what I normally find a vile and invasive vegetable. I've also never actually measured the vegetables, and I don't think it's really necessary. You might end up with more or less cakes at the end depending on how many vegetables you use, but the ratios are very forgiving.

I do not think the red onion or the garlic are optional. And you really need the lemon zest.

The next step is to just mix together all of the ingredients. The flour, baking powder and egg help the mixture stay together. The dill is tasty, but other spices could be tried also.

I use a 1/3 cup measuring cup to portion out the cakes onto a well-greased baking sheet. This is important so they don't stick to the sheet, and then burn. There's no other oil in the recipe, so they will not come out super greasy. The 1/3 cup measurement is a good size, and it helps to keep all of the cakes a uniform size. They're baked at 400 degrees, so any difference in size really affects how they cook. After the cakes are portioned out, use a glass to squish the cakes down. They should end up being 3-4 inches in diameter, and not too thick. I think the recipe makes about 11 cakes if you use the same measurement that I did.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes, turning them over once half-way through. They should be crispy and cohesive. I like them plain, but serving them with some yogurt mixed with some lemon juice is also very tasty. And a good way to use the lemon that you zested earlier!