Quinoa has become the queen (or king) of the grain world recently, and everyone is raving about its high protein and fiber content, chewy-soft texture and amazing ability to end your decades-old boredom with rice. But the question is: How is it used? In this recipe, cooked quinoa is uniquely crafted into patties with chopped veggies and fresh herbs, then lightly pan fried for a healthy burger alternative. Serve them on buns or make mini-versions and pile them on a gourmet mesclun and goat cheese salad.
Mediterranean Quinoa Cakes with Mesclun & Goat Cheese Salad
Serves 4
Ingredients
Quinoa cakes
1 cup quinoa
½ red bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
4 Tbsp. red onion, minced
2 Tbsp. scallions, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
¾ Tbsp. salt
Fresh ground pepper to taste
Mesclun & Goat Cheese Salad
8 cups mesclun (about 8 cups)
1 cup crumbled goat cheese
2 Tbsp. olive oil
4 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. honey
Salt and Fresh ground pepper to taste
Directions
- Cook quinoa according to package directions; transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool.
- In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and red onion. Let sit for 10 minutes to soften garlic and tame onion flavor.
- Add chickpeas, red bell pepper, scallions, and onion mixture to the quinoa. Mix well and season with fresh ground pepper to taste.
- Mold the quinoa mixture into patties. Place patties on a plate, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
- Heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil and cook patties until golden brown and crispy, about 3 minutes on each side.
- For salad, place mesclun in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix all remaining ingredients (ecept goat cheese). Pour vinaigrette over the greens and toss. Sprinkle with goat cheese.
Recipe courtesy of Serena Wolf, a private chef, food writer and blogger for Domesticate-Me.com.