Quinoa Patties

It is Passover.  And while I am not the most kosher keeping person (just how many shrimp recipes do I have on this blog?) I always feel a little bit better when I can stray from my usual glutenous palate and stay wheat free for at least one of these eight days.  I have been meaning to make this particular recipe for a few weeks and when husband left town for a few days, I took advantage of the situation by concentrating on recipes he might be reluctant to try.

I pulled this recipe from a blog called eatingwelllivingthin, which focuses on recipes limiting carbs, calories and fun in general.  While I am never a fan of substituting nonfat anything or fake sugar where the real ingredient will do, this recipe stays true to real food.  I jacked up the spices a bit in the version below, and the salt a lot...but I do love my salt!  So play with it.  I also didn't bother to measure out the two rounded cups..I just mixed everything into however much quinoa comes from one cup uncooked.

The true test was the friend who came by to drop off her daughter so the girls could go to a UCLA softball game.  First she commented on the yummy smell when she walked in, then she split a patty with her daughter and then she gladly took some home for dinner.

Ingredients:



2 rounded cups cooked quinoa (see note below for cooking instructions)


3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese (or other variety, if you prefer)

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese

1 medium carrot, finely grated 

3 eggs

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

2 green onions, including white parts

1 /2 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Olive oil for frying

To cook quinoa:

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

• In a medium saucepan bring the 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to a boil over high heat.  Add quinoa and reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed and the seeds are tender.  Allow to cool for a few minutes.

• In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, carrot, eggs, flour, green onions, sugar, pepper, cumin, salt, and garlic powder.

• (To help them stay in patty form and not fall apart, I cook them on med-low slowly so they have longer to set-up without burning.  Makes them easier to flip, too.)  Heat a frying pan and a couple teaspoons olive oil over medium-low heat.  Mixture will be slightly sticky, so using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, drop mixture into pan and lightly flatten to 1/2 inch thick.  Fry until golden-brown, about 4 minutes on each side.   Makes approx. 10 burgers.

Sweet Breakfast Quinoa

For years and years and years it was cereal as breakfast for me.  When I started hitting the gym in the morning, I finally realized why people drink their breakfast instead of eat it.  So a blueberry banana protein shake became the new morning routine.  But on the weekends, with no gym plan in the works, I wanted something a little different.  Tired of the cereal, loving the eggs (but who can eat them every single weekend,) I saw this recipe, scrounged the cupboard for the ingredients, got busy and fell in love....with my breakfast.

The most important part of this meal is the ricotta...without it, it is just sweet mushpaste.  But the ricotta elevates it to a super happy, this is not your mother's oatmeal kind of place.  And, no, my kids wouldn't touch it.  But now I have an inkling as to why.

Not super low fat (especially if you put in twice as much ricotta...yum,) but high in protein and iron and unlike cereal or even oatmeal for that matter, I stay full until lunchtime (a miracle!)  This recipe is adapted from Jill Donenfeld of Food & Wine.

You can make half a recipe, or you can make it all and store the leftovers to be heated up the next morning (well, don't reheat the ricotta, please.  That would be disgusting.)

INGREDIENTS:

1. 1 cup red quinoa, rinsed
2. 2 cups water
3. 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
4. 1/4 cup slivered almonds
5. 1/2 cup dried apricots, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
6. 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
7. 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
8. 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
9. 1/4 cup fresh ricotta

DIRECTIONS:

1. In a small saucepan, cover the quinoa with the water and bring to a boil. Cover and cook over low heat until the water has been absorbed and the quinoa is tender, about 15 minutes. Lightly fluff the quinoa with a fork and cover it again.
2. In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the almonds and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the apricots, maple syrup, orange zest and cinnamon and stir well until heated through.
3. Add the quinoa to the skillet and stir gently to incorporate the almonds and apricots. Top each portion of quinoa with a tablespoon of ricotta and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The recipe can be made through Step 1 and refrigerated for up to 5 days. Reheat as needed or serve cold.

NOTES One Serving 311 cal, 44 gm carb, 11 gm fat, 2 gm sat fat, 10 gm protein, 4 gm fiber.

Warm Quinoa Salad with Roasted Butternut Squash

Adapted from dishingupdelights.blogspot.com via tastespotting.com

1 small butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes (or buy the already peeled and cut stuff from Trader Joes)
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed (seriously...it is bitter if you don't)
1 cup water
2 teaspoons fresh sage, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 orange, juiced
Cumin, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Mix the squash with a small amount of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss to combine and spread onto a foil covered baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes, turn and bake for an additional 15 minutes until tender. Set aside to cool.

In a small saucepan, bring 1 cup lightly salted water and 1/2 cup quinoa to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the liquid is absorbed, about 12-15 minutes.

In a separate saute pan, heat a small amount of olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and sage and cook for 1 to 2 minutes until the garlic is soft, but not browned. Add the orange juice, cumin, and season with salt and pepper.

Toss the orange juice mixture with the quinoa. Add the butternut squash and toss to combine. Serve warm, garnished with sage leaves if desired.