Recipe Review: Baked Quinoa Patties

Source: Heidi Swanson, 101 Cookbooks

I have finally made a meal with the quinoa that has been in my pantry for the past year. I was really excited to buy the quinoa (I got a pretty good deal on the stuff) but must not have been that excited to cook the seed.

Quinoa, pronounced Keen-wah, is a seed that has been cultivated for thousands of years in the Andes of South America. What peaks my interest in quinoa is the high protein content and abundance of minerals. This little seed is pricier than some of my other favorite grains but quinoa can be found at most supermarkets and grocery chains these days.

Previously, I had only eaten quinoa in salad-type dishes. This is a great way to use a whole-grain and I certainly enjoy salads I wanted something with a little more bite to it. Much like couscous, I find quinoa to be overwhelmed and lose its texture when overwhelmed by a vinaigrette or sauce. I did a little searching and kept finding this recipe for quinoa patties. I decided this recipe might do the trick!

I was very happy with how my dish turned out. I did not have to fry the quinoa patties to get a nice golden, crunchy shell. I took advantage of the produce I already had in the refrigerator to add extra flavor. I added half a grated onion, a few cloves of garlic, scallions, and some chopped cilantro.

The recipe calls for bread crumbs. I do not keep bread crumbs on hand and I did not feel like making some homemade bread crumbs. Instead, I used a combination of old-fashioned oats and flour. I used 3/4 cup of oats and 1/4 whole-wheat flour to help bind everything together. Enjoy!

P.S. If you are cooking just for one, as I was in this case, I would consider either making a half-batch or being prepared to freeze leftovers, which I did.

Baked Quinoa Patties, adapted from 101 Cookbooks

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, at room temperature *
4 large eggs, beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 bunch cilantro, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, white and green parts, chopped (or substitute fresh chives)
1/2 onion, grated
1 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup whole-grain bread crumbs **
1 tablespoon olive oil or cooking spray, as needed

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Coat a baking sheet with olive oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
3. Combine quinoa and eggs in a bowl.
4. Add salt, cilantro, garlic, scallions, onion, cumin, and turmeric. Mix well.
5. Add baking powder and bread crumbs, combine. Allow mixture to sit for a few minutes. If mixture is too dry, feel free to add another beaten egg.
6. Form into twelve 1 inch patties. Arrange on a baking sheet with space between each patty. Bake about 20 minutes until bottoms are brown then flip and bake for another 5 minutes. Serve.

* To prepare quinoa, combine two cups of well-rinsed uncooked quinoa with 3 cups water in a suace pan. Bring to a boil, cover, decrease the heat, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until the quinoa is tender and you can see the little "tail" of the quinoa.

**In place of the bread crumbs, 3/4 cup of old-fashioned oats and 1/4 cup flour (all-purpose or whole-wheat) may be used.