Quinoa Patties

After waiting for what felt like months I finally got a call from my local library telling me it's finally my turn to borrow "Super Natural Everyday" by Heidi Swanson. I excitedly picked up the book on my way to renew my photo I.D.; a boring task that would surely go by quicker with a book. What I hadn't thought of however was that reading that book on an empty stomach when I'm 30 minutes away from my kitchen would end up feeling like a form of torture.
Kale salad with coconut? Millet Muffins?? Rice Salad with Cherries and Goat Cheese??? My stomach was growling with anticipation.
So you can imagine that as soon as I returned home (after a pit-stop at a bulk food store to pick up various grains for all these new recipes) I dove back into the book head first, this time while in my kitchen ready to play.

These quinoa patties are the first recipe I've tried so far from "Super Natural Everyday" but definitely won't be the last.

Adapted from "Super Natural Everyday" by Heidi Swanson

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/3 cup fresh chopped chives (I used parsley instead)
1 yellow or white onion (I used green onion)
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 cloves minced garlic
1 cup bread crumbs
olive oil for frying (I've also made these with bacon fat)

Combine cooked quinoa with eggs, salt, onion, herbs, cheese and garlic. Add bread crumbs, stir well and let sit for a few minutes. If your mixture feels too dry to form patties add a splash of water, if too wet add more bread crumbs.*
Heat oil in skillet over medium-low heat. Form patties and add to skillet. Let cook covered for about 7-10 minutes until their well browned then gently flip over and cook until other side is brown.

Today I put them on a bed of sauteed swiss chard, smeared some lemony goat cheese on them and topped them with a poached egg. My husband enjoyed them with hot sauce, and I think they'd also be really great with a nice tangy chutney.

Swanson suggests having a bowl of the batter in the fridge so you can make these on the fly, which I think is a superb idea! Quinoa cakes for an afternoon snack? Don't mind if I do...

*Mine didn't feel too wet or dry...but didn't really come together like the perfect patties in Swanson's photo. Maybe next time I'll add more breadcrumbs.