Quinoa Cakes with Lemon, Garlic and Parmesan

I've had my eye on quinoa cakes for some time now, and it was only a matter of time before I made them. I purchased some quinoa today on a trip to Costco, so right away I put it to good use. I quickly cooked it in some broth for a little extra flavour, let it cool, and assembled these little patties. The whole thing came together so quickly and made a perfect lunch. Honestly, I was blown away by how good these were, and how surprisingly filling they were as well. 

I just grabbed a few things from the fridge and pantry and threw them in to make a wonderfully flavourful meal. I think the possibilities are endless with these, you can basically use what you have or like in them. Give these a try, they are very satisfying and I promise you won't miss the meat at all!

Quinoa Cakes
Makes about 10-12 patties

2 1/2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (about 1 cup uncooked)
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1/4 cup parsley
zest of 1 lemon
3 to 4 gloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 large eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive oil for frying

Directions:

1. Cook the quinoa according to package directions. Let cool.
2. In a medium bowl combine cooled quinoa and bread crumbs. Mix to combine and evenly coat the quinoa. Add in the parsley, grated lemon rind, garlic, salt, pepper, cayenne, and parmesan cheese and combine.
3. In a small bowl, lightly beat the eggs and the dijon mustard. Pour the egg mixture into the quinoa mixture and combine.
4. Heat a frying pan over medium heat. Form the quinoa into patties using your hands, and place into the heated frying pan. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown.

Enjoy!

Jessica

Inspired by Annies Eats.