Quinoa & Kale Patties

Sometimes it's fun to experiment with recipes that sound like they might be out of the ordinary. This particular recipe was one that both Will and I discovered on Pinterest, that we wanted to try. While the steps seem simple, I think there's plenty of room for error in this little recipe, which is why I would not have the confidence to make it! However, Chef Willis is much less concerned with bad results than I am, and fearlessly pursued this recipe. I'm so glad he did because these turned out excellent! They brown just long enough to give them a crispy outer layer, without totally overdoing the inside. The mixture gives them enough flavor to stand on their own, but is neutral enough to allow for a variety of toppings. Also, eating 3-4 of them at once, provides you with a perfect size meal because the quinoa is so filling. I highly recommend trying these!

Cooking Notes: She originally called for spring onions, which I have redubbed here as green onions. We also used Panko breadcrumbs instead of regular or homemade breadcrumbs.

Quinoa & Kale Patties (adapted from Yummy Supper; serves 4)
1 cup quinoa

2 cups water
4 eggs, whisked
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
3 green onions, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
1 cup steamed kale, chopped
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 tsp olive oil

Rinse 1 cup of quinoa thoroughly and place in a medium saucepan with 2 cups of water. Allow to soak for 15 minutes. Place a lid on it, bring the water to a boil, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until quinoa is tender and has absorbed the liquid, approximately 20 minutes. Let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, mix together cooked quinoa, eggs, Parmesan, green onions, garlic, salt, steamed kale, and breadcrumbs. Let everything sit for a few minutes to absorb the liquid-the batter needs to be moist, but not runny. Form the mixture into patties and prep for cooking.

Heat 1 tsp of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Cook up to 6 patties at a time, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cover the pan and let the patties cook for 7-10 minutes until the bottoms turn a deep brown. Flip and cook the other side for 7-10 minutes until it matches the coloring of the first side. Let cool before eating. Top with whatever you would like-we used green salsa verde and plain Greek yogurt as our toppings!

Recipe: Quinoa & Kale Patties