lemon, parsley, and olive quinoa cakes

Memorial Day is a'coming.
And yes, there are a lot of dishes you can take to a bbq.
But, why be ordinary?
Bring these.
Men will like them because they look like delicious little fried patties of yum.
The ladies will love them because they are so healthy.
Our son just likes snacking on a whole cake as he walks around the backyard.

ps-I'm cheating right now and we are actually in Boston!  Stay tuned for a foodie version of our trip ;)

Lemon, Parsley, and Olive Quinoa Cakes

makes about 2 dozen small cakes

adapted from Super Natural Every Day

*The quinoa mixture can be left, uncooked in the fridge for a few days.  Cook as necessary.*

1 1/2 cups raw quinoa (I used red quinoa but white is perfect too)

2 1/4 cups water

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs, beaten

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup coarsely chopped green olives (optional) *I've subbed green onions before*

1/3 cup chopped parsley

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoon olive oil

Place dry quinoa in a fine mesh strainer.  Wash under cool water for a few minutes.  

In a medium saucepan, place rinsed quinoa, water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Place over medium heat and bring to a boil.  Cover, decrease the heat, and simmer for about 25 t0 30 minutes, until the quinoa is tender.  Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.  You'll only need 3 cups of cooked quinoa for the recipe, so use any leftovers as you will!

In a small bowl, whisk eggs and set aside.

In a large bowl, toss together onion, garlic, cheese, olives, if using, parsley, lemon zest, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and cooled quinoa.  Add beaten eggs and stir until all of the quinoa mixture is moistened.  Add water to thoroughly moisten mixture.  Quinoa should be slightly wet so it doesn’t dry out during cooking.

Scoop out mixture by two tablespoon-ful.  Use clean, moist fingers to form into a patty.  Create as many patties as you’d like.

In a large skillet over medium low heat, heat olive oil.  If you pan is large enough, add four to six patties to the hot pan.  You’ll need a bit of room to successfully flip them.

Cook on each side until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes on each side.  Low heat helps the quinoa cakes cook slowly. Brown on each side then remove to a paper towel lined plate.  Enjoy with a dollop of sour cream!