Baked Quinoa Patties

Tonight's recipe is a recent result of a friends' cooking night! Paige and I decided to try yet another new recipe: Quinoa patties! The original recipe called for eggs as a binder, but since I'm not an egg fan I decided to try a replacement... tomato paste! Wait... tomato paste? I was skeptical too, but the internet said it would work! As a dedicated food blogger, I decided it would only be right for me to test drive this miracle ingredient before you do! It worked, in case you were wondering. In addition to holding everything together, the tomato paste added great flavor and color to the quinoa.

Don't just take my word for it, though! Try out these quinoa patties to dip, top salads, or as a quick and easy snack. They're great hot or cold.

Baked Quinoa Patties

By Caroline Mac

Makes 24 small patties

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c uncooked quinoa

5T tomato paste

1/2 t salt

1 sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped 

1/6 c chopped fresh dill

1/2 c frozen chopped kale

1/2 white onion, finely chopped

1.5 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t cumin

1/6 c crumbled feta cheese

1t olive oil

Step 1: Cook quinoa according to the directions on the package. Set aside to cool. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 2: Lightly grease a baking sheet. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and stir until evenly mixed.  

Step 3: Form quinoa mixture into small patties about 2 inches in diameter. Place them on the baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes until bottoms are browned. Flip patties and bake for another five minutes. 

Enjoy!

~Caroline~

Tzatziki Yogurt Dip

I am a fan of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food. Dolmathas, hummus, spanikopita, babaganoush... you name it. One of my favorite dips is this creamy, flavorful, and savory cucumber yogurt dip. My mom made a similar dip when I was home during winter break, so I decided to create my own! With two special spices from Penzey's, I made my own version! This is a flavorful, high protein, low fat, and versatile dip that can be used with veggies, breads, chips, and anything else that suits your fancy!

Tzatziki Yogurt Dip
By Caroline Mac
Ingredients:
2C plain nonfat Greek yogurt
1T extra virgin olive oil
1T lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1T fresh dill, finely chopped
1T fresh mint leaves, finely chopped
1/2t Penzey's Zatar seasoning
1/2t Penzey's Turkish seasoning
1/2 large cucumber, peeled and chopped

Stir all ingredients except for the cucumber together until smooth. Add cucumber and mix again until thoroughly blended.

Serve as a dipping sauce for chips, crackers and veggies, or as a bread topping. 

Enjoy!