Friday, July 19, 2013

Corn, Zucchini and Quinoa Cakes

Corn, Zucchini and Quinoa Cakes

I think you've all learned by now that I'm a little quinoa obsessed these days.  OK, maybe a lot obsessed.  I probably make myself a bowl of quinoa, in one form or another, more often than any other side dish lately and I'm always trying different combinations of ingredients.  I've definitely learned that corn and zucchini are perfect matches to the naturally nutty flavor of quinoa.

Corn, Zucchini and Quinoa Cakes
So, the next step was to think about making it into a fritter or cake.  You could fry these, of course, but I wanted to make something that tasted good baked and produced an elevated flavor.  These cakes are sturdy and hearty.  They're great as a side dish with dinner but I actually love them for lunch with a salad.  Flavorful, filling and completely nutritious.  Sounds like a good thing to be obsessed with.  Enjoy!




Ingredients
1/2 Cup quinoa
1 Zucchini
1/4 Cup corn kernels
1 Onion, peeled and diced
2 Cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Egg
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1 Tablespoon chopped herbs (basil, cilantro and parsley would all work well)
Salt & pepper to taste

Corn, Zucchini and Quinoa Cakes
Rinse the quinoa under cold water for a couple of minutes and place in a pot with 1/2 cup of water.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low.  Cook for 12 minutes then turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for an additional 5 minutes.  Remove the cover and allow to cool to room temperature.

Add the olive oil, garlic and diced onions to a pan and saute on medium heat until translucent.  Grate the zucchini on a box grater, squeeze the excess water out and add to the pan.  Toss together with the onion and garlic and remove from the heat to cool.  When ready, add the onion/zucchini mixture to the cooked quinoa along with the corn kernels and herbs.  Season to taste, add the egg and flour and mix thoroughly.

I found it's easiest to form thick, uniform cakes by using a round 3 1/2" cookie cutter.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, place the cutter on the paper and spoon the mixture into it until it comes up about halfway.  Gently slip off the cutter and repeat.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, flip and bake for an additional 15 minutes.  Makes about 8 cakes or 4 servings.

14 comments:

  1. I feel healthier just reading this post.

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  2. Your ability to make healthy food look beautiful will cause me to add you to the list of my strongest supporters once my #FitBy50 goal has been achieved!

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  3. I can't believe those are baked! I really have to try these because even though they are baked they look crispy and delicious!

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  4. Found you on FB and stopping by to see what you have going on. I would try these and I'm not a quinoa fan. But they look and sound good.
    Dawn
    Spatulas On Parade

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  5. This recipe is exactly what I have been searching for to use up my zucchini. Now I just have to convince my husband these will be amazing.

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  6. Lovely blog ! A cool post ! This dish looks delicious !

    Please drop in by my blogs and add comments.

    Thanks
    Rajiv
    www.magnificentdewdrops.blogspot.com
    www.magicalpresent.blogspot.com

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  7. I am totally giving these a try!

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  8. Oh yum ... I could eat these right now :-)

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  9. I have become a quinoa fan recently as well, this grain is both healthy and taste delicious, i hope for a more mainstream addition. In the meantime i am building my own quinoa based secret recipe book and this looks like a perfect addition.

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  10. zucchini comes in sooo many sizes. Could you give us the cup measurement for shredded zucchini?

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    Replies
    1. Hi Gayle! The size zucchini I typically find in my market yields approximately one cup shredded. But, if you have a bit more or less, it will still be fine. The recipe has a little bit of flexibility.

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  11. Hi! what would be the Egg substitute in this recipe?

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    Replies
    1. The egg is being used as a binder so any vegan egg substitute should work but I've never tried any so I'm afraid I can't advice you.

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  12. I just baked these and they are yummy.

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