Soon-to-be
debut mystery author Debra Sennefelder has two constant writing companions: her
Shih-Tzus, Susie and Billy. She's been an avid reader since childhood and found
writing came naturally for her. When she's not writing, she loves to cook,
exercise (yes, really) and read. Learn more about Debra at her website.
Happy
New Year! I hope you all had a great holiday and are looking forward to a great
2017. This is the time of year we make resolutions for change in our lives.
From what my Facebook news feed looks like I'm pretty sure getting into shape
is the number one resolution. Been there, done that and got the t-shirt. From
my news feed (this is all very scientific, isn't it?) I also noticed that
eating healthy is right up there with getting into shape. The two do go
hand-in-hand but they can be overwhelming. In our over-scheduled lives with
demands that pull us in multiple directions, how on earth can we magically make
extra time each day to workout and cook healthy? I can feel those resolutions
slipping away. But, wait! Eating healthy doesn't have to be hard or time
intensive. I'm going to share with you one of my favorite recipes that doesn't
take long to prepare.
Eating
healthy is very important to me because I bake a lot of indulgent sweets
because the sleuth of my soon-to-be published mystery series is a foodie and
she's always in the kitchen whipping up something with way too many calories in
it. Of course, as part of my research, I must bake what she's baking and I must
taste it.
Quinoa-Spinach
Patties is a healthy, easy recipe that is incredibly filling, so you won't be
tempted to over-indulge. Quinoa is a potent grain that is packed with a long
list of benefits including being very high in fiber and gluten-free, and
spinach contains vitamins and is a good source of Omega 3 Fatty Acids. I've
paired the patties with green beans and roasted sweet potatoes, and I have
dinner ready to serve after a long day of recipe testing for my mystery series
or of writing.
These
patties are perfect year round, but I'm finding I'm enjoying them right now
more so because after a few weeks of baked goods and heavy holiday meals, the
patties are refreshing, and while they are filling they are not heavy.
Quinoa-Spinach Patties
1-1/2 teaspoons canola oil
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1-1/3 cups vegetable broth
2 cups spinach leaves, chopped
2 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
dash of kosher salt
dash of pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Cooking spray
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Heat
a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan and swirl to coat. Add
onion and cook for 4-5 minutes, until tender, stirring frequently. Add in
quinoa and cook for 4 minutes or until toasted and lightly browned. Stir
occasionally. Add in garlic, cook for 30 seconds, then add broth. Bring to
boil, reduce to simmer and cook until liquid is fully absorbed (15-18 minutes).
Combine
eggs, panko, salt and pepper into a bowl and set aside.
Stir
in spinach, then spread out mixture in a single layer on a baking sheet and let
cool, about 10 minutes. When quinoa mixture is cooled, spoon mixture into a
large bowl and add goat cheese. Stir until combined, then add in eggs and panko
mixture. Stir until all ingredients are combined. Set aside for 5 minutes.
Shape
mixture into 4 (4 inch) patties.
Spray
baking sheet with cooking spray and place patties on the pan. Bake for 10
minutes. Gently flip patties over and bake for another 10 minutes until lightly
browned and thoroughly heated.
I
serve the patties with roasted sweet potatoes which I simply cube and sprinkle
with salt and pepper and toss with a little olive oil and roast until fork
tender. I do drizzle a little balsamic vinaigrette on the patties.
2 comments:
That dinner plate looks like something out of "Better Homes & Garden." Love it! Thanks for the recipe, too!!
Hi Angela, Thank you for the compliment. I love this recipe. It's so easy and I love them for either dinner or lunch. Enjoy!
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