Cheddar Scallion Quinoa Cakes

Dare I say my favorite way to eat quinoa? These super quick-to-make Cheddar Scallion Quinoa Cakes are an equally awesome appetizer as they are topped on salad for a quick lunch or dinner.

Happy New Year! Does anyone else feel like they’ve been on a 2 week eat-all-the-sugar, drink-all-the-booze, stay-up-all-night bender? And by all night I really mean pass out at 10:30 but that’s pretty late for this Mountain Mama that is used to going to bed at 9. Yeah….that. I am pretty psyched to have the boys back in school. And not because I’m ready to get rid of them- I really do love all the family down time we’ve had- but I’m craving being back in a routine. The holiday break felt extra long this year and between all the extra eating and drinking we’ve been doing, we’ve also had quite the full social calendar. I’m looking forward to quiet (early) nights, planning menus that don’t revolve around cheese and bacon, and really just settling back into our groove.

I love the optimism that comes with the New Year which is ironic because I don’t do resolutions- way too much pressure for me. They’re so absolute, don’t you think? And whenever I set one and then don’t follow through, I feel like a loser. So NOT the way I wan’t to start the year, you know? And clearly I’m not alone as it seems the new trend, instead of resolutions, is to pick a theme word for the upcoming year. I’ve never done that and not sure how I feel about it…though if I had to pick a word for this upcoming year it would be patience. Patience with my kids, patience with the dog (who STILL likes to chew things up), patience with my husband, and mostly patience with myself- the hardest one of all…patience in every area of my life could only be a good thing.

Yesterday morning I spent a rare hour before the kids got up, drinking coffee and writing in my planner some personal as well as blog goals I have for 2016. I also took the time to reflect on this last year and while I certainly acknowledged how busy and at times stressful this last year was, I spent way more time focusing on the gratitude I felt for having the health and the fortune to have such a full schedule. I took stock of all the awesomeness that occurred in 2015. And you know what? Just an hour of reflection left me feeling like a champ. I decided I’m going to carry that into the new year and keep it going Here’s to a kick ass 2016 for all of us!!

My first recipe (Tomato Soup with Quinoa and Feta) of 2015 involved quinoa so it’s only fitting that we start 2016 the same. These Cheddar Scallion Quinoa Cakes are a riff of this Parmesan Quinoa Pancake recipe I posted a few years ago. It had been awhile since I’d made these and I forgot how much I love them. I do think they’re best served hot so plan on serving them right away. They reheat nicely and make a great topping on a salad for a quick lunch. The toppings ideas are endless: marinara, an aioli, guacamole, pesto….or eat them as is, plain jane- they’re just as good solo!

Cheddar Scallion Quinoa Cakes

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• Yield: 6 large or 12 small cakes 1x

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Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon season salt
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1 beaten egg

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Instructions

1. In a large bowl mix quinoa, shredded cheddar cheese, flour, scallions, flour, season salt, olive oil and egg; Stir ingredients with a wooden spoon until fully incorporated. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes.
2. In a large saute pan, add remaining two tablespoons of olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Divide quinoa mixture into six large patties or 12 small. Fry the patties over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes each side, turning heat down if necessary so that patties brown but don’t burn.
3. After both sides are browned and patties are cooked through, remove from pan and let drain on a paper towel.
4. Serve warm with a dollop of sour cream and salsa if desired. These would also be great topped with guacamole, a lemon or spicy aioli or dipped into marinara. Or eat them as is on top of a salad!

Notes

These are best served hot.

Have a great week, everyone, and thanks for reading! xo, Kelley