What To Do With That Box of Quinoa

So far my New Year's Resolution for walking every day has been pretty successful.  Beaver walks with me when he's home, which helps, but the best motivator is my new toy, a Nike Plus GPS sport watch.  It was a Christmas present from one of the kids.  I've learned how to map my walk, upload it to the website, and even blog about it; also I can plan a route and save it for myself and anyone else who uses the site.  It's been a fun tool that helps me want to get off my butt every day.

Another resolution is to combine the walking with better eating habits and lose some weight.  I've been trying to find recipes that use Weight Watchers power foods, that are low sodium, and that I will actually like.  This one I found through the Pinterest chain.  Thanks to Spoon Fork Bacon, I now have an idea for something edible made out of quinoa.

Photo courtesy Spoon Fork Bacon

Cheesy Quinoa Cakes with a Roasted Garlic and Lemon Aioli

Makes 10 to 12

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked quinoa
2/3 cup grated fontina cheese
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt to taste
aioli:½ cup light mayonnaise
1 head of garlic, roasted
1 lemon, zested and juiced
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. For the cakes: Place all ingredients, except for the oil, into a mixing bowl and stir together until well combined. Season with salt and allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes.
2. Pour oil into a large sauté pan and place over medium heat.
3. Form ¼ cup patties with the quinoa mixture and place in the heated sauté pan. (this will have to be done in batches)
4. Cook quinoa cakes for about 5 minutes on each side. Repeat with the remaining patties until all of the cakes have been cooked. Set aside.
5. For the aioli: Place all ingredients into a food processor, season with salt and pepper and blend until smooth. Pour into a small bowl and serve alongside the warm quinoa cakes.


Thanks also to Tasty Recipe Book for breaking down the nutrient values:

Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving

Calories 160     Calories from Fat 90

% Daily Value *

Total Fat 10g     15%

Saturated Fat 2.5g     13%

Trans Fat

Cholesterol 30mg     10%

Sodium 290mg     12%

Potassium 115mg     3%

Total Carbohydrate 12g     4%

Dietary Fiber 2g     8%

Sugars less than 1g

Protein 5g

Vitamin A     4%

Vitamin C     15%

Calcium     8%

Iron     6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.