Quinoa Patties with a Gluten-Free Romesco Sauce

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Last night was one of those nights where I woke up at 3 a.m. and could not fall back asleep. I will be working in the kitchen all day, so I might turn into the zombie chef. Since I can't sleep I figured: what better way to use my one-night case of insomnia than to dish out a recipe or two?

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I will be traveling a lot next month, so I am going to try to update you along my travels, as I am sure I will find inspiration for many new recipes as I go from one city to the next on my 3-week journey throughout Europe. Most of the places that I booked to stay in are through websites like Air B&B, which means that I will have a kitchen, thus giving me the option to cook whenever I want!

Pre baked quinoa cakes

The recipe that I am posting this morning is another quinoa dish…I know what you might be thinking—“Back-to-back quinoa posts? Seriously?”But let me tell you why I am posting two quinoa recipes in a row:

1. They are both delicious recipes and I don’t want to deprive you from eating them regularly.

2. Since I am not a Rockefeller, I believe that it is important to buy several ingredients at the grocery store and think of different and creative ways to make them taste delicious. I used to struggle with this notion since I am like a kid in the candy store when let loose around a produce section, but I am getting much better at picking and choosing.

3. People usually only think to mix quinoa with veggies and turn it into a salad, but quinoa is so much more versatile and this recipe proves that point.

4. It’s my blog and I’ll do what I want!

gluten free romesco sauce

Quinoa patties are a great way to get kids or people who are anti-quinoa to enjoy this nutty flavored superfood. I love to cook up a few cups of quinoa and then keep the container in my fridge and use it up for the week. Quinoa for breakfast? You bet. See recipe here.This recipe I am posting turns your quinoa into something more than just a typical salad. These patties can be dipped in all different kinds of sauces, which is a good way to change up the flavors of this dish. I am providing you with my gluten-free romesco sauce that I love to use when making this recipe and it makes my pals with celiac disease happy because they can enjoy it as well. Plus, eliminating bread from the romesco sauce shaves off a bunch of calories. The last time I made this dish I whipped up a coconut curry dipping sauce and that was really good too! Play around with this recipe: you can even replace the quinoa with 1 cup of lentils and see how that turns out. I put feta in my patties, but you can try goat cheese or even make it vegan and eliminate the cheese all together.This recipe makes a really yummy appetizer or main dish and I like a recipe that can do both. They are best served hot and crisp, but don’t hesitate to take these bad boys on-the-go for lunch at work. I hope my mother reads this blog post because this recipe is right up my father’s alley. Dad, if you are reading this—get mom to make you these!

Quinoa Patties

Author: Michele Wolfson

Ingredients

• 1 egg

• 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

• 2 Tbs. almond butter

• 1 ½ tsp. red wine vinegar

• 1 ½ cups cooked quinoa

• ½ cup finely grated sweet potato, peeled

• ½ 10-oz. pkg. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

• ¼ cup pecan nuts, chopped

• 2 oz. crumbled feta cheese, optional

• 2 Tbs. finely diced onion

• 1 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley

• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)

• ½ tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Combine egg, flour, almond butter, and vinegar in bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients, then mash together until mixture is firm enough to shape into cakes. Shape mixture into 1/4-cup patties with wet hands. Bake on prepared baking sheet 25 minutes, turning once, or until cakes are browned.

Gluten-Free Romesco Sauce

Author:

Michele Wolfson

Gluten-Free Romesco Sauce (This makes a lot of sauce, so freeze whatever you don't use)

Ingredients

• 2 roasted red peppers

• 2 tablespoons raw almonds

• 2 tablespoons pecans

• 1/4 cups extra-virgin olive oil

• 1/3 cup tomato purée

• 1 clove garlic, chopped

• 1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

• 1/2 lemon, for juicing

• A splash of sherry vinegar

• Kosher salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to broil and roast the peppers (see directions here)

2. Meanwhile, spread the nuts on a baking sheet and toast for 8 to 10 minutes, until they smell nutty and are golden brown.

3. Heat a large sauté pan over high heat on the stove. Add 2 tablespoon olive oil and the roasted red peppers and sauté for a minute or two. Add the tomato puree. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring often. Turn off the heat and leave the mixture in the pan.

4. In a food processor, pulse together the toasted nuts and garlic until the nuts are coarsely ground. Add the pepper-tomato mixture and process for 1 minute more. With the machine running, slowly pour in the remaining olive oil and process until you have a smooth purée. Don’t worry, the romesco will “break” (separate into solids and oil); this is normal. Add the parsley, season to taste with lemon juice, sherry vinegar and more salt, if you feel it needs it.