Healthy family recipe: Spinach and feta quinoa cakes with yogurt sauce
Here's a tasty way to get in some quinoa and spinach into a meal.
For those looking to sneak in some nutrition, these delicious cakes contain quinoa and finely chopped spinach. I made them earlier this week and it was approved by my two younger daughers, husband, and my sister. My oldest responded, "I don't think so" when I told her what we having for dinner. But she ate up her cakes at dinnertime. Both girls preferred plain Greek yogurt on top instead of the sauce which contains dill and lemon.
The original recipe from Domestic Superhero suggests serving with steamed brocoli (which I did) or roasted vegetables. I think a Greek-inspired salad with greens, tomato, olives, and toasted almonds with a lemon/olive oil dressing would work here, too.
Spinach and feta quinoa cakes with yogurt sauce
Ingredients:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt, reduced-fat or whole
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons chopped fresh dill (divided)
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 ounces chopped fresh baby spinach
2 large eggs and 1 egg white, beaten
1 1/2 cups cooked quinoa
3 ounces crumbled feta cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
Directions:
For the sauce:
1. Whisk together the yogurt, lemon juice, and 2 tsp dill in a small bowl.
2. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Cover and refrigerate the sauce for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to meld.
For the quinoa cakes:
1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a medium-size bowl.
2. Add the eggs, quinoa, feta, 1 TBS dill, lemon zest, and 1/4 tsp black pepper and mix well. Mix in the bread crumbs and let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the bread crumbs to absorb some of the moisture.
3. Wipe out large skillet, and add 1 TBS oil. Heat for a few minutes.
4. Form quinoa patties about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 1/2 inch thick. Place the patties in skillet, in batches if necessary. Cook the patties until they're browned on the outside, 4 to 5 minutes per side, and then flip
5. Serve warm with the yogurt sauce.
Serving size: This made about 20 patties. Each adult had four cakes along, and cach child had about 2 cakes with steamed brocoli.
Adapted from Domestic Superhero.
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