Quinoa Patties with Peas and Bacon

Quinoa leftovers are my friend. One of my favorite things about quinoa, besides it being a healthy grain, is that I can make quinoa patties from the original quinoa dish that is left over.

These patties are made from the leftovers of a grown-up quinoa with bacon and peas side dish.

I've been on a bacon kick lately. I really love bacon but make it only once or twice a year, not good for cholesterol, but love it just that same.

For whatever reason this week the quinoa with peas and bacon was leftover from our supper a few days ago. So I made patties which only takes about 20 minutes for prep and cooking.

It's a quick dish to make and you can make these in advance and freeze them for future meals.

The patties become a side dish that compliments chicken, fish, burgers or even grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch.

We have eliminated the starchy potatoes and rice so the quinoa is filling the empty starchy carb gap and giving us additional protein.

Qunioa Patties with Peas and Bacon
Ingredients

• 1 1/2-2 cups leftover cooked quinoa
• 1 beaten egg
• 2 TBLS. chopped parsley or chives
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 TBLS. panko crumbs
• 2 TBLS. grapeseed oil (or canola or vegetable oil)
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan with the oil on medium heat.
2. In a medium bowl add the leftover quinoa, beaten egg, parsley and/or chives and stir in the panko and breadcrumbs a little at time, adding just enough breadcrumbs to hold the mixture together. Form the quinoa mixture into patties. This yields about 4-5 patties, depending on the size you make.

In a medium non-stick fry pan add the oil and heat on medium. When the oil is hot add the patties and fry until golden brown on each side. This takes about 3-5 minutes on each side.

Place on a paper towel for a minute to absorb the oil and serve. They can be served hot or room temperature.

Some of you may already know this, but for those who may be stopping by for the first time, quinoa is a 100% whole grain, gluten free, and is a rich protein source which makes it an excellent addition to a vegetarian diet. These are just a few of quinoa's benefits.

Quinoa cooks quickly and it can be dressed up and taken to any dinner party. If you haven't tried it yet give it a chance especially if you or a loved-one is gluten free or you want to add more protein to your diet.

I have several quinoa pattie recipes on the blog but this one is relatively easy and best made using any quinoa leftovers.