A craving for quinoa and sweet potato cakes

Do you ever have those moments where suddenly lunch becomes the most important event in your life?

Surely, I spend most of my days planning, cooking, and photographing food, but this was different.

I was running around town a few days ago taking care of household matters, such as changing the oil of my car, when I was overcome by this urge to run home and make myself a nice lunch. Not a quick salad like most days when I have to run, but something else. I needed some quinoa and sweet potato cakes in my life.

I had not been planning on styling or shooting anything that day, but I had to return home. I left half of my checklist unfinished and came into the kitchen to tend to this pressing matter – lunch.

This is how these quinoa and sweet potato cakes came about, which took no more than half an hour to make I must add. I enjoyed every morsel and had leftovers for Jon and Miren when they arrived home from school.

How about you? Did you have to drop everything to run to the kitchen to cook that one recipe? Would love to hear.

Quinoa and Sweet Potato Cakes

makes 8 cakes

1/2 cup (90 g) quinoa, rinsed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for frying
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup (150 g) grated sweet potato
1/4 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 eggs
1/3 cup (50 g) gluten-free, panko-style breadcrumbs (make them by drying gluten-free bread slices in the oven and chopping them in food processor)
1/3 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1 tablespoon finely chopped chives
Greens, radishes, green onions, as garnish

Bring 1 cup (250 ml) of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add quinoa and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes until quinoa has absorbed all the water and it’s tender. Set aside to cool.

Heat a medium saute pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil and cook the onions and garlic for 3 minutes. Add the grated sweet potato, 1/4 teaspoon salt, coriander, and black pepper, and cook for another 3 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, and chives. Add the cooled quinoa and sweet potato mixture. Stir to combine.

Heat a large saute pan over medium high heat. Add enough olive oil to cover the bottom os the pan. Spoon 1/4 cup of the mixture and shape it into a round cake. Add enough cakes to the pan without overcrowding it. Cook for 3 minutes on each side or until golden. Finish frying all the cakes. Drain them on paper towels if needed.

Serve the cakes while warm with a green salad with radishes and chopped green onions.