Little Quinoa Patties

Little Quinoa Patties

adapted from Mel's Kitchen Cafe

2 1/2 cups cooked quinoa, room temperature (I always cook my quinoa in chicken broth, with some sautéed onions, red bell peppers, and garlic. If you cook it in water, add a little extra salt to compensate)
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup finely shredded carrots
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup finely crushed saltine or Ritz crackers or bread crumbs, plus more if needed
extra-virgin olive oil

Combine all ingredients except olive oil.. Stir the mixture until combined. If the mixture seems overly wet, add a tablespoon or two more of cracker or bread crumbs. If it seems too dry, add a tablespoon or two of water or broth. Let it stand for about five minutes so the liquid can be somewhat absorbed. Take small handfuls of the mixture and form into little patties, about 1-inch thick, yielding about 11 or 12 patties.

In a large, nonstick skillet, heat a little olive oil over medium heat until it is hot. Add a single layer of patties (about half of them if you are using a 12-inch skillet) and cook until the bottoms are well-browned, about 5-7 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent burning (or increase heat if the patties aren’t browning well). Flip the patties and cook about 5 minutes more until the second side is golden brown. Remove from the skillet and repeat with the remaining patties (adding a bit more olive oil, if needed). Serve warm or at room temperature, plain, with ranch dipping sauce, or on buns with ketchup and mustard as “burgers.”