Quinoa Croquettes with Homemade Ranch Dressing

Ryan is in the midst of final exams (i.e hell) – so I thought making a healthy lunch might be a good way to boost some brain power.

Quinoa is my new favourite dish – it’s so versatile, healthy, and delicious. This recipe is packed with fun flavours – and is easy to make. These little croquettes when served with a salad make a light and healthy lunch – and they could even be a delicious and unexpected appetizer idea, too.

Ryan’s reaction: “Wow – this was WAY better than a ham sandwich”.

Translation: 100% success.

P.S. One important lesson I learned: Make sure the quinoa is cooled for at least 1 hour before mixing the ingredients together. If you don’t, the croquettes will fall apart.

Enjoy!

Adapted from Super Natural Everyday by Heidi Swanson

Ingredients

Croquettes

1 cup raw quinoa – cook as directed.
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
1/3 cup coarsely chopped Kalamata olives
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
2/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp. cornmeal
2 Tbsp. olive oil

Ranch Dressing (adapted from allrecipes.com)

• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon sour cream
• generous dash of dried chives
• generous dash of dried parsley
• generous dash of dried dill weed
• generous dash of garlic powder
• generous dash of onion powder
• generous dash of salt
• generous dash of black pepper

Directions

1. Ranch Dressing: -Mix all ingredients together and refridgerate while making the croquettes
2. Cook quinoa as directed on package – cool for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the eggs, onion, garlic, cheese, olives, parsley, lemon zest, panko, salt and pepper. Add the cooked quinoa and stir mixture until moistened.
4. Sprinkle cornmeal over a plate or. Create little patties out of mixture, and place on plate – sprinkle cornmeal on top of the patties.
5. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add patties to the hot oil and cook until well browned, about 4 minutes per side.
6. Heat Oven to 350F. Once all of the patties have been cooked in the skillet, place on a baking sheet and bake for 6-7 minutes.

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Tagged as: homemade ranch dressing recipe, Quinoa appetizers, Quinoa burgers, Quinoa Croquettes, Quinoa recipes