Vegan Crispy Quinoa Cakes with Rosemary Mushrooms & Lemony Arugula

Hubby and I have both been on a bit of a quinoa craze lately. We used to eat rice everyday but then we switched to quinoa and its like we've found a new passion for food haha! So on that note, this vegan recipe from Purple Carrot is SO good! It takes about 40 mins to make so not super quick but totally worth it!

Crispy Quinoa Cakes (image: Purple Carrot)

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup white quinoa

• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed meal

• 1 shallot

• 3 garlic cloves

• 8 oz cremini mushrooms

• ¼ oz fresh rosemary

• 1 lemon

• ¼ cup Follow Your Heart® Soy-Free Vegenaise®

• 1 tbsp French mustard & herb blend

• ½ cup gluten-free panko breadcrumbs

• 1 Bartlett pear

• 4 oz baby arugula

• 1 tbsp olive oil

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil

• Salt and pepper

INSTRUCTIONS 1 Cook the quinoa Add white quinoa, 1 cup water, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until the water is absorbed and grains are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.

2 Prepare the vegetables Add ground flaxseed meal and 2 tbsp warm water to a small bowl, and whisk. Peel and roughly chop the shallot and just 2 garlic cloves. Thinly slice the cremini mushrooms. Pick and finely chop the rosemary leaves. Halve and juice the lemon(s). TIP: Don’t forget to wash all produce under running water, and wipe mushrooms clean with a damp kitchen towel.

3 Prepare the garlic aioli Grate the remaining garlic clove. Add grated garlic, just half the lemon juice, Vegenaise, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a small bowl. Mix the garlic aioli.

4 Make the quinoa cakes Add cooked quinoa, flaxseed mixture, chopped shallot, chopped garlic, French mustard & herb blend, breadcrumbs, and a pinch of salt and pepper to a food processor. Pulse until combined, scraping down the sides of the food processor as necessary. Form quinoa mixture into 6 cakes, each about ½ inch thick. TIP: Wet your hands before forming the cakes, as it will make them easier to handle.

5 Cook the mushrooms & quinoa cakes Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sliced mushrooms and chopped rosemary and cook until browned in places, 3 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and transfer to a plate. Return skillet to medium-high heat with 2 tbsp vegetable oil and add quinoa cakes. Cook until browned and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes per side. TIP: Add more oil as necessary to crisp the cakes.

6 Serve Thinly slice the pear. Add baby arugula, sliced pear, and remaining lemon juice to a large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss, and divide lemony arugula between plates. Top with crispy quinoa cakes and rosemary mushrooms. Drizzle with garlic aioli. Bon appétit!

Let me know if you try this one!