The Whole Wheat

Whew! Where have I been? Well vacation then a new job – leads to a hectic life offline! The other night, freshly home from vacation I wanted to make something familiar that I knew we would both enjoy. And I instantly remembered the Potato & Quinoa Croquettes made previously. I made a few changes in order to make them vegan (and based on my mood!), and I made a sun-dried tomato tapenade to top them. Here they are – both versions are delicious and even Brad loved them!

Ingredients:

• 10 oz. potatoes (about 4 small yellow ones)
• 1/3 c. quinoa
• 1/2 c. garbanzo beans (drained & rinsed from can)
• 1/4 c. leek, thinly sliced
• 2 t. paprika (I used spicey)
• 1 t. ground coriander
• 1 t. ground cumin
• 1/2 t. dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/4 – 1/2 c. chopped parsley
• 1.5 t. corn starch
• panko bread crumbs

1. Peel potatoes then steam for about 10 minutes until tender. Mash with fork.
2. Add garbanzo beans to potatoes and mash them up a bit as well.
3. At the same time bring 2/3 c. of water to a boil. Add a pinch of salt then add the quinoa. Cover & lower the heat to a simmer. Let cook about 15 minutes until water is absorbed. (Note: when quinoa cooks, a tiny spiral appears that encircles the grain. This is perfectly normal and should be expected.) Combine quinoa with mashed potatoes.
4. Sauté the leeks in a small skillet over medium heat for about 1 minute. Add spices including oregano. Stir well, it will be very dry now. Continue to cook and stir until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute. Add mixture to potatoes and mix well.
5. In a small bowl mix corn starch with a scant 1/4 c. of water. Add to potato mixture along with parsley.
6. Separate the mixture into four large patties, or eight smaller ones, and shape into patties. Coat each patty lightly with panko bread crumbs.
7. Cook on baking sheet at 400 degrees for about 5-10 minutes per side, until warmed thru and nicely browned.