Southwest Quinoa Cakes

Makes: 6 servingsServing Size: 2 cakes & 1/4 cup salsa

Active Time: 35 minutes Total Time: 1 hour

Equipment: Nonstick muffin tin with 12 (1/2-cup) cups

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa, preferably red quinoa
• 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup canned black beans, rinsed
• 3/4 cup reduced-fat cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, plus a pinch, divided
• 1 cup shredded pepper Jack cheese
• 1 14-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
• 1 clove garlic
• 1 small chipotle pepper in adobo sauce (see Tip)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 avocado, chopped
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• PREPARATION

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 12-cup nonstick muffin tin with cooking spray.
  2. Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Stir in quinoa. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook until the grains are tender and reveal their spiraled germ, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for about 10 minutes.
  3. Add eggs, beans, cottage cheese, scallions, flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt to the quinoa and stir until well combined. Divide the mixture among the muffin cups (about 1/4 cup each). Top each quinoa cake with about 1 tablespoon cheese.
  4. Bake the cakes until puffed and a little brown on top, about 20 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Gently loosen and remove with a paring knife.
  5. Meanwhile, place tomatoes, garlic, chipotle pepper and a pinch of salt in a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in cilantro.
  6. Serve the cakes with the salsa and avocado.

  TIPS & NOTES

  • Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the salsa (Step 5) for up to 3 days; bring to room temperature before serving.
  • Chipotle chile peppers in adobo sauce are smoked jalapeños packed in a flavorful, spicy sauce. Look for the small cans with Mexican foods at large supermarkets. Once opened, they’ll keep for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator or 6 months in the freezer.

  NUTRITION

  Per serving: 365 calories; 17 g fat (6 g sat, 5 g mono); 140 mg cholesterol; 35 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 6 g total sugars; 19 g protein; 7 g fiber; 662 mg sodium; 515 mg potassium.
  Nutrition Bonus: Folate (32% daily value), Calcium (28% dv), Vitamin C (27% dv), Iron (20% dv), Magnesium (19% dv), Vitamin A (17% dv)
  Carbohydrate Servings: 2
  Exchanges: 2 starch, 1/2 vegetable, 1 lean meat, 1 medium-fat meat, 1 fat
• http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/southwest_quinoa_cakes.html