Italian Quinoa Cakes

One of my favorite places to brunch is Le Pain Quotidien. Offering delicious, organic,vegan options, my absolute go-to dish is the pan seared quinoa cake. So that meant spending some time trying to recreate it in my own kitchen! I messed with it and made my own version and I hope you enjoy it too! It’s tasty, healthy, vegan, gluten free and perfect for lunch, dinner or even brunch!

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup chopped red onion
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 (15 ounce) can white beans, rinsed and drained
• 3/4 cup quinoa flakes or rolled oats
• 1/4 cup vegetable broth
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (cooked in veggie broth)
• 1 cup finely diced zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 tablespoons oregano
• 10 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained and chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, for pan searing
• Tomato sauce, for serving
• Vegan pesto, for serving
• Field greens, for serving

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms, onions, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, put beans, flakes/oats and broth into a food processor and pulse until almost smooth.

In a large bowl, combine mushrooms/onions, bean mixture, quinoa, zucchini, parsley, oregano, tomatoes, salt and pepper.

Set out a large, rimmed baking sheet. Using a 1/2-cup measure, scoop quinoa mixture, press firmly to level the top, then turn cup over on baking sheet. Repeat to form remaining patties.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight to set well. To recreate Le Pain cakes, form 1 cup of quinoa mixture into squares.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Working in batches, cook 4 to 6 patties at a time until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the cakes and brown on the other side, about 4 minutes longer. Add more oil, as needed, to cook additional batches.

Serve on a bed of tomato sauce and field greens and top with a dollop of vegan pesto. Enjoy!