Quinoa Cakes With Lemon Yogurt Sauce

These delicate cakes may crumble a bit while being formed, but will firm up during frying. Alongside a leafy green salad, serve two cakes for lighter appetites, or three for hungrier folks.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Yields: 16 cakes

Ingredients

• 1 1⁄2 cups quinoa
• 1 1⁄2 cups vegetable broth
• 1⁄2 cup olive oil
• 1⁄2 onion, chopped
• 3  garlic cloves, minced
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon pepper
• 3  cups fresh spinach, trimmed
• 3  eggs
• 1⁄4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 2  tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1⁄4 teaspoon lemon rind
• 1  tablespoon sesame seeds or 1  tablespoon pine nuts or 1  tablespoon  sliced almonds, toasted

• LEMON YOGURT SAUCE

• 1 1⁄2 cups  balkan-style plain yogurt
• 1⁄3 cup green onion, thinly sliced
• 1  tablespoon lemon juice
• 1  pinch  each  salt and pepper

Directions

1. In fine sieve, rinse quinoa under cold water; drain. In saucepan, bring quinoa, broth and 1 1/2 cups water to boil. Reduce heat; simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Drain in fine sieve; let cool completely in sieve.
2. Meanwhile, in skillet, heat 1 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat; fry onion, garlic, salt and pepper, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 4 minutes. Add spinach; cook, stirring, until wilted and no liquid remains, about 3 minutes. Let cool; coarsely chop.
3. LEMON YOGURT SAUCE: Stir together yogurt, onions, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Set aside in refrigerator.
4. In large bowl, whisk together egg, Parmesan cheese, flour, baking powder and lemon rind; fold in quinoa and spinach mixture. With wet hands, form into 16 cakes; transfer to waxed paper-lined tray. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
5. In nonstick skillet, heat half of the remaining oil over medium-high heat; fry half of the cakes, turning once with 2 spatulas, until golden brown, about 8 minutes.
6. Keep warm on baking sheet in 200F oven. Repeat with remaining oil and cakes.
7. Serve drizzled with Lemon Yogurt Sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds.