Total Food Recipe

Cook quinoa

Rinse 0.5 cup dry quinoa under cold water. In a small saucepan combine rinsed quinoa and 1 cup vegetable broth or water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 12–15 minutes until liquid is absorbed and quinoa is fluffy. Remove from heat, keep covered and let steam 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork.

While quinoa cooks, lightly mash the drained and rinsed 1 cup chickpeas in a bowl with the back of a fork or a potato masher so some beans remain whole for texture. Set aside.

Wash and chop 2 cups packed spinach, grate 1 carrot, dice 0.5 red bell pepper, slice 2 green onions, and thaw 0.5 cup frozen peas. If spinach is large-leafed, roughly chop into bite-size pieces.

In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the grated carrot and diced red pepper, sauté 3–4 minutes until starting to soften. Add spinach and peas, sauté another 2 minutes until spinach wilts. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

In a large mixing bowl combine the cooked quinoa, lightly mashed chickpeas, sautéed vegetables, and 1 cup rolled oats. Stir to combine.

Add 2 large eggs, 0.5 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2 tablespoons sliced green onion, 2 tablespoons chopped parsley, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 0.5 teaspoon black pepper, 0.5 teaspoon ground cumin, 0.5 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the bowl. Mix thoroughly until the mixture holds together; let sit 5 minutes so oats absorb moisture. If mixture is too loose, add up to 0.25 cup more oats; if too dry, add 1–2 tablespoons water or broth.

Form and pan-fry patties

Form the mixture into 8 even patties (about 3 inches). Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook patties in batches 3–4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through, pressing gently once halfway through to ensure contact. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

OR oven-bake option

Preheat oven to 200°C / 400°F. Place patties on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush lightly with oil. Bake 15–18 minutes, flipping halfway, until edges are crisp and tops browned.

Taste and adjust seasoning with extra salt, pepper or lemon juice as desired. Serve patties warm with a dollop of Greek yogurt (optional) or a simple salad. Garnish with extra chopped parsley and sliced green onion.

Leftovers: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze cooked patties for up to 2 months. Reheat in a skillet or oven until warmed through.