Butternut Squash and Quinoa Cakes

I love cooking and posting on the same day. I'm skipping over a warm salad I made on Friday just so I can share these cakes today. They came out way better than I anticipated!

I'm not sure what I anticipated. I never made quinoa cakes before. I've seem a few recipes and photos here and there, but I never had the desire to make them because I've never made a batch of quinoa to then recook into cakes -- it seems daunting.

Instead, I decided to make quinoa yesterday for the week. I knew I wanted to use it, I just wasn't sure how.

I also roasted and pureed a butternut squash with plans to use it through out the week as well -- Click here to see my Sensational Sunday post where I share how I kick off the week. 

Anyway, I decided to put the two together in a patty that I could eat on a lettuce "bun."

It was delicious! Soft, warm and tasty. I topped it with a little cran-apple sauce I made for pork chops the day before.

The sweet, tart sauce really was the prefect compliment to the earthy, warm taste of the quinoa cake. I didn't think I'd like the combination of cranberry and butternut squash, but this is the second time I combined the two (last night I had the combo with pork chops) and they are a good pair.

Here's how I made the quinoa cakes ...

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• ½ cup pureed butternut squash
• 1 egg
• ½ cup quick oats
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ¼ tsp cumin
• ¼ tsp sage
• Pinch of kosher salt

Put all the ingredients in a bowl.

Mix well to combine.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Form the quinoa mixture into 4 patties and place them directly in the hot pan.

Let them cook about 5 minutes and then flip carefully. Cook an additional 3-4 minutes on the other side.

They will hold together but you do have to be careful, they are moist.

I tried to get a close-up for you as the texture was really fun.

They did hold together but again, are really soft. I loved the quinoa texture in this form!

Here's my gross, already took a few bites, shot.

This is the kind of thing I didn't make for the family. I don't have to. Here's how it would go down … I LOVE them but The Husband wouldn't touch with a 10-foot pole. I could probably get the 2-year-old to eat a few indifferent bites. The 8-year-old would need a firm, "just take a bite" before making a face and telling me no, he doesn't like it.

I know my family too well.

I ate two for lunch and will freeze the other two. I'm sure they will heat up well in the microwave.

If you are curious about the cran-apple sauce, I made it similar to my cram-apple oatmeal just without the oats and less water. It took 1 tablespoon of honey and sugar to get the right sweetness for a sauce.

I'm doing the nutritional information per cake even though I think two are a more realistic serving.

Approx Nutritional Information per serving

Servings	Amt per Serving
4	1 Butternut Quinoa Cake
Calories	Fat	Fiber	WWPs
105	2g	2g	old: 2	new: 3
Sugar	Sat Fat	Carbs	Protein
2g	1g	16g	5g