Pretty food!

It’s the best kind, don’t you think?

Lunch is a not a meal I devote much effort to, but these patties make the most perfect, delicious lunch. Would they be just as tasty at dinnertime? Sure. But eating a stack of these sometime around noon just makes the whole day so much more delightful, it’s like an instant mood enhancer that’s crazy healthy, too.

I feel like lunch is pretty underappreciated by everyone, but these patties are a real lunchtime redeemer. Now obviously you don’t have to eat these midday – you don’t even have to make them at all! But seeing as they’re full of texture and flavor, completely customizable, and take just over an hour to make, I think they deserve your attention.

For starters?

EASY!  Mash up your ingredients, form them into patties, and bake!

PREP!  Make ‘em one day, bake ‘em another.

REUSE!  Aka easy to reheat, so you can enjoy them over and ovaaa.

VEGETARIAN!  That pretty much says it all.

GLUTEN FREE!  Also self-explanatory.

ALMOST VEGAN!  (sorry)

SKINNY!  These are light, lean, and super diet friendly.

DELICIOUS!  Because why else would we be here?

What I love most about this dish is that it hits all those wonderful sweet and savory notes while still tasting completely refreshing. The patties themselves are slightly sweet, with a touch of brown sugar added to compliment a seasoning combo of nutmeg + cinnamon. Then there’s the filling, which I highly recommend not skipping – it makes the whole dish! The tomatoes and avocado are tossed in lemon for a citrusy, palate cleanser-type affect, while the arugula keeps this light and crisp. Plus, the filling contrasts SO nicely against the extra crunchy patties, which – Can we talk for a minute? The patties have AMAZING texture, with a chewy, crunchy coating surrounding a piping-hot core of creamy quinoa that’s so enjoyable and delicious.

Now if you INSIST on making this for dinner (which, you probably will) feel free to add roast chicken or skirt steak on the side to beef this meal up, or simply leave it as is and enjoy on meatless Mondays – Whatever works, do you! x

Crispy Quinoa, Sweet Potato, & Light Cheddar Patties w/ Cherry Tomatoes + Smashed Avocado

Yield: 10 - 12 patties

Prep Time: 45 mins

Cook Time: 30 mins

Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Print Recipe

Ingredients:

• PATTIES:
• 1 lb Sweet Potatoes (I used four medium sized potatoes)
• 2 cups Cooked Quinoa
• 2 tbsps Dark Brown Sugar
• ½ tsp Minced Garlic
• ½ tsp Cinnamon
• ¼ tsp Nutmeg
• ¼ tsp Sea Salt & Coarse Black Peppercorn – approx.
• 1 Large Egg Yolk
• 1 cup Shredded Light Cheddar Cheese (I used Cabot)
• 1 cup Whole Wheat Panko Crumbs
• Cooking Spray to grease/coat

• FILLINGS:
• 5 oz Arugula Lettuce
• 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes
• 3 Medium Haas Avocados
• 1 – 2 tbsps Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Lemon Juice
• Salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Boil large pot of water. Thoroughly peel sweet potatoes, then add to boiling water and cook until soft, ~20 – 25 minutes.  Drain water and return potatoes to pot, then mash until a smooth yet lightly chunky consistency is achieved.*
2. Preheat oven to 400F. Generously grease large baking sheet with cooking spray, then set aside.
3. In large mixing bowl combine mashed sweet potatoes, quinoa, dark brown sugar, garlic, cinnamon, and nutmeg, stirring until well mixed. Salt and pepper to taste, then add in egg yolk, cheddar cheese, and panko crumbs, again combining well.
4. Using your hands roll mixture into baseball size rounds, then transfer to baking sheet, gently flattening the tops with your fingers as you do. Repeat until all ingredients have been used, making sure patties are of comparable size.  When ready, spray the tops of each patty with cooking spray and bake for 15 minutes.  Next, remove patties from oven, re-spray the exposed tops, flip, then spray the new top-up side.**  Once all patties are flipped and sprayed, return to oven and cook for another 15 minutes until browned and crisp.
5. While patties are cooking, toss arugula in EVOO, a few dashes lemon juice, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Next slice cherry tomatoes, then lastly smash avocado with a drizzle of lemon juice + pinch of salt and pepper.
6. When ready, build towers over a bed of dressed arugula with two patties and a filling/topping of tomatoes and avocado. Immediately eat!

* You want your sweet potatoes to be mostly smooth but not puréed – little bits and chunks are needed for the right texture and easier handling.

** To avoid burning/sticking at any point during cooking, you want to be sure that both sides of your patties are greased at all times.  This is why at the mid-way point we re-spray the exposed tops before flipping, then spray the newly exposed tops before returning to the oven.

stacks 4Life.