Feta and Spinach Quinoa Patties

Lots of time...but not for cooking

You might be thinking that living on a sailboat, anchored in the Bahamas, there would be nothing but free time.  Time to relax.  Time to read.  Time to cook.  I’m not going to lie…I do have a lot more personal time without the responsibility of a job, but I don’t want to spend those extra moments cooking.

Cooking healthy is always a priority, but I also want to keep mealtime interesting -- without spending hours in the galley.  Before heading out to the sparsely populated southern islands we went provisioning (aka – grocery shopping) in a big way.  It’s best to load up in the States or in Nassau, where Solomon’s grocery stores rival the selection in any grocery found back home – but double the price.

Easy whole grain with a protein boost

For health and versatility, you can’t beat quinoa, so it is always on my provisioning list. This high protein, whole grain cooks up in 15 minutes, much faster than brown rice. I always stock my pantry with several bags of quinoa before leaving port.  Cooked and straight from the refrigerator, it can be combined with lettuce, grated carrots and any other leftover veggies or meat for a quinoa salad.  Topped with Dean’s Sesame Tahini Salad Dressing, it’s one of our favorite lunches.

Making quinoa patties in stages

Another way to serve quinoa as Feta and Spinach Quinoa patties.  I like to make these in stages when I have a few moments during the day.  My boat routine…

• Cook up the quinoa while listening to the morning weather on the SSB and sipping coffee. Put in the quinoa in the refrigerator to cool.
• Take a few pieces of bread that are threatening to get moldy and place them in the sun to dry. They should be hard and crusty in the time that it takes you to read a few chapters of your favorite book. If you have commercial dried breadcrumbs it’s even easier, but I make my own aboard Snowcat.
• Combine the recipe ingredients and put in the refrigerator to allow the crumbs to soften in the liquid. Meanwhile take the dinghy to shore for a hike.
• When it’s time for dinner, your quinoa mixture is ready to be formed into patties and cooked on a skillet.

Give this recipe a try and let me know how you use the leftover patties (if there are any left!)

Print Recipe

Feta and Spinach Quinoa Patties

These patties can be made with any steamed greens from the Farmer’s Market like mustard greens or steamed, chopped kale.

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time40 mins

resting time24 mins

Total Time50 mins

Course: Meatless Main Dish

Cuisine: Mediterranean

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 363kcal

Author: Karen

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 4 eggs whisked
• ⅓ cup crumbled Feta cheese
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup steamed spinach chopped (frozen is fine, but drain well)
• 1 cup plain breadcrumbs
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• plain yogurt or sour cream for topping optional

Instructions

• Rinse the quinoa with cold water and then place in a 1 ½ quart saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the quinoa continue to absorb the remaining liquid for an additional 10 minutes. Allow the grain to cool while you prepare the other ingredients.
• In a large bowl, stir together eggs, cheese, onions, garlic, spinach and salt. Stir the breadcrumbs and quinoa into the egg mixture, then cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until the breadcrumbs become soft.
• Scoop about ¼ cup of quinoa mixture to form each patty.
• Heat the oil in a griddle or skillet over medium heat. In batches, cook the patties for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.