sweet potato quinoa cakes

i love a good cake, and not necessarily of the baked variety. from crab to salmon and everything in between... if formed in a round patty and grilled to a golden brown it suits me quite well. this recipe is no exception. the combination of flavors in this dish is simply sensational and the cakes are healthy to boot!

i tried my darndest to get this recipe complete before the sun dipped behind the trees, but alas, i was unsuccessful. poorly lit and frankly, crappy photos couldn't keep me from sharing this recipe though. you really must make this...seriously, trust me on this one. it is super easy to prepare as well! we laid our sweet, savory and some what nutty cakes (from the quinoa) on bed of mixed greens with goat cheese and a sprinkle of pepitas (pumpkin seeds). to top it all off, a spicy and tart blackberry salsa. divine.

>> sweet potato quinoa cakes <<

ingredients

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2/3 red onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/3-1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons dried basil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

optional:
mixed greens
goat cheese
pepitas

instructions

heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 1 tablespoons olive oil. add in sweet potato, onion, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, stir, cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, or until potato is soft. remove lid and add garlic, cooking for 30 seconds.

transfer potato mixture to a large bowl (slightly mashing potato with a fork) and add quinoa, breadcrumbs, cheese, herbs, remaining salt and pepper and mix well. once combined, add in egg, then mix until moistened. using your hands to bring it together, form equally-sized patties. heat the same skillet over medium heat and add olive oil. add cakes and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. place cakes on a bed of mixed greens and sprinkle with goat cheese. top it all off with a bit of blackberry salsa and you are set. makes about 10 cakes.

>> blackberry salsa<<

12 oz. bag of frozen blackberries (fresh will work wonders too)
1/3 red onion, finely diced
1 jalapeno, finely diced (we used canned jalapeno)
2/3 cup chopped cilantro
the juice of 1 1/2 limes
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients together in a bowl and mix.


recipe was adapted from one found at how sweet it is...thanks Jessica! please visit her site...her photos  are brilliant (unlike mine) and will give you a true taste of the beauty in this dish.