vegan quinoa cakes

i have been flirting with the idea of becoming a vegan lately. i know it might sound extreme. at least it does, or did, to me.

vegan cashew cream pasta with roasted veggies (gluten free + dairy free)

but in all honesty, i am practically already living as a vegan. i am really only one step away.

a vegan is someone who doesn’t eat meat or any animal byproducts such as eggs and dairy.

i don’t eat a ton of meat. and because of my food intolerances, i do not eat eggs or dairy. so it really isn’t too far of a leap for me. once upon a time, i would have never seen myself even close to going down this path.

but because of my health issues, i am finding that i do feel better eating less meat and more nutrient filled veggies. i am not completely sold on this idea. i do enjoy a good steak. but like i said, i am flirting with the idea. taking small steps here and there. experimenting. and i do still eat fish and chicken several times a week.

when i first found out nearly a year and a half ago that i was no longer going to be eating eggs or dairy because of food intolerances, i thought my life was over. because let’s face it, i loved my cheese and eggs. i was already gluten free, but now my choices were limited even more.

oh how i miss my eggs benedict. but i have slowly come to terms with my new diet.

trust me. there have been break downs. tears. cheating. guilt. relapses.

the hardest days are on the weekends when i desperately want to chow down on typical brunch fare of eggs and hash browns. and let’s just face it, hash browns by themselves are hardly satisfying. i need my protein!

the weekends are my days to putz around the kitchen experimenting with exciting new ways to create food. i am relaxed. i have time to experiment and conjure up new recipes. i splurge and drink a cup of coffee. i savor every bite of the fruit of my labor. it’s my time to just chill.

but it is challenging coming up with breakfast foods that really satisfy my culinary appetite. i have a hard time thinking of recipes for these lazy weekend mornings. no wheat. no dairy. no eggs. what do you eat? breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. let me tell you, i have had a hard time coming to terms with my food intolerances simply because i miss breakfast.

there were days when i thought i would never find anything to satisfy my aching for yummy brunch food. but i have been experimenting lately and i have become very optimistic. i made some rice cakes the other day that were delicious, but just low in protein.

but this morning i experimented with making some quinoa cakes. de.li.cious. that is all i have to say. quinoa is extremely good for you. they are now including it as one of the super foods. who are they? i don’t know, the powers that be who continually decide what is good for us. regardless, there are seven grams of protein in one serving. so i always feel satisfied after eating quinoa. i was eating quinoa before it became such a fad. but the incas were eating it years ago for it’s nutritional values, so hey, it’s got to be good for you.

quinoa cakes

i loved these crispy little cakes so much that i gobbled up four of them in no time. even if you are not a vegan, you will still absolutely love them. for all of you non-vegans, you could add a little goat cheese or a fried egg to the top if you so desired. but you really won’t miss the cheese or eggs if you don’t.

fresh sage from my garden

vegan quinoa cakes

(makes 8-10 cakes)

1 1/2 cups of cooked quinoa

1/4 cup chopped onion

1 small zucchini shredded

1 clove of minced garlic

1/4 cup warm water mixed with 3 teaspoons ener-g egg replacer (or 1 large egg)

5-6 Tablespoons of gluten free flour ( i used bob’s red mill mix)

1 large handful of chopped fresh herbs (i used sage and cilantro, but you can use whatever floats your boat. the sage was fresh from my garden)

salt and pepper

warm salsa for garnish (i use herdez and just heat it up in the microwave)

avocado slices for garnish

several tablespoons of coconut oil for sauteeing

mix together all of the ingredients (except salsa, avocado and oil) in a large bowl. the consistency should be just about right to form into patties. it will still be a bit sticky. you might need to add a little more flour if it is falling apart. heat up some coconut oil in a skillet. i use coconut oil for it’s healing properties, but you can use any oil. drop patties into oil and saute on each side until they are golden brown. serve with warm salsa and slices of avocado.

vegan quinoa cakes

i decided to start writing recipes again for several reasons. one, i feel for people like me with food allergies/intolerances who are looking for delicious recipes. it seems like every week i hear of someone else who finds out they have a food intolerance. two, i really do believe that i have a gift for coming up with yummy recipes that everyone can enjoy. and i want to share it with other people. so i am going to start posting recipes on the weekends for those of you who are interested. i know that a lot of the people who read my blog are not interested in the cooking aspect of my life, but i feel like it is such a huge part of me that i just can’t help sharing. and third, it keeps me inspired to keep creating in the kitchen.