Once again, I find myself in the dreaded chicken-and-pasta dinner rut! Unfortunately this happens too many times to count.
This entrée, for Quinoa Sliders, is a welcomed diversion to our pedestrian meat choices; it combines an interesting medley of southwestern textures and flavors (black beans, whole kernel corn, garlic, cilantro, chipotle). Luckily I know my kids already LOVE quinoa and corn and beans so, it’s highly probable that this meal wouldn’t disappoint. And, it is super easy to make.
We love our Quinoa.
And why shouldn’t we? It’s a nutritious carbohydrate with super high protein content which has definitely maximized our energy levels.
I’ve only recently been experimenting with this whole grain in the kitchen (Mom didn’t have any quinoa-based recipes in her archives) and it’s immediately become a family favorite.
If you love your carbs, but are desperate to find a healthier option to white pasta or white rice, try some quinoa. I was impressed by its health stats–it provides all 9 essential amino acids, it’s a gluten-free and cholesterol-free whole grain, it contains more calcium, iron, and protein than wheat, and…. and..and… (I’m not a nutritionist).
Now that you’re convinced of the myriad health benefits to quinoa, try these sliders from Naturebox’s blog!
After perusing this hassle-free recipe, I decided to omit most of the spices and the chipotles—we’re not spicy people. I would also recommend only using one clove of garlic for the avocado cream instead of two— it was a little too strong. And, I definitely would not serve these sliders on buns—too many carbs— the bread seemed like overkill. We really can’t stop looking for ways to integrate this grain into our daily diet.
Hooray, another dish was added to our dinner rotation. That’s always cause for celebration!!!
- 2 cups cooked quinoa
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- ¼ cup Panko bread crumbs
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup whole kernel corn
- ½ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Olive oil
- Avocado cream sauce:
- 1 avocado, pitted and diced
- 1 clove garlic (minced)
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
- Kosher salt and pepper to taste
- I
- For avocado cream sauce, combine avocado, garlic, Greek yogurt, lime juice, cilantro, salt and pepper in the bowl of a food processor; set aside.
- In another bowl, combine cooked quinoa, Parmesan, Panko, flour, garlic powder, lime juice, eggs, corn, beans, salt and pepper, to taste.
- Divide the mixture into 8 balls; press each lightly to form ¼-inch-thick patties.
- Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the patties to the skillet and cook until browned and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side.
- Spread avocado cream sauce on top of patties while hot. Add lettuce and tomato.
- Enjoy!
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