Salmon & Quinoa Cakes

As any health-minded foodie knows, keeping new but healthy food on the dinner table can be a challenge.  I realized that  I was starting to cook the same thing over and over.  It was healthy and it was delicious, but it was always the same.  So time for something new!  And time to start using the veggies that are coming out of my winter garden!  This recipe is actually really simple, and manages to get fish, quinoa, greek yogurt and leafy greens all in to the same meal!


This recipe will make about 8 cakes.  Total cook time is about 1 hour, but time you spend doing stuff is only about 20 minutes.

Ingredients

Salmon Cakes
- 1 pound salmon

- 1 cup quinoa
- 2 cups water

- 3 green onions, chopped

- 2 eggs + the egg whites of 4 more eggs

- 1/2 tsp of lemon juice
- 1-1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper
Dressing
- 1 cup of Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp of lemon juice
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 tsp of dill (fresh is best)
- mix of organic spinach and arugula
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking tray for foil or parchment paper and place salmon in it. Sprinkle salmon with s&p. Bake for about 20 minutes until it flakes apart easily with a fork. Remove and let cool slightly. 

2. While the salmon is baking, put 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water in a medium sauce pot over medium heat. Once it starts to boil, reduce to low and cover. Once water has been absorbed remove from heat and allow to cool. 

3. Shred the salmon into a large bowl. If the skin was still on it, don't include the skin or the gray part. Mix in the quinoa, eggs, egg whites, 1/2 tsp of lemon juice, and the green onions in to the bowl. Add about 1 1/2 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper and then mix. 

4. Form cakes and place on a baking try lined with parchment paper. You can use foil but they come up easier on parchment. Before putting in oven, spray each with some canola or olive oil cooking spray. Or brush evoo on each cake. Bake for 8 minutes then flip over.  Be careful when you flip them because they're still soft on the bottom side and might try to unglue.  Spray/brush each one before putting back in the oven and bake for another 8 minutes.

5. In a separate bowl, mix the yogurt, dill, 1 tsp of lemon juice and the green onions.  Add 1 tsp of salt and 1 tsp of pepper and then mix.  Serve the cakes with a dallop of the yogurt mix and the greens.  To make it fancy, add a fresh sprig of dill to each.