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Cheesy Bacon Quinoa Patties

I love using leftovers in creative ways so I don’t feel like i’m eating the same thing for days. If you have leftover cooked quinoa and bacon you can easily whip up this high-protein snack, otherwise, cook up the quinoa from scratch. I added some spinach for colour and a dose of veggies, but don’t worry – with all the bacon and cheese you’ll barely notice the greens.

Cheesy Bacon Quinoa Patties

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked quinoa ( or 3/4 cups uncooked quinoa with 1.5 cups water)
• 4 eggs, whisked
• 5 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 1/3 cup cheese, Parmesan or mozzarella
• 3 spring onions, sliced thin
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 cup steamed/cooked spinach, chopped
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 3 jalapenos, chopped, (optional)
• 1 teaspoon canola oil

Instructions:

1. If you don’t have quinoa and need to make it from scratch, rinse 3/4 cup of quinoa and place the grains in a medium sauce pan with 1.5 cups of water. Allow quinoa to soak for 10 minutes. Then, bring the water to a boil, cover with a lid, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until quinoa is tender and has absorbed the liquid – about 20 minutes. Let cool to room temp.
   
2. In a large bowl, mix together cooked quinoa, bacon, eggs, cheese, spring onions, garlic, salt, cooked spinach, and breadcrumbs; add jalapenos if desired. Allow mixture to rest for a few minutes, it should be moist by not runny or too dry. Form patties from approximately 1/3 cup of the mixture.
   
3. Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Fill, but don’t crowd, the pan with patties. Cover the pan and let them cook for 5-8 minutes until the bottoms are browned. Flip and cook the other side for another 5-8 minutes until both sides are nice and brown. Let patties rest on a cooling rack while you finish the next batch. 

Eat warm topped with fresh guacamole or salsa, or dip in sour cream with fresh cilantro.