Tuesday, June 10, 2014

Sweet Potato Quinoa Cakes with Avocado Lime Dressing

I found this recipe on a blog called Mind Body Green, and it was fantastic! The Avocado lime dressing is what drew me to this recipe, and both the dressing and the cakes tasted really good, and went together perfectly. I have had trouble keeping quinoa cakes to hold together in the past, but these ones held together much better, due to the mashed sweet potatoes acting as a good binding agent.    I decreased the amount of crushed red pepper from the original recipe, and there was just enough heat for me. If you like more kick, add more crushed red pepper. I will say that the "dressing" is really more of a whipped "topping" because it is pretty thick, but if you used less avocado or increased the amount of tahini and lime juice, it would be thinner. We had these along with a mixed raw vegetable green salad for a complete balanced meal. Definitely a keeper!

Sweet  Potato Quinoa Cakes


Ingredients

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes, baked and skinned
2 cups organic quinoa, cooked
2 green onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/4 cup olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Place sweet potatoes in in large mixing bowl and mash with fork or potato masher. Add remaining ingredients, except for olive oil, and mix until evenly combined.

3. Using hands, shape mixture into patties and place on prepared baking sheet. Brush tops of cakes with olive oil. Bake for 12 minutes, or until cooked through.

4. Remove from pan and top with avocado lime dressing (below).



Avocado Lime Dressing


Ingredients

1 avocado, peeled and pitted
1 Tbsp tahini
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp fresh organic cilantro, chopped
Juice of 1/2 of a lime

Directions

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and pulse until smooth.

(Recipes adapted from www.mindbodygreen.com)

What are the nutritional benefits of this meal? Sweet potatoes are very high in vitamin A (one cup provides over 400% of the daily value!) and are a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese. Quinoa is a whole grain and is a complete protein, meaning it contains all 9 essential amino acids. Quinoa is also a great source if fiber, iron, lysine, magnesium, riboflavin and manganese. Green onions are rich in vitamins A, C and K. Garlic contains flavonoids (a type of antioxidant), and is a great source of vitamins C and B6, and the mineral manganese. Olive oil contains monounsaturated fatty acids, which have been shown to help lower bad cholesterol (LDL), raise good cholesterol (HDL), and aid in blood sugar control. Avocados are rich in monounsaturated fats that have been shown to boost HDL (good cholesterol), and are an excellent source of vitamins C,E and carotenoids lycopene and beta carotene, as well as the minerals selenium and zinc. Tahini, made from sesame seeds, is a good source of protein, and provides some calcium and B vitamins. Cilantro is a very good source of vitamins A, C and K. Lime juice is packed with vitamin C.


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