Baby Quinoa Cakes and Almond Crust Quiche ala Pereg

Standing in three feet of water on Saturday had me pondering apocalypse. Here in New Orleans, inexplicably, several pumps were out of order and then a cloud parked over the city and brought us 8 inches of rain in two hours. Maybe Randy Newman was right, “they try’n to wash us away, Louisiana.” Yeah, this was Saturday.

It’s times like these that I think about what kind of pioneerish/apocalypse-proof meals I can cook up for proper nourishment. For the last week, I’ve really been digging Pereg Foods. I received a box full of goodies (thank you!), a bouquet of flours amid baby quinoa and whole grain teff.

Here’s what I’ve conjured up so far from the ingredients.

Baby Quinoa Cakes with Cheddar and Squash

Adapted from Cooking Light

1 cup shredded yellow squash

1/3 cup whole-wheat panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/3 cup grated yellow onion

3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 garlic cloves, grated

1 teaspoon grated lemon rind

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

3 ounces white cheddar cheese, grated (about 3/4 cup)

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

16 oz precooked plain quinoa

1-2 jalapenos (red or green), diced

3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divide

2 TB avocado oil garlic mayonnaise

2 TB plain greek yogurt

¼ tsp smoked paprika

divided 6 cups fresh baby spinach or watercress

Combine everything but spinach in a large bowl, except the olive oil. (OK, I put a few spinach leaves in the patties themselves.) Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Divide and shape mixture into 8 (1-inch-thick) patties (about 1/2 cup each).

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Add patties to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until browned and crisp. Remove from heat. Serve over baby spinach. These are so delicious– I ate them for breakfast lunch and dinner for two days.

Then here’s a little number that’s 100% Gluten Free.

Spinach and Cheese Quiche with Almond Crust

Adapted from Pereg Natural Foods

2 cups Pereg Natural Almond Flour

½ teaspoon Pereg Kosher Salt

2 tablespoons melted olive oil, more for greasing pan

1 large egg, whisked

1 tablespoon fresh rosemary

For quiche:

1 medium shallot, diced

1 cup fresh spinach

1 tablespoon olive oil

6 large eggs

1 cup milk

½ teaspoon Pere Kosher Salt

¼ teaspoon Pereg Red Pepper flakes

½ cup Vermont white cheddar cheese, crumbled, with just a sprinkle of parmegiano regianno

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9-inch pie pan and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine almond flour and salt. Then add in remaining ingredients and mix into a shaggy ball.

Press the dough into the bottom and sides of the 9-inch pie pan.

Bake for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

Meanwhile, make the filling. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and heat olive oil. Add shallots and sauté for 5-7 minutes until translucent. Then add spinach and sauté just until slightly wilted, about 30 seconds. Transfer to a plate to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, salt and red pepper flakes. Stir in the cooled spinach mixture and goat cheese.

Pour the mixture in the crust and bake for 35 minutes or until the quiche is firm and just barely jiggles. Serve warm or at room temperature.

I can’t wait to experiment with all the rest of the goodies. Neither can Izzy.