Still recovering from our trip to Vegas, I’ll be the first to admit that this Monday was far worse than any other Monday.

Thank goodness these zesty quinoa and veggies patties did just the trick to comfort the soul and lift our weary selves out of the current slump.

Honestly, these patties are heaven; with or without a side of meat, I could eat these everyday. The yogurt and herb sauce is a great addition to both the patty and fish, so you might as well make it all for a complete meal and call it day.

The bright lemon and oregano flavor in the sauce bring out all of the best qualities in the Zucchini Quinoa Patties.

Try your hand at these great meat-less wonders:

First, Chop.

Slice, and dice.

Saute the garlic, shallot, mushroom, green onions, salt and pepper; set aside while you mix the rest of the ingredients together, in a large bowl. Combine them both. Using your hands is easiest.

Form patties in batches of four and sear on each side until dark and crispy, about 4-6 minutes per side. Be extremely careful when flipping them, they can break easily.

Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet while cooking the rest; then pop them in the oven at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes, until cooked through.

Prep the Herbed Yogurt Sauce and drizzle over the patties and any other entree accompaniment.

.

Zucchini Quinoa Patties with Herbed Yogurt Sauce

Makes about 10 patties

Ingredients:

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup green onions, chopped

1/4 cup shallot, finely chopped

1 3/4 cup crimini mushrooms, finely chopped

1 Tbsp lemon zest

2 cup zucchini, shredded

2 cups cooked quinoa

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, freshly grated

1 tsp lemon juice

3/4 cup breadcrumbs

1/4 cup panko crumbs (or breadcrumbs)

1/4 tsp,  plus another 1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 egg

2 tsp grapeseed oil, plus more for pan frying

Directions:

Shred zucchini and place in a colander. Sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of salt and toss. Let sit over a large bowl or the sink to drain, as the liquid is drawn out of the zucchini.

Heat 2 tsps of grapseed oil in a medium skillet and add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute and add the shallots, mushrooms, green onions, salt and pepper and cook for about 5-6 minutes, on medium-high heat, until veggies are soft and have some color to them. Remove from heat and let it cool down slightly before adding to the other ingredients. Be sure to drain the excess liquid from the sauteed veggies.

Meanwhile, mix the breadcrumbs, panko crumbs, parmesan cheese, 1/4 tsp salt, pepper, lemon zest. Then add the lemon juice, quinoa, mushroom and shallot mixture, egg and the shredded zucchini (give it a final few squeezes before adding to the mixture). Using a spoon, or your hands, mix this all together and form into patties by balling up about 3-4 Tablespoons and then carefully pressing each ball into a 1-inch thick patty. Form the patties in batches of four and cook in a large skillet, with about 1 1/2 tsp of grapeseed oil. When the oil is hot, carefully place the patty in the skillet and cook over high heat for about 5 minutes on each side, until crispy and darker in color. Remember to add more oil for the next batch, if there isn’t enough remaining in the pan.

On a parchment paper-covered baking sheet, place the skillet-seared patties; when they are all done in the skillet, bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 13-15 minutes, turning them over once, about halfway through.

Serve alongside your favorite fish, chicken, tofu or sauteed veggies and enjoy!

Herbed Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp olive oil

3/4 cup plain nonfat Greek yogurt

1/2 of a lemon, juiced

1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

Directions: Combine ingredients and either whisk really well or use the immersion blender, pulsing for several seconds. Cover and let sit in the fridge until it is ready to be used.

From the Little Yellow Kitchen,

Chrissy