Sweet Potato Quinoa Fritters with Black Bean Salsa

Sweet Potato Fritters with Black Bean Salsa

Oh, heeeeyyyy. It’s Freeeday. I mean, Friday.

This week has been a little crazy for me. There’s the usual craziness, you know, but on top of that Brandon and I started to consider moving. Yes, I have officially lost my mind. But the idea is actually to help my sanity.

The place that we currently rent is 22 miles (one way) from my job and even though it’s almost entirely highway, I manage to get stuck in some pretty nasty traffic on a regular basis. For example, it took me 2 hours to get home from work the Monday before Christmas. 2 hours for 22 miles. I cried. Real tears. I screamed a few times too. Mainly because I missed my workout class and I really needed that workout. For my sanity.

Brandon’s work, however, is oh, gee, I don’t know, 3 miles away from home. In the opposite direction of traffic. In other words, I could run to his work faster than I can drive to mine.

You pickin’ up what I’m puttin’ down?

Sweet Potato Fritters with Black Bean Salsa

Long story short, our current landlord has agreed to let us move out with a 30 day notice {music to my ears} but as we started looking for places earlier this week, thoughts of physically moving, changing our address, and all of the fun that comes with it, started to make me hyperventilate.

As much as I want it, that on top of planning a wedding and everything else is just WAY to overwhelming. So we’ve decided to pull the plug on moving until after we become husband and wife. Husband…hehe. I can’t wait to start officially saying that. The word fiancé just feels weird. Is that weird?

Anyway, as much as I despise my commute, I felt relieved by the decision. It opens up more space in my brain for things like quinoa fritters.

Sweet Potato Fritters with Black Bean Salsa

And images of garden roses and light pink peonies. But I’m trying to push those aside for a minute so that I can think of a few easy wholesome meals. Oh, and affordable ones too. So I can buy more peonies. :)

I personally find the best way to keep the cost of healthy vegetarian meals in check is to make large portions so that there are plenty of leftovers for dinner or lunches during the week. This recipe makes 12 decent size fritters for a total of 6 servings and most of the ingredients are both affordable and awesomely nutritious. If you’re eating for one, you can always half the recipe.

They’re lightly seasoned with cilantro, fresh lime juice, and a little ground cumin then served on a bed of warm black beans and slightly spicy salsa. It’s like a party in your mouth! One that you’ll want to have again and again…with pink peonies.

Sweet Potato Fritters with Black Bean Salsa

Sweet Potato Quinoa Fritters with Black Bean Salsa

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Yield: 6

Serving Size: 2 fritters

Sweet Potato Quinoa Fritters with Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients

1 cup dry quinoa, rinsed (about 3 cups cooked)

1 large sweet potato (about 2 cups cooked)

1 cup whole wheat panko breadcrumbs (or gluten-free breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

6 green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

salt & pepper (about 1/4 teaspoon each)

juice of one lime

2 whole eggs beaten (vegan option: sub 2 tablespoons ground flax + 6 tablespoons water)

32 ounces salsa

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

2 tablespoons olive oil

Instructions

  1. Add the soaked and rinsed quinoa to a medium size saucepan along with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil (keep an eye on it or it will boil over and make a mess!), turn heat to low and cover with a lid. Allow to cook for 15-20 minutes, fluffing with a fork half way through, then set aside in a large bowl.
  2. Meanwhile, cook the sweet potato by microwaving it on a paper towel for 8 minutes (time may vary depending on size). Allow to cool for at least five minutes, then scrape the flesh (about 2 cups) out into the same large bowl with the quinoa.
  3. Rinse out the saucepan from the quinoa and then use it to heat the black beans and salsa by pouring them all together and then allowing it to simmer on the low setting while you prepare the fritters.
  4. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl with the quinoa and sweet potato then stir until well-combined. Taking about 1/4 cup of the mixture at a time, form small patties with your hands and set aside on a large plate or baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  5. Once all of the patties are formed (12 total), warm the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Cook each fritter for about 5 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown and firm.
  6. Serve cooked fritters on a bed of the black bean salsa and enjoy!

Notes

*I prefer to soak the quinoa overnight with a few tablespoons of apple cider vinegar so that it sprouts which makes it easier to digest. If you skip this step then you will need more water to cook the quinoa.

https://www.makingthymeforhealth.com/sweet-potato-quinoa-fritters-with-black-bean-salsa/

Sweet Potato Fritters with Black Bean Salsa