Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups quinoa
• 1.5 cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup olive oil
• 1 medium onion chopped finely
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 cups fresh spinach or 1 pkg frozen thawed and drained
• 3 eggs
• ¼ cup grated parmesan
• 2 TBSP all purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking pwd
• ¼ tsp grated lemon rind
• 1 TBSP toasted sesame seeds, pine nuts or almonds

Lemon Yogurt Sauce:

• 1.5 cup Balkan style plain yogurt
• ½ cup chopped green onion
• 1 TBSP lemon juice
• 1 tsp dill
• salt & pepper to taste

Preparation:

1. Rinse quinoa  well with cold water with a fine sieve.  Place in a sauce pan with veggie broth, bring to a boil, reduce to simmer and cook covered for 15 minutes – liquid should be absorbed at this point.  Place in a large bowl, fluff with fork and let cool.
2. Heat 1 TBS oil in skillet, fry onion, garlic and season with salt & pepper, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.  Add spinach, cook stirring until wilted and no liquid remains.  Let cool and then coarsely chop.
3. Mix yogurt, lemon, salt & pepper, dill & onion in a bowl, whisk and set aside in fridge.
4. Whisk together eggs, cheese, flour, baking powder,  toasted nuts or seeds and lemon rind. Fold into quinoa and add in onion & spinach mixture. Mix well.
5. With wet hands form into patties and place on waxed paper lined tray and cool in fridge for 1 hour.
6. In a non-stick skillet heat remaining oil as needed and sauté patties over medium high heat turning once until golden on both sides ~ 8 minutes in total.
7. Keep warm in oven set on low. Serve drizzled with yogurt sauce or with sauce on the side.