(Inner) Spring Recipes: Quinoa Fritters

Recipe and photo by Le’Nise Brothers.

Originally published in the spring 2021 edition of my indie paper, The Aligned Times.

This is a wonderful recipe for the inner spring of your menstrual cycle. The quinoa supports your rising energy levels and the pomegranate is high in antioxidants that help your liver breakdown the oestrogen that is rapidly rising during this time. Don’t forget the coriander - this herb is a powerhouse for helping your liver balance hormones!

These fritters can be pre-made and kept in the fridge until ready to cook, or batch cooked and frozen!

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cooking Time: 20 - 25 minutes

Total Time: 50 - 55 minutes

Makes 12 fritters

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium onion, finely sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• Sea salt

• 2 tbsp cumin

• 2 tbsp coriander

• 1 medium carrot, grated

• 30g baby spinach, finely chopped

• 3g finely chopped fresh coriander, plus a little extra to garnish

• 2 x 250g bags of precooked quinoa or 500g cooked, then cooled quinoa

• 5 tbsp breadcrumbs

• 2 tbsp plain flour (if using gluten free flour, add an optional pinch of xantham gum)

• 3 medium eggs

• 4 - 5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 200g purple sprouting broccoli

• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds, sprinkled on top

• 5-6 cherry tomatoes, quartered

• 10g feta, crumbled
  

How to make it

1. Set a frying pan on the stove to medium-high heat. Once warm, add 1 tbsp olive oil.

2. Let the oil warm through and then after a minute or so, add the onion and garlic. Add 2 pinches of sea salt and 1 tbsp each coriander and cumin. Stir until everything is covered in the spices and sauté until the onion is soft. Remove from heat and let cool.

3. Put spinach and carrot in a cheesecloth and squeeze liquid out.

4. Place spinach and carrot into a bowl with quinoa, the onion and garlic mixture, 1 tbsp each cumin and coriander, the fresh coriander, 2 pinches of sea salt and stir together.

5. Add the eggs and stir until combined with the rest of the mixture.

6. Stir in the breadcrumbs and flour. Let the mixture sit for about 15 minutes so that the breadcrumbs and flour absorb some of the moisture, which will help the fritters better hold together

7. Form patties from the mixture by hand, packing and pressing them tightly. You should be able to make about 12 medium sized patties. Let them sit for 5 minutes (or refrigerate until you’re ready to cook).

8. Set the pan to medium-high heat, adding 1 tbsp olive oil for each set of fritters. When adding each fritter to the pan, flatten with the back of a spatula, so they cook through evenly. Add 3 - 4 fritters at a time, cooking for 4 -5 minutes per side, or until each side is well browned.

9. If serving with purple sprouting broccoli, sauté in 1 tsp olive oil for 4 - 5 minutes or until slightly crispy.

10. Garnish the fritters with pomegranate seeds, cherry tomatoes and feta. Enjoy!

Le’Nise Brothers is a yoga teacher and Registered Nutritionist specialising in women’s health, hormones and the menstrual cycle. She also hosts award winning podcast, The Period Story, and just published her first book, You Can Have A Better Period: A Practical Guide to Calmer and Less Painful Periods, which is available to order here, and at all good bookshops!

I’m beyond thrilled to have been mentioned in Le’Nise’s book, and had my wording for the inner seasons included.

Find Le’sNise at eatlovemove.com and on Instagram at @eatlovemove.