Zucchini Quinoa Squash Patties

Becca here with another great quinoa recipe, this time as a great source of protein in these fairly traditional squash patties.  My whole family thought these were a big hit, and it would be hard to find a tastier or healthier summer dinner!  Don't let the cottage cheese scare you, it's there for protein, calcium, and moisture, to help the patties bind together; my husband could literally hardly even believe it was there when I was telling him all the ingredients as we were eating.  I was inspired by this recipe from Trader Joe's I stumbled across when I was checking their website (again) to see if they're coming to an area near me.  They're not, but the recipe there got me thinking, and this was the result.  This will definitely be my 'go to' squash patties recipe from now on!  This makes a very large batch, since I wanted to have enough for a second meal, so feel free to cut it into half.  I will say that they reheated wonderfully in just a couple of minutes in a hot skillet, and also worked great to pack in my husband's lunch, so I'd go for the whole recipe :)  Enjoy!  Becca

Zucchini Quinoa Squash Patties

3 1/2 cups cooked quinoa (I cook extra and freeze or refrigerate it for later so I have it ready to go for times like this)

1/4 cup shredded Asiago or 'real' Parmesan Cheese

3 cups cottage cheese (1 large container)

3 1/2 cups grated zucchini

8 large eggs

1/4 cup chopped green onions

2 cups panko bread crumbs

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt (I use "Real Salt")

2 teaspoons black pepper

olive oil or butter for the griddle

Preheat griddle to 350, or heat skillet over medium-high heat.  In a large bowl, stir together all ingredients:  cooked quinoa, cheese, cottage cheese, zucchini, eggs, green onions, panko bread crumbs, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Stir until all ingredients are thorougly mixed and combined.  The mixture will still be a bit sticky and moist, this is fine!

Use a 1/4 cup dry measuring cup to scoop into the mixture for the patties, making sure that it is tightly packed.  Pour this out into your hand and pat into a flat shape, keeping it tightly packed.  Place onto the preheated hot grill, using a bit of butter or olive oil to ensure they don't stick.  Cook approximately 2-4 minutes per side, or until you can easily slide the spatula under the squash patties to flip them over.  If they begin to come apart, or don't want to flip easily, just like cooking a pancake, WAIT another minute or so before turning.  They should be able to hold their own before flipping them over.  Cook another few minutes on the other side, serve, and enjoy!