Quinoa Latkes

Buzzfeed recently had a post with quinoa breakfast recipes (check it out here). As a big fan of quinoa for breakfast I was excited to check out some new ways to enjoy the grain for the most important meal of the day. I modified this recipe to make it vegan-friendly because I loved how it reminded me of Hanukkah latkes. And also because we got the world's largest bag of potatoes from Costco and need to keep finding ways to use them. I've been enjoying these with cilantro-garlic tofu from this recipe but these latkes are definitely hearty enough to be a meal on their own.

Quinoa Latkes (makes 12 latkes, serves 4)

1/2 cup dry quinoa
4 medium red potatoes or 1 large russet potato
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/3 cup applesauce, plus more for serving
Canola oil

Cook the quinoa according to package directions. When the quinoa is about halfway cooked, start preparing the rest of the ingredients. Wash and peel the potato(es) and grate finely. I used the food processor for this but be prepared to put in some arm work if you don't own one. Once the potatoes are grated, grab a handful at a time and squeeze out the excess water.

Pour enough canola oil in a large pan to coat the bottom and turn the heat on medium. In a large bowl combine the cooked quinoa, grated potatoes, and the rest of the ingredients with your hands.

Take a small handful of the mixture and press it into a patty. Cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until golden brown, and repeat until you have made all the latkes.

These are on their way to being golden brown. That picture was a failure :/

Drain the latkes on paper towels and serve with applesauce, sour cream, hot sauce, or however you like your latkes.