croquette as i go

Hey! YOU! Yes, you!... you're incredible :). I cannot thank each of you enough for all of your kind comments on yesterday's post. You sure know how to make a girl feel loved! 

Now, let's travel back to my home kitchen. I spent last Thursday afternoon preparing my tapas for the Bloggie Potluck at Leslie's apartment later that night; I was immediately inspired by Veganomicon's Broccoli-Millet Croquettes, and so I got to work chopping, mixing, cooking, and baking, while also passing the time with a lunch bowl of random vegetable and hummus goodness.

The original Veganomicon recipe calls for 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 cloves  garlic, 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, several pinches of freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth,

4 cups of broccoli, tops and stalks, chopped very finely into pea-size or smaller pieces,

and 1 cup of millet (of which I replaced with quinoa). The ingredient list was simple enough.

The procedure, however, was quite tiresome with nearly 2 hours of cooking time. So, I changed it all together, beginning with substituting quinoa for the millet. It didn't take me any less time but the results were pretty and yummy :) and here it is:

Danielle's Broccoli & Quinoa Bites (or Croquettes)

1. Rinse the quinoa and cook it alone, for at least 15 minutes, with one cup of vegetable broth and one cup of water. Make sure to first bring it to a boil before letting it simmer.
2. Leaving the quinoa on the stove, chop up about four stalks of broccoli into tiny pieces. 
3. Turn off the quinoa pot and place another large pot on the stove. Withn it, sauté the minced garlic in olive oil for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the spices, mix, and then add the pre-cooked quinoa. Stir it consistently and allow it to toast for about 3 minutes.
5. Now add the remaining one and a half cups of vegetable broth, cover, and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is boiling, lower to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes.
6. Mix in the chopped broccoli, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes. Next, uncover, and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring often.
7. Turn off the heat but leave the pot covered on the stove to cook for another 10-15 minutes. After this time all of the liquid should be absorbed, making the quinoa mushy. If it is not, leave longer; "You are looking for a polenta-like consistency."
8. Transfer to a mixing bowl and let cool on the counter for about 10 minutes before placing it in the fridge for at least 45 minutes.
9. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees and spray two baking trays with a small amount of oil while you wait.
10. Following the cooling period, tightly mold the quinoa into small balls, brush each with olive oil, and place on the baking trays and into the oven.
11. Allow to bake for about 30 minutes, making sure to check every 4-5 minutes following the 20 minute mark to see if they are ready. They will be golden brown with a crispy exterior and soft inside when fully-cooked.

13. Serve immediately and enjoy alongside: Katie’s peanut hummus from Eat, Drink, and Be Vegan paired with Mary's Crackers, Leslie's coconut sweet potato dip and white bean pesto surrounded by asparagus and roasted peppers, Jenny’s savory spinach balls, Sofia's lentil & roasted tomato bruschetta from Spices of Life, and one to two to three glasses of red (or white) wine.14 . And finally, end your feast with a dessert of Megan's chocolate peanut butter cups.

Okay, so maybe the last two steps aren't exactly mandatory, but they are highly suggested! I had such a wonderful time getting to know the five other NYC bloggettes over health-foodie-approved dishes and the necessary end-of-the-week wine. Much love to Leslie for hosting it and to all the other attendees for making it such a satisfying success in every which way :).

Q: What's the last recipe that you adventurously made your own?