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Kale Quinoa Cakes with Lemon Dill Yogurt Sauce

By Holly Darnell, RD

January 14, 2023

"Cakes" packed with protein, onions and spices make for a wonderful appetizer. Think salmon cakes, for example. But have you ever tried a vegan cake that's equally tasty and healthy?

You're going to want to make these kale quinoa cakes with the divine lemon dill yogurt sauce. They're easy to make and are delicious, plus they work as a starter for nearly any kind of meal. Because each quinoa cake is sizable and filled with colorful ingredients, they're beautiful on the plate and can be used as part of an ambitious dinner menu.

Nutrient-Packed Quinoa Cakes

These kale quinoa cakes are nutritional superstars, with balanced macronutrients: 14 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of fat and 17 grams of protein per cake.

Clocking in a 348 calories per cake, they can also work as lunch, such as paired with a butternut squash bisque or a meatball soup. You can also use it next to our butternut squash salad.

Each cake also delivers outstanding nutrient values, including 2,759 IU of vitamin A, which is 118 percent Daily Value (DV), and 1 milligram of manganese, which is 58% DV. Each serving also provides 70 percent DV of vitamin B1 (thiamin), 63 percent DV of vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and 67 percent DV of folate.

These nutrients come courtesy of the quinoa cake ingredients, starting with Bone Broth Protein Chicken Soup. It's a nutritional powerhouse with all the benefits of an ancient superfood.

Quinoa is also a nutritional powerhouse in its own right, offering an array of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals in every serving. Actually considered a seed rather than a grain, there are many different types, including white, red and black. This is a plant food that's considered a complete protein, with all 20 amino acids, including the nine essential amino acids that your body doesn’t produce on its own. (Try our quinoa bowl that also features this mighty grain alongside some delicious ingredients.)

Kale, carrots and garlic completes the nutrient picture, each full of vitamins and minerals that support our health.

How to Make Kale Quinoa Cakes

In a medium-sized stockpot, prepare the chicken bone broth. Add two cups of water and place on medium heat; add two scoops of Bone Broth Protein Chicken Soup. Whisk until combined.

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly and place in the saucepan with the bone broth. Heat to high and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, reduce heat and let simmer for 15–20 minutes; fluff with a fork.

The quinoa will absorb the broth. Set aside for 10 minutes to allow it to cool. 

In a large bowl add quinoa, kale, carrots, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, onion powder, nutritional yeast, sea salt and black pepper. Mix until combined.

Preheat the oven to 400.

Make up the cakes. Spoon mixture into a ½ cup measuring cup. Use your hands to push and firm the cakes together. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. 

While the cakes are baking, make the lemon dill yogurt sauce. In a small bowl, add yogurt (coconut yogurt or regular), garlic, dill, sea salt and lemon juice. Mix until combined. If the cakes aren’t forming together, add some olive oil a bit at a time until cakes form.

Serve right away or store the cakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will last for up to four days.

Other Game Day Snacks

• 7 layer bean dip

• Classic hummus

• Vegan queso fundido with butternut squash

• Broccoli slaw

• Egg bites

Recipe developed by Holly Darnell, RD. Holly is a registered dietitian nutritionist who unlocked self-love at the intersection of exceptional food and practical solutions for healthy living. She’s passionate about helping others make simple, positive lifestyle changes on their individual path to healing.