We are crazy for cakes in this house. Not the sweet, dessert kind, but the savory, stuffed full of veggies kind. As I dabble in naturally gluten-free grains and experiment with the generous box sent to me by the lovely folks at Bob’s Red Mill, I keep thinking of cakes. I really did plan to make the buckwheat salad recipes on the back of the buckwheat groats bag, but I wandered off and let them cook too long.
The groats were more more like oatmeal than individual grains for a salad and I remembered Amy Green used buckwheat for a griddled breakfast cake in her new cookbook. If she could serve them for breakfast in cake form, surely I could add some veggies, herbs and spices and serve up cake for lunch or a side dish at dinner.
I’m still quite proud of GFree Mom Nicola’s adoption post where she tried my risotto cakes and my salmon cakes and her description of my recipes:
“The thing that I love about Wendy’s recipes are that her meals always look so tasty, while being totally no-nonsense, family friendly and not terrifying to contemplate cooking. As I have discovered this week, Wendy is also the queen of hiding vegetables in her yummy kid-friendly food.”
“Not terrifying to contemplate cooking,” is the highest praise and the hiding vegetables thing is purely accidental. I never had to ‘hide’ veggies from my kids. We just love them and try to put them in everything. So here’s how I got 2 cups of spinach, a large carrot, some shallots and parsley and red pepper into a buckwheat cake:
Gluten-Free Buckwheat Vegetable Cakes
- 1 cup cooked buckwheat groats
- 2 cups finely chopped fresh spinach
- 1 large carrot, finely grated
- 2 shallots, minced
- 1/4 parsley, finely chopped
- 1/4 red pepper finely diced
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup sweet rice flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 1/2 cup shredded pepper jack cheese
- 2-4 tablespoons olive oil
Saute the vegetables in a little olive oil until they are softened, about 4-5 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine with the buckwheat and then add the egg and cheese. Use the the flour and the paprika to coat 1/4 cup size scoops of the veggie grain mixture. Form into patties and fry in 2-3 tablespoons of oil. (You may omit the cheese for a dairy free version, but the cakes won’t get the nice golden brown you see in the photo. They’re still pretty tasty and even better with a pinch of chipotle pepper added.)
Serve with a dollop of greek yogurt and some chopped scallions for lunch or as a side with grilled chicken. Makes about 8-10 cakes.
Try my other savory cakes:
- Risotto Cakes
- Potato Cakes and Kale and Potato Cakes
- Fish Cakes
- Grain-Free Salmon Cakes
- Corned Beef Hash Cakes
I’m linking up to the Gluten-Free Homemaker’s Gluten-Free Wednesdays where you’ll find lots of great gluten-free recipes each week. I’m also sharing this recipe for Real Food Weekly at The W.H.O.L.E. Gang.
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I just stopped by your blog and thought I would say hello. I like your site design. Looking forward to reading more down the road.
Thanks for stopping by and saying hello.
Great way to use that buckwheat, Wendy! I think I would like zucchini in these, when they’re in season. What a great quote. I would be proud of that adoption too. Have a great time at the Expo!
Thanks, Linda. Oh, yes, zucchini would be great. It would work in the salad, too, if I can keep myself on task and keep an eye on the buckwheat.
That Nicola does have a way with words.
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If you are saying that all of your kids love vegetables, I am officially jealous.
My oldest (of 3) still, at 9 years old, does not like but one vegetable (spinach – which is great, but if I see another leaf of spinach I’m going to scream). *sigh*
Warm regards,
Nicole
I have to say my kids are and have always been vegetable eaters. I also confess that I and my two brothers were big vegetable fans throughout childhood. I don’t know if it’s genetic or the fact that we come from a long line of vegetable-loving mothers who know how to respect and cook veggies that taste good. I hear so many moms who are frustrated by their veggie hating offspring and I feel so relieved that with all the other issues we are dealing with, at least that’s not one. My mom did lots of veggie/fish cakes and patties and of course broccoli and cauliflower with cheese sauce, she never used canned veggies and we never had mushy lifeless vegetables.