I'm not sure really who knows this yet or not, but I sort of have a giant fear of eating fish. I know, I know! It's a problem that I've been dealing with my entire life. I wish that I could bring myself to eat seafood at all. So far though, I haven't found success with it. What I tend to do instead, is make an otherwise fish-related recipe into something vegetarian.

I've always been curious about 'fish cakes', since they look like they could be mighty light and tasty if done right. In the past, I've made Chickpea & Quinoa Cakes, which turned out really good. But, today I wanted to try something a little different; adding in a kick of spice and bright bold Mexican-style flavors.

I started off with the base of my quinoa cakes from before, but left out the chickpeas. Instead, I bolstered the quinoa up with more veggies, chipotle, and a whole lot of seasoning; using eggs as a binder this time around too.

In my latest Degustabox, I got this amazing Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayonnaise and I knew instantly where it belonged; on top of these Chipotle & Spinach Quinoa Cakes. Let me just tell you, this mayo is where it's at! It's loaded with chipotle flavor, tingling with a little spice and smoky flavor without burning your tastebuds off, which is one of the main reasons that I love chipotle peppers so much.

I served my cakes over some asparagus with a lime wedge, a dollop of that Sir Kensington's Chipotle Mayonnaise, and a sprinkle of southwest seasoning. Yum! I had intended to add some pico over the top too, but somehow managed to forget it entirely. Whoops! Oh well.

By the way, right now you can get 50% off your first Degustabox! Enjoy 10-15 FULL-SIZE tasty goodies delivered straight to your door for just $9.99! Shipping is free!

Chipotle & Spinach Quinoa Cakes
TheSkinnyFork.com

The Skinny:
Servings: 6 • Size: 1 Cake/Patty • Calories: 151.7 • Fat: 5.6 g • Carb: 18 g • Fiber: 2.9 g • Protein: 6.9 g • Sugar: 1.6 g • Sodium: 245.1 mg

Ingredients:
1/2 C. Onion, Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves, Minced
5 Oz. Baby Spinach
1 1/4 C. Cooked Quinoa
1/2 C. Whole Wheat Breadcrumbs
1 Whole Large Egg + 1 Egg White
2 Oz. Reduced Fat Queso Fresco/Cojita/Feta
2 Tbsp. Chipotle in Adobo, Chopped
1 Lime, Juiced & Zested
1 Tbsp. Salt-Free South West Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper To Taste

Directions:
Lightly coat the inside of a large skillet with non-stick cooking spray and warm over a medium heat.

Add the 1/2 C. onion and 2 garlic cloves to the skillet and sauté until the onions are translucent and softened.

Once the onions are nearly done, add the 5 oz. baby spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a medium-size bowl, and add the 1 1/4 C. cooked quinoa, 1/2 C. bread crumbs, 2 eggs, 2 Oz. cheese, 2 Tbsp, chipotle, lime juice and zest, 1 Tbsp. seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste; mix well.

Finally, add in the cooked quinoa and stir to combine.

Let the mixture sit for a few minutes to allow the bread crumbs to absorb some of the moisture.