I am officially in Montana! We moved this past weekend, made the long and snowy drive and I am finally getting settled in. I am making my way room by room and unpacking boxes – it’s such a relief to be done with the bulk of the move…the unpacking and organizing is much more enjoyable 🙂 Colorful bins make it more fun too, don’t you think?

make-shift pantry in our laundry room 

I finally have internet, my kitchen is mostly unpacked and I have place to set up my computer – I am a happy girl. Next up is to find a good spot for my blog/food photo shoots! I have my eye on a well-lit area in our office and I’m looking forward to making new recipes to test my new location.

The biggest challenge is the new kitchen – it’s small and old, doesn’t have a dishwasher or a disposal, no pantry, the cabinets are tiny and there is no countertop space besides the small spot that my handy dandy toaster oven takes up. I am now using our armoire for all my baking and kitchen gadget needs…

This is not me complaining though, I am merely stating the facts that I am having to get used to a new setup. After all, change is good for me; I am learning to be more flexible and creative, plus I am fine-tuning my organization skills!

I have yet to make a real meal or dish in my new kitchen, but I have several recipes I’ve been holding onto to give me a little time to get up and running – first up is a quick and easy patty/cake made with nutrient-rich cooked amaranth!

I made this savory amaranth patty-cake for breakfast one morning when I was craving something cheesy, meat-free and filling – this hit the spot! The topping is light and fresh with diced tomato and basil to help cut through the richness of the melty cheese. I tried to keep it simple to allow the ingredients to speak for themselves. Feel free to use your favorite type of cheese that melts well, this helps keep the “cake” together –  (feta or goat cheese wouldn’t work well since it doesn’t melt).

You don’t have to reserve this dish for breakfast – serve these cheesy cakes as a light lunch, side dish or a vegetarian main dish accompanied by a fresh garden salad.

Easy, Cheesy Savory Amaranth “Patty/Cakes”

Ingredients

4 cups cooked amaranth, couscous style and chilled* (I bet you could sub brown rice couscous or cooked quinoa or millet)
4 oz cheese, shredded & divided (I used part-skim mozzarella but use your favorite here, can sub Daiya for vegan)
1 tomato, diced
2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil (your favorite fresh herb could be subbed for a different flavor variation)
drizzle of olive oil
freshly ground pepper
salt to taste

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine diced tomato, a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper and set aside. In a medium bowl, mix cooked amaranth and 3/4 of the shredded cheese. Season with ground pepper to taste.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat (I didn’t grease the pan but you could heat a teaspoon of ghee/butter/oil if desired). Divide mixture into four and pack tightly into individual patties. I divided the mixture and packed/pressed into four biscuit cutters to help form a circle shape and keep the mixture together while the cheese melts on the first side of cooking.

3. Carefully, add the patties to the heated pan and let cook for 3-4 minutes until cheese starts to melt and patty starts to brown lightly. Carefully flip patties and let cook for another 2 minutes. Divide remaining cheese amongst the tops of the cakes, cover and let cook for another 1-2 minutes until cheese on top is melted and the bottom is golden brown and starts the create a crisp crust.

4. Add patties to serving plates, top with tomato mixture  and fresh basil and enjoy!

Makes 4 patties/cakes (could be halved if needed)

*For a texture similar to couscous, I cooked the amaranth with a 2:1 ratio of liquid to uncooked amaranth grain. For instance, every 1 cup of grain would require 2 cups of water or broth to cook. For a porridge or creamy polenta texture, the ratio of liquid to grain is 3:1, try my tomato-sauce eggs over amaranth grits.

Click here for my post on amaranth, more information and why you should try this gluten free grain/seed.