Quinoa Buffalo Bites

Ingredients for Quinoa Buffalo Bites

Quinoa Bites

• 2 cups cooked and cooled quinoa (1 cup of dry quinoa + 2 cups of water. Bring to boil, reduce to low and cover x 15 min or until tender and liquid absorbs).

• 1 can (15 oz) of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

• pinch of salt and pepper

• olive oil or nonstick cooking spray for cooking the bites

Buffalo Sauce

• 1/4 cup hot sauce ( I used Tapatio hot picante, but you can use a milder version)

• 2 Tbsp butter, melted

• 2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Blue Cheese Dip

• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt ( I used one 5.3 oz single serve container)

• 1/4 cup milk (recipe called for buttermilk, but I used whole milk)

• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

• 1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon fresh mint, finely chopped

• 1 teaspoon za'atar

• pinch of pepper and salt

• 1 -2 oz of blue cheese, crumbled

Directions for Quinoa Buffalo Bites

1. Make the buffalo sauce. In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, olive oil, hot sauce, and pinch of salt. Whisk to combine.

2. Make the quinoa bites. Place rinsed and drained chickpeas into a food prep. Pulse until smooth. Transfer into a large bowl. Add cooled quinoa, bread crumbs, pinch of salt, and 5 tablespoons of buffalo sauce. Using a spatula, mix until combined. Place in the refrigerator for 30-60 minutes to chill/firm.

3. Make the blue cheese dip. Combine yogurt, milk, lemon juice, herbs, pepper and salt. Whisk until smooth. Stir in 1 oz of crumbled blue cheese. Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

4. Once the quinoa bites are chilled, use a 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop to form the ball bites. Arrange on a tray until ready to cook.

5. In a large skillet, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil or spray with nonstick cooking oil. Heat over medium-low heat. Add 6-8 ball bites at a time to not overcrowd the skillet. Cook until golden brown and crispy on all sides. Gently dip the bites into the remaining buffalo sauce to coat all sides. Arrange on a plate of salad greens, sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese and serve with blue cheese dip.