Ground Turkey Quinoa Patties with Yogurt-Tahini Sauce

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 lb. lean ground turkey
• 1/4 tsp. ground allspice
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• Generous pinch of hot pepper flakes
• 6 T finely chopped fresh mint
• 3 green onions, sliced and then finely chopped
• 1 tsp. sea salt
• 2 T grapeseed or canola oil
• Lettuce leaves, cucumbers, tomatoes, or pita bread for serving, if desired
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fat free Greek Yogurt
• 2 T water
• Pinch of salt

Directions

1. Set the water over high heat in a small pan with a snug lid and bring it to a boil. Check your quinoa package and rinse the quinoa first if it calls for that. Add the quinoa, lower the burner so it gently simmers, cover the pan, and cook 15 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed. Fluff it with a fork, then give it a few minutes to cool.
2. In a bowl, stir the minced garlic with the tahini, lemon juice, yogurt, water, and salt until it comes together. If your tahini is on the thick side, a mini-processor is a perfectly good shortcut.
3. Put the ground turkey in a food processor fitted with the steel blade, then add the allspice and cumin, the hot pepper flakes, the mint and green onions, and the sea salt. Pulse until everything is evenly worked through, pausing to scrape the bowl if the mixture climbs the sides.
4. Work the quinoa into the turkey mixture in the food processor, adding about 1/3 at a time and processing after each addition. Stop as needed to scrape down the sides and fold the mixture over with a rubber scraper so it combines evenly.
5. Wet your hands and shape the mixture into patties. Set them on aluminum foil so they don’t grab on while you finish forming the batch.
6. Warm 1 T of oil in a large, heavy frying pan, then lay in only as many patties as will fit comfortably. Cook them about 8 minutes per side, until they feel firm and have a light brown crust. Repeat with the remaining patties, using additional oil when the pan needs it.
7. Serve the patties hot with the Yogurt-Tahini Sauce alongside, and set them over lettuce if you like. They’re also right at home tucked into pita bread with cucumbers, lettuce, and tomatoes.