Little Quinoa and Kumara (sweet potato) Cakes

I love a good poached egg.  It's my go-to when I'm out for breakfast.  Why I pay $13 for someone to crack two eggs into a pot of boiling water and put them on a slice of Vogel's when there are far more original options available,  I do not know.  But I do, almost every time, because they are awesome.

These little cakes are a lovely, slightly more interesting, slightly less refined, alternative to toast (and a little bit of a twist on a potato rosti).  The quinoa and hazelnuts add a lovely crunchy texture to these sweet treats.  They are versatile and can be used in place of falafel, feel free to add them to  a salad, a wrap, anything your little heart desires! Please play around with the ingredients (I've added a few alternatives).

Little quinoa and kumara cakes
Makes 16

You’ll need:

½ cup uncooked quinoa (makes about 1 cup cooked)
½ large kumara (about 1.5 cups cooked), peeled and cut into 4cm (approx) cubes 
½ yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup hazelnuts, ground (you can use ground almonds/bread crumbs if you prefer!)
1 egg
¼ cup fresh parsley and chives, finely chopped (feel free to experiment with herbs)
¼ cup grated Parmesan (you could use a Gouda/alternative or omit if preferred)
¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (cumin can be used as an alternative - or omit if you prefer)
1/4 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste

To make:

1. Heat your oven to 180°C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
2. Bring 1 cup of water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Add quinoa and ¼ teaspoon of salt. Stir, reduce heat to medium low, cover with a lid, and cook for 20 minutes until quinoa has absorbed all the water and it’s tender. Set aside to cool.
3. Boil kumara in small pot of salted water until tender, drain, let dry, then mash.
4. Combine kumara, quinoa and remaining ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine.
5. Divide mixture to form 16 small cakes and place evenly on your oven tray.
6. Cook for 30 minutes or until crispy on the outside.
7. Serve with poached egg, or salad/wrap, or however you wish!