Pumpkin & Pomegranate

Sometimes mishaps in the kitchen turn out to be delicious creations. Last weekend I had grand plans for Cajun quinoa burgers. Unfortunately for me at the time they turned out more like pancakes than burgers, but they still tasted fantastic. We just doubled them up and carefully transported them to our respective buns and plates. Well, last night I decided to eat my leftover pancakes as wraps, and the crumbled in my hands. No biggie since they were wrap filling. But then I discovered that I had stumbled upon a wonderful “Po-Boy” filling. I suppose no respectable Louisiana native would ever call these healthy wraps “Po-Boys”, but no matter. In the future I will have a Cajun burger recipe that is similar to this, but I had to get this recipe for Po-Boy filling out there as I am kinda sure that I will be making these mistakes “as-is” in the future.

I wrapped the filling up with raw collard green leaves, and used some unsweetened ketchup, Dijon mustard, and an asparagus spear. Delicious!

Quinoa Po-Boy Filling

Ingredients:

• 1 Can (15 oz.) Black Eyes Peas, drained
• 1 tsp. Smoked Sea Salt (I used Alderwood)
• 3 Cloves Garlic
• 3 T. Olive Oil
• 1 tsp. Paprika
• 2 tsp. Parsley
• 1/8 tsp. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Onion Powder
• 1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
• 1 tsp. Black Pepper
• 2.5 C. Cooked Quinoa
• 2 T. Green Onion, sliced
• 1/2 Red Bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 Green Bell pepper, diced
• 1 Large Stalk Celery, diced

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 375° F.
2. In a food processor, combine the black eyed peas, salt, garlic, olive oil, and spiced and process to combine. Taste and re-season if necessary.
3. Scrape out the bean mixture into a bowl and add the quinoa, green onion, bell pepper, and celery. Mix to thoroughly combine.
4. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and spread the mixture to cover.
5. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking. Should be lightly browned and a bit crispy.