Pecan & Goat Cheese Patties

These vegetarian cakes are SO tasty, and you can use them in so many different ways, from appetizer, to lunch, in between burger buns, for dinner, snack... Just the size that you make them in, differs.
I made a refreshing salad with three small cakes for a lunch, and absolutely loved it!

• 3/4 cup barley rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
  
• 1/2 cup toasted pecans,
  
• 3 oz/85 g goat cheese
• 1 large egg white
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Cook the barley rise according to directions, until done. Let it rest about 10 min.
2. Meanwhile, heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions; cook, stirring often, until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add carrots, reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring often, until softened and the onions are lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C
4. Transfer the cooked vegetables and rice to a large food processor. Add pecans, goat cheese, egg white, thyme, salt and pepper. Pulse until well blended but still a little coarse. Scrape into a large bowl. With wet hands, form the mixture into  patties
5. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until well browned, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a baking sheet and bake until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the middle registers at least 160°F, 10 to 15 minutes.

Original recipe from Eating Well

Instead of food processor I used a stick mixer, and that worked well.

These patties were a huge hit, so tasty, and all the ingredients worked just perfectly as is. But if you want to substitute the barley rice to a brown rice, that would work as well, or shallots to red onion.

Hope you enjoy!
~ Cheers!

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