lunch box: spinach and broccoli croquettes

contents:

spinach and broccoli croquettes
brown rice with cashews and green peas (spiced with curry, turmeric, and a little chili pepper)
cucumber carrot and dill salad (dressing is just vinegar, olive oil, and paprika)
grapes



spinach and broccoli croquettes:

Spinach croquettes were one of those house staple dishes my Dad used to make all the time. I even brought them in my bag lunches for school, although once someone did say it looked like I was "eating lawn sandwich". Being a vegetarian in the 4th grade does not get you as many cool points as you would think. Anyway! The recipe couldn't be easier to make, or cheaper, and they adapt really nicely if you throw in whatever leftover veggies you have lying around from other meals. This is the first time I've used broccoli and it turned out really well, although it made the pancakes more delicate in the frying process. It probably would have helped if I had pre-steamed the broccoli which I did not do.

Basically you want to use one egg to every box of frozen spinach (or other proportional amount of veggie you use). Then add breadcrumbs until you can form patties with your hands. One box of spinach usually makes about 4 burger sized patties. Make sure you drain the spinach after you defrost it or the excess water will make the patties too soggy. I buy the seasoned breadcrumbs, but if you're using unseasoned then you probably want to add some salt, pepper, and oregano into the mix. Fry in oil until slightly brown on both sides. This is the kind of thing you want to avoid flipping more then you need to. You will also want to let them drain on a paper towel covered plate for a bit to avoid being too greasy.