Spiced Lentil Risotto Cakes with Mango

What's more perfect than a healthy alternative to a not-so-healthy mouth-watering dish? One that actually tastes good! This take on the, often fattening, risotto cake is a healthy alternative using whole-some ingredients and is loaded with protein! Since my roommate and I have been living a clean-eating lifestyle and working out hard, we often need to keep our dishes interesting to keep our bodies (and cravings) sane and healthy! Pair alongside a leafy green salad, and your tummies will thank you later---enjoy!

Ingredients: makes 4 medium cakes

Lentil Cakes:
1/4 C. white onion, finely chopped
1 bunch (about 1-2 pieces) scallions, finely chopped (or leeks for milder taste)
1/2 C. Vegetable Stock
1/4 C. green zucchini, grated
1/4 C. Organic Lentils or Arborio Rice
1/2 tsp. fresh basil, chopped
coconut oil spray

For the Filling:
1/4 C. fat-free cottage cheese
1/4 C. peeled, fresh mango, diced
1 tsp. finely grated lime zest
1 tsp. fresh lime juice
pinch of cayenne pepper (I used paprika)

Homemade Bread Crumbs:
1 slice 4:9 Ezekiel 100% Whole Wheat Bread, toasted
1 tsp. oregano
pinch of salt and pepper

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
• using a medium sauce pan, boil the required amount of water to lentils, as package follows ( usually 1:4 ratio) and cook covered for only 10 minutes.
• After the 10 minutes and the water is almost absorbed, add the vegetable stock, onion, and scallions and bring to a boil, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Reduce the heat and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes.
• When the lentils are nearly cooked and have absorbed all the stock, stir in the fresh basil and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes on low heat or until the mixture is sticky and dry. Turn onto a plate and leave to cool.
• Meanwhile, to make filling, mix the cottage cheese, mango, lime zest, lime juice and paprika together in a bowl.
• To make the bread crumbs, toast the slice of bread, cut, and put into a food processor combining with the oregano, salt and pepper.
• Once the mixture is cooled, spray coconut oil onto a non-stick baking pan and scoop out about 1 x 2 inches thick (about 4 cakes) and form into cakes on the pan. This is the size I used, but feel free to make them smaller! Using your thumb, make an indentation in the center of each cake and fill with 1 1/2 TBSP of the filling. Mould the sides up and over the filling to cover, then reshape with a palette knife.
• Coat each cake with the bread crumbs (if using lentils, they may be hard to dip so just use a spoon to coat them!)
• Spray each cake lightly with coconut oil, and bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until a light golden-brown. Serve with a healthy, green leaf salad!

cooks tip:

It's important to use lentils or a starchy rice like arborio or other risotto rice so that the cakes hold together when baking! Enjoy (: