I’ve only been blogging for one week, but one of my favorite things so far is the friendly online community. From other food blogging newbies like Life, Minced to veteran bloggers, such as NerdSteak, everyone has been nice, encouraging, and funny.
This past week, NerdSteak posted an awesome Red Quinoa Crab Cake recipe that I had to try. However, the recipe included eggs. After I commented NerdSteak wrote back suggesting substitutions for me. (Seriously, one of the sweetest things ever!) I was so excited that I spent my Friday night making crab cakes.

Courtesy of CrossFitUnion.com
Now, my mom was on her way back from a trip, so I wanted to surprise her with crab cakes. BUT, in the process of frying crab cakes (albeit in a basement with limited air circulation), I set off the fire alarm. Rather than coming home to a nice relaxing dinner, my mom received a panicked phone call asking her for the alarm code. (I swear I’m grown up, I just forget codes.) So please, when your frying crab cakes, turn your vents on!
Now, back to NerdSteak’s Red Quinoa Crab Cakes. They had just the right flavoring, and they tasted like a non-gluten-free crab cake. His suggestion of rice flour led to just the right amount of crunchiness upon frying. And, most importantly, my mom loved them. I’ve included my adaptation below, but first, go read NerdSteak’s recipe. (It’s gluten free, just not egg free!) Did you read his post? Alright, here you go then!
Allergies: Free of the Big 8, except shellfish. And, as always, free of gluten, dairy, eggs, safflower, tapioca, rosemary, cinnamon, and annatto seed. Ingredients: Tips and Modifications: NerdSteak's Red Quinoa Crab Cakes (Egg-Free)
1 cup of Red or Rainbow Quinoa
Procedure:
Form the mixture into cakes and coat in rice flour.
Looks fantastic! Love crabcakes. Have to try this once soon 🙂
Thank you so much! If you’re not gluten free, you can always use breadcrumbs instead of rice flour. And, if you’re not egg free, you can also use eggs instead of gelled chia seeds. (You can find the proportions for this on NerdSteak.) Honestly, since there is already quinoa, the gelled chia seeds don’t stand out, work amazingly well, and add a slight bit of nutrition to the dish!
These look great. Congratulations in week one of blooging it’s great fun!
Thanks! I love it so far. Looking forward to checking out your blog later today!
Thanks for being equally as supportive! Nothing beats have more gluten free friends that understand the struggle!
Most definitely! I’m excited to keep following your blog 🙂
Those look great!!! Im glad it worked out for ya!
MH – NERDSTEAK.com
Thanks! Your suggestions were fantastic 🙂
WOOHOO!!!! That makes me happy.
MH
Well, these look tasty! LOL to the fire alarm, I totally did that three times when I first moved into my apartment this summer, the bad thing, WE HAVE NO VENT, so I need to open up the kitchen and living room window and door for a trifecta breeze effect!
Thanks, Amber! It sounds like you have the trifecta breeze effect down! We were able to put a vent in our basement, which is pretty exciting. So, now, if I set off the fire alarm, then I did something really wrong. 😀