You know when you find something yummy and cook it so many times that everybody ends up hating it?

Yeah, that.

These rice cakes were on high rotation in my kitchen about five years ago until there was a protest! But they have made a reappearance and everyone is enjoying them again. I just have to pace myself now and not make them too often!

They are delicious hot or cold and make a very budget-friendly dinner with some salad or are great for lunch boxes too.

Whip them up when you have some leftover rice so it doesn’t go to waste. You can also throw in any leftover cooked vegetables or meat.

Cheese and Spinach Rice Cakes

Vital Stats: gluten free, nut free, vegetarian

This is what you need:

4 cups cooked brown rice

2 green shallots, finely chopped

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

1 cup finely shredded baby spinach

100g tasty cheese, grated

50g parmesan cheese, grated

2 eggs

1/2 cup cream

1 small garlic clove, crushed

Herbamare (or salt) and pepper to taste

This is how you do it:

Preheat your oven to 180ºC and line a 12 cup muffin tray with some non-toxic muffin papers.

Whisk together the eggs and cream in a large bowl.

Add all the other ingredients and mix well.

Scoop into the muffin papers and press down slightly.

Sprinkle with more cheese if you like.

Bake for 25-30 minutes or until firm and golden brown.

TIPS:

I have used the If You Care baking paper and cups for years now – nothing ever sticks and they are compostable and non-toxic.

Add whatever you like to the basic egg, rice and cream mixture. Some things that are also tasty in these rice cakes are: feta, sun-dried tomatoes, bacon, zucchini, char-grilled capsicum, chives, mushrooms and salami.

I always soak rice before I cook it, just to make it easier to digest and kinder on our tummies.

Use pure cream that doesn’t have any artificial fillers or thickeners.

My Chicken and Spinach Fritters are also brilliant cold in lunch boxes.

If you make my Cheese and Spinach Rice Cakes, let me know what the family thinks and upload a photo to my socials.