Crab cakes gets a mood makeover

Growing up in Maryland, fresh crabs boiled or steamed in Old Bay, and even seared lumpy crab cakes, with the Old Bay accompaniment, is a must. I remember riding in the car with my mom and dad looking for the good old "crab truck" on the side of the road that sold bushels of crabs. We always bought the female crabs since they had the added bonus of the eggs. I remember once that my father asked me to clean the crabs with a toothbrush. It was the first time in which I "desensitized" crabs with hot water and watch them slowly lose life force. Sadness and the truth of life and thereafter swept over me. However, that path led me to the path today of recreating a similar crab cake sans crab.

Quinoa "crab" cakes with dill-Dijon tartar sauce

Spinach, roasted golden beets, and sunflower seeds tossed with fresh lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil

Garlic, mirepoix, and pulsed cauliflower were sauteed in extra-virgin olive oil with "crab boil" seasoning. I had waited for the good old Old Bay to come in from the purveyor, however, being pressed for time, I made my own with a blend of celery seed, mustard powder, Hungarian paprika, bay leaves, cayenne, black pepper, salt, and a touch of cloves and allspice. Oh! And a touch of brown sugar. The seasoned saute was folded in with steamed quinoa, house-made almond butter, panko, and pureed hydrated wakame. What really held the cake together was the almond butter and the wakame. The cakes were then formed and seared until golden and slightly crisp on each side. The warm cakes were served on a bed of chilled spinach, roasted golden beets, and sunflower seeds tossed in fresh-squeezed lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil. Each cake was drizzled with a dill-Dijon tartar sauce made from a blend of soy milk, Dijon mustard, raw apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, fresh dill, cornichons, and a touch of agave. And all without a decline in the crab population and my conscience.