Milk Allergic/Sensitive Recipes: Salmon Cakes

I love fish.  It's kind of ironic since I was raised by a man who cares for fish in a aquariums for a living.  It's an obsession that is like eating away your fathers life's work, but that's a thought for another post ;) 

Salmon cakes and other things like meatloaf have been a mental challenge for me.  They all contain bread crumbs and most purchased bread crumbs contain either cheese or whey.  I wouldn't mind making my own bread crumbs because it's simple enough (stale or toasted bread spun through a food processor), but we go through bread at an incredible rate. I think I eat an entire loaf in about a 5 day span without my hubby's help. So, in short,  I have a hard time keeping enough bread on hand to make bread crumbs with. Sigh.

Last night I had a break through in this dilemma: why not use oatmeal instead?  I'm happy to say that everything turned out well and yummy.  I'm imagining so many possibilities for these salmon cakes: On a bun with a tomato and some bacon, on a bed of lettuce with some spicy cocktail sauce, as I served them last night with butternut squash pasta, or even as a finger food for the girls in a couple months.  Mmm.

Salmon Cakes
Ingredients

• 1 Can of Salmon, mashed with a fork so that the bones aren't as noticeable (this is a fantastic source of calcium for the dairy free momma)
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• a couple handfuls of old fashioned oats (I think instant might work just as well but you may have to use more)
• About 1 tsp Old Bay blackening seasoning (or regular) 

Instructions

1. Add enough oats to the beaten egg to make a kind of runny oatmeal texture.   
2. Stir in the Old Bay seasoning (or seasoning of your choice)
3. Mash in the salmon and form into flat cakes with your hands.
4. Fry in oil over medium heat until both sides are slightly crispy and the cake is warm throughout.