Baked Tofu Schnitzel in a Quinoa Pop Coating

I've written here in the past, and I'll say it once more:

Forget about cooking quinoa in a pot.

Next time you buy quinoa, "pop" it in a pan and create a schnitzel coating that is both gluten-free and a superfood.

It's really fun, easy, and delicious.

I know what you're thinking: "You've ruined the nutritional values of the quinoa."

So, take a deep breath and relax, because the short roasting doesn't destroy all the nutrients, and the quinoa remains very nourishing.

The big "wow" factor in roasting quinoa is the fact that it pops like popcorn and takes on a wonderful toasted, nutty flavor that gives a deep aroma to the tofu.

A bit about the recipe

• I chose tofu only because that's what I had in the fridge; you can choose anything else you want to turn into a schnitzel, like tempeh or seitan. The quinoa doesn't mind!
• I don't know if you can replace the quinoa with something else. It's worth trying to pop other things in the pan—maybe millet would work (I haven't tried).
• To get the quinoa to stick to the tofu, I used a mixture of chickpea flour and spices — you can replace this with any other egg substitute you like or any other flour you have.
• I baked the schnitzel in the oven because of calories and whatnot. And honestly, who fries things these days?!
• You can also use red quinoa.

Nutritional Values:

A serving of quinoa-coated tofu schnitzel weighing 173g contains:

• 298 calories
• 20g protein
• 23g carbohydrates
• 14g fat

Tofu Schnitzel in Quinoa Coating

Prep time 5 minutes

Cook time 15 minutes

Serving size 3 servings

Calories 298 kcal

Ingredients

• 300 g tofu
• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp mustard
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 crushed garlic clove
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to medium heat (190 degrees Celsius).

2. Pour the quinoa onto a very hot pan and toast it, stirring constantly, until it pops like popcorn.

3. The quinoa is ready when it has a wonderful roasted smell and a deep amber color.

4. Remove from heat.

5. In a bowl, add the chickpea flour and all the spices: paprika, turmeric, mustard, garlic, and salt.

6. Add the almond milk and mix until you get a uniform, sticky, and liquid batter (similar to pancake batter).

7. Slice the tofu into pieces.

8. Dip each tofu slice into the flour mixture and then coat it with the toasted quinoa.

9. Place the tofu slices on a baking tray and drizzle olive oil over them.

10. Bake the tofu slices for about 15 minutes until further browned.

11. Serve and enjoy!

Recipe Video