Crispy Tofu Sticks and quinoa with vegetables

Last week, my husband had to be at a ethics training in the morning and he asked if I could take care of lunch. I slept in for a bit, and then looked through Table for Two for inspiration for the tofu and various vegetables sitting in my fridge.



Ingredients
Crispy Tofu
1/2 lb extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
bread crumbs
cornmeal
nutritional yeast
salt
chipotle powder
black pepper
cumin
flour
water

Quinoa and vegetables
1/2 cup quinoa
1 cup water/broth
onions
garlic
mushrooms
broccoli (or other various vegetables)
black pepper
salt


Method
Crispy Tofu
Cut the tofu into six sticks. Combine the breading up to the flour in a shallow pan. Put flour in another pan. And water in another pan.

Bread the tofu by rolling a stick in the flour, then immersing in the water, then rolling in the cornmeal.

Fry the sticks on a cast-iron skillet with a small amount of olive oil, until all sides are brown about 3-4 minutes per side.

Quinoa and vegetables
Boil the water and add the quinoa. Cook until the water is absorbed, about 12 - 15 minutes. Add the spices.

Sauté the garlic, onions, and mushrooms until tender. Add the broccoli and a tablespoon or two of water to help soften it. Season until tasty. Add the vegetables to the quinoa and chill until ready to serve.



Notes
We both really enjoyed the the tofu sticks once we added a bit of sriracha sauce on top of them. They still had a good flavor otherwise. If I would make them again, I would marinate them before doing the breading and frying bit.

The quinoa was okay. It became a bit gummy, maybe because I made it on the stovetop instead of in the rice cooker which is what I usually do. We didn't eat that much of it, but it wasn't bad.