Baked Tofu & Quinoa with Chickpeas and Spinach

By DreiFromBK

Ingredients

• Ingredients:
• Baked Tofu
• Serves 3
• 1 block of firm tofu, pressed and dried
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup Asian sauce (we used Korean BBQ)
• Quinoa with Spinach and Chickpeas
• Makes 6 cups
• Ingredients:
• 1 1/2 cups quinoa
• 1 can chickpeas/garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup chopped onion (I used 1/2 yellow onion)
• 1-2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 2 cups spinach
• pinch of salt
• pinch of fresh ground pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 325 degrees.
Grease a baking sheet with cooking spray or lay a piece of aluminium foil over the baking sheet and grease that with cooking spray (the aluminum foil keeps your baking sheet nice and clean).
Cut tofu into 1 cm pieces (approximately 10 pieces).
Coat each slice of tofu in flour. *Tip: use a medium sized bowl, fill it with flour and roll the tofu in it
Dip each slice of floured tofu in a bowl holding the Asian sauce. Make sure each slice is completely covered (sometimes the flour will try to create a barrier, just keep pouring that sauce on). *Tip: similar to the flour, I use a medium sized bowl, poured my sauce in it and dip the tofu in that.
Lay tofu slices in rows along the greased baking sheet.
Bake for 30 minutes and serve. If you are waiting on your quinoa to cook, cover tofu with aluminum and set aside.

Directions:

Clean your quinoa using a fine strainer by pouring the quinoa into the strainer and running water over the it until the water comes out clear.
Pour the cleaned quinoa into a rice cooker along with the chickpeas and add enough water as if you were cooking rice on the “mixed” setting (So for 1 1/2 cups quinoa I added water between the 1 and 2 lines in the cooker). Turn the cooker on and let sit.
While the quinoa cooks, heat a medium sauté pan to medium-high. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and let sit until the oil glistens. Add chopped onion to the pan and saute for 4-5 minutes until onion turns translucent. Add garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute and then add spinach. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if needed and let spinach cook down, 3-5 minutes. Once cooked, remove from heat and cover.
Once your quinoa is cooked and your rice cooker beeps, add cooked spinach mixture to the quinoa. Add salt and pepper, stir and close the rice cooker. Let sit for 3-5 minutes. (This allows the flavors to mix before serving).

To Serve:

Platter aproximately 1 cup of quinoa per plate. Place 2-3 slices of tofu over the quinoa. Drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of Asian sauce over the top and serve.

Optional additions: chopped green onions or peanuts.