Crunchy baked polenta crusted tofu!

Crunchy baked polenta crusted tofu!

Hey! 🙂 How are you all? Have you all been rushed off your feet (like me) or have you found time to relax and enjoy the sunshine (if there’s been any your way?)?

This week in the Life Diet Health kitchen there was lots going on! Double and treble our usual number for dinner on several occasions!, a three course birthday banquet which of course required cake! lots of nice-cream, testing new burgers using spinach, playing with new jackfruit ideas and a whole host of recipes using our first proper allotment harvest! 😀

Gosh… that does seem a busy week! Tofu is always something which (I now) find so quick and easy to prepare and is one of my go to proteins (along with chickpeas). If you’re thinking oh no, not tofu – have you actually learnt how to prepare it properly? Recently I was gifted a tofu press and it’s made my life so much easier! Pop the tofu in, stretch the bands over and leave it to squish out all the liquid! I usually tighten the bands to make sure the tofu is as firm as possible – this time so much so it even made an imprint!

polenta tofu sticks (12)

#tofuture tofu press… works a dream!

Usually I marinate my tofu like in my sizzling tofu or my tantalisingly tasty tofu, but recently I’ve ventured new ways such as salt ‘n’ chili tofu and todays recipe of course!

How were these created? Well, the boys were making chicken goujons and lightbulb moment – I can do that! 😛 So I did! Come chat to me in the comments… 😀

Crunchy Baked Polenta Crusted Tofu (Vegan & Free-From)

  • Servings: 2-3
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

Gather

  • 1 block tofu pressed and sliced into strips
  • 2 tablespoons linseed blitzed to break up
  • 6 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 cup rice flour
  • 1 teaspoon Cajun spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • salt to taste (I used pink Himalayan)
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic granules
  • 1/2-1 cup fine polenta

Prepare

  1. Ensure you have extracted as much liquid as possible from the tofu before you cut it into strips. I cut my block into 1-1.5cm slices, then halved each one.
  2. Put the linseed in a cup, add the water and mix well. Set aside.
  3. In a shallow bowl mix the rice flour with the cajun, paprika, salt, pepper and garlic.
  4. Pour the polenta into another shallow bowl.
  5. Tip the linseed into a third shallow bowl.
  6. Set your work station up in this order: tofu,  flour mix, linseed mix, polenta, baking tray. (if you wish for extra crispy sticks there is also the option to lightly pan fry the sticks before baking).
  7. I would suggest to use one hand (I used my left) for handling the tofu, flour, polenta and moving to the tray, and the other hand (right) for the linseed.
  8. In this order, pick up a tofu stick, coat in flour and shake off excess, dip in the linseed and ensure thoroughly coated, then finally roll in polenta before moving to the baking tray (or lightly frying in an oil of your choice until golden).
  9. When all the tofu is coated, bake at Gas Mark 5 (375f / 190c) for 10-15 minutes until crispy and golden.
  10. Enjoy!

Serve and Store

  • Serve with a mixed salad
  • Add your favourite sauce – barbecue, mayo, chili
  • Use to top a Buddha bowl.
  • Try with your favourite grain or a grain salad.
  • How about adding to a wrap with some leafy greens and houmous.
  • Pack it in a lunchbox.
  • Pop it in a picnic… it’s delicious cold too!
  • Store refrigerated for up to three days.

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5 Comments

  • Angie | Fiesta Friday 20th July 2017 at 13:07

    I actually like tofu, so does my daughter, but not the husband and son. The son actually hates it. Maybe this crunchy tofu will change his mind? Who wouldn’t like crunchy? Your allotment looks to be productive. My garden is wilting in this heat!

    Reply
    • Life Diet Health 20th July 2017 at 13:19

      Angie 🙂 Hello 🙂 Thank you! Crunchy is good! Real good! 🙂 Maybe if you served them with his favourite sauce he wouldn’t realise it was tofu! My son probably wouldn’t notice if he was dipping them in barbecue sauce! 😛 How hot is it there? Are your cucamelons growing? The rain is hammering down as I write this… saves me getting the watering can out later!

      Reply
      • Angie | Fiesta Friday 21st July 2017 at 01:45

        It gets up mid 90s F in the afternoons, way too hot for me. I complain even if it’s 80s! So far I’ve probably harvested about 50 cucamelons but they’re so darn small!!

        Reply
        • Life Diet Health 23rd July 2017 at 23:29

          Ooo 🙂 I bet the cucumelons are not as small as ours! Ours are still like grains of rice! 😛 I guess that’s because you have hotter weather! Come over here where it’s cooler! 😛 x

          Reply
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