Gluten-Free Breaded Tofu Tenders

I’m sure you all have experienced this too, but occasionally I will get a serious craving for the type of food I ate as a kid. The other day it was relatively warm outside, and I was craving a meal that reminded me of childhood summers: from-the-box mac & cheese, corn on the cob, and some sort of breaded item with ketchup.

So, who am I to ignore temptation? I transformed this kid dish into something a gluten-free vegetarian could eat, and made some tofu tenders! As sides I made Annie’s gluten-free mac & cheese and corn on the cob. My plate totally looks like something I would actually eat as a kid, and that made me so happy! No fancy plating or photography, just comfort food to remind you of those simpler days.

Ingredients
1 block extra firm tofu
1 cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
1/4 cup vegan buttery spread, melted
1/2 tbsp garlic powder
dash of cayenne pepper
dash of paprika
dash of salt & pepper

Instructions
Preheat oven to 425. Meanwhile, cut your tofu into thin strips about 1/2 inch think.

Drop the buttery spread into a bowl, and melt in the microwave. In a separate bowl, mix the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, and salt & pepper.

Coat each tofu strip with the melted butter, and then drop into the dry mixture and toss to coat well. Lay the strips either on a greased baking sheet, or a pan lined with foil.

Bake for 10 minutes, flip, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the outsides are golden-brown and crispy. Dip into some ketchup, get your hands messy, and pretend you’re a kid again!