Quinoa Tots
These cute little guys will make the PERFECT appetizer for your holiday plant-based table. Or any table! I’m in love. They’re just amazing in both flavor and texture (says, ME, the texture queen)! 😂 They’re soft and pillowy on the inside and perfectly crunchy on the outside. Quinoa is a great grain (though technically it’s a seed), loaded with plant-based protein, B-vitamins and fiber. It’s quick to cook and very tasty. Make sure you RINSE your quinoa well before cooking… the seeds have a coating that contains bitter-tasting saponins, which are best to rinse off.
I do hope you’ll give these a try! Maybe you’ll fall in love too. 💚
Ingredients
2 cups cooked quinoa
¼ cup aquafaba (see notes)
2 TBS tapioca starch
1 TBS psyllium husk powder (Don’t omit! It helps them stick together)
1 TBS tahini
1 flax egg (1 TBS ground flax + 3 TBS water)
1 tsp vegan chicken flavored base (I like this brand) — this is not a vital ingredient, you could omit it. It just gives the tots more depth of flavor.
1 tsp onion granules (or powder)
½ tsp garlic granules (or powder)
pinch sea salt (optional)
How cute are these???
Method
Preheat oven to 350º F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cook the quinoa and let it cool off until you can handle it, or cook it ahead of time and save it for the recipe.
Mix up the flax egg and let sit for a few minutes.
Add love! 💗
Mix the whole lot together.
Take about 1 TBS of the mixture and squeeze it together in your hand. I use a small ice cream scoop for this—makes the job SO much easier. Also, you may want to spray your palms with a little oil or wet them with water so that the mixture doesn’t stick to your skin. Roll them and shape them into little cylinders (like tater tots!).
Bake for 20 minutes, flip once, and bake another 20 minutes.
Serve with ketchup or plant -based ranch dressing, or anything your heart desires.
Makes 15-16 perfect tots. Enjoy!
NOTES
If you’ve been cooking plant-based for a while, I’m sure you know about aquafaba. If not, you need to incorporate it as a staple in your cooking and baking routine. It’s simply bean juice, usually the juice that chickpeas are cooked in. I freeze mine into ice cube trays to use whenever I need some. Check out this article for the many ways to use this versatile ingredient: COMPLETE GUIDE TO AQUAFABA
