We’ve all heard about chia seeds, and know that we should probably eat lots of them. But if you’re wondering about the best way to get more of them into your diet, then you’ll want to tune in to this week on the Vegan Mainstream Cookbook Club. We are going to be featuring vegan chef Beverly Lynn Bennett, who has recently come out with a book called Chia: Using the Ancient Superfood. Beverly is an experienced vegan chef who has authored several other cookbooks and writes regularly for VegNews Magazine.

In Chia: Using the Ancient Superfood, Beverly shares 25 recipes that showcase the versatility of chia seeds. Chia seeds are a great source of essential fatty acids (EFAs), and they have numerous other health benefits too. This new Alive Natural Health Guide highlights those benefits and provides a bounty of easy, delicious recipes for adding chia to daily diets.

Each day on the Vegan Mainstream Cookbook Club this week Beverly will be answering a question, and starting a conversation, about a different topic related to chia seeds. She will be available to answer your questions, and we’ll be sharing a few of the recipes from the book for you to try!  Here’s one to kick the week off:

Seed-Crusted Tofu Cutlets
yield: 8 pieces, 4 servings
Slices of tofu are first bathed in a tangy marinade and then coated in a three-seed blend. Instead of being fried, these tofu cutlets are baked to perfection.

ingredients:

1 pound firm or extra-firm tofu
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1½ tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon maple syrup or agave nectar
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard or Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
5 tablespoons raw sesame seeds
5 tablespoons hempseeds
2½ tablespoons chia seeds

Squeeze the block of tofu over the sink to remove any excess water. Put the tofu in a colander in the sink, cover with a plate, and put a 28-ounce can on top of the plate. Let the tofu press for 20 minutes.

Cut the pressed tofu lengthwise into 8 slices. Put the slices in a single layer in an 11 x 7-inch baking pan. Using a fork, pierce each slice of tofu several times along its length. Flip the slices over and pierce the other side.

Put the soy sauce, ½ tablespoon of the nutritional yeast flakes, garlic, vinegar, maple syrup, mustard, and sesame oil in a small bowl and stir until well combined. Pour the mixture over the tofu and flip each slice to evenly coat all sides. Put the baking pan in the refrigerator and let the tofu marinate for 1 to 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Put the remaining tablespoon of nutritional yeast flakes and the sesame seeds, hempseeds, and chia seeds on plate. Stir until well combined.

To coat the tofu, work with 1 piece at a time. Put each piece into the seed mixture, pressing down slightly and flipping it over as needed until evenly coated on all sides. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven. Flip over the cutlets with a spatula. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes longer, until the seeds are fragrant and the cutlets are golden brown. Serve hot or cold.

Seed-Crusted Tempeh Cutlets: Replace the block of tofu with 2 (8-ounce) packages of tempeh. Cut each package of tempeh into 4 pieces and proceed as directed.

Beverly Lynn Bennett is an experienced vegan chef and baker, writer, and animal advocate who is passionate about showing the world how easy, delicious, and healthy it is to live and eat as a vegan. Beverly is the author of Vegan Bites: Recipes for Singles and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Slow Cooking. She is also the coauthor of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Living, The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Vegan Cooking, and The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Gluten-Free Cooking. Her work has appeared in many national and international print publications, on public television and DVD, and all over the web. She has hosted the popular Vegan Chef website at VeganChef.com since 1999 and has been regular columnist for VegNews magazine since 2002. Beverly currently lives and works in Eugene, Oregon.