Quinoa breadcrumbs. Photo: The Skinny Chef

Everyone loves breaded foods like chicken, fish, crispy zucchini, either to munch alone or to dip in luscious sauces. Whenever I make my buttermilk chicken fingers, they quickly disappear from the plate, but sometimes I like to shake things up and make my breading with ingredients that add health benefits and unique textures.

Quinoa
Cooked quinoa has a creamy texture that kids love, but what do you do with the leftovers? I take cold quinoa and mix it into seasoned breadcrumbs to make a healthier bread crumb coating. Dip your chicken pieces in egg and then press them into the quinoa breadcrumb mixture. Coat both sides with a thick layer of cooking spray and bake for 25 to 30 minutes in a 400 degree F oven. Quinoa not only adds dimension to the breadcrumb mixture -- it also happens to be a complete protein and contains all nine essential amino acids.

Get more of Jennifer's beneficial breadcrumb alternatives after the jump.
Whole Grain Bread
I grind my own whole grain or whole wheat breadcrumbs because they can be hard to find. I also like the way fresh breadcrumbs brown up in a skillet with a little olive oil. Just take a half a loaf of good quality whole wheat or whole grain bread and tear it into 1-inch pieces. Place these in a food processor and pulse until fine breadcrumbs form. Eating more 100-percent whole grain products and whole grains like brown rice and quinoa can help you feel fuller, get more fiber, and even help keep cravings for sweets at bay.

Spice It Up
Add a little kick to your breadcrumbs while reaping the health benefits spices have to offer, just by sprinkling in spices before you bread. Spices like cayenne, turmeric and curry powder are being studied for their aid in controlling inflammation brought on by arthritis, skin conditions and a host of other diseases.

Learn more about Jennifer at skinnychef.com, and read her exclusive Slashfood blogs every Monday and Friday.