Marinated Baked Tempeh (vegan)

Recipe from https://www.loveandlemons.com
Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Serves 4

This is a simple and delicious way to prepare tempeh for salads, noodle dishes, and grain bowls. I love making this on food prep day for meals later in the week.

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce) package tempeh
¼ cup tamari
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sriracha
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions
Cut the tempeh into cubes, place in a steamer basket, and set over a pot with 1-inch of water. Bring the water to a simmer, cover, and steam for 10 minutes. (Steaming removes any bitterness from the tempeh and also helps the tempeh become tender and ready to soak up more flavor from the marinade.)
In a bowl, whisk together the tamari, vinegar, maple syrup, olive oil, sriracha, and several grinds of pepper. Place the tempeh in the bowl with the marinade.  Toss gently to coat.  Put the tempeh in a shallow dish  and pour the marinade on top to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange the cubes in a single layer, reserving the excess marinade.
Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven. Put the tempeh back into the marinade and toss until it’s coated. Put the tempeh back onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 more minutes, or until the cubes are charred around the edges. If there’s any marinade left in the bowl, add the hot tempeh to it and toss again to coat.  Then enjoy the tempeh on salads or grain bowls.  Store any leftover tempeh in the fridge.

Notes
For grilled tempeh: Cut the block into triangles and follow the marinating instructions above. Preheat a grill to medium. Spray the grill and grill the tempeh 7-9 minutes on the first side. Remove from grill, dip it back into the marinade to coat, then return it to the grill and grill the second side for 4-5 minutes, or until deep char marks form.

Spicy Thai Salad with Tempeh (Vegan)

Recipe from http://www.picklesnhoney.com
Husband-Tested  in Alice’s Kitchen
Makes 4 servings

This is a beautiful, delicious salad worthy of your best company, meat eaters and/or vegans.  Many of the components can be prepared well in advance, making this party perfect. This colorful salad is loaded with protein too. Make the dressing, the tempeh, the quinoa and edamame as much as a day ahead and then it’ll be a cinch to layer the salad on a large platter for dinner.

For the Peanut Dressing:
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter
¼ cup low-sodium tamari sauce
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 Tablespoons (or to taste) Sriracha sauce
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 heaping Tablespoon fresh, peeled ginger (I use minced ginger from a jar.)

For the Tempeh:
1 (8 oz.) block of tempeh, steamed* and crumbled
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Juice of 1 orange
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the Salad:
1 head romaine lettuce, thinly sliced (I used several leaves of red leaf lettuce plus several leaves of Napa cabbage, thinly sliced.)
2 cups cooked quinoa, seasoned with sea salt and pepper
1 heaping cup shredded red cabbage
1 cup thinly sliced carrot 
½ cup cooked edamame 
½ cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional for garnish
Lime wedges, optional for serving
Sriracha sauce, optional for serving
 
Instructions:  
Place all the dressing ingredients in a high speed blender.  Blend until the dressing is smooth.  Set aside.  (This can be made in advance.). Heat a non-stick skillet.  Add the toasted sesame to the skillet.  Add the crumbled tempeh.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Add the orange juice.  Stir until the tempeh is coated with the oil and juice. Cook, stirring every so often, until the tempeh is golden brown, about 7-8 minutes.  Set aside.  To assemble the salad, toss together the tempeh, lettuce, quinoa, cabbage, carrots, edamame, chopped peanuts, and green onions.  Divide between four bowls.  Garnish with the sesame seeds (if using) and drizzle the salad with the peanut dressing.  Serve with lime wedges and sriracha, if desired.

*How to Steam Tempeh:  After opening the package of tempeh, cut it into 4 sections.  Place it in a steamer basket.  Bring water to a boil in a pot that has a lid.  The water level should not come up above the holes of the steamer basket.  When the water comes to the boil, place the steamer basket in the pot and put on the lid.  Set a timer for 10 minutes.  When the timer beeps, remove the tempeh pieces to a clean towel.  Pat the tempeh dry.  When the tempeh is cool enough to handle, crumble it up and proceed with the above recipe. 

Nutritional Information: (1 of 4 servings)  
Calories 617
Total Fat 29g
Saturated Fat 4.4g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 627mg
Total Carbohydrate 72.7g
Dietary Fiber 7.9g
Total Sugars 30.8g  
Protein 23.3g  
Vitamin D 0mcg
Calcium 163mg
Iron 18mg
Potassium 848mg

Tempeh Bacon (vegan)

Recipe from Nisha Vora of Rainbow Plant Life

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen
Servings: 4

I can always count on Rainbow Plant Life for great recipes.  Here’s a delicious tempeh “bacon” to try when the farmers market tomatoes are at their peak.  

Ingredients
1 (8-ounce/230g) block tempeh (See below for how to prepare it.)
2 Tablespoons olive oil or neutral-flavored oil of choice, divided
1½ Tablespoons rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
1½ Tablespoons maple syrup
3 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce 
2½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil 
2½ teaspoons liquid smoke 
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper 
½ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
Smoked sea salt for finishing (I used Malden smoked sea salt.)

Instructions:
Remove the block of tempeh from the package. Cut the tempeh block in half crossways.  Place in a steamer basket.  Bring about an inch of water in a pot to a boil.  Add the steamer basket to the pot.  Turn down the heat so the water is simmering.  Place a lid on the pot and set a timer for 10 minutes.  When the tempeh is steamed, remove it from the pot and onto a cutting board.  Slice the tempeh crosswise into thin strips, almost as thin as you can, about ⅛ inch thick.
Whisk together ½ Tablespoon of olive oil, sesame oil, vinegar, maple syrup, tamari, salt, cayenne, onion powder, smoked paprika, and liquid smoke in a medium bowl.
Marinate the tempeh. Transfer the tempeh to a shallow dish with an airtight lid and pour on the marinade. Seal the dish with the airtight lid.  
Marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour, or 8 hours or overnight for the most flavor. Gently flip the dish a few times during this time to evenly distribute the marinade.
Cook the tempeh bacon. Heat a 12-inch nonstick frying pan over medium heat with 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. Once the oil is shimmering (it might take a few minutes), arrange about HALF of the tempeh slices or as many as you can in a single layer, leaving behind excess marinade.

Notes: 
Don’t skip the steaming step as it will prevent the tempeh from tasting bitter.  Tempeh can easily crumble, so handle it gently.  
Don't try to cook all the tempeh at once, or it won't crisp up.
Cook for 3½ to 4 minutes. About 1 minute before flipping, generously brush the top side of each tempeh piece with some of the reserved marinade.
Now flip each piece and cook on the second side for 2 to 2½ more minutes until seared on the other side, generously brushing more marinade on the top in the last minute.
Repeat with the rest of the tempeh and ½ Tablespoon of olive oil (you shouldn’t need a full Tablespoon since there’s oil residue in the pan). The second batch usually cooks quicker because the pan is hotter, 2½ to 3 minutes on the first side, and 2 minutes on the second side.
Regarding the tempeh…You're looking for plain tempeh, not any pre-seasoned tempeh or any other varieties like "three grain tempeh" (the grains get crunchy and detract from the texture). 

Nutritional Information: (per serving) calories 229; fat 15.5 g; saturated fat 2.6 g; cholesterol 0 mg; carbohydrates 12.2 g; fiber 0.3 g; sugars 4.9 g; protein 13.1 g; calcium 80 mg; iron 2 mg; potassium 315 mg

Sesame Tempeh Bowls (Vegan)

Servings: 4

Recipe from Budget Bytes 

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

This was a real treat and made the hubster very happy.  We really like tempeh for a few reasons.  It's a fermented food, which means it's good for the gut.  We really like the texture... chewy, in a good way.  It's also economical.  When I first tried cooking with tempeh, I made the mistake of not steaming or simmering the tempeh in water before proceeding.  This very important step takes away any bitterness.  Be sure not to skip that step in the recipe.  

1/4 cup soy sauce (I used low sodium soy sauce.)

2 Tablespoons water 

1 Tablespoon sesame oil 

3 Tablespoons brown sugar 

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar 

1 tsp grated fresh ginger 

2 cloves garlic, minced 

1 Tablespoon sesame seeds 

1/2 Tablespoon cornstarch 

8 oz. tempeh 

2 green onions, sliced (I didn't have green onions, so I used 1/4 red onion.)

4 cups cooked jasmine rice*

1 lb. fresh or frozen broccoli florets, cooked** (I used fresh.)

Begin by mixing together the sesame sauce. In a medium bowl, stir together the soy sauce, 2 Tablespoons water, sesame oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, grated ginger, minced garlic, sesame seeds, and cornstarch until the cornstarch is dissolved. Set the sauce aside.

Cut the brick of tempeh into 8 squares, then cut each square diagonally into a triangle. Turn each triangle on its side and slice it in half so you have two thinner triangles. To achieve the proper tempeh to sauce ratio, you don't want thick pieces. 

Place the tempeh in a large skillet and add 1/2 cup water. Place the skillet over medium-high heat and let the tempeh simmer until all of the water evaporates (about 5-8 minutes). Flip the tempeh a couple times as it simmers.

Once the water has evaporated, turn the heat down to medium and pour in the sesame sauce. The skillet will still be quite hot, so the sauce may begin to thicken immediately. Stir the tempeh in the sauce until the sauce has thickened (1-2 minutes), then remove it from the heat immediately to prevent further evaporation and thickening.

To build the bowls, place one cup of rice in each dish, top with 1/4 of the sesame tempeh, 1/4 of the broccoli florets, and a sprinkle of green onion.

Notes

*You can sub brown rice or plain white rice if desired.

**To cook the broccoli (fresh), add some water with a pinch of salt to a saucepan.  Bring the water to a boil.  Add the broccoli and cover with a lid.  Cook for 2 minutes.  Drain and proceed with the recipe.

Nutritional Information for Original Recipe: Calories: 441.63kcal | Carbohydrates: 68.25g | Protein: 20.83g | Fat: 11.18g | Sodium: 909.33mg | Fiber: 5.03g

 

Hearty Tempeh Chili

 

Recipe from The Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook  by Nisha Vora

Husband-Tested in Alice's Kitchen

Makes 6 servings

It's autumn and the weather finally has turned wet, foggy and quite cool.  It's time to don the sweater and make a pot of chili.  Here's a delicious, nutritious, and filling recipe that I will definitely make again.  As a bonus, it is meatless.  Tempeh is made from fermented whole soybeans that are formed into firm patties or blocks.  It's nutty and earthy in flavor and the texture, when grated, is similar to ground meat.  It's rich in protein, fiber, iron, and calcium and because it's fermented, it's also a good source of probiotics.  

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 medium carrots, diced

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste

Freshly cracked black pepper

5 garlic cloves, peeled and minced

1 Tablespoon chili powder

1 Tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste

2 bay leaves

2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups low sodium vegetable broth

1 (4-ounce) can diced or chopped green chiles (mild or hot)

1 Tablespoon reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce

1 Tablespoon coconut sugar, maple syrup or organic brown sugar

3 cups cooked pinto or kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (8 ounce) block tempeh, grated or finely crumbled

1-2 medium sweet potatoes (6 ounces each), peeled and cut into a large dice (about 2 cups)

1-2 canned chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (Optional) (Do NOT use two cans.  Use 1-2 peppers from a can.)

14.5 ounces canned crushed fire-roasted tomatoes

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

3 Tablespoons masa harina or cornmeal

Optional Garnishes:

Vegan cheese, shredded

Sliced scallions

Fresh cilantro

Avocado chunks

Select the Saute setting on the Instant Pot and let the pot heat of for a few minutes before adding the olive oil.  Once the oil is hot, add the onion and carrots.  Add a pinch each of salt and black pepper and cook until the onion is translucent and the carrots begin to soften, 4-5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute, tossing frequently to prevent burning.

Add the chili powder, cumin, coriander, paprika, cayenne, bay leaves, and cocoa powder and stir frequently until very fragrant and the vegetables are well coated with the spices, about 30 seconds.

Pour in the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.  Add the canned green chiles, tamari, coconut sugar, beans, tempeh, sweet potatoes, chipotle peppers (if using), 1 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste.  Stir well to combine and select the Cancel setting.  Next, pour in the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste on top, but do not stir, allowing the tomatoes and paste to sit on top.  This prevents the tomatoes from blocking the Instant Pot's heat sensor and burning.

Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing.  Select the Pressure Cook setting at High Pressure and set the cook time to 8 minutes.

Once the 8-minute timer has completed and beeps, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes and then switch the Pressure Release Knob from Sealing to Venting to release any remaining steam.

Open the pot, stir the chili, and discard the bay leaves.  Select the Saute setting and add the masa harina (or cornmeal) in a slow, steady stream and stir until the chili has thickened, 2-3 minutes.

Allow the chili to cool slightly before serving and garnish as desired.

TIP:

For an even richer flavor, replace up to half of the vegetable broth with a light-flavored beer like pilsner when deglazing the pan.  Cook for 3-4 minutes until the smell of alcohol is no longer as pungent before adding the rest of the ingredients. (I've not tested this, but it sounds lovely.)

Curried Tofu/Tempeh Banh Mi

Recipe from Vegan Richa

Husband-Tested (and adapted) in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 3

While on vacation in Barcelona, my husband and I found a newly opened deli called Ferment9.  It was a beautiful, locally-owned shop full of fermented foods.  We visited the shop more than once and each time I ordered their Banh Mi with Tempeh.  It was just the best sandwich ever.  Now, this recipe, while not exactly like Ferment9 sandwich, comes pretty close.  The original recipe from Vegan Richa (one of my favorite websites/YouTube channels) calls for tofu, but I had tempeh in the fridge, so I used that.  By the way, as much as I love bread, next time I make this, I’ll use a bread that’s not so thick because it can overwhelm the flavors of the sandwich.

Pickled Veggies

½ cup brown rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup hot water

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon maple syrup

2/3 cup thinly sliced or shredded carrot

½ cup sliced cucumber

½ cup shredded or thinly sliced daikon radish or regular radishes, shredded

1 jalapeño, thinly sliced* (You can omit this OR use jarred pickled jalapeño in the sandwich when you assemble it.)

Sauce

¾ cup full fat coconut milk

½ teaspoon flour (whole-wheat or rice flour)

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon sugar

Tofu/Tempeh

Oil, for searing

14 oz. firm or extra firm tofu (pressed for at least 20 minutes) OR 1 package tempeh (steam for 10 minutes, then pat dry with clean towel)

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 ½ teaspoon soy sauce or tamari

1 teaspoon maple syrup

¼ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

3 Tablespoon coconut cream (scoop from a can of full fat coconut milk)

2 teaspoons minced lemon grass (optional)

For Serving

Fresh cilantro or mint or both

Lettuce or crunchy baby greens

Sriracha or Sambel Oelek (optional)

Bread or baguettes (You could even use a lightly steamed collard leaf as a wrap for this sandwich instead of bread.)

Pickle the vegetables.  Combine the vinegar, water, salt, and maple syrup in a shallow container with a lid.  Mix well.  Add the veggies and press down to submerge them.  Close the lid and chill for at least an hour or overnight.

Make the sauce.  In a medium saucepan, mix together the coconut milk, flour, sea salt, garlic powder and sugar.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer 2-3 minutes to thicken, then take off the heat.  Set aside while you sear the tofu/tempeh.

Sear the tofu/tempeh. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat.  Place the tofu pieces or tempeh pieces in the skillet and allow the pieces to sear (brown) on one side and then flip the pieces over to sear the other side.  Meanwhile, measure out the curry powder, soy sauce, maple syrup, sea salt, garlic powder, coconut cream and lemon grass (if using) in a small bowl. When the tofu/tempeh is browned on both sides, add the curry powder mixture. Using a spatula, flip the tofu/tempeh over so that each piece is coated in the curry powder mixture.  Remove from the heat and set aside.

Assemble the sandwich: Drain the pickled veggies.  Toast or grill the bread, if desired. Place some greens/lettuce on one slice of the bread.  Place the tofu/tempeh on top of the greens. Drizzle with the sauce.  Add some pickled veggies, then cilantro/mint and jalapeno, if using.  Add some sriracha or sambal oelek for additional heat (optional).  Serve.

Nutritional Information: (for 1 sandwich, includes tofu with whole grain mini baguette) 369 calories; 44 g carbohydrates; 17 g protein; 13 g fat (5 g sat. fat); 642 mg sodium; 221 mg potassium; 3 g fiber; 5 g sugars; 223 mg calcium; 3.2 mg iron; 4750IU vitamin A; 2.4 mg Vitamin C

Marinated Peanut Tempeh

Recipe from Minimalist Baker

Husband-Tested in Alice’s Kitchen

Serves 4

Well, this was just beyond good.  It was a big hit with the husband too.  I served this with Buffalo Cauliflower Salad, but now that I’ve made it, I’m excited to try it in other dishes, like spring rolls.

Tempeh:

8 ounces tempeh

Marinade:

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1 fresh or dried bird’s eye chili, minced

1 ½ Tablespoons sesame oil

2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter or almond butter or cashew butter

2 Tablespoons tamari or soy sauce (plus more, if desired*)

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

3 Tablespoons maple syrup

To remove bitterness from the tempeh, add to a rimmed skillet or saucepan filled with 1 inch of water and bring to a low boil over medium heat.  Cover the pan and steam the tempeh for a total of 10-12 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point.  Then rinse, pat dry on a clean towel, and cut into thin, bite-size pieces.  (I cut the tempeh in half lengthwise and then cut it into small triangles. The smaller the pieces, the better they can soak up the marinade.)

Mix the marinade ingredients with a whisk until smooth and thoroughly combined.  Taste and adjust the flavor as needed, adding more red pepper flakes for heat, maple syrup for sweetness, lime juice for acidity, or tamari for saltiness. 

Put the tempeh in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over the tempeh.  Flip the tempeh pieces to ensure each piece is coated with the marinade.  Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably for 24 hours.  While marinating, carefully flip the tempeh over to ensure even coating. 

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place the tempeh on the parchment lined baking sheet, leaving a little room between the pieces.  There should be some marinade left in the shallow dish.  Add about 1 Tablespoon tamari* to what’s left of the marinade and stir.  Brush this over the top of each tempeh piece. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 22 to 30 minutes or until caramelized and deep golden brown. 

Serve this tempeh as the protein for a meal or add it to spring rolls, salads, stir-fry, and noodle dishes.  Store leftovers in the fridge, covered, up to 3 days.

Nutritional Info: 250 calories; 15.2 g fat (2.8 g sat. fat); 463 mg sodium; 19.3 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 10.2 g sugars; 13.4 g protein