Tempeh of the Sea

Things I love about summertime...

• The way my kitchen always smells like a juice bar
• Sleeping with the windows wide open
• Biting into cool, crisp watermelon slices
• Mock tuna salads

Things that drive me crazy about summer time...

• The way my kitchen is always swarming with fruit flies
• Waking to the sound of chirping birds at 5 am and my cat trying to rip out the screen in order to get to them
• Biting into mushy watermelon slices
• Running out of my favorite mock tuna salad

For someone that can't stand the thought of seafood or the smell of the ocean, I am oddly obsessed with mock tuna salads, especially in summer.  Every time I am at a new restaurant and see a mock tuna salad on the menu I have to try it.  My obsession finally got to the point where I knew it was time to make my own version so I could have it whenever I wanted.  And so I did.  

I used tempeh to replace the “tuna” in this recipe.  (If you are unfamiliar with tempeh, you can read more about it in a previous post here.) Let me tell you that I have eaten this every week for the past six weeks... in cold sandwiches, on top of romaine salads, and grilled in flat bread.  In fact, I have been so busy eating this that I keep forgetting to share the recipe with you.  My apologies.    

Tempeh of the Sea
Serves 4

1 -8 oz package plain tempeh, crumbled
1/4 medium red onion, diced
2 green onions, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
3 Tablespoons sweet relish
1 cup cashew mayo (or vegan mayo of your choice)
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
sea salt and pepper to taste

Crumble tempeh and mix with the red onion, green onion, celery, relish, mayo and brown mustard.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve cold or grilled.

Basil Cashew Mayo

I have this habit of leaving my gym bag pockets unzipped.  It's partly because I'm lazy, but it's also partly because I have never had anything fall out so I never had incentive to zip them up.  Well, that was until two weeks ago when I lost my eyeliner.  And since it was a bit pricey, I am sure you can imagine how excited I was when I found it in my yard a few days ago.  Even though it was a bit weathered and the brand name had been rubbed off, it still worked great.

However, this morning upon closer inspection of the weathered brand name, I discovered that this was not actually my eyeliner.  Lesson learned: zip your gym bag and don't use eyeliner you find in your yard. 

Another important lesson I learned this week is how to make amazingly creamy mayo -- without the eggs or added oils!  So let's get to work!

I've been craving a creamy spread for sandwiches this week so I went searching for healthier mayo options.  This mayo uses silken tofu and cashews for a creamy, oil-free and egg-free spread that will delight your tastebuds and amp up any cold sandwich.  Add basil or your favorite herbs for an extra boost of summer delight.

Recipe submitted to Wellness Weekend

Basil Cashew Mayo
Adapted from Fat Free Vegan
Makes about 1 1/2 cups

1/2 block organic firm silken tofu
1/3 cup raw cashews
1/2 teaspoon spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
sea salt to taste
1/4 cup loosely packed basil leaves

Drain water from tofu and place tofu, cashews, mustard, lemon juice, garlic powder, and salt in a high-speed blender or food processor.  Blend at highest speed until light and creamy.  Add the basil and blend again.  Seal tightly and keep refrigerated. Stir before each use.