Smoky Tempeh with Purple Asparagus

I don't want to alarm you, but I think this is the best thing I have ever made. And, to be completely honest, I wasn't expecting it to be. 

Sure, I thought it would be good. I mean, salty, smoky tempeh combined with fresh asparagus? Sounds pretty amazing, right?

The end result is more than amazing. 

As I was typing this out right now I got a little nervous and doubted myself. Could this really be the best thing I have ever made? 

*Takes another bite.* 

Yep, it is.  Affirmative. 

First we start with these spring beauties: purple asparagus.  Just look at that gorgeous color!

Asparagus is in peak season right now and I chose purple asparagus for this recipe because I love the color, but you can use any asparagus of your choice. This dish is perfect served over a bed of millet or quinoa or, if you are grain-free, fresh or lightly sautéed greens. I love using tempeh as a hearty, plant-based protein source and it's a fabulous way to adventure into the world of fermented foods. (If you are new to cooking with tempeh, you can read more about it in my teriyaki tempeh post.)

Smoky Tempeh With Purple Asparagus
Serves 2 - 4

Ingredients: 

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (if gluten-free)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1 package tempeh, sliced into thirds and cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons water
1/2 bunch purple asparagus, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Instructions:

Add soy sauce (or tamari), water, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, cumin, paprika, and chile powder to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the tempeh slices and bring down to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 - 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Let marinate for about ten minutes.

Add coconut oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the tempeh (reserve any marinade) and cook for about five minutes, flipping as necessary to ensure both sides are evenly browned.

Add the asparagus. Saute for about 3 minutes, flipping as necessary, until asparagus is just browned on both sides. Add any remaining marinade and about two tablespoons of water. Continue cooking for about 7 - 10 minutes, until any remaining liquid has evaporated and asparagus is just tender.  Remove from heat, top with green onions, and serve hot.

Recipe shared at Weekend Wellness

Tempeh Tacos

One of the best status updates I've seen on Facebook lately was a friend who said that her dinner was cereal eaten out of a vase.  With a knife.

This is what moving does to people.

After my big move two weeks ago, my new kitchen is finally getting organized and feeling more put together.  My cats have started to settle as well and life is feeling a tad more calm.  Thank goodness.

My dinner remedy during times of chaos is always tacos.  And, if you're having an especially stressful week, it's tempeh tacos to the rescue.

The key to these is marinating the tempeh ahead of time so it has lots of flavor.  Then it's simple sauteing, heating a tortilla, and adding some toppings of your choice.  I chose thinly-sliced red onions, avocado, tomatoes, and fresh cilantro. You can make it simple or as fancy as you want; these tacos are delightful all the same.

Tempeh Tacos
Serves 4

1 8-oz package of tempeh, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon (vegan) Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon Bragg's liquid aminos
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 pinch chile powder
2 tablespoons water
freshly-ground pepper
8 medium (or 12 small) whole wheat or corn tortillas 

Mix 1 tablespoon of olive oil with (vegan) Worcestershire sauce, Bragg's liquid aminos, garlic, cumin, paprika, chile powder, and water.  Add freshly ground pepper to taste if desired.

Marinate tempeh overnight (or at least one hour).  Add remaining tablespoon of olive oil to a pan over medium heat and saute tempeh 3 - 5 minutes on each side until evenly browned and crisp.

Heat tortillas, top with tempeh, and serve with toppings of your choice.

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.

Teriyaki Tempeh & Veggies

I think it's time that we talked tempeh.  Have you tried tempeh before?  In case you haven't or in case you have no idea what I am talking about, let me clue you in.  Tempeh is cooked and fermented soy beans that have had a bacteria starter added to them and then were held at 86 degrees for 24 - 36 hours.  Tempeh is a very digestible form of soy and is full of protein - making it a perfect entree in a vegetarian or vegan meal.  Tempeh has a very unique taste and I have often heard it described as "nutty," "earthy," or similar to the flavor of mushrooms.

Tempeh is best when marinated in a sauce to give it some flavor, especially if you are trying tempeh for the first time.  You can also steam tempeh before cooking and this will help cut down on the bitterness.  Most health food stores will carry tempeh ranging from plain to flavored and some brands even have tempeh with a mix of grains.  Tempeh will have a white layer and often dark spots as well.  This is completely normal and is part of the culturing process.  Since tempeh is made with soy, I highly recommend choosing organic because it ensures the soybeans were not genetically-modified.  Tempeh will most often come as a solid block and then you will be able to slice, chop, or grate it depending on your recipe.

This recipe involves a homemade teriyaki sauce that is a bit sweet, spicy, and flavorful.  Typical teriyaki sauces use a lot of sugar, but I opted to sweeten this version with dates instead.  This sauce is perfect on tempeh, stir-fried with fresh veggies, or just served over brown rice.

Teriyaki Sauce
3 medjool dates + 1 cup water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
2 Tablespoons Bragg liquid aminos
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot powder + 1/4 cup water

Blend dates and 1 cup water until liquified.  Add to a saucepan over medium heat.  Add the soy sauce, liquid aminos, ginger, and garlic.  Heat for about a minute.

Meanwhile, mix the cornstarch (or arrowroot) and 1/4 cup water together.  Add to the mixture in the pan and heat for two minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened.

Teriyaki Tempeh
1 Tablespoon coconut oil
1 package of plain tempeh

Slice temeph into 1/2-inch slices.

Heat coconut oil in pan over medium heat.  Add the tempeh slices to the pan.  Cook for 5 minutes, then flip tempeh.  Add about 3 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce and continue to cook for about 5 minutes, until tempeh is browned.  Drizzle with additional sauce (if desired) before serving.

Teriyaki Veggies
1 teaspoon coconut oil
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
3 carrots, sliced diagonally
2 cups broccoli florets
2 cups snow peas
2 baby bok choy, chopped

Add the coconut oil to a pan over medium heat.  Add the onions and carrots and saute for about 5 minutes.  Add the broccoli, snow peas, and bok choy.  Add the remaining teriyaki sauce and saute for an additional 3 - 5 minutes, until vegetables are crisp-tender.