Tempeh two ways

Saturday, March 13, 2010

What is tempeh?
Tempeh, like tofu, is made from soybeans. It is more dense and grainy than tofu and contains more nutrients because it is made from whole fermented beans. A single 4oz. serving provides around 16-20 grams of vegan protein, 9 grams of fiber, and 15% of the RDA for iron. Even fellow vegetarians sometimes struggle with how to prepare and eat tempeh.

Here are two ways that I enjoy it.

Tempeh salad:
Makes 1 large or two small servings

4oz. tempeh cut into very small cubes or crumbled
Olive oil or cooking spray
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2-3 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise (I use Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise)
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

  1. Using olive oil or cooking spray, lightly brown the tempeh over medium heat. Set aside to cool.
  2. Combine remaining ingredients then add browned tempeh when cool.
  3. Serve over a large bed of spinach or lettuce (or a combination of greens).
Did you know...? 1/4 cup of sesame seeds contains 350mg of calcium (35% RDA) and 5mg of iron (29% RDA)!

Tempeh sandwich or wrap:
  1. Thinly slice the tempeh. One serving is about 4oz. It will keep for a few days in the refrigerator if you want to cook enough for multiple days.
  2. You can marinate the tempeh, if desired, in whatever you like (a combination of olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and Bragg's Liquid Aminos works well). Marinating for just a few minutes is fine.
  3. Lightly brown the tempeh over medium heat with a little oil or cooking spray.
  4. The cooked tempeh can be used in sandwiches or wraps. It is great with avocado, sprouts, red onion, and a little Annie's Goddess Dressing!
Three great places to find more tempeh recipes:
101 Cookbooks tempeh recipes
VegWeb.com (search for tempeh to find recipes)
FatFree Vegan Kitchen (search for tempeh to find recipes)

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