Tempeh Mini Guide with Recipe Ideas and Nutrition Info

Tempeh (pronounced tem-pay) is a soy product that’s versatile and probiotic rich. It was introduced on the island of Java in Indonesia in the 12^th and 13^th centuries. Tempeh is nutrient rich, with approximately 7 grams of fiber, 16 grams of economically priced plant-powered protein, 6 % of the Daily Value of calcium, and 10 % (DV) of iron in each 3 oz. serving.

Because tempeh is fermented, your body digests it easier and is able to absorb more of its nutrients than many of the other soy products. Tempeh tastes nutty, earthy, and grainy, when compared to tofu’s soft and silky texture. Like tofu, tempeh adapts well in endless dishes, each with its own distinct flavorings.

Here’s the One My Family and I Enjoy the Most

Tasty Balsamic, Maple, Ginger and Garlic Marinated Tempeh

Ingredients:

1 8 oz. package tempeh

Note: Check the label before you buy tempeh. Make sure it’s organic so the soy isn’t genetically modified. Some products contain a combo of soybeans and brown rice. Others contain barley, millet, flax, or mixed veggies. Select the blend of ingredients that pleases you. Packaged tempeh is sold in the dairy of produce section of your market. It looks like a block or patty and is already cooked. Some say to par-boil it, but the tempeh in this recipe does soak up the balsamic marinade just fine without that.

½ cup balsamic vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced (use less if you're not a garlic lover like I am)
1-1 in. slice fresh ginger that's been peeled and grated 

4 teaspoons Bragg Liquid Aminos or low-sodium soy sauce

1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup

1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon chili powder,

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

black pepper and salt to taste
parsley for garnish

What to Do:

1. Rinse tempeh and pat dry. Slice the tempeh into 8-10 strips. Make the slices about the same thickness as strips of bacon.
2. In a large glass baking dish, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, minced garlic, and grated ginger, Bragg Liquid Aminos, maple syrup, oil, and other seasonings.
3. Add the tempeh to the dish and gently toss to coat with the marinade. Cover the dish with foil and marinate the tempeh in the refrigerator for a least 2 hours. It even can be refrigerated overnight. Gently toss the tempeh every now and then.
4. When ready to start cooking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
5. Spread the marinated tempeh strips in a single layer in a baking dish, and bake the tempeh in the marinade for 15 minutes. Flip the tempeh onto the other side.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes more, until the tempeh has absorbed most of the the marinade. 
7. There you have it. Serve it warm on whole grain bread with lettuce, tomato, and non-fat vegan bean dressing. Recipe instructions are supplied below. 

Close up of the tempeh sandwich served with roasted potatoes

Vegan Bean, Garlic, and Ginger Salad Dressing

Ingredients:

1 15 oz. can organic Cannellini or Great Northern Beans

1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

3 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 or 2 cloves garlic

1 chunk fresh ginger peeled (about 1 inch round)

fresh ground black pepper
Optional seasoning: parsley, basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary, sage, or any spice you like. I always include a combo of a pinch of turmeric and one of black pepper. This combo has anti-inflammatory benefits.

What to do:

1. Grate garlic and ginger first. Then blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy.

2. If the consistency is thicker than you like dressing to be, slowly add drops of water or lemon juice and then correct seasoning. 

This dressing is wonderful on salads, sandwiches, and as a sauce on fresh steamed veggies.

🌿

To expand your tempeh repertoire, serve tempeh in collard or lettuce wrap sandwiches, or add to veggie soups for an extra dose of plant-powered protein. Use leftover tempeh as a snack, speared with a colorful toothpick.

Tempeh is a welcome addition in stews, casseroles, and slow cooker meals. It goes great in sauces, stir-fries, and with vegetables in curries. 

Make Tempeh explode with flavor by seasoning it well. One sure way to do that is to follow my lead and convert this ancient soy product into an up-to-the-minute savory delight.

Before you go, please don't forget to comment. Let me know whether you've tried a tempeh recipe before or whether you're a Tempeh Newbie. If you have a favorite tempeh recipe, please let me know that as well. What kind of vegan salad dressings do you like? I'd be happy to know that too. Please don't forget to share the love and share a link to this post on social media.

The quote for today follows: “Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.” – Michael Pollan

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Create a Colorful Red, White, and Blue Dessert 1,2,3

Nowadays, many of us make plans to get together with family and friends during the Memorial Day Weekend for picnics, cookouts, or other gatherings. Want the perfect dessert to serve at your party? It uses fruits that are at the peak of ripeness and flavor right now. 

You're sure to see smiles on the faces of family and guests as you serve this colorful red, white, and blue dessert at your dining or patio table. A three ingredient recipe that's relatively inexpensive, a snap to assemble, and packed with 3 healthful ingredients. What more could you ask? Just follow the 3 steps below.

Ingredients:

1 Quart Organic Strawberries or about 16 oz. of berries that are lightly washed in cool water and hulled (see links below)

1 Quart Organic Blueberries or about 16 oz. that are washed in cool water

1 Cup unsweetened shredded coconut (either fine or coarsely shredded)

Read what Molly Watson shares about washing and hulling strawberries.

How to wash strawberries

How to hull strawberries

4 hulled strawberries

What to Do:

1. Wash and hull strawberries and wash blueberries as described above. Place them in a medium-sized glass bowl and mix them together.

2. Sprinkle the berries with coconut flakes.

3. Insert serving spoons into bowl and place on your holiday table or portion out into individual dessert dishes for a more formal touch.

This is a Berry Good Dessert

Strawberries and blueberries contain many healthful elements. They're high in vitamin C, phytonutrients, and contain no cholesterol. Shredded coconut provides fiber, iron, and healthy fat to satisfy and stave off hunger. 

Look at the links below for additional nutrition facts from Driscolls.com

Nutrition facts about strawberries

Nutrition facts about blueberries

Take some time this Memorial Day weekend to remember and honor those Americans who are our war dead. They gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country. Serve this color rich dessert to honor the red, white, and blue. In fact, serve it anytime you want to top off your meal with a delicious and healthful finale.

For a More Formal Look, Serve in Goblets

Before you go, ask yourself how often you serve summer berries. Do you purchase them at a farmer's market, pick them from your home garden, or purchase at a local shop? Berries lose nutrients and spoil, the longer you keep them it. Serve within a day or two of purchase. What are your favorite ways to serve strawberries and blueberries? Have you made plans for this weekend or is your plan to relax and kick back? Leave questions, comments, and/or share this berry recipe. Sharing is caring and I care about you. Happy Memorial Day Weekend Everyone.

Here's the quotation for today from Jordin Sparks:

"I love berries. Strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, black berries, anything with an 'errie' in it!"

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Hearty Vegan Black Bean Soup

Hearty Vegan Black Bean Soup

To warm you this winter, ladle out a piping hot, spicy bowl of black bean soup. It features a combo of black beans and colorful veggies that are nutrient rich, appealing, and comfort cravings for a filling, delicious meal.

Ingredients:

1 lb. dried organic black beans

10 cups cold water

1 large organic yellow onion chopped

5 cloves organic garlic grated

1 Bay leaf

1 teaspoon chili powder or more to taste

¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro and a handful of fresh chopped parsley
½ jalapeño pepper (wear gloves to seed and chop)
1 can 15 oz. chopped organic tomatoes (get ones that are packaged in a BPA free can) or use 3 fresh chopped organic tomatoes, when in season

4 organic carrots chopped

4 stalks organic celery chopped

½ cup organic cremini or baby bella mushrooms sliced

Salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

What to do:

1. Pick over and rinse black beans to remove extraneous matter. Soak black beans for at least 6-8 hours. Spill out soaking water, and rinse well. The US Dry Bean Council provides several methods for soaking beans. See which one you like best. http://www.usdrybeans.com/recipes/beans-pre-prep/

Note: I offer you the choice of using dried black beans or canned ones. Consider this. Dried beans are more economical and taste better than canned ones, because the flavoring melds into them as the beans simmer on the stove. Here in Tucson, a 1 lb. bag of organic black beans costs approximately $ 2.99 lb. One 15 oz. can of organic beans cost $1.30. Dried beans get hydrated as they cook (expand) and equal 4 cans of black beans at a cost of approximately $5.20. Some canned products are still packed in cans that contain BPA or are highly salted.

On the plus side, canned beans are fully cooked and cut down on prep time. If you’re using canned beans, follow prep directions for onion and garlic in step 2. At step 3, pour out the liquid from the cans of beans and rinse. Add them to the veggies and 10 cups of water and continue on from there.

2. Chop onion and grate garlic. Much experimentation on my part has deemed it the best way to make garlic taste bold, yet not overpower or mask the other ingredients. 

Put onion and garlic into a large ceramic, cast iron, or heavy weight stainless steel pot or Dutch oven on the stove top. Without using any oil, brown onion and garlic for about 2 minutes on medium heat. If any sticks, use a drop or 2 of water. Cook 3 or 4 minutes more, until the onion and garlic are soft and browned. It may surprise you to learn this is an easy way to brown ingredients without oil. It gives the soup a lively flavor, rich color, and adds a delightful aroma to the soup as it cooks. Add soaked dried beans to the pot and pour in 10 cups of water. Bring to a boil and lower to a simmer. Add bay leaf, salt, chili powder, and chopped jalapeño. Cook covered on medium heat for 45 minutes or until black beans start to get soft. Watch pot every few minutes and lower temperature slightly, if you sense soup is ready to boil over. Cooking times vary depending on how fresh beans are, what soaking method you use, and the actual temperature of your stove.

3. Add chopped carrots, celery, mushrooms, and canned or fresh (chopped) tomatoes to the mix and cook for 20 minutes. Unlike some vegetables and fruits that are best eaten raw, tomatoes need to be cooked (ideally for ½ hour) to release the most phytonutrients/health benefits.

Baby Bellas Add a Hearty Dimension to the Soup 

4. Include as many optional veggies as you’d like to include now (zucchini, cabbage, butternut squash, kale, red pepper, and peas are my suggestions) to increase thickness, depth of flavor, and nutrition. Cook 10 minutes longer to release the full power of the tomatoes and heat optional veggies. Before removing pot from the stove, check beans and vegetables to see that they are soft enough to stick a fork in them, but not fall apart completely. Remove bay leaf, grind on black pepper, and sprinkle on chopped cilantro and parsley before serving.

Note: I use organic items whenever possible, because organic produce tastes better, is healthier for you, and doesn't pollute the planet.

Serve the soup in cups or bowls, accompanied by a salad and whole grain bread like I did. Another way to serve it is with cooked brown rice, corn chips, salsa, and guacamole.

Guacamole and Organic Corn Chips Go Well with Black Bean Soup

Feel good about making this hearty soup for yourself, family, or friends. A 1 cup portion of black beans is a good source of Thiamine, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Iron, and Manganese without cholesterol or fat. Black beans are an excellent source of dietary fiber and protein. One cup provides 15 grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein. Their hearty taste and high nutritional value makes them satisfying, economical and a smart food choice. My recipe is delicious and spicy, without being dangerously hot. If you’d like to turn up the heat, add one or more of these: salsa, cayenne pepper, shake of Tabasco or other hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, or more cilantro and garlic.

The quote for today appeared on Brainy Quotes and it follows: "Only the pure in heart can make a good soup." Ludwig van Beethoven

I'm curious to know other ways you use black beans. I welcome comments, questions, and hope you'll share your ideas or tips about this nutritious legume. Sharing is caring. 

Follow me on Google Friend Connect and you'll get notified each time I post (right now it's twice a month). Your support and encouragement is appreciated. 

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Tips to Energize Your Life!

You're Invited to a Presentation by Nancy Andres, Author of Colors of Joy: A Woman’s Guide for Self-Discovery, Balance, and Bliss. It's a fun way to “try out” Self Care Practices that increase joy in daily living.

Where: Natural Grocers, 7220 E. Broadway Blvd., corner of Broadway at Kolb, Tucson. 520-885-6000.

When: Monday, Dec. 7 between 12 noon- 1 PM

What: Interactive activities, self-development skills, and time after the workshop to see and purchase Colors of Joy, the woman’s self-care journal. Colors of Joy expands and enhances techniques you’ll learn during this workshop.

Details: The workshop is free, but seating is limited and on a first come first serve basis. Open to adults only.  www.nancyandreswriter.com.

Come on down and enjoy this fabulous self-care party. 

Arizona Daily Star Info About the Workshop

Wishing all my readers a Joyous Holiday Season and Many 

Blessings in the New Year.

Joy to the World from Nancy A @ obloggernewbie.blogspot.com

The quote for today follows: "Self-care is a 

privilege only you can grant 

yourself." Nancy Andres

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Here a Squash, There a Squash, Everywhere a Squash, Squash

Acorn Squash Stuffed with Couscous

Roasted Butternut Squash Sliced Lengthwise

Here's the real deal about "Winter Squash."