Autumn Kale Salad

Fall is upon us at last! My favorite season of the year and my favorite flavors of the year.  As the cold creeps in so does everything pumpkin flavored, nutmeg, cinnamon, and all those warm spices that heat up any chilly autumn evening.

Keeping with the season, I have this lovely autumn salad featuring marinated kale, roasted sweet potatoes and kabocha squash, maple tempeh bacon and sliced avocado.  A perfect hearty salad for any time of the day.

Ingredients:
1 large bunch of kale
1/2 medium kabocha squash, sliced (I like to keep the skin on)
1 large sweet potato, cubed
1 avocado, sliced
1 140z package of tempeh
1 tablespoon of liquid smoke
1 tablespoon of liquid aminos
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1/4 cup of water
1/4 cup of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of ground flax seed
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (or 1 fresh clove minced)
1/2 teaspoon of chili powder
Pepper to taste

Begin by heating your oven to 400 F.  Then slice your squash and cubing your sweet potato and place them on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper.  You can roast them plain or spray with a little non-stick spray and sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.

While your vegetables are roasting, mix together the water, lemon juice, flax seed, salt, garlic powder, chili powder, and pepper and set aside.  This will be your dressing.  Slice your tempeh into thin strips and sear on a cast iron skillet with a bit of non-stick spray until crispy on both sides.  Turn off heat and add your liquid smoke, liquid aminos and maple syrup.  Toss to coat and then set aside.

Slice your kale into bite sized pieces, rinse, and then place into a large mixing bowl.  Add half of the dressing and massage well with your hands.

After about 45 minutes your vegetables should be done roasting, be sure to check on them periodically as times may vary.  Remove from oven and allow to cool for a few minutes.  Slice your squash into bite sized chunks.  Add the squash, sweet potato, and tempeh to your marinated kale and gently combine all ingredients.  Top with sliced avocado, drizzle the rest of the dressing on top and enjoy!

Breakfast Macro Bowl: Scramble, Fruit, Kale, Tempeh, Hash

Yikes! How did a month go by without a post?  Well, wait no longer, it's time for more breakfast goodies!

As much as I love my pancakes, I felt it was high time to step away and make a more well rounded breakfast this week.  I love the concept of macro bowls, with their delicious portions of veggies, grains, beans, and starches.  Translating this concept to breakfast is always fun (even if it's not a traditional macro bowl) and the other day I came up with this fun combo that will certainly satisfy all your cravings and leave you feeling ready to start your day.

Ingredients:
10 oz of extra firm tofu
1 bunch of kale
1 large grapefruit
2 small russet potatoes (yukon gold work great as well)
7 oz of tempeh
Handful of porcini mushrooms (optional)
Liquid Aminos
Liquid Smoke
Nutritional Yeast
Salt and pepper to taste

Begin by dicing your potatoes and then boiling them in salted water for about five minutes.  You want them to begin to become tender in the center but not fall apart easily.  In the meantime, thinly slice your tempeh and sear them on a cast iron skillet until golden and crispy on both sides.  A minute before removing them from the pan add a tablespoon of liquid aminos and teaspoon of liquid smoke (or more of both to taste).  Set aside in oven (heated at 300 F) to stay warm.

At this point your potatoes should be ready, so drain them and then fry them in the same cast iron skillet.  I like to use just a bit of non-stick spray on the pan so they get a golden exterior without an excess amount of oil.  Cover the pan and cook for 10 minutes or so on medium heat, stirring every few minutes so all sides of the potatoes are cooked evenly.  Season with salt and pepper.

While the potatoes cook, crumble your tofu and cook in a small frying pan on medium to medium-high heat.  Spread your tofu evenly on the pan and cook without stirring for a few minutes.  By doing this the tofu will get that 'well done scrambled egg' effect and become golden throughout.  After a couple of minutes flip the tofu over and repeat.  Break the tofu apart as needed in between flips as it will tend to stick together.  Cook for several minutes until browned throughout.  Season with pink sea salt, pepper, and nutritional yeast.

All of your components should be just about ready so, lastly, prepare your kale.  Chop, clean and steam your kale.  No seasoning necessary for this delicious green vegetable.

Serve your well rounded breakfast with a half grapefruit or, if you're like me, serve with a nice handful of sauteed porcini mushrooms.  Enjoy!

Tempeh Curry with Brown Rice

I'll admit it: In the past, I've gone for quantity over quality.  Often I have purchased those large containers of spices, because the deal was just so darn good, without considering the spices would 'dry' out sooner than I could use them.  Recently I have been ridding myself of this practice and investing in some quality spices.  The other day, in fact, I picked up a lovely yellow curry from a local farmers market and I can't stop using it! Thus came the inspiration for this yellow curry tempeh.

Ingredients:

16 oz of tempeh
1 plum tomato, diced
1 small potato, cubed
1 small bell pepper, diced
1/2 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced (feel free to adjust to taste)
1 tablespoon of yellow curry
1 teaspoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of chili powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon of corn starch
1/2 cup of vegetable broth
1/4 cup of soymilk

Cube your tempeh into bite sized pieces and sear in a cast iron skillet until golden brown on all sides.  Set aside.

In the same skillet dry roast your spices for a few minutes until nice and fragrant.  Add a bit of non-stick spray and the onions and then saute for a few minutes until translucent.  Then add bell pepper, potato, and garlic and cook for a few more minutes.  Now add 1/4 cup of  the vegetable broth, cover and allow to cook for 5 minutes or so on medium heat.  Reduce the heat to low and add the remaining vegetable broth, corn starch (pre-mixed with broth) and soymilk and then cover again.  Simmer until potatoes begin to soften and sauce thickens, about 5-7 more minutes.

Remove the cover and add tomatoes.  Cook for five more minutes until the tomatos begin to break down slightly.  Serve over brown rice and garnish with a bit of parsley.  Enjoy!

Mustard Glazed Tempeh, Cucumber, Tomato and Sprout Sandwich

I love sprouts!  Whether it be alfalfa sprouts, bean sprouts, arugula sprouts or any variation of such I am sold!  To be honest, this recipe originally came about because I was craving sprouts on a sandwich and needed to find some other items to add on it.  Though my love of sprouts began this meal the tempeh really does steal the show with it's tangy, acidic and sweet elements that shine through.  Enjoy with a cup of soup or all on it's own.

Ingredients:
8oz package of 3 grain tempeh
3 tablespoons of grain mustard
1 tablespoon of lemon infused cooking white wine
1 tablespoon of maple syrup
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of liquid smoke
1/4 cup of water
Salt and pepper to taste
4 oz package of alfalfa sprouts
1 large tomato sliced
1 small cucumber sliced
Optional: Mayo and/or Mustard for bread

Slice tempeh into four pieces width wise and then cut each piece in half 'height-wise' so that you yield two thinner pieces.  Now cut diagonally so you wind up with 16 triangles of tempeh.  Mix together ingredients from mustard until water and marinade tempeh for at least an hour or up to overnight.  When tempeh is done marinating, heat large frying pan and spray with a bit of nonstick spray.  Cook tempeh on medium heat until both sides are golden brown.  When golden brown, add remaining marinade into pan and cook for an other minute or two until the marinade thickens and becomes mostly absorbed.

I had these on some toasted rye bread spread with mayo and mustard and topped with cucumber, sprouts and tomato slices.  Add whichever condiments suit your fancy and enjoy!