BBQ Tempeh w Collard Greens

In an attempt at eating healthier and more whole foods this past month, as part of the #HH28 Whole Foods Challenge, I decided that I one good way was to swap out Tofu with Tempeh. Less processed, more whole bean. I've come across a few different recipes for BBQ Tempeh and Buffalo Tempeh and decided to combine what I remembered of those recipes with collard greens. My husband bought me a 2 lb bag and I'm the only one who eats Collard greens .. so here's what I concocted and I must admit, it came out quite delish :) !! Collard greens and tempeh both taste best after cooking for a long time on low heat which helps the tough cellulose walls in the greens to soften and for the soybeans in tempeh to mellow as well. So both ingredients are a match made in ... a pot :)

BBQ Tempeh & Collard Greens

Prep Time: 60-90 min, including 60-75 min of simmer time. 

Ingredients (Serves 6):

1. 2 lb Collard Greens, pre-washed and cut into bite sized pieces.
2. 2 pks Lightlife Soy Tempeh
3. 1 large Red Onion, diced
4. 1 tbsp Minced Garlic
5. 2 tbsp Tomato Paste, unsalted.
6. 2 tbsp unsalted roasted peanuts, as a garnish
7. 2-4 tbsp BBQ Sauce (use your favorite kind)
8. 2 tsp Hot Sauce (use your favorite kind)
9. 1/2 tsp Liquid Smoke
10. 2 cups water
11. Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions:

In a large, deep pot, big enough to hold 2 lbs of greens, add 1 cup water and add diced onions and garlic. Saute until onion is translucent and garlic begins to release its essential oils (about 2-4 min on high). Add remaining ingredients (except tempeh and greens), mix and bring to a boil. Once the mixture is at a rolling boil, add diced tempeh and reduce heat to a gentle simmer (medium-low). Slowly add collard greens to the pan, allowing each handful to wilt into the mix, until all the greens have been mixed in. Allow to simmer on the stove for about an hour adding more water to prevent the dish from drying out. Before serving, taste test and add more BBQ sauce, salt and pepper, as needed. The final dish should have some excess liquids which will serve as the flavor for your rice. Serve over a bed of steamed rice, and garnish with a few peanuts (optional).

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving): Calories 228 (Fat Calories 59)
Total Fat 6.5 g; Carbohydrates 26.6 g; Fiber 13.8 g; Sugars 4.4 g; Protein 18.7 g

Tempeh Curry

To be very honest, when I first tried Tempeh several months ago I was not a fan. I bought some because I didn't want to dismiss this food that everyone raved about after just one trial. But I was hesitant to try it again, until I had an idea ... and suddenly, Tempeh got its second chance :) !!! The problem with tempeh is that to the unaccustomed palate, it tastes dry and grainy and doesn't have much flavor. It has the wonderful property, however, much like tofu, that it can take up whatever flavors are added to it. One of the things I was told by others who love it is that it helps to boil it before using it in a dish. My answer to that? Pressure cooking!!  

Tempeh Curry

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients: 

1. 1 8oz pack of Tempeh, cut into 1" pieces
2. 1 large Onion, diced coarsely
3. 1 large Tomato, diced coarsely
4. 1 tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
5. 2 cups Vegetable Broth
6. 2-3 tsp Cumin seeds
7. 2-3 tsp Coriander powder
8. 2-3 medium Bay leaves
9. 2 inch piece of cinnamon bark
10. 4-6 whole cloves
11. 2-4 tsp Garam Masala
12. Salt & Pepper, to taste

Directions:

Add everything to a pressure cooker and steam for 15 min. Open, stir well, allow some of the water to evaporate, if a thicker curry is desired, or eat as is. 

I served this curry over a bed of rice and it tasted great. Tempeh will most definitely have a spot in my fridge from now on. It had an almost creamy texture after being pressure cooked. All the spice flavors penetrated well during the pressure cooking process and for those used to Indian cooking, Tempeh tasted a little bit like Paneer to me. Hope you'll give it a chance, or a second chance. Nom Nom!!!

Veggie Fact of the Day

So what the heck is Tempeh? According to Wikipedia, tempeh is a traditional soy product originally from Indonesia. It is made my a natural, but controlled, fermentation process that binds soybeans together. Whole soybeans are mixed with rice or millets, with a 'starter' culture to begin the fermentation, shaped into flat rectangular cakes and traditionally - these cakes are wrapped in banana leaves and allowed to ferment for 18 to 24 hours before being used in the kitchen. 

Lindsay Nixon of Happy Herbivore has a blog posting not too long ago. Because of its nutritional value, tempeh is fast becoming a popular choice as a meat substitute in the diet of strict vegetarians like me. There is some debate over whether or not the bacteria used in the fermentation process produce Vitamin B12 and hence, the Vitamin B12 content of tempeh is a topic for debate too. Because tempeh is made from whole soybeans, it has a high fiber content, but unlike other bean and bean products, the fermentation process breaks down some of the contents making it more digestible, and less gas producing. It is low in sodium unlike some of the other soy products on the market.

Tempeh & Vegetable Lo-Mein

I've tried 18 new vegetables already this year and its only the 22nd of March ... I'm beginning to get worried that I won't have any left to last me through the rest of the 9 months of this year (LOL), so I've expanded my horizons a little bit and decided to include products other than fresh produce as well.  

Today, I tried something plant-based and although it is somewhat processed, I'm still going to call it New Veggie #19 - Soy Tempeh. Along with tempeh, I used two of my previous new veggies today as well. I used Bok Choy  (New Veggie #11) which I've promised myself I'll always add to my oriental dishes (its awesome!) and I had one small Radicchio (New Veggie #15) left over from the weekend which I wanted to use as well. I overloaded this dish with veggies. Other vegetables to use would be sliced carrots, snow peas, broccoli!! 

Tempeh &Vegetable Lo-Mein

Prep Time: 20 min

Ingredients: 

1. 1 pack (8 oz) Tempeh, cut into thin strips (or grilled chicken)
2. 1 cup spaghetti (boiled, al dente)
3. 1/2 cup Vegetable broth 
4. 4 tbsp Soy sauce
5. 2-3 tbsp Hoisin sauce, or Vegetarian Oyster sauce
6. 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
7. 1 bunch of Bok Choy, sliced
8. 6-8 Green onions, cut off the leafy parts and cut each one in half, length-wise
9. 1 medium Radicchio, sliced
10. salt to taste. 

Directions:

Boil spaghetti and set aside. In a skillet on medium heat, add vegetable broth and add ginger-garlic paste. Allow for the mixture to come to a simmer and mix in both sauces and add strips of tempeh. Cover and allow this to simmer for about 5 minutes. Then add the green onions and allow to cook for a few minutes to get rid of the sulfur pungency. If you like raw onions, you may not need to pre-cook the onions like I did. Then, add the noodles to this sauce and toss well to cover noodles with sauce.  Do a quick taste test, and add more sauces and/or salt to taste. Finally add the bok choy and radicchio, toss well and just as the green (and purples) begin to wilt, turn off the heat and remove the pan from the stove as well. 

Nik's Reaction: He wanted to try the noodles, but was quite full with his own dinner by the time the Lo-Mein was ready. Alex tried a small serving. I think he liked the noodles and veggies but was not a fan of the tempeh (.. AT ALL!! LOL)

My Assessment: I liked the dish overall. This was my first time trying tempeh and, like Alex, I am not an immediate fan.  But I've heard so many people rave about it that I will definitely try it again. :)