[Hey all. Happy Monday to you. If you haven’t checked out this post from last week, check it out, then take a moment and introduce yourself, I’d love to meet ya!
There’s also a post about how to get washboard abs, a quick & easy potato meal, a recipe for a very berry salad, and a rant on the dairy industry’s latest advertising tactic, so check it out if you missed it.
Look out for a giveaway coming up this week on the blog.
Here’s to a great week ahead of you!]
Tempeh has become one of my favorite foods (remember when I made this dish?).
Why is tempeh so good for you and why should you love it? Because it tastes good and has texture (it’s chewy, one thing many people miss when they forgo animal foods)!
It’s a fermented food, whole food (the soybeans aren’t processed like they are in say, a soy “hot dog”), good source of fiber and protein. I like the texture and flavor, and I think it makes things interesting.
A lot of people wonder if soy is bad for you (what I think about the issue here). I think soybeans are just great. I like tofu, tempeh, edemame, and an occasional veggie hot dog (made from processed soy) is okay too.
This
Plus this,
Was last night’s dinner.
Joseph has been preparing (or slaving away, is more like it) to sit for the Washington state bar exam (to become a bona fide attorney). The test is this week. Since he’ll be gone for a few days, I made sure we had a good sit down dinner together last night. I tend to put some extra effort into Sunday dinners anyway, since he is around to help and it’s Sunday, which has always been a special day in our family.
I made fettuccine alfredo from the Engine 2 Diet book. To make it wheat-free so Salem (my baby) and I could eat it (we both have a wheat intolerance), I used brown rice noodles. There is something so comforting about creamy pasta. I could eat this stuff all day long!
I wanted to accompany the noodles with something more than just steamed frozen vegetables, and we’re pretty low on fresh produce. So I threw together what I had left in my fridge: one bell pepper, 6 stalks of celery, and half a cake of tempeh. It needed some more color so I added some sundried tomatoes and artichoke hearts (sundried tomatoes are jarred and artichoke hearts canned, so I always have these on hand).
Quick & Easy Tempeh Basil & Sundried Tomato Salad
You can make this in 10 minutes or less!
Quick note: Some people find the taste of tempeh bitter if eaten uncooked (here are some helpful hints and tips about working with tempeh). I don’t find this to be the case, so I don’t cook my tempeh before eating it. I eat it raw and I love it this way. If you find uncooked tempeh undesirable (ie. gross), try steaming it for 20 minutes in a steamer, or simmering it in water for about the same amount of time.
If you don’t have Mrs. Dash seasoning, run out to the store (right now!) and get some. No really, you’ve got to have some of this stuff. It contains no salt and is chock full of flavor. I especially love the tomato basil garlic flavor, which is what I use in this recipe. If you don’t have it, you can use 1/2 TBS. dried basil and 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, but it just won’t be the same.
One other ingredient I use in this recipe is seasoned rice vinegar. There are many flavors of seasoned rice vinegar (of which there are many brands, I use & like the Kikkoman brand).
Original uses just salt and sugar. But there are many other varieties. I also use a basil & oregano flavor, as well as garlic, and a roasted red pepper flavor. All are a great way to add lots of oil-free flavor to many types of dishes, especially salads (but watch out and don’t use too much because of the sodium content).
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 6 stalks celery, chopped
- 1 cucumber, diced
- 1/3 c. sundried tomatoes (mine come packed in oil but I rinse them in a strainer under hot water, so I get most of the oil off)
- 1, 15 oz. can small, whole artichoke hearts, drained
- 3/4 c. original tempeh, cubed (1/2 of a package)
- 2 TBS. basalmic vinegar
- 1 TBS. seasoned rice vinegar (I used roasted garlic flavor, but original works too)
- 1 TBS. Mrs. Dash, Tomato Basil & Garlic flavor (this is where you get the basil flavor, so if you don’t have this stuff, you can use fresh or dried basil, about 1/2 TBS. for dried)
- 1/4-1/2 tsp. salt
Combine ingredients and toss thoroughly so that all ingredients are coated with dressing. Easy as that!
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