Recipes

Using tempeh in salads, spreads, crumbles (burrito-fills), and sauces are other fun and delicious ideas for incorporating tempeh into your meals.  With these recipes in mind, you can start by steaming or else boiling tempeh.


The basic gist is to first cut tempeh blocks down into smaller blocks to fit nicely in a steamer pan (such as a saucepan using a metal steamer basket).  For instance, COOL BEANS tempeh can be cut into approx 4" x 4" squares and then sliced in half through the thickness of the tempeh.  8-oz blocks yield four small blocks, while the 16-oz blocks will make eight small blocks.  Arrange these in the steamer basket and steam for 20 minutes.  (note, you are starting with fresh or thawed tempeh)


After the tempeh has been cooked, remove it from the heat and allow to cool.  Once cooled, the tempeh can be pulled apart by hand into smaller-than-bite-sized pieces or cut with a knife.


Now you have crumbled tempeh as a basic building block for any variety of tempeh recipe.  Consider various oils, vinegars, dried or fresh herbs, minced vegetables, seaweeds... whatever seems yummy.  Add in these additional ingredients, mixing well, resulting in a ready-to-eat tempeh creation of your choice.


See the following recipes for Tempeh Burritos and Mock Tuna

(some of you have sampled this tempeh preparation at the Viable Cultures farmers market table)


starting with steamed tempeh crumbles ( COOL BEANS !! ) in a large bowl–

–slowly sprinkle on Ume Boshi Plum Vinegar and mix to the desired flavor/saltiness

–pour in Olive Oil, enough to give the tempeh a coated, glossy look (basically to your taste/preference)

–sprinkle some Cumin and a bit of Cayenne Pepper into the tempeh and mix well..



Now you are ready to make burritos or wraps using tortillas and other additional fixings.

8 ounce pkg of tempeh    ( COOL BEANS !! )

1 T. vinegar  (recipe suggests Ume Boshi vinegar)

1/2 c. mayonnaise

black pepper to taste

1 celery stalk

1/4 red onion, finely diced

Steam or boil tempeh for 20 minutes.  Break apart with a fork until you get smaller than bite sized pieces.  Sprinkle the vinegar onto the tempeh, mashing it in with a fork until you get a tuna-fishy saltiness.  Mix mayo, pepper, and any other spices you enjoy.

from: The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics by Jessica Porter

Lacto-fermented vegetables (aka. Kraut) can be eaten alone or together with other foods.  One important thing to remember is to keep it raw/uncooked to obtain optimal nutritional benefits.  Opt to have fun and enjoy the unique, tangy, sour flavors that kraut can add to any meal.  The suggested serving size is 1 - 2 Tablespoons (again, regarding the nutritional benefit, "much does not help much").  Read more: Eating Kraut