Tempeh Bacon

Part of a delicious weekend breakfast! Shown here with steamed baby spinach. 

Tempeh Bacon
Serves 4 (or two greedy people like me)

Ingredients
1 packet Tempeh
1 Tbls oil for frying

Marinade;
2 Tbls Braggs liquid aminos or Tamari soy sauce
1/2 tsp Liquid smoke.
1 Tbls water or coconut amino
1 Tbls BBQ sauce
1 Tbls maple syrup


Method

Steam the tempeh for 10-20 minutes.
You can skip this step if you don't mind the regular taste of tempeh but it helps to kill the bitterness.
Slice tempeh thinly and put aside.
Whisk all marinade ingredients together and place in a seal-able container or a ziplock bag.
Add tempeh to the marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (best over night), turning occasionally.
Drain tempeh from marinade and pat dry with a paper towel.
Heat oil in frying pan on a medium heat.
Add tempeh and brown on each side, around 3 minutes on each side.
Once brown serve with other breakfast items.

Orange Pan-Glazed Tempeh

You can do this equally well with firm tofu, just make sure to press it first. Serve with rice or use in salad, stir fry or as a side. I had it just with fresh baby spinach and it was delicious!
Recipe from 101 Cookbooks.

Orange Pan-Glazed Tempeh

Ingredients

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3-4 large juicy oranges)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce)
1 1/2 tablespoons mirin
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
roughly 10 ounces of tempeh (or extra-firm tofu)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lime
a handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves


Method

Put the orange juice in a small bowl. Squeeze the grated ginger over the bowl to extract the juices, then discard the pulp.
Add the tamari, mirin, and maple syrup, ground coriander, and garlic. Mix together and set aside.
Cut the tempeh (or tofu) into thin-ish, bite-sized pieces, and if working with tofu, pat dry with a paper towel.
Put the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the tempeh and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden underneath.
Turn and cook the other side for another 5 minutes, or until golden.
Pour the orange juice mixture into the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced to a lovely thick glaze.
Turn the tempeh once more during this time and spoon the sauce over the tofu from time to time.
Serve the tempeh drizzled with any remaining sauce and a squeeze of lime, with the coriander scattered on top.

Mini Tempeh Meatloaf

Original recipe from Vegan Dad blog.

Mini Tempeh Meatloaf
Makes 10 mini meatloaves.
Calories per serve: 214

Ingredients

2x 8.5 oz pkgs tempeh, simmered in boiling water for 10 mins, cooled, then coarsely grated
1 large onion, coarsely grated
4 cloves garlic, finely grated
1 cup gluten free oats, gournd
2/3 cup gluten free gluten substitute
2 tsp ground fennel seed
1 tsp sage
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp marjoram
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp HP sauce
2 tbsp BBQ sauce
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp browning sauce (optional)
1/4 cup (or more) water

Glaze
Generous 2/3 cup ketchup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp mustard


Method

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a 9 x 13 baking pan.
Mix grated tempeh, onion, garlic, oatmeal, flour, and spices in a large bowl.
Add in sauces and oil, and enough water so you are able to mash everything up with your fingers. Knead/mush/mash for a few mins to mix everything well.
Divide dough into 10 pieces and shape into small loaves. Actually, they end up looking like lumps/rocks, not really loaves. Place into oiled pan.
Mix together ingredients for the glaze and spoon evenly on top of each loaf. Make sure the whole loaf is covered.
Bake, uncovered, for 50-60 mins, until glaze darkens.

Tempeh Rounds with Tzatziki Sauce

These are great instead of falafel for gyros or just on there own. I made them too round and not flat enough so they didn't cook all the way through. Original recipe from Vegan Dad blog.

Tempeh Gyros/Kebabs

Ingredients

8.5 oz block of tempeh
1 onion
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp marjoram
1 tsp ground rosemary
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp mushroom soy sauce
Freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup vital wheat gluten
oil


Method

Grate tempeh and onion into a large bowl. Add in spices (including parsley) and soy sauce and mix well with a fork. Add flour and mix with fork, then knead with your hands for a minute or so until it all comes together. Add in a little water, if needed.
Heat a small layer of oil in a sauce pan over medium-lo heat. Break off golf ball-sized pieces of the dough mixture. Flatten with the palm of your hand on the countertop to mimic a slice of meat. Fry 2 mins per side.
Serve with chopped tomato, sliced red onion, and tzatziki rolled up in a warmed pita


Vegan Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients

1 pkg silken tofu
juice from 1 lemon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
2-3 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp paprika
pinch of cayenne
1 cup finely chopped cucumber
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley


Method

Blend tofu, lemon juice, garlic, oil and spices together in a blender, or with an immersion blender in a container.
Place diced cucumber in a towel and squeeze out excess moisture. Add to sauce along with the parsley. Refrigerate until needed.

Tempeh BBQ Spare Ribs

This sauce is sooo good. It would be perfect for homemade baked beans!
Original recipe from Vegan Dad blog.

Tempeh BBQ Spare Ribs

Ingredients
Serves 4

1/2 cup margarine
2 sweet onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 cup water
2 cup ketchup
2/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp mustard
2 few dashes of hot sauce
2 pkgs tempeh, sliced
2 drops liquid smoke (optional - I use this to give it a smokey flavor)

Method

To make the BBQ sauce, melt margarine in a saucepan over medium heat.
Saute onion and garlic for 15 mins, until onions have cooked down and are nicely browned.
Add the remaining ingredients and bring to bubbling.
Simmer for 15-20 mins, until sauce thickens and gets a nice deep red colour.
Transfer 2/3rds of the sauce to a large cast iron skillet and add sliced tempeh.
Place on a BBQ or frying pan on medium heat (about 500 degrees) and bring to bubbling.
Cook for 15-20 mins, or until sauce has thickened and mostly reduced. Baste regularly.
Remove pan from BBQ and place tempeh on the grill.
Grill 5 mins per side, then return to pan. Put pan back on the BBQ.
Add remaining sauce to pan and cook until sauce is thick. Serve.

Peanut Tempeh with Rice Noodles

Original recipe from Vegan Dad blog.

Peanut Tempeh with Rice Noodles

Ingredients

225g medium rice noodles
1 block of tempeh, cut in half lengthwise, then cut in small cubes
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp water
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 can coconut milk
1 Tbls sweet chilli sauce (or agave if you don't want the spice)
1/4 tsp red curry paste (or to taste)
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp sesame oil
salt to taste
coriander for garnish


Method

Get noodles soaking in hot tap water for 30 mins.
Meanwhile, prep the tempeh.
Heat 2 tbsp peanut oil in a frying pan or wok over med-hi heat.
Add tempeh and fry for 5 mins, until golden all over.
Add soy sauce and water and mix well, letting tempeh soak up most of the liquid.
Reduce heat to medium and add peanut butter, mixing well. Add a splash of water if needed. Remove tempeh from pan. Stir in sweet chilli sauce and sesame oil.

Drain noodles when ready.
Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan or wok.
Add noodles and fry for 3-4 mins, until they get translucent and begin to stick together.
Add curry paste and mix well. Then mix in coconut milk.
Add coriander and season to taste.
Mix tempeh into the noodles and let simmer for a few mins to heat through.
Garnish with cilantro and serve.

Salisbury Steak

OK, so this doesn't exactly taste like steak, more of a thicker pattie but the kids loved it.
Original recipe from Vegan Dad blog.

Salisbury Steak

Ingredients

Serves 6
1/2 pkg tempeh, boiled in water for 10 mins, cooled, and grated
1 cup vital wheat gluten
1 tsp each onion and garlic powder
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp sage
2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp dill
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp HP/A1/BBQ sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
3/4 to 1 cup water


Method

Get water boiling in your steamer.
Mix grated tempeh, wheat gluten, and spices together in a bowl. Add sauces and enough water to make a wet but firm dough and mix with a fork. Knead for a min to mix well. The dough should be the same consistency as the vegan sausage dough. Divide into 6 pieces and shape each into a "steak." Wrap each in foil and steam for 30-35 mins (rotating halfway through), until steaks have swelled against the foil.
Heat a thin layer of oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Fry steaks for a few mins on each side, to firm them up a bit and get a bit of a crispy outer layer. To serve use Mushroom Gravy or your favourite brown gravy.

Simple Gravy
Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil and whisk in 1 tbsp of GF flour.
Whisk in 1 cup of soy milk and 2 tsp soy sauce.
Seasoned with salt, pepper, coriander, sage, paprika, garlic and onion powder (around 1/2 tsp of each).

Satay Tempeh

This satay sauce you could use as a dipping sauce or with your favourite vegan stirfries and skewers.
I served with carrots, broccoli, eggplant and fried green onions because I wanted to use up all the vegetables in my fridge.  The broccoli and carrots I steamed and the eggplant I cut into cubes and  baked in a thin layer of oil at 375F for 20mins. This is a mixture of recipes from Chipped Bowl and Nigella Lawson's blogs.

Satay Tempeh

Ingredients

Marinade;
1/4 cup soy sauce (I used tamari)
2 Tbs  toasted sesame oil
1½ tsp grated fresh ginger
1x 8 oz package tempeh, drained and cut into chunks

Satay Sauce;
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbs. tahini (I used sunflower paste)
2 Tbs low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbs toasted sesame oil
1 tsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbs. chilli sauce (I used Sambal Oelek but you could use Sriracha sauce or fresh diced chillies)
2/3 cup water
1 Tbls agave syrup (you could use vegan sugar)
1/2 cup coconut milk


Method

Combine soy sauce, sesame oil, and ginger in resealable plastic bag or or container.
Add tempeh and coat in marinade. Refrigerate 1 hour, or overnight.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.
Place tempeh on prepared baking sheet, and bake 20 mins (flipping after 10 minutes), or until tempeh is browned and firm.

To make the sauce blend all ingredients except water and coconut milk in blender until smooth.
Once smooth add in water and blend again.
Once tempeh is ready (and any other vegetables that you are using are ready) place sauce in a medium saucepan and heat on a low setting.

Whisk in the coconut milk and once heated through serve with tempeh and vegetables over steamed jasmine rice.

NB: As my friend who lives in Japan pointed out to me, you can't buy tempeh in all countries. In this case you can easily use extra firm tofu. Just make sure to press tofu properly before marinading :)

Country Meatloaf & Golden Gravy

This delicious recipe from Chloe Coscarelli will have even the most skeptical of meat eaters asking for seconds. Recipe from Well Blog.

Country Meatloaf

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced
2 large carrots, diced
2 cups diced celery
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons dried parsley
2 (8-ounce) packages tempeh
1/2 cup soy sauce (I used Tamari)
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 cup cooked brown rice, warm
1/2 cup GF bread crumbs
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


Method 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 10-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pan.
Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large deep-sided skillet and sauté onion, carrots and celery until soft, about 15 minutes. If vegetables begin to stick, add a little bit of water to the skillet.
Stir in garlic, thyme, basil and parsley. Let cook a few more minutes.
Crumble the tempeh into the skillet and add soy sauce and broth.
Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl.
Add warm brown rice and bread crumbs to the bowl and mix thoroughly with a large spoon. The more you mix it and mash it, the better it will hold together when you bake it. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Transfer the mixture into the prepared loaf pan and pack it down very firmly using the back of a spoon. Cover the top of the loaf pan with foil. Bake for 45 minutes, covered, then remove foil, and bake for an additional 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 5 minutes before unmolding. Run a knife around the edges of the cooked loaf to loosen, then flip onto a serving plate to unmold. Slice and serve.

Chef’s note: Recipe can be halved to serve 3 to 4 people. If halving, bake in an 8-by-4-by-3-inch loaf pan for 30 minutes covered, then 15 more minutes uncovered.

Golden Gravy

Ingredients


2 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 cup GF flour
2 cups water
3 tablespoons soy sauce (I used Tamari)
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper


Method

 In a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium-high heat and sauté onion until soft.
Add nutritional yeast and flour, and stir for about 1 minute.
Add water, soy sauce, thyme and garlic powder.
Continue to cook, whisking continuously, until mixture is very thick.
Transfer gravy to a blender and purée until smooth.
Adjust seasonings, and add salt and pepper to taste.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Vegetable Pot Pie

I got this recipe from Smith's Vegan Kitchen and it was sooo yummy. I think I might use vege stock next time instead of water. I didn't use the pie crust receipe because I had bought some vegan/gluten free puff pastry that I wanted to try!

Vegetable Pot Pie

Marinade Ingredients:

3/4 cup water
3/4 cup white wine/red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teas. sage
1/2 teas. thyme
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
300g tofu or tempeh, chopped into cubes


Method:

Preheat oven to 180C.
In a casserole or medium pan, whisk together all marinade ingredients. Add seitan and marinate 20-30 minutes
Drain, reserving the liquid.
Bake on an oiled sheet pan 20-30 minutes, stirring twice. Set aside.


Pie Filling:

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, thinly sliced
3 medium potatoes, diced
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup frozen peas
2/3 cup GF flour


Method

Preheat the oven to 180 C.
Sauté the onion, carrot, and potato in a large pan or pot until almost soft.
Add the celery; cook 5 minutes and add peas.
Add 1/2 – 2/3 cup of unbleached flour to the reserved liquid, and stir well.
Pour slowly over the vegetable mixture, then add seitan or tofu.
Cook until thick, about 5 minutes.
Pour into a 4-quart greased casserole dish, top with a prepared pie crust and bake 35-40 minutes.


Pie Crust:  (makes 2 crusts)


Ingredients:

1 cup unbleached flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2/3 cup soy margarine
1/4-1/3 cup ice water


Method

In a medium bowl, stir the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter or fork. Cut in the margarine until the dough is crumbly and pebble-like. Make a well in the center of the bowl, and add the ice water. Mix until the dough forms a ball. You may need to drizzle a little more water to get it to the point where it will hold together. Shape into a ball and divide in half.
Roll out the dough 1/8 inch thick on a floured board or countertop.  Add to top of casserole.