Healthy Dinner

The weeks after a nice break are always the hardest, don't you think? You've just had a relaxing break from work, but you are now thrown directly back into the normal, daily routine very abruptly and its hard to find your daily pattern.

Well that exactly describe last week for me. Trying to find my normal routine again posed a bit of a challenge, but I'm back and ready as ever to give you all yummy recipes! I'll start with this one:

Stir Fry Tempeh

This meal is super delicious and nutritious! Colorful vegetables provide the nutrients while tempeh provides a lean source of protein.

Not too familiar with tempeh? Well it is made from soybeans that have been fermented via a special process. It is a great meat alternative and has A LOT more texture than tofu (personally, I've never been a fan of the stuff). It is super simple to marinade (Example) and easy to incorporate into any recipe!

So if you're in the mood for an asian inspired dish but don't want to shell out the bucks for chinese takeout (or wasted calories on white rice and deep fried everything), take this recipe for a spin! From start to finish, this took only about 20 minutes to make....WAY faster than delivery! 

Print this recipe!

Stir Fry Tempeh

Ingredients

• 1 - 8 oz block tempeh
• 1/2 pound asparagus spears (or other green veggie of your choice)
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 3 tablespoons stir fry sauce, divided
• 2 teaspoons agave nectar 
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 avocado
• brown rice for serving

Directions

Take your block of tempeh and cut it into 1/4 inch thick strips. Each strip will be thick so cut in half lengthwise.

In a shallow dish, combine 1 tablespoon stir fry sauce, agave nectar, garlic, red pepper flakes, ginger, and pepper. Toss the tempeh in sauce until evenly coated and allow to marinade for about 10 - 15 minutes (For extra flavor, double the amount of marinade and allow tempeh to marinate for 30 minutes, flipping halfway through).

In the mean time, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium to medium high heat. Sauté your vegetables and bell pepper, until they are tender, about 10 minutes.

Once the tempeh has had some time to marinade, push the vegetables to the sides, and add the tempeh to the middle of the pan. 

Try to get all of the tempeh directly touching the pan and not on top of the vegetables

Allow to cook for about 2 - 3 minutes per side or until it looks golden brown and heated through. Once browned, remove the pan from the heat and add 2 tablespoons of the stir fry sauce and stir to evenly coat.

sufficiently browned! add the sauce!

Serve with a side of brown rice and garnish with a few slices of avocado. Douse on the hot sauce (optional) and enjoy your healthy, flavorful meal!

Unexpected Celebrations

I love Leap Year!

[source]

Why do I love Leap Year so much? Because it is an extra day in February in the same year as the Summer Olympics and the Presidential Election. Did you remember it was February 29th and NOT March 1st today?!? I bet you that a multitude of people forget about leap year because they are so consumed by their hectic life and busy schedule.

But this day only comes once every four years, so really it should be a date of celebration, relaxation, and trying new things!

So I challenge YOU to try some tempeh today!! It is so versatile because it will absorb any flavor you want!

This recipe is asian inspired, with a touch of sweetness and spice! Go take a leap and try it today!

You first need to break open your block of tempeh... it will look like this:

Next you need to cut your block into triangles like so...

The results triangles are really thick, so you need to cut the slices in half, so they turn out like so...

See? The slices are THICK

Cut so the slices are not super thick anymore

We will now turn out attention to the marinade. In a shallow dish combine the following...

• 2 Tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, more or less depending on taste preference
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Your shallow dish should now resemble this...

Now put everyone in the pool!

Marinate for 10 - 15 minutes on one side

Then flip over and marinate for another 10 - 15 minutes

Time for the cooking it! In a skillet on medium heat, put 1.5 teaspoons of olive oil and wait until everything is hot. Then add the marinated tempeh and cook on each side for about 3 - 4 minutes or until its nice and golden like so...

 Once its done, serve with a side of brown rice and vegetables for a well rounded dinner!

The best thing about cooking with tempeh? Unlike meat, chicken, or fish, you can save the extra marinade as a dipping sauce!

yum