Tempeh Tuna... Even Fooled the Kitty!

Before I get into the whole tempeh biznazz, if you haven't tried Laury's Vegan Pistachio Almond Ice Cream, stop reading this blog post and go make it, stat:

And while I'm not getting to the topic of the day just yet, have you entered my giveaway yet? You've only got a couple more days!

Anyhoo, in my constant endeavour to find new ways of preparing vegan protein for my weight-lifting spouse, tempeh is something that comes up every once in a while. Even as a raw foodist, I've already discussed why tempeh is still okay in my books and you'll find quite a few tempeh recipes in my Recipe section... but what to do this time?

Since Andrew isn't a huge tempeh fan and he's the one whose going to eat the thing, I found a sneaky tempeh "tuna salad" recipe (cleverly called "Tempuna") in my trusty Green Door cookbook. Since only happy and delicious vegan things come from the Green Door, I knew this would do the trick, and it did! Not only does this recipe make a fantastic addition to salads, it also makes a wicked protein for any wrap or sandwich. Because I've slightly adapted it, I've allowed myself to post the recipe, so here's what I came up with:

Tempuna

adapted from the Green Door Cookbook

1 block of tempeh

3 stalks of celery, diced

1/2 red pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1/2 tomato, diced

1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped fine

1 C plain soy yogurt*

1 tablespoon of stone-ground mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons of Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper

dash of salt, optional

rosemary, thyme, or other herbs, optional

*I'm sure Veganaise could work, though I'm sure that would also make for a serious calorie difference, if you care

1. Steam (or boil) the tempeh in water for about 15 minutes (this helps it take in the flavours and break down easier).

2. In a large bowl, crumble the tempeh and add in all the diced veggies, herbs, and pepper.

3. Stir in the soygurt, mustard, Bragg's, and add salt to taste if necessary. Make sure it's all well mixed.

4. Enjoy! (This recipe actually tastes better the next day/after it's had time to absorb all the flavours in.)

I've made this in smaller batches quite a few times now, and I've experimented with it every time. Try different flavourings, like adding curry powder, or some peanut butter, lime, and a liquid sweetener for a more Thai peanut sauce type option. The possibilities are huge!

Heck, even the kitten fell for its pseudo-tuna goodness! Then again, ever since mommy has gone LFRV, he's been picking food out of my salads, including pineapple, greens, tomatoes, and lots of other raw fruits and veggies too, so he may just be weird...