Curried Tempeh Waldorf Salad ~ Meatless Monday

I was in the mood for some Indian food when I made this salad.  I had no plan in mind when I started creating this meal, but pretty quick an idea emerged, and I came up with what I'm calling my ~ Curried Tempeh Waldorf Salad.  I hit the fruit/veggie bin hard, chopping up ~ an apple, a celery stalk, a bit of sweet yellow bell pepper, walnuts and then crumbled in some tempeh.  I stirred in some low fat mayo, curry powder, turmeric, cumin, salt/pepper and crushed red pepper flakes.  It tasted sorta like the classic Waldorf Salad...but, a Waldorf Salad with an Indian curry attitude.  This salad was so easy to throw together.  My little impromptu lunch was full of fresh flavors, crunchy textures and was really satisfying.  This time I ate it straight out of the bowl, but next time I think I might add it to...a pita pocket...or, maybe I'll roll it up in a wheat wrap...or, maybe it'll be stuffed into a tomato...or, maybe nestled into half an avocado...or...   :)

Quick Sautéed Tempeh & Sweet Potato ~ Meatless Monday

I wanted a quick meal, so I turned to both the microwave and the stove...and to both the pantry and the fridge.  Out of the pantry came the canned green beans and the gravy mix.  Out of the fridge came the tempeh and the sweet potato.  The sweet potato got nuked and the gravy got hot water.  On the stove, the green beans got heated and the tempeh got sliced into thin-ish planks, then sautéed in a little EVOO.

A little cinnamon was sprinkled on the sweet potato. One of my favorite spice blends was added to the tempeh as it was turning all golden brown.  Then the tempeh got the gravy treatment and a few French's fried onions added on top ~ just for good measure.  It took less than 10 minutes to throw it all together...and it turned out really tasty and satisfying.  When I say I want a quick meal, I mean it!  Sometimes, mixing fresh and canned items helps me out in the quick meal department...and that's always a good thing.  :) 

Sauteed Kale, Tempeh, Mushrooms & Walnuts ~ Meatless Monday

Sauteed Kale, Tempeh, Mushrooms & Walnuts

Sometimes when I'm out of ideas for a meal, I'll just scrounge around the fridge and pantry, looking for things to inspire me... or if that fails, things that need using up.  I can almost always come up with something tasty and on nights like this, I really like to make meals that I can throw together in my wok/skillet.

This time what I found was turned into ~ Sauteed Kale, Tempeh, Mushrooms & Walnuts.  I sauteed everything together in the wok, with a little olive oil.  Cooked it until the kale was wilted, the tempeh was heated through and the mushrooms started giving off a little of their liquid.  Then I added ~ a few walnuts, spices and some jarred sauce ~ just before it was finished cooking.  It took no time at all to made a little Spinach and Strawberry Salad and I was good to go ~ dinner on the table in under 20 minutes.  Sometimes, it's nice to cook without recipes or expectations.  Letting the meal evolve as you find things to use can lead to some great food and I'm all about a good meal.  

Grilled Tempeh & Veggies ~ Meatless Monday

Grilled Tempeh & Veggies ~ Using my George Foreman Grill makes for a quick & easy dinner for Meatless Monday.

I've mentioned before how much I love my George Foreman Grill.  It makes cooking for one, or two, super simple & quick.  One of the things I like to make on it is ~ Grilled Tempeh & Veggies.  I slice the tempeh into serving size portions, brush it with a little olive oil & sprinkle it with some spices ~ then I do the same thing for the veggies I'm going to serve with it.  All sorts of veggies get grilled, but green onions are a favorite of mine ~ they truly shine when cooked this way.  It only takes a few minutes to complete the cooking since the tempeh is already cooked, so you're really just heating it through. Cook the veg to your liking & you're ready to eat.  My favorite part of cooking on the George Foreman Grill is all those glorious grill marks on everything ~ YUM! 

You can change up the flavor of the meal by sprinkling on different spice blends or by adding your favorite sauce ~ poured over the grilled tempeh ~ right before serving.  Some of the sauces I like to add; BBQ, teriyaki, sweet & sour, chipotle ranch dressing & fresh salsa.  If you've got a George Foreman Grill, take it for a spin today & see how good ~ Meatless Monday ~ can be!  :)

Join the Movement!

Tempeh ~ Two tasty recipes to tempt your taste buds for Meatless Monday

Tempeh Stew ~ a wonderfully satisfying soup/stew, perfect for a Meatless Monday meal.

Trader Joe's makes very good tempeh...

I was first introduced to the soy product ~ Tempeh ~ by my friend, Karen.  Years (& years :) ago, she shared a savory, tempeh based vegetarian salad with me.  One that she had purchased from a local market in Denver, by the name of Alfalfa's. (who was later bought out by Wild Oats, who was bought out by Whole Foods)  I was instantly smitten.  I had shopped that market many times before, but had never really paid much attention to the deli.  How I missed that little gem, I'll never know!  I discovered that the market had the most wonderful, unusual deli salads ~ full of the freshest ingredients ~ and so many traditional & vegetarian options to choose from.  I was like a kid in a candy shop!  I became an instant deli convert ~ having fun deciding which items to taste test & then deciding which ones to buy/eat now & which ones to take home for later.  I still remember all the fun I had going into that market ~ it was such a great way to get introduced to vegetarian cuisine.  I didn't know it yet, but I was well on my way to becoming a foodie, and this place was a goldmine ~ full of edible goodies, just waiting to be sampled/explored.  Karen & Steve had always had the best salads at their BBQ's & get-togethers, and now I knew their little secret ~ cool!   I've always loved being in-the-know! 

Tempeh has been my friend ever since & I'm always on the lookout for new recipes to try that feature it ~ in either a salad, a side dish or as an entree.  I recently came across these two wonderful recipes (that I made for today's post) from a blog that I follow called ~ The Hungry Hungry Hippie.  I just love reading about what Elise does, day to day & really enjoy trying out some of her recipes.  The recipe for her Tempeh Stew is really easy & really, really good! (really cubed ~ in more ways than one ~haha ~sorry, I crack myself up sometimes :)  She makes hers in the crockpot, but I just did it on the stove, in about 1/2 hour & added some fresh spinach.  It's perfect for a Meatless Monday meal or for anytime you want a satisfying meal that's full of flavor & filling, without being heavy.

Tempeh Salad ~ a WONDERFUL homemade version of Whole Foods Vegan Tempeh Salad

Another one of ~ The Hungry Hungry Hippie ~ recipe's, one that I just love, is her version of ~ Whole Foods Vegan Tempeh Salad.  To put it mildly, it is A.M.A.Z.I.N.G!!  I felt just like I was back at the deli counter of Alfalfa's ~ oh, so many years ago, and it felt so right!  You can eat the salad as a spread on some sliced bread, or stuffed in a pita, or as part of a big salad ~ or like I did, as a spread for your favorite crackers.  I.am.in.heaven!!!  This is my new favorite vegetarian/vegan salad.  Now, if you want to try either of these dishes for your Meatless Monday meal, but don't have some of the vegetarian/vegan ingredients (like the vegan mayo), don't let that stop you.  Just use what you do have & enjoy it for what it is ~ a really tasty dish ~ that may or may not be vegan.  Like I always say, never let not having a certain ingredient stop you from making/trying a new recipe ~ adopt, adapt & improve!  :)

I hope you give either one (or both) of these recipes a try ~and you don't even have to be a hippie to enjoy them!   ~ peace, love & tempeh ~   :)