Tempeh Power Bowl
If you’ve never tried tempeh before, this Tempeh Power Bowl recipe is a delicious place to start. And if you already love tempeh, this recipe with a sweet and savory sauce and lots of colorful fruits and veggies will be something you’ll want to make again and again.
Tempeh contains about 5 grams of protein per ounce, and is a great way to add lean protein to your diet. It can be cooked in a variety of ways and, like tofu, absorbs the flavor of any marinade or sauce you cook it with.
Both tofu and tempeh are also made from soy beans, but whereas tofu is made from soymilk, tempeh is made when whole soybeans are pressed together into a thick cake. If you aren’t a fan of tofu, you might prefer tempeh’s firmer texture. And, if you don’t like one brand of tempeh, definitely consider trying another as each has a slightly different flavor, especially as some producers add flax seeds or whole grains to change the texture and increase the fiber.
For this Tempeh Power Bowl recipe, we created a sauce using orange juice, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and added a touch of honey (or maple syrup) for sweetness. We placed the tempeh in an oven-proof baking dish and poured half of the mixture over sliced tempeh. We then covered the tempeh with foil and baked it for 15 minutes. We found that the foil traps moisture, steaming the tempeh as it bakes and preventing it from drying out.
You’ll want to remove the foil for the last few minutes of cooking time, so the tempeh can turn golden brown. If you have more time, marinate the tempeh for 15-20 minutes before cooking.In this recipe, we used tempeh to top an antioxidant-rich bowl of mixed greens and sweet potatoes but you can use it to add protein to any salad recipe you love or just mix it in with veggies and brown rice.
Total Time: 35 min. Prep Time: 15 min. Cooking Time: 20 min. Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar 2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce 2 tsp. raw honey (or pure maple syrup) 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh ginger 4 tsp. sesame oil 12 oz. organic tempeh, cut into squares or triangles 8 cups mixed salad greens ½ medium red onion, thinly sliced 2 small oranges (like mandarins or clementines), peeled, separated into sections 1 cup cubed cooked sweet potatoes 1 medium avocado, cut into cubes
Preparation: 1. Preheat oven to 400° F. 2. To make dressing, combine orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce, honey, garlic, ginger, and oil in a medium bowl; whisk to blend. Set aside. 3. Place tempeh in a glass casserole dish. Top with half of dressing; toss gently to blend. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. 4. Bake for 15 minutes, stirring once. Remove foil; cook for 5 more minutes. Do not let tempeh dry out. Cool. 5. While tempeh is baking, assemble bowls by evenly dividing salad greens, onion, oranges, sweet potatoes, and avocado between four serving bowls. 6. Top bowls evenly with tempeh and drizzle evenly with remaining dressing.
