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Sometimes a meatless meal is in order and tempeh is the perfect lean protein choice. It adapts perfectly to sauces and flavor combinations. It is vegan and vegetarian and super simple to prepare in a pinch. The wild mushrooms add lots of earthy flavor to this dish.

About Tempeh

• Tempeh is simple to prepare  and it is widely available.
• It  stays fresh in the fridge unopened for quite some time unlike time sensitive meats.
• Tempeh takes on the flavors of whatever sauces and seasonings you add to it.
• It can be cut in kid-friendly cubes.  Little ones can eat tempeh with their hands.
• Please be sure to buy Non-GMO (genetically modified) Tempeh and soy products.  The package will say “non-GMO” if it is.  Most soy is genetically modified these days. We want our foods as pure and unprocessed as possible.

So what is Tempeh? It is a fermented soy product that is high in fiber. It is made from whole soybeans, so you get all the benefits of soy. Tempeh is easy to digest. If you have issues with traditional beans, you might not with tempeh.  It has enzymes in it that have pre digested the things that might otherwise bother your tummy.  This “pre digestion” helps us get the benefits of all the vitamins and minerals found in Tempeh including: calcium, zinc and iron. It is also high in probiotics.

Mushrooms

Let’s not forget all the health benefits in the mushrooms. We like to think of mushrooms as veggies, but they in reality they are fungi. They are packed with antioxidants, potassium, and many other valuable minerals. Traditionally the Asian culture has used certain varieties of mushrooms (Shitake is one) to stimulate the immune system and assist in fighting infections. We love mushrooms over here and use them all the time, a favorite is my Mini Polenta Cakes with Feta and Wild Mushroom Ragú

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Tempeh Wild Mushroom Sauté {Vegan}

Makes 4 Servings

• More thyme or mushrooms?  The choice is yours adjust ingredients to what you have on hand.

INGREDIENTS

• 16 ounces Tempeh, cut into cubes (I used the Wildwood Organics Onion and Herb variety, take your pick on flavor and brand)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups warmed Veggie Broth, adjust if  tempeh gets too dry while cooking
• 1/2 to 1 cup Mixed Dried Mushrooms (my mix included Chanterelle, Shitake and Porcini, they will double in size when liquid is added)
• 8 ounces sliced White or Crimini Mushrooms
• Olive Oil
• Seasonings, adjust according to taste:
• Black Pepper
• 1 teaspoon Tumeric
• a few tsp Thyme
• a few tsp dried Parsley
• small handful of chopped Chives
• Salt if needed

METHOD

Soak dried mushrooms in warm broth for 1/2 hour.  When softened, drain mushrooms reserving the liquid.  Chop softened mushrooms. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a sauté pan. Add cubed tempeh to pan and lightly brown on all sides for a few minutes. Toss gently to brown evenly. Add all mushrooms, broth, pepper, thyme, parsley and tumeric to tempeh, stir to combine.  Add more broth if tempeh dries out too quickly. You don’t want it to burn.Watch carefully. Heat through about 3 minutes so the flavors have a chance to combine and mushrooms are cooked through. Toss with chopped chives before serving.

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Variations

• Top your Simple Salad with this Tempeh.
• Serve with some steamed veggies.
• Serve over warmed soba noodles, quinoa or brown rice.