This month, I got to cook from not one, but two (!) blogs for the secret recipe club. Yesterday I posted about my rendition of Julia’s delicious galette; today I am sharing my version of a recipe from the great blog My Fiance Likes It So It Must Be Good.
I’ve always enjoyed Peggy’s creations, and it didn’t take me long to decide what to make: she talked up this tempeh stir-fry just the other day and it looked like it would make a quick, healthy, and delicious summer lunch. My refrigerator was overflowing with veggies from my garden as well as some my dad gave me from his CSA, and I already had the tempeh, so this was the perfect dish to make.
If you are not familiar with tempeh, allow me to introduce the two of you. Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian soybean product, and I prefer it to tofu because it’s made from healthier fermented soy, and because it undergoes far less processing. It’s very high in protein and fiber, plus it keeps well, so I like to have a package in the fridge at all times to make dishes like this one on short notice.
I added a sweet potato instead of Peggy’s red potato and beets combination, and I made a couple of other changes to her recipe based on what I had on hand (and my penchant for spicy Asian dishes). But that’s the beauty of stir-fries: they are so adaptable! Thank you so much Peggy for the inspiration to whip up this nutritionally balanced bowl of deliciousness.
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Recipe for Summer Stir Fry with Sweet Potato and Tempeh
Ingredients
- * 1 large sweet potato scrubbed and chopped
- * one 8 oz. package organic tempeh
- * 1 tablespoons tamari wheat-free soy sauce
- * juice from 1 lime
- * 1/2 cup water
- * 1-2 teaspoons sesame oil
- * 1 shallot or 1 small onion minced
- * 4 small garlic cloves minced
- * 1 Serrano or other hot chile pepper minced
- * several handfuls of chopped garden lettuces or mixed mesclun greens (or use chopped greens such as kale or cabbage)
- * 1 pattypan or other small summer squash chopped
- * 2-3 small handfuls of cilantro and/or basil minced
- * 2 tablespoons tamari
- * 1 tablespoon brown rice vinegar
- * 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- * pinch of cayenne pepper
- * fresh lime juice for serving- optional
- * minced cilantro for serving- optional
- * garlic chile sauce or sriracha sauce for serving- optional
Instructions
- 1. Steam chopped sweet potato for approximately 10 minutes, until tender. I did this in a colander over a big saucepan of water.
- 2. Crumble up the tempeh into 1/2 inch pieces and place in a large skillet (I used a cast-iron skillet). Add 1/2 cup of water, 1 tablespoon tamari, and the lime juice. Bring to a boil, cover, and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 5-10 minutes, until most of the liquid is gone.
- 3. Add the sweet potato to the tempeh, mix, and push to one side of the skillet. Add 1-2 teaspoons of sesame oil on the bare side of the skillet, then add the shallots or onion, garlic, and chile pepper. Saute for 1-2 minutes over medium high heat. Incorporate with the tempeh and sweet potato, add the squash and greens, and continue to cook over medium-high heat for another 4-5 minutes.
- 4. Stir in cilantro and/or basil and remove from the heat. In a small bowl, mix together the tamari, brown rice vinegar, sesame oil and cayenne powder. Pour over the stir fry and mix well. Taste the vegetables to see if they are cooked to your liking. Cook for another minute or two, if necessary, otherwise serve immediately.
- 5. Garnish with additional fresh lime juice, minced cilantro, and garlic chile sauce or sriracha, if desired.