Vegan Caesar Salad with Tempeh Bacon

LOVE this hearty vegan Caesar salad! Makes an excellent entrée salad. Check out the original recipe on hotforfoodblog.com.

Ingredients

Tempeh Bacon

1 250-g. package tempeh

1/2 c. low-sodium soy sauce or tamari

1/2 c. water

1 tbsp. Liquid Smoke

3 tbsp. maple syrup

1 tbsp. smoked paprika

1-2 tbsp. coconut oil, for frying

Garlic Croutons

3 c. cubed bread

1/4 c. olive oil

1 tbsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

2 tbsp. vegan parmesan

Salads

8 to 9 c. kale, de-stemmed and finely chopped into ribbons

1 tsp. lemon juice

pinch sea salt

1 c. Vegan Caesar Dressing 

ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. 

For the croutons, whisk together olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, sea salt, ground black pepper, and vegan parm. Toss the cubed bread in the mixture until well coated. 

Lay out the bread onto a baking sheet and bake for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, turning over once in the middle of baking, until golden brown. Depending on the bread you use, the time will vary so just keep an eye on them. 

For the tempeh bacon, thinly slice the tempeh into strips approximately 1/8-inch to-1/4-inch thick. 

Whisk together low-sodium soy sauce or tamari, water, Liquid Smoke, maple syrup, and smoked paprika in a shallow dish that you can use to marinate the tempeh in. Lay the slices of tempeh in the dish and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (the longer the better).

To cook, heat a non-stick pan over medium and add 1 tbsp. of coconut oil. Once the pan is hot add the slices of tempeh without overcrowding the pan. You might need to cook in two batches.

Once the first side starts to brown, you’ll want to start de-glazing the pan with a bit of the leftover marinade to prevent the slices from sticking and to get them really caramelized and browned. Flip the slices and do the same thing on the other side. You may need to add another tablespoon of coconut oil at this point. Cook time is approximately 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the heat to cool while you assemble the Caesar salad.

Wash kale and remove the leaves from the stems and discard those. Finely chop the leaves into ribbons or shreds and place in a large mixing bowl. Put lemon juice and sea salt on the kale and massage it into the leaves lightly with your hands for 2 to 3 minutes until you notice it becoming darker in color and slightly wilting.

Add 1 cup of the Caesar dressing and ground black pepper and toss to coat evenly. Portion out the dressed kale to your serving dishes and top each salad with tempeh bacon, garlic croutons, and drizzle more dressing, as desired. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Tempeh Khao Soi

Ingredients
1 oz. fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves
6 oz. baby bok choy
1 shallot
1 lime
1 Thai chile
2 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. red curry paste
1 tbsp. tamari or soy sauce
5.5 oz. (1/2 can) coconut milk
7 oz. rice noodles
8 oz. tempeh
2 tbsp. crispy onions

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the noodles. Peel and mince the ginger and garlic. Trim and thinly slice the shallot. Halve the lime. Thinly slice the Thai chile.

Add the sliced shallot, just half the lime juice, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and a pinch of salt to a small bowl and toss to combine.

Place a medium saucepan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, and the minced ginger, minced garlic, and red curry paste. Cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tamari, coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups of water, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Bring to a simmer, then add the sliced bok choy and reduce the heat to low.

Add the rice noodles to the a large pot of boiling water, stir, and remove from the heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the noodles are tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil. Once the oil is hot, crumble the tempeh into the skillet. Add a pinch of salt and pepper and cook, tossing occasionally, until it begins to brown, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the remaining sugar, toss to coat evenly, and cook until well-browned, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the remaining lime juice to the broth. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt as needed. Ladle the broth into shallow bowls. Top with rice noodles, crispy tempeh, crispy onions, pickled shallot, and sliced Thai chile.

Buffalo Tempeh Quinoa Bowls

Ingredients
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
1 cucumber, cut into half moons
2 radishes, cut into matchsticks
1 garlic clove
8 oz. tempeh
1/4 c. Buffalo sauce (premade, or see recipe for Buffalo Cauliflower)
1/4 c. vegan sour cream (premade, or see recipe for Vegan Sour Cream)
1 tsp. dried dill
6 oz. quinoa, cooked

Directions
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare your vegetables and mince the garlic. Add the sliced bell peppers and onions onto a baking sheet and toss with 2 tsp. oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast until tender and slightly browned, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Place a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 2 tbsp. oil. With your hands, crumble the tempeh into the skillet and toss with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until golden brown and crispy in places, about 4 to 5 minutes. Toss with Buffalo sauce and cook until sauce thickens, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the minced garlic, salt and pepper, dried dill and sour cream to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. (Note: If using suggested Vegan Sour Cream recipe, just add dill.)

Divide the cooked quinoa between shallow bowls and top with roasted peppers, sliced celery, cucumber half moons, radish matchsticks, and Buffalo tempeh. Dollop with sour cream.

Serves 2.

Loaded Sweet Potatoes with Charred Scallion Miso Butter & Five-Spice Tempeh

Ingredients
2 sweet potatoes
4 scallions
3 tbsp. vegan butter
2 tsp. white miso paste
8 oz. tempeh
1/4 tsp. Chinese five-spice

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise. Rub the sweet potatoes with about 1/2 tsp. oil, add a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast, cut side down, until tender, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Thinly slice the scallions. Combine the butter and miso paste in a bowl, mashing with a fork until well mixed. Place a large nonstick skillet over high heat with 1 tsp. oil. Once hot, add half of the sliced scallions and cook until charred in spots, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the charred scallion miso butter to combine and set aside.

Crumble the tempeh with your hands. Return the skillet to medium-high heat with 2 tbsp. oil. Once hot, add the tempeh and a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until browned and crispy in places, about 4 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat and toss with five-spice.

Use a fork to mash the roasted sweet potato flesh slightly. Spread some of the charred scallion butter onto the sweet potatoes and top with five-spice tempeh. Sprinkle with remaining sliced scallions.

Serves 2 as a main dish, but requires additional side.

Tempeh Peanut Noodles with Blanched Kale

Ingredients

For the peanut sauce: 
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. warm water
1/4 c. rice vinegar
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. lime juice
2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari
1 tsp. maple syrup or agave
1 tbsp. sriracha or sambal olek (more or less to taste)

For the noodles: 
6 oz. Asian-style noodles, like somen or soba
6 c. kale, sliced into bite-size pieces
1 tsp. coconut oil
8 oz. tempeh
1 tsp. soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. scallions, sliced

Directions
Mix ingredients for sauce and whisk or blend until thoroughly combined.

Cook the noodles according to package directions, but use a larger pot than usual. In the last 30 seconds of cooking the noodles, toss in the kale to blanch. After 30 seconds, drain and run under cold water.

In a wok or large skillet, heat up the oil. Crumble in the tempeh in bite-sized pieces and saute until it starts to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, and garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Turn off heat and add noodles and three-quarters of sauce. Mix it all up until well blended. Add more sauce here as desired, or save for leftovers. Top with scallions and serve warm or at room temperature.

1 recipe = 2,377 calories  

NOTE: For leftovers, add some carrot and cucumber cut into matchsticks. Eat cold, like a salad.