Locally Made Tempea Tempeh Makes a Tasty Alternative Protein

For those that follow me (and I thank you!), you will know that I am an official BC and Alberta Pork Ambassador and that I cook a lot with pork and other locally-raised meats at home, however, not all my meals include meat, and I love my veggies too. I had heard of tempeh before, but had never cooked with it, or even seen it anywhere for sale until a local Vancouver company, Tempea, started selling it at Farmers’ Markets.

Popsugar has a great article on the difference between tofu and tempeh here; it’s best defined as fermented soybeans and has an almost meaty texture. A lot of those “fake meats” are made with tempeh, you may have run into it at a Chinese restaurant before. I’m always up for some experimenting when I see a new-to-me food.

I am keyed into adding more protein to my meals as I’ve been working on a health plan with a great nutritionist Ashley Freeman, and she’s raised my awareness of the importance of protein in every meal, and it’s resulted in me having way more energy and the pounds are dropping off too! Tempeh is super high in protein and choc full of nutrition, so it fit the bill in many ways!  Another thing I’ve been doing for weight loss is taking I-Remove, a natural supplement from BMI Smart, which binds to  some of the fat that I ingest, and eliminates absorption, also a GREAT help on my journey!

I decide to make a veggie chili with the Tempeh for lunch yesterday, so here’s the recipe or that. Don’t be afraid to add more or less of any of the ingredients, or add some carrots, broccoli, or any other veggies you might have on hand.

Tempea Tempeh Veggie Chili

1 onion diced
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tbps olive oil
2 red pepper chopped
1 package Tempea Tempeh cubed
2 teaspoons soy sauce
14 fl oz crushed tomatoes
19 fl oz canned beans (chickpeas, cannellini, kidney – your choice)
1 cup stock – I used chicken, but veggie is good too
Half a package of spinach or more!
Salt and pepper to taste
cilantro

Saute onion and garlic for 5 mins, add peppers and saute for 3-4 minutes more, add tempeh and soy sauce, saute for another 5 mins.

Add tomatoes, beans and stock and turn down heat and simmer for 10 mins, add spinach and simmer for another 5 until wilted. Top with some cilantro or parsley and you’re set! I also added sriracha as I like the spice.