Tempeh Brown Rice Bowls

Okay, so if you were hesitant to click on this post, I don't blame you. I admit: tempeh is a little weird. It's a bit strange in texture and has an odd flavor. This is our first venture down the tempeh pike and we're a little unsteady in our steps. Was it immediately our favorite thing ever? Nope. Would we give it another try? Sure. Were the bones of this recipe good? Absolutely! So if you're unsure of tempeh, you could easily swap tofu or chicken and enjoy this dish equally as much, if not more. The dressing was phenomenal and the ingredients were an incredibly flavorful mixture. We would try it again, likely with tofu, because we enjoyed the majority of aspects of this. As a plus, it includes fresh avocado, which you can never go wrong with! Give it a try and let us know how you improve it!


Cooking Notes: Will decided to skip out on the seaweed and the sauerkraut that the original recipe called for. He stuck to the approximate measurements of the recipe, but we did end up with leftovers despite eating two larger helping sizes, so it makes a *generous* 2 servings.

Tempeh Brown Rice Bowls (adapted from The Kitchn; serves 2)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 clove garlic, grated
4 oz. tempeh, cut into 1/4" thick slices
1/4 cup tahini
1 tbsp light miso
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp grated ginger
About 1/4 cup warm water
4 cups kale, sliced into 1/2" ribbons
2 cups cooked brown rice
1 avocado, sliced
1 tsp sesame seeds

Begin making your brown rice so it times up with the rest of the meal.

Combine the soy sauce, maple syrup, rice vinegar, and garlic. Place the tempeh in a shallow dish, pour the marinade over and turn to coat. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes or more. While it marinates, prepare the other components.

Mix the tahini, miso, lemon juice, and ginger into a creamy paste in a mini food processor. Gradually add warm water to get a saucy consistency.

For the kale, fill a pot with about 1" of water and place a steamer basket inside. Bring to a boil, then place the kale in the basket, cover and steam for about 5 minutes until tender but slightly crisp. Set aside, keeping covered.

Heat a little oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the marinated tempeh and cook for 2-4 minutes on each side, until golden brown. Halfway through cooking, pour the remaining marinade over the tempeh.

Fill each bowl with brown rice. Divide the steamed kale on top of the brown rice, then arrange the tempeh and avocado on top. Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle sesame seeds over top. Enjoy!

Recipe: The Kitchn: Brown Rice Bowl with Maple-Glazed Tempeh