Tempeh

Happy New Year Everyone! I wonder what you have planned for 2014 and if you are committed to including more Healthy Food Choices in meal preparation for yourself, family and friends. I feel everyone will benefit if you do, especially the environment & your health; when meat, dairy products, excess sugar & processed foods become a thing of the past, the rewards will be great on many levels so I encourage you to give it a try. An array of fresh vibrant living plant foods are a gift supplied by God; they keep us healthy & free from disease when we are living in harmony with God's Laws. Supporting the Earth in gratitude, by lessening my day to day footprint is something I am planning on improving in my life this year.  
This is not for 100% Raw Foodies out there ( of which I am not one!) but I have recently discovered Tempeh which I think may be a healthier choice than Tofu in a vegan or vegetarian diet.Tofu is made from curdled soy milk, whereas Tempeh is generally made from fermented whole soy beans & is less processed; it has a higher protein content & more dietary fibre, calcium & iron than Tofu. It has a slight earthy sweet taste, textured & nutty, adding a chewy consistency. Slice thinly or dice or cube into small pieces, great in stir fries, soups, pasta dishes & salads. Gourmet Tempeh is a speciality using chickpeas & sunflower seeds, instead of soy; this is available from "Margaret River Tempeh" in Western Australia.

           Orange Pan-glazed Tempeh Recipe

This recipe is equally good made with tofu. You can make a meal out of this by pairing it with some lightly sauteed seasonal vegetables, or popped over sprouted Quinoa with salad greens.The recipe and picture comes to you from Jude Blereau, a Natural Food Chef from Western Australia.                 Thank You Jude 

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3-4 large juicy oranges)
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons tamari (or soy sauce)
1 1/2 tablespoons mirin
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 small garlic cloves, crushed
roughly 10 ounces of tempeh (or extra-firm tofu)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lime
a handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves

Put the orange juice in a small bowl. Squeeze the grated ginger over the bowl to extract the juices, then discard the pulp. Add the tamari, mirin, and maple syrup, ground coriander, and garlic. Mix together and set aside.
Cut the tempeh (or tofu) into thin-ish, bite-sized pieces, and if working with tofu, pat dry with a paper towel.
Put the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the tempeh and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden underneath. Turn and cook the other side for another 5 minutes, or until golden. Pour the orange juice mixture into the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced to a lovely thick glaze. Turn the tempeh once more during this time and spoon the sauce over it from time to time.
Serve the tempeh drizzled with any remaining sauce and a squeeze of lime, with the coriander scattered on top.