First, let's talk about tempeh. Tempeh is incredible. It's made from soybeans, like tofu, but the little beans are kept whole instead of pressed into a paste. See what I mean?
This is awesome for two reasons. First, tempeh has a firm, crumbly texture that will appeal to anyone who gets a little freaked out by how chewy and jiggly tofu can be. Second, the way soybeans are fermented for tempeh actually means that they retain more protein and dietary fiber than they do in tofu. You can normally find tempeh next to tofu at any major grocery store; my personal favorite is Lightlife's flax tempeh because it has a great nutty flavor, but any kind will work just fine!
And sweet potatoes? Everyone loves sweet potatoes. Sweet potato fries, sweet potato pie, baked sweet potato with a little brown sugar and cinnamon...MM! These little guys have a ton of Vitamin A, which is good for your eyeballs and skin. Sweet potatoes are also slightly softer when cooked than regular ones, which makes them ideal for creating smooth, creamy mashed potatoes without adding milk.
Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Lemon Pepper Tempeh
(both adapted from Kathy Palatsky's Lunchbox Bunch)
Serves 2
Mashed Sweet Potatoes
2 medium sweet potatoes
olive oil to grease your potatoes and coat your pan
½ cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons Earth Balance
2 teaspoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt and pepper, to taste
To cook your potatoes, preheat your oven to 425 F. Prick the potatoes all over with a fork, rub them with a little bit of olive oil, and wrap them up tight in aluminum foil. Now toss them in the oven and go pour your lady friend a glass of wine - the potatoes will need about 1 hour to bake.
Yams in a blanket.
Check to see if the sweet potatoes are done by piercing them with a fork. If they're soft and steamy, they're ready to go! Unwrap them and let them cool for a few minutes while you deal with the next couple of steps.
You can practically see the vitamins.
Pour a little bit of oil into a saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the chopped onions and sauté until the onion bits are translucent and soft. In a bowl, combine the onions, Earth Balance, thyme, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Then carefully peel the skin off your sweet potatoes and add those to the bowl as well.
Everything's better with (vegan) butter.
Using a fork, mash everything up until you don't have any errant globs of vegan butter or chunks of potato left over. Add salt and pepper to taste, then cover the bowl with aluminum foil to keep it hot while you make your tempeh.
Lemon Pepper Tempeh
1 block tempeh, cut into cubes
juice from 2 lemons (about 4 tablespoons)
¼ cup vegetable broth
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon salt (optional - the veggie broth will add some salt, so adjust accordingly)
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
olive oil to coat your pan
Heat your olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the lemon juice and vegetable broth to the pan and let that heat up as well. When you see the mixture start to sizzle a bit, throw in your tempeh and sauté it for 2 minutes or so.
Salty sour tempeh goodness.
Add the maple syrup, salt, and about half of your black pepper, and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated from the pan and your tempeh is starting to look a little brown on the edges. Turn off the heat, throw the rest of the pepper into the pan, and stir your tempeh around so that the pepper evenly coats the little cubes.
Add the spice...
That's it, you're ready to go! Bust out the fancy plates for this and garnish your beautiful meal with a spring of parsley or a thin slice of lemon. Lez eat!
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