For those of you who are unfamiliar with tempeh, it is a soy product made of fermented soybeans.  Because it uses whole soybeans instead of coagulated soy milk, the texture is a lot denser and the taste is much nuttier than tofu. Originated in Indonesia, tempeh offers a rich and inexpensive source of protein. You can usually find tempeh in a vacuum package next to the other soy products at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. They are also available at natural foods stores (Clark’s if you live in my neck of the woods).

When I first started cooking with tempeh, I’d always slice it, pan fry it with a few douses of soy sauce and add it to a sandwich. It was ok, but not great. I found it a bit tough and bland.

It wasn’t until I started crumbling tempeh that I really incorporated into my diet. Because of the increased surface area in crumbled tempeh, it is much easier to infuse flavor into it. You can use crumbled tempeh the same way you’d prepare ground meat. It works well in a chili or a curry. The idea of browning it with south-of-the-border seasoning and adding that to a taco just came to me. You may see that recipe on here very soon.

Crumbled tempeh is especially delicious with this glaze. Made with soy sauce and honey, it strikes the perfect balance of sweet and savory. The sugar in the honey helps the tempeh caramelize and get all gooey and sticky in the pan. You can also add a splash of orange juice in the end to give it that orange chicken flavor popular at many Chinese restaurants.

I love the nuttiness of quinoa, a super grain with high protein content. I mix the white and red variety to get that pretty speckled color in a bowl. You can use rice if you don’t like quinoa. You can also substitute the carrot slaw with boiled broccoli florets if you have something against carrots.

This recipe is great as leftovers. I like to make a big batch, eat it for dinner and save the leftovers for lunch the next day. I hope you will give this a try, especially if you are a tempeh newbie.