You guys, It’s FINALLY Friday! Was this a long week or what? I knew it was going to be a slow week when it felt like Friday on Tuesday! My brain is mush and my body hurts, but I am so happy it is Friday that it doesn’t matter anymore. Octavian and I have a date with the zoo when he wakes up from his nap and then back to the gym for pilates.
Anyway, since it has taken me more than 30 minutes to write what you see above, I’m just going to skip ahead to the good stuff, FOOD. Today I have this super yummy Tempeh Noodle Bowl with Sesame Garlic Dressing for you guys.
Have you ever had tempeh? Tempeh is basically fermented soy beans and it is amazing. I tried tempeh for the first time over 5 years ago and fell in love with this protein packed vegan food. It has an earthy, almost nutty flavor and texture, and is an excellent meat replacement if you’re trying to cut back on animal products. It’s perfect in nearly any dish, but my favorites include noodle dishes, stir-frys, curries, wraps and salads.
Aside from the tempeh, this noodle bowl is also loaded with veggies- cucumber, carrots, bell peppers, and, of course, lots and lots of fresh herbs. To complete the bowl we need dressing! For this noodle bowl I made an easy and light toasted sesame dressing with garlic and honey. The combination of fresh herbs (DON’T FORGET THE HERBS) with the dressing and nutty tempeh is magical. Seriously, the flavors! So good.
Tempeh Noodle Bowl with Sesame Garlic Dressing
Ingredients
Dressing:
- 1/3 cup canola oil
- 5 cloves garlic - minced
- 6 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/3 cup white vinegar
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2.5 tablespoons lemongrass paste
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 1 lime juiced
Salad:
- 9.5 ounces soba noodles - or noodle of choice, cooked according to package instructions
- 8 ounces tempeh - roughly chopped into small pieces (I purchase my tempeh from Trader Joe's)
- 1 tablespoon liquid smoke
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- 2 red bell pepper - seeded and thinly sliced
- 1 large cucumber - julienned
- 4 large carrots - julienned
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro - chopped
- 1/2 cup green onions - chopped
- 1/3 cup mint - chopped
Instructions
- Prepare the dressing: Place all ingredients in a large bowl and whisk until fully combined. Set aside.
- With the noodles prepared and vegetables chopped, prepare the tempeh. In a large bowl combine chopped tempeh the liquid smoke, soy sauce, and fish sauce. Toss to coat. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat and add 1-2 tablespoons oil. When oil is hot add tempeh (with remaining marinade) and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for 4-6 minutes, stirring frequently, or until tempeh just barely starts to brown. Remove from heat.
- Prepare the salad: In a large bowl, toss together the chopped vegetables, fresh chopped herbs, and tempeh. Add the dressing and toss to coat. Finally, add the noodles and very gently toss everything together.
Nutrition
(Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.)
