Thyme for Tempeh! The Best (and Easiest) Tempeh Recipe I’ve Made– Try It!

 

Hi Loyal Plantcentric Follower,

I’m back! Sorry for not posting for so long, but as you know, I’ve been on a scholarly sabbatical. I’ve gone back to school, full-time, to finish up my undergraduate degree, majoring in Communication Studies with a concentration in Health Communication. Fitting, right? Going back to college has been one of the best things that has happened to me. I’m seriously having the time of my life.

During the school year, I’m fortunate to have a wonderful husband who handles dinner for us. Now that I’m off for the summer, I have the time to get back to cooking.

So what made me so excited, that I just had to share with you? Simply the best tempeh recipe ever! It’s from the cookbook “Isa Does It” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. She writes the blog, Post Punk Kitchen, www.theppk.com. Tempeh is a fermented soy food, and when made with organic or non-GMO soy, it is very healthy for you.

This tempeh turned out so good, that it’s hard to only have one serving. The marinade infused the flavor completely into the tempeh. It will be wonderful in sandwiches. I also believe that omnivores would love it. It is also super quick and easy.

As you know, I am a big believer in using what you have on-hand. The ingredients are below, with my substitutions in parentheses.

8 oz tempeh

For the marinade:
2 tablespoons soy sauce (or tamari) (I used Bragg’s Liquid Aminos)
4 cloves garlic, smashed (I used chopped garlic from a jar.  I never measure garlic.  I usually triple the amount)
1/2 cup veggie broth
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (or 1 tablespoon regular balsamic)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I used reconstituted)
1/4 cup fresh thyme, leaves whole, soft stems roughly chopped (I used dried)
2 tablespoons olive oil (I omitted)

This made a lot of marinade.  Since there was never any raw meat soaking in it, the marinade can be used again.  You can dip your tempeh in it, au jus style, or use it for salad dressing.

Get the recipe here:  Isa Does It Garlicky Thyme Tempeh

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

The Best Mexican Chowder Recipe Ever!

 

Oh my gosh!  I made Mexican Chowder from Lindsay Nixon’s Everyday Happy Herbivore cookbook.  It is amazing-hot or cold!  So cheesy-like, thick and great.

TIPS: As you know, Happy Herbivore cookbooks are my go-to favorites.  I usually have what I need in my pantry, and if I don’t, I can just substitute.  Like I always say, “Use what you have.”  For example, I doubled this recipe and did not have two green peppers, so I threw in two packages of sliced mushrooms that I was getting antsy about going bad in my fridge.  I also only had brown miso, not the yellow type called for.  This dish turned out fantastic.

Also, I only use organic corn due to all other corn being GMO–same with soy (and NEVER soy protein isolate).  I always portion out the servings into separate bowls and refrigerate the extras for the next day’s meal.  That way, I don’t overeat.

Mexican Chowder
Serves 3

Ingredients: 

• 1 small sweet onion, finely diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1⁄2 teaspoon paprika
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1⁄4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 cup nondairy milk
• 2 tablespoons ketchup
• 1 tablespoon yellow miso
• 1 cup yellow corn
• 1 cup canned black beans
• Juice of 1 or more lime wedges
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Corn chips (optional)
• Garnishes: chopped cilantro or sliced green onion

Instructions:

Line a large pot with a thin layer of water and bring to a boil.

Add onion and garlic and sauté until onion becomes translucent, about 2 minutes.

Add bell peppers and spices and reduce heat to medium, continuing to cook.

Meanwhile, whisk 1⁄4 cup of nutritional yeast with nondairy milk and ketchup, then pour over bell peppers, stirring to combine everything.

Add miso, corn, and black beans and stir in.

Squeeze the juice out of a lime wedge and stir.

Taste, adding more lime as desired plus salt and pepper to taste.

For a stronger cheese flavor, whisk in 1 to 2 more tablespoons of nutritional yeast.

Serve with corn chips. You can garnish with sliced green onion or chopped cilantro, if desired.

Chef’s Note: If your liquid is too thin, add tomato sauce, broth, or more nondairy milk.

http://www.forksoverknives.com/mexican-chowder/

www.happyherbivore.com

 

Dreamy Baked Bananas Recipe by Dreena Burton

I always love it when I get my Plant Powered Kitchen email from Dreena Burton.  She has wonderful recipes, but I think that this one tops them all!

Dreamy Baked Bananas: Get the recipe here  http://plantpoweredkitchen.com/recipe-page/?recipe_id=6063991

They are baked in a wonderful combination of nut butter, only 2 T.  (I used creamy peanut butter), non-dairy milk, raisins, and spices.   Mmmmmm!

 

 

This is the BEST Father’s Day Gift You Could Ever Give

Our sons live across the country now, but my gift to my husband, Bill, was us re-watching the movie, Forks Over Knives.

It was about 3 years ago, when we watched it for the first time.  After it was done, my husband turned to me and firmly said, “I’m going vegan.  You don’t have to, but I am.”  I was filled with trepidation.  What would we eat?  But I shakily said with a gulp, “If you’re going to, I will to.”  Bill now says, that inside, he was so scared that he was silently screaming, “No! No!  I didn’t mean it!  I was only kidding!”  But he never shared that.  He said OK.  And from that moment on, we never looked back and changed our lives.

 

 

We got our copy of Forks Over Knives from the library, but you can watch it for a nominal fee on Netflix and YouTube.  Get more info at http://www.forkoverknives.com  There you can sign up for free newsletters with recipes, etc.

Show Dad how much you care.  Watch the movie with him (and Mom)!

Happy Father’s Day.

Radical Remission – When Terminal Cancer Vanishes

If you’re an avid reader of mine, you know that I am a religious Dr. Oz Show watcher.  Not having the time to watch during school, where I am a Health Communication major, I came back to 21 episodes taped on my DVR!  I am slowly getting through them.

I need to share with you an episode I saw: The guest was Kelly A. Turner, Ph.D. and her book is Radical Remission – the Nine Key Factors That Can Make a Real Difference – Surviving Cancer Against All Odds.  www.radicalremission.com.

She found that there were certain people who beat cancer by NOT using conventional medicine.  She wondered what the common thread was that ran through all these different people.  It was quite intriguing.

I went right to my library and got her book.  I’m just in the first chapter, but it is so exciting that I’ve already contacted some acquaintances with cancer to tell them about it.  My next stop was to tell you.

Check out this book, and, as usual, I say don’t wait until you have cancer to make the changes!

 

FullyRaw Rainbow Salad & Low-Fat Guacamole!

Oh my gosh, this looks so good!  Can’t wait to make this.

 

 

Simply Healthy Asparagus Recipe

Tis the season for asparagus!  Here’s a really simple, 2 ingredient recipe for you:

Simply Healthy Asparagus

fresh asparagus

balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wash asparagus and snap off thick ends.  Discard.  I use a baking sheet with a Silpat liner to prevent sticking.  You could use a nonstick baking sheet or parchment paper.  Line up the asparagus spears in a single layer and drizzle balsamic vinegar over them.  No oil or salt!  Bake at 350 until thicker ends are tender (about 30 min.). I eat them with my fingers as a healthy snack.  Enjoy!

Where’ve I Been? Change is Good!

 

It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to post; sorry about that.  It’s due to a good reason though, and that is that I’ve made a big change in my life–I’ve gone back to college!  Yes, thirty years later!  There was no reason not to.  Both my sons moved across the country, so I knew I needed to get myself too busy to miss them much.  What I didn’t know was how being around students that were my own sons’ ages would also help me.

I chose to major in Nutrition in order to become a Registered Dietitian and help people prevent disease through a whole foods, plant based lifestyle, but as I sat through my Intro to the Profession class, I realized more and more that this was not for me.

I’ve known all along that the accrediting academy for Registered Dietitians, The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, was in bed with “Big Food.”   Not sure what I mean?  Check out Andy Bellatti’s facebook page, Dietitians for Professional Integrity.   Also, please read, “I Went to the Nutritionist’s Annual Confab.  It Was Catered by McDonald’s.”  I was planning on just keeping quiet, memorizing the answers (like meat and dairy are healthy)  just to pass the classes and the Registered Dietitian exam. After I was registered, then I would be able to recommend a whole food, plant based diet to my clients.  But it became increasingly hard to keep quiet, especially when I began my Structure and Function Biology class and learned that we would be dissecting a cow’s eyeball, a sheep’s brain, and a fetal pig,  (I was told that I was lucky it wasn’t a cat this year.)  I didn’t want to be a part of the problem or the industry that perpetuates these killings.

So I dropped the Structure and Function class and changed my major to Health Communication, because that way, my message won’t be stifled.  After college, I will become a spokesperson for a whole foods, plant based lifestyle at a wellness program focusing on prevention.  I’ll keep you posted.

Rachael Ray: “The Best Cream of Mushroom Soup I’ve Ever Had”

Me too!  Let me explain.  Robin Quivers, Howard Stern’s partner on his radio show, has a new cookbook out, “The Vegucation of Robin.”  No matter what you think of Howard, Robin tends to be universally liked.  Well, she has gone vegan and written a cookbook, but found herself sick with a terribly large cancerous tumor.  She credits her becoming healthy due to veganism with her flourishing through chemotherapy, radiation and now being declared cancer free!

She was recently on the Rachael Ray show and they made her Cream of Mushroom Soup.  That’s when Rachael declared it the best cream of mushroom soup she’s ever tasted!  She declared that the use of fennel and coriander seeds was brilliant! I have to agree.

Check out the video and get the recipe here:  http://www.rachaelrayshow.com/food/16483_Robin_Quivers_Cream_of_Mushroom_Soup/index.html

ALL NEW! GIVEAWAY! WIN HAPPY HERBIVORE LIGHT & LEAN!

I’ve been contacted by Lindsay S Nixon, author of the wonderful Happy Hervivore cookbooks, and she wants to give a special holiday gift to one loyal reader of itsadecision.com!  One of you will have your very own copy of her brand new book sent right to you (as long as you’re in the USA or Canada)!

Happy Herbivore books have super fast and easy recipes that use whole foods, are plant-based and use no oil.  Some recipes that are in the book are:  Citrus Couscous, Soba Peanut Noodles, Caribbean Chili and more.  And in Happy Herbivore Light & Lean, Lindsay also shares workout plans.  Every plant-based kitchen needs Happy Herbivore books.  I make her recipes all the time, and they’re family faves.

Thai Crunch Salad

Just write a comment under this post and let me know why you are plant-based.  I’ll pick a winner!