Tangy, saucy hot stuff coming to a mouth near you.

No worries, this is not an X-rated blog.

Saw a similar recipe in the vegan meal kit recipes online that I have not purchased in over eight months. It used a tahini-based sauce with several ingredients and oil as well. I decided to nix all that and simplify this tempeh meal.

Ingredients:

Tempeh: per serving. I am making for one human and use 1.5 servings for the extra protein and dietary fiber.

Squash: baby yellow or your choice of any veggie. I used half a squash.

Lemon: one per serving, maybe more!

Rice: precooked if you want a more fried rice taste or any grain of choice.

Something to coat it: panko, bread crumbs, or my latest fine-ground golden flaxseed.

Spice: black pepper only for me, but feel free to sprinkle anything you desire.

Sauce: optional. I used a hot sauce from our Saturday market that a lovely couple makes.

Oil: totally optional. You can skip it and slather on the lemon and keep stirring to avoid sticking food to the pan. I did end up adding a minuscule tad of avocado oil since I did not feel like washing and cutting another lemon. Sad excuse, I know.

Cheese: also optional. I make my own vegan cheesy sauces but bought this one from the market. It is a vegan cashew parmesan in granular form, similar to a store-bought sprinkle type in a jar or box.

Supplies:

Plate or low bowl for golden flaxseed or bread crumbs to coat the tempeh, sauté pan (medium to large), pot with lid for making fresh rice or grain of choice, cutting board, chef’s knife, spatulas, measuring spoons if you use them, towels, optional apron and pot holder, good attitude, a smile, and a happy heart. Serving bowls, plates, utensils, ambiance, well-fed pets, creativity, and a daring culinary curiosity.

Mise en place:

All of the above in order of use and on a clean countertop.

Recipe:

1. Wash any produce or foodstuff that needs it.

2. Shake some golden flaxseed, panko, or bread crumbs on a plate or low bowl. Keep the container nearby since you may need extra.

3. Cut the tempeh into any shape, or consider leaving it whole. I decided to make wedges, little triangles to revisit 10th grade geometry. Squeeze lemon juice generously on the tempeh pieces and lay them on a plate that has the coating.

4. Heat the pan and consider adding any spices that are seeds or coarse. Oil only if using. I chose to not use it initially, but as the minutes ticked by, I end up dashing in a tiny smidge since my lemon and coated tempeh wedges were starting to stick.

5. Sorry, when the pan is hot, add the tempeh. Then in a minute or so, the squash and any other veggies you desire. Keep squeezing those lemon quarters all over the goodies in the pan; lemonize this dish to your taste. Tangy and pucker were on my mind.

6. Keep stirring and flipping those morsels. Add in the precooked rice. Some folks may be using freshly cooked grains, so hopefully, you started them on another burner already. I wanted a one-pot deal and no lid. Less water needed to wash all the dirty dishes, which means less harm to Momma Earth.

Final stages:

Gently plate this entire pan onto plates or bowls. Since it was only me, I chose to put it all in one round bowl. I left the hot sauce and granular vegan parmesan cashew cheese for this final step and added it to the top. I kept them within reach just in case I wanted more.

Find a quiet, tummy-relaxing place to set up; remember to give gratitude; and dip that fork in, scoop up a bite-full, close those eyes, ever so softly, and insert that fork into your mouth. Savor and enjoy the tastes and textures.

Enjoy!

No harm came to any critter during the producing, prepping, cooking of this meal. One more win for the animal kingdom and this tiny blue marble we inhabit. 

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Bonus recipe: Tofu Threesome: 3 Tantalizing, Tasty Tofu Dishes.

For a whole bunch of delicious recipes, scroll through my author page.

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