Maple Glazed Balsamic Tempeh Two Ways
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A maple-balsamic glazed plant protein that is roasted to deliciousness and served two ways.
Author:
Serves: 4 servings
Ingredients
  • For the Maple Glazed Balsamic Tempeh
  • 1 (8 ounce/227 g) package of tempeh (see Notes)
  • ⅓ cup balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce or tamari for gluten-free
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp grainy dijon mustard
  • good pinch coarse black pepper
  • For the Spring Guacamole
  • 2 medium size ripe avocados
  • ½ cup fresh or thawed peas
  • 1-2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp finely chopped cilantro
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • pinch of sea salt to taste
Instructions
  1. Heat oven to 350 F.
  2. You can cut the tempeh any shape you wish but here is how I went about it for this recipe:
  3. Begin by cutting the tempeh slab into four roughly equal squares (they will be quite thick about ¾") then reduce the width of each square by cutting them in half horizontally for 8 thinner squares. Now slice each of these squares diagonally to create 16 triangles.
  4. Place the tempeh triangles in a glass dish large enough to accommodate their size.
  5. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, maple syrup, soy or tamari, coconut or olive oil, dijon and pepper.
  6. Pour the mixture over the tempeh making sure that all the pieces have been coated and cover the dish with wrap. Place in the fridge for at least 1.5 hours or overnight, turning the tempeh over at least once during that time.
  7. Bake the tempeh in the same dish with the marinade and covered with foil for approximately 15 minutes. Remove the dish from oven and carefully turn the tempeh over. Return the dish to the oven and allow it to bake without the foil for another 15-20 minutes or until the tempeh has absorbed most of the marinade - if you find that the tempeh is getting too dark while this is happening - you can gently tent with foil for the remaining minutes.
  8. Remove from oven and allow the tempeh to cool before serving with seasonal greens, fresh berries, your choice of nuts/seeds and cheese, as desired. You can drizzle more vinaigrette of choice or use a touch of the marinade for such.
  9. To assemble the spring pea guacamole, simply combine the avocado, peas, 1 Tbsp lemon juice, cilantro and garlic using a fork to mash or mini blender if preferred (I like to use a fork because it gives me more control over the texture - I prefer lumpy bumpy - and as long as the avocado is ripe, it's easy to break down). Add more lemon juice and salt to consistency and taste.
Notes
Where to find Tempeh - you will find tempeh in the refrigerator section of most large grocery stores and Whole Food style markets. It is generally kept with other soy proteins, tofu and meat analogs.
Balsamic - the color of the roasted tempeh may change depending on the depth of color of your ingredients, notably the vinegar. Different brands may result in a deeper, richer final color.
Vinaigrette - if serving the tempeh as a salad, you can create a simple vinaigrette to go along with the greens or simply reserve a touch of the marinade for drizzling.
Grilling - tempeh's resilient texture works well in pan sautés, oven roasting and grilling, so you can experiment as you wish.
Recipe by Inspired Edibles at https://www.inspirededibles.ca/2016/05/maple-glazed-balsamic-tempeh-two-ways.html