Tempeh Loaf: the perfect vegetarian alternative for a Sunday roast

An alternative to a nut loaf, this was an awesome vegetarian dish to go with a typical Sunday roast... not as good as the cockerel but pretty damn good.

Use the herbs you have, fresh herbs are fantastic, I didn't have any mustard but it was still as good, and used chopped almonds rather than walnuts, use what you have in the pantry!

8 ounces tempeh
1 cup vegetable stock
1 bay leaf
6 slices whole wheat bread (approx)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 egg, beaten (or for vegan, use 1/4 cup of stock instead)
1/4 cup minced parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional, depending on how salty your stock is)
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 cup finely ground walnuts (use food processor)
Directions:

1 Cut tempeh block in half and simmer in stock with bay leaf for 10 minutes.
2 Cut or tear bread into cubes to yield 2 cups of packed bread cubes.
3 Remove tempeh and bay leaf from stock, let tempeh cool.
4 Pour 3/4 c of the hot stock over the bread cubes to soak.
5 Meanwhile, saute onion in olive oil.
6 Grate the tempeh, and mix with egg, soaked bread cubes, and sauted onion.
7 Mix in remaining ingredients.
8 Pack into greased loaf pan and cover with foil.
9 Bake at 350 for 30 min., covered and another 10 minute uncovered.
10 Top with veggie gravy, sauteed mushrooms, dijon mustard, or ketchup.

stir fry a la SimonE with tempeh with a peanut salsa

1 lb tempeh
steam the tempeh for 10 minutes then marinate with an inch of grated ginger, 1/2 of a chile, 2 cloves of gloves, salt, pepper, 2 tablespoons of soya sauce. Leave for 10-30 minutes marinating

make the peanut sauce with AMA's peanut butter...

put in the blender 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
1 clove of garlic
1 inch of grated ginger
1/2 of chile chopped
lime juice
2 teaspoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of water
a little coriander

fry 1 chopped onion in oil, soften
add 3 cloves of garlic chopped and 1 inch of ginger grater,
1/2 - 1 chile chopped
then 1/2 a cabbage chopped
cooked peas
one red pepper
mange tout
brocoli

cook on a high heat and add half the peanut sauce, stir, add salt if needed, add juice of half a lime
serve with brown rice, chopped coriander and soya sauce... serve with beer and a chocolate for afterssss

Peanut stew

1 onion
3 potatoes
one cup of crunchy peanut butter
thyme
half a lb of chickpeas (one tin)
a tin of stewed tomates or about 5 tomatoes chopped up and fries gently in a little water with a sprinkle of thyme

1. fry the chopped onion in a little oil until soft
2. add the peanut butter and tomatoes, mix well
3. add the chickpeas, chopped potatoes and mix well
4. add enough water so it's just about covered, add a few sprigs of thyme, keep adding water is needed later on
5. cover and cook for around 20 minutes until the potatoes  are cooked, stiring every few minutes
6. sirve with brown rice

serves around 3-4 people

Addictive sweet potato burritos

Original recipe makes 12 burritos 

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups canned kidney beans, drained
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin

• 4 teaspoons prepared mustard
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes
• 12 (10 inch) flour tortillas, warmed
• 8 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet, and saute onion and garlic until soft. Stir in beans, and mash. Gradually stir in water, and heat until warm. Remove from heat, and stir in the chili powder, cumin, mustard, cayenne pepper and soy sauce.
3. Divide bean mixture and mashed sweet potatoes evenly between the warm flour tortillas. Top with cheese. Fold up tortillas burrito style, and place on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven (or grill in a frying pan), and serve.

Veggie black bean burgers

Make sure you alter the amounts if you are cooking for a larger number of people. Original recipe makes 4 patties 

• 1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
• 1/2 onion, cut into wedges
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  half a jalepeno chopped finely 
• 1 egg

• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
  
  

  Directions

  1. If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.
  2. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
  3. finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans.
  4. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and chili sauce.
  5. Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties.
  6. If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side. I fried mine in a little oil.

  Serve in buns with avocado, tomato and cilantro.

  Best served with Beer.
  
  

traditional meat lasagna

• Ingredients

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1  onion, halved, finely chopped
•  4 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 lb of beef mince
• 6 diced tomatoes
• 125ml (1/2 cup) dry red wine
• 55g (1/4 cup) tomato paste
• 1 cup of veggie/meat stock
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil, extra, to grease
• 4 fresh lasagne sheets
• 55g (1/2 cup) coarsely grated mozzarella

cheese sauce

• tablespoon of butter
• 50g (1/4 cup) plain flour
• cup or so of milk
• 70g (1/2 cup) grated cheddar
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• Salt & ground white pepper

parmesan for the top

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• Method

1. Step 1
   Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until onion softens. Add the mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until mince changes colour. Add the tomato, wine and tomato paste, and enough stock to cover the meat, bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper.
2. Preheat oven to 180°C. 
3. Meanwhile, to make the cheese sauce, Melt the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1-2 minutes or until mixture bubbles and begins to come away from the side of the pan. Remove from heat.
4. Gradually pour in half the milk, whisking constantly with a balloon whisk, until mixture is smooth. Gradually add the remaining milk, whisking until smooth and combined.
5. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to the boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Remove from heat. Add the cheddar and a little parmesan and stir until cheese melts. Taste and season with nutmeg, salt and white pepper.
6. Step 7
   Brush a rectangular 3L (12 cup) capacity ovenproof dish with oil to lightly grease. Spread one-quarter of the bechamel sauce over the base of the prepared dish. Arrange 1 lasagne sheet over the sauce. Top with one-third of the mince mixture and one-third of the remaining bechamel sauce. Continue layering with the remaining lasagne sheets, mince mixture and bechamel, finishing with a layer of bechamel. Sprinkle with mozzarella and parmesan. Place on a baking tray. Bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes or until cheese melts, is golden brown, and the edges are bubbling. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes to set.

Chickpea Salad with Capers and Roasted Red Peppers

2 large red peppers, roasted and skinned 

3 cups of cooked chickpeas, rinsed if canned (about 2 15-ounce cans)
1/4 cup of parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons of chopped mint
3 tablespoons of capers, rinsed
2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice or red wine or sherry vinegar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Cut the peppers into half-inch wide strips and put them in a large bowl together with the chickpeas, herbs and the capers. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, salt, garlic and oil. Pour over the chickpea mixture and combine.Serve immediately, or refrigerate it for a day to get the flavors to mingle fantastically.