This is not your average fried rice. For starters, it’s extremely flavorful, filling & healthy! It’s made with with tempeh which is one of my favorites and something I cook a lot with. Being vegetarian, I avoid adding the fish sauce to any of my dishes. I used cauliflower, brussel spouts & carrot because that’s what I had in my fridge, but feel free to add any vegetables that you love, it’s really up to you.
I always buy organic and local whenever I can-it really does make a difference. Look for non GMO tempeh, that’s important. When I lived on the east coast, I was able to get my hands on local organic non GMO tempeh and tofu…it was to die for!
One of my favorite ways to eat vegetables is to roast them. simple. olive oil, salt and pepper. There are so many salts to choose from and lately, I’ve been using Himalayan pink salt. Have you tried it? Said to be the purest form of sea salt, Himalayan pink salt not only tastes better than table salt it also has numerous health benefits.
favorite veggie fried rice with tempeh
A simple, healthy dinner which can be made with any of your favorite vegetables and nuts. Try it my way first and then next time combine some different textures, one crunchy vegetable, one not so crunchy. This is a fairly easy dish.. be sure to have all of your ingredients prepped ahead of time and set aside in bowls as it comes together quickly.
makes 4 portions~depending on the size of your bowls & how hungry you are
ingredients:
roasted veggies
1 small head cauliflower, broken into florets
1/2 pound brussel sprouts, cleaned & cut in half
4 T olive oil
pink salt & fresh ground pepper
dressing
1 t sunflower oil, or any light oil
2 T rice wine vinegar
2 t maple syrup
1T sesame seeds, toasted
pinch of chile flakes
garnish
1/2 c roasted peanuts
1/4 c fresh cilantro, washed & chopped (some stems are fine)
1/4 c scallions, cleaned & sliced thin (white and green parts)
everything else
2 cups cooked rice, I use jasmine, but you can use brown or any long grain rice
1 packet tempeh, cut into small 1/2″ cubes
3 medium carrots, peeled & julienned
coconut oil for sautéing, about 2-3 T
how to:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a reusable silicone mat. Put cut brussel sprouts onto one of the baking sheets. Drizzle with 1T of the olive oil. Sprinkle with salt & pepper. Toss to combine and spread out evenly in one layer. Do the same with the cauliflower florets. Bake for about 30 minutes. Take a peek half way through to see how they are. You may want to toss them around a bit so that they roast on all sides. Remove the veggies from the oven and transfer to a bowl.
While the veggies are roasting, heat up 1T coconut oil in a large sauté pan. Add the cubed tempeh in one layer and cook until brown on all sides. You may need to add some more oil as the tempeh will soak it up fast. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt while it cooks. Keep tossing until the tempeh becomes crispy on all sides. Once the tempeh is browned, remove it from the pan and transfer into the bowl of roasted veggies and set it aside.
Keeping the pan on the heat, add 1T of coconut oil and the julienned carrots. Cook them for about 2 minutes. You don’t want them to get too soft. Add the rice to the pan and mix well with the carrots. If the rice has cooled, cook until the rice gets hot, about 2-3 minutes. Add the veggies and tempeh. Stir to combine. Add the dressing, stir and season to taste with salt. Serve in individual bowls and top with the fresh cilantro, peanuts and scallions. For some heat, you can add some slices of jalapeño or fresh red chili.
enjoy!
notes:
You’ll probably eat all of this goodness the day you make it, but if there is any left over, store it in the fridge and serve it at room temperature or reheat the next day. It tastes great left over. I haven’t tried this with tofu because I like the texture of the tempeh with the rice but I’m sure a firm tofu would work just fine.
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