Tempeh? More like TemBAE. It’s so hearty, nutty and delicious. This sloppy joe’s has a great texture because of tempeh. It’s similar to ground beef. I dig it.
Happy Meatless Monday! This week I’m showing you how to make vegan sloppy joe’s.
I’ve been loving my plant-powered proteins. I haven’t been buying a ton of meat this summer. Maybe it’s because I like to order meat out at restaurants? Maybe it’s because I eat meat at work? Maybe it’s because I eat meat when I go home? Idk. I’m cool with it. Maybe when school starts and I have a schedule and start meal prepping every week then I’ll start buying meat.
I never crave plain meat like a chicken breast. Maybe that’s why I never pick it up at the grocery store. I only buy it if it’s an ingredient in a recipe I want to make.
Well, you see the opposite is the case for my friend tempeh. I saw it in the cooler at the grocery store. I picked it up and just bought it. No recipe in mind. I just knew I wanted it. I craved it. I knew I would use it. I knew I would make it into something. And it doesn’t expire until September so no pressure or anything. On the other hand, you have to use raw meat within a few days or freeze it. And meat is just fresher when it’s not frozen, ya know?
This time I got my Tempeh from Trader Joe’s because it was cheaper. I love trader joe’s. I’m so glad there is a TJ only a 7 minute car drive away from campus. What do I like to do in my free time? Walk down the aisles of a TJ.
What is tempeh? It is a meat alternative traditionally made from fermented whole soybeans. It can also be made with other legumes or beans like black beans or chickpeas. In addition, grains are sometimes added. The tempeh from TJ I purchased is made from fermented soybeans, brown rice, barely and millet. Some awesome facts about tempeh:
- It holds it shape well during cooking.
- It absorbs the flavors of other foods and sauces well.
- It’s fermented which makes it easier for digestion and absorption.
- It contains 15 grams of plant protein and 7 grams of fiber per serving. This keeps your belly happy, full and satisfied.
- It’s a complete protein (fork yes!)
When I made Sloppy Joe’s in June and posted it to my blog I got some feedback from the lovely Brenda (restauranteur of Spoonriver). She asked me if I had made her recipe in her Spoonriver Cookbook called “Mock Duck Sloppy Joes.” Or in my case Tempeh. My reaction was something like “What! That’s a thing? No way I need to try that!” Healthy twists are my thang!
Above is the recipe I used is from, chef and restauranteur, Brenda Langton’s The Spoonriver Cookbook called the Mock Duck Sloppy Janes. You can purchase it from the link or at the restaurant. My only modification was that I used about half the amount of honey, molasses and chili powder. Feel free to adjust to you taste buds desired sweetness/spiciness.
I loved trying this new fun and healthy twist on the classic sloppy joe’s. It’s also interesting to learn about a chef’s unique take on a classic. Who knew celery tasted so good in sloppy joe’s. From now on I’m definitely adding celery to my sloppy joe’s. Game changer! It gives the joe’s a nice crunch and texture.
Let’s cellerybrate 🙂
-Sho
whatshoeats 
1 Comment