The New Mac ‘n’ Cheese — With Tempeh

It was one of those times when I really wished I’d counted to 10 before opening my mouth.

Actually, most times are like that.

But I really did feel bad.

“I’ll cook dinner tonight,” said my friend. “I think you’ll really like it: Tempeh with quinoa and goat cheese.”

Now, you have to understand. It was bitterly cold outside with tons of ice and snow covering the grass and even the asphalt. It was the kind of weather that demanded comfort food … so I said the first thing that came into my head:

“You know what? Why don’t I cook and make us something really good?”

I know. It’s amazing I’m let out of my house.

But at least I heard how it sounded the second the words were out of my mouth. Quickly, I back-pedaled: “I didn’t mean it like that. I meant … well, something more in the way of comfort food. Like macaroni and cheese.”

The look on his face didn’t change. An excrutiating mixture of hurt and surprise.

“I”m an idiot,” I said. “Forget my comment. Please cook the tempeh with quinoa and goat cheese. I really do want to try it. I think the snow has confused my brain.”

Possibly not the greatest apology on Earth, but he knows me — we were fine.

But during the day, all I could think was: Oh, bleh. I don’t want tempeh tonight. A stir fry? With snow on the ground? Yick.

Still, I was determined to eat it and act as if I was loving every mouthful.

All I can say is: It was no act.

It was one of the most delicious meals I’ve ever had in my life. So good, that I asked him to make it exactly the same way the following day and write down the recipe for me.

It is a big bowl of warm — meltingly good with a spiciness from the goat cheese and a nuttiness from the quinoa. All mixed in with the Asian flavors of the briefly marinated tempeh. It truly leaves mac and cheese in the dust.

This is a meal I will be making for a long, long time.

Here is the recipe:

Stir-Fried Tempeh with Quinoa and Goat Cheese

• 1 package tempeh (3 grain, wild rice, whatever)
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups vegetable broth (vegetable bullion or homemade stock)
• sesame oil
• 1/2 red onion
• 2 cloves of garlic (big cloves)
• 1/2 red pepper
• 1 carrot stick
• 1 celery stick
• 4-5 white mushrooms or a handful of shiitake
• hoisin sauce
• soy sauce
• goat cheese, shredded
• powdered ginger
• crushed red pepper
• black pepper
• dried basil
• Several handfuls of raw spinach

Directions:

-Cook 1 cup thoroughly washed quinoa in 2 cups vegetable broth—cook like rice (bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer) until moisture is evaporated about 20-25 minutes.

-Brush hoisin sauce onto cubed tempeh (a very fine coating…doesn’t need to be on more than one side) and set aside.

-Finely chop onion, carrot, celery, mushrooms, and peppers.

-Coarsely chop spinach.

-Coat wok or saucepan with sesame oil (rub it on with your fingers) and press garlic and let sit.

-Turn on high and add onions. Crack black pepper over onions (be liberal).

-When things seem like they’re heating up (crackling), add tempeh, and put a little bit of soy sauce over top (about 2 tablespoons).

-Reduce heat to medium high and brown tempeh.

-Add carrot, celerly, and pepper, stir for a minute or 2, then reduce heat to medium, add more soy sauce (another 2-3 tablespoons).

– Add another drizzle of sesame oil.

-Aafter a few minutes or when carrots/celery look like they’re starting to soften, add mushrooms. Add a small pinch of ginger, a pinch of crushed red pepper, about 2 teaspoons of basil, and a lot more cracked black pepper.

-After another minute or so add spinach.

-if it seems dry, use a little more sesame oil or spinach (probably will need it).

-keep tossing around until spinach wilts and carrots/celery feel soft.

-If necessary, bring to a higher heat to evaporate any excess moisture.

-Serve over quinoa, sprinkle shredded goat cheese on top.

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Cooking A Low-Fat Vegetarian Meal For Guests

It was a great challenge.

“I’d love to come to dinner,” my friend said.

She’s a meat-eater — and even if she weren’t, I would’ve asked this anyway:

“Tell me before I plan the menu,” I said. “Are there any vegetables you really hate?”

“Brussels sprouts,” she said.

“OK. I won’t make them — even though I know you’d love my roasted Brussels sprouts.”

“And there’s something else,” she said. “I’ve lost a lot of weight and I’m really proud of myself. So, I’m trying to watch what I eat.”

“Not a problem,” I said. “It will be a  low-fat vegetarian meal. You’re going to love it.”

I hung up the phone and went over to my two huge baskets loaded with cookbooks. This is really my favorite part — planning the menu.

I have to admit, part of me was tempted to roast some Brussels sprouts — just to prove her wrong. But I figured if she was seriously watching what she ate, I shouldn’t squander side dishes.

Here’s what I wound up making:

Black bean and Garlic Hummus (with Blue Diamond Almond Nut Thins)

My Quinoa-Stuffed Roasted Red Peppers — even better this time than before because I baked them without pouring water into the casserole dish or covering the top with foil. It made the quinoa even nuttier and the whole dish tastier.

Spinach: With olive oil, lemon juice and garlic.

Apple Crisp: The apples were tossed with a little maple sugar, flour, lemon juice, pure vanilla and cinnamon. The topping was a mixture of oats, crushed toasted almonds, cinnamon, a little maple sugar and a little unsalted butter. And oh yeah — served with a small dollop of Stonyfield Farms Non-Fat Fudge Swirl Frozen Yogurt.

Can we all say “Yum” together?

It’s funny: Like so many meat-eaters, my friend couldn’t believe she’d had such an incredible meal that was — gasp! — vegetarian.

She’d never heard of quinoa, but it’s safe to say she’s now a devotee.

And she kept asking me if I was sure the apple crisp wasn’t loaded with white sugar and hidden fats.

“I can’t show you the recipe because I don’t really have one,” I said. “But believe me, as apple crisps go, this is pretty damn healthy.”

And the funniest thing of all: She went wild over the spinach.

So here it is: George Mateljan’s (of World’s Healthiest Foods fame) recipe for 1-Minute Spinach. Enjoy!

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The Kitchen of a Hypocritical Vegetarian: Quinoa

I’ve been reading about quinoa forever: “An ancient grain that has been around for 5,000 years …”

And even though everything I’ve read said it’s one of those “superfoods” every vegetarian has to try (even a hypocritical one), I never got around to making it.

Truthfully, I figured it would taste something like couscous, which I just don’t like. I know — that’s blaspheme in the veg community. But I just don’t like it.

So when I saw a recipe in The Whole Foods Market Cookbook called “Warm Quinoa Salad with Shrimp and Asparagus,” I decided to try it — minus the shrimp. (And as it turns out, minus the asparagus — which I forgot to buy.)

It’s not that I won’t eat fish — I do. But for the past year, I’ve found myself avoiding shrimp. Something about that squishshshsh when you bite into it. Uh uh. Don’t like it.

As for the quinoa … this is a fantastic recipe. One of those dishes that makes you want to hurry up and scoop up some more, even while you have a forkful in your mouth.

I am officially converted.

So before I go out and a buy an “I Heart Quinoa” t-shirt, let me share this recipe with you:

1 Tbs olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1/2 medium red onion, diced

1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes (I actually picked them out when the dish was finished, but they add a nice flavor while cooking)

1/2 c vegetable stock or water

1/2 cup white wine

1/8 cup lemon juice

1 Tbs grated lemon zest

1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper

1/2 cup quinoa

Heat the oil and saute the garlic and onion for 3 minutes in a saucepan. Add sun-dried tomatoes and saute another minute. Add vegetable stock, white wine, lemon juice, lemon zest, pepper and bring to a boil.

Stir in the quinoa and simmer on low heat with saucepan covered for about 20 minutes or until quinoa is tender to the bite.

Top with:

1/2 cup roasted cashews (I sauteed them in a touch of olive oil in a skillet)

6 minced scallions (threw them in the pan with the cashews)

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Enjoy — I’d love to hear what you think of it.

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