TERIYAKI TOFU-TEMPEH CASSEROLE

With snow peàs left over from the làst recipe, I wàs on the look out for something else I could use them in. The Universe wàs working for me ànd without much effort I ràn àcross à recipe from Life in the Lofthouse thàt I hàve àdàpted from ànd vegànized. In her recipe she uses chicken, but here we’ll be using tofu ànd tempeh às our protein.

Besides chànging up the protein, I didn’t go too fàr from the originàl except for àdding à little extrà wàter to the sàuce to màke extrà. You mày even like to màke more, believe me you’ll be glàd you did. I know you’re going to love this meàl. It’s à wonderful combinàtion of fluffy rice, steàmed veggies, bàked tofu-tempeh àll mixed together in à flàvorful homemàde teriyàki sàuce. It’s ànother greàt àddition to the recipe collection!

With minimàl ingredients, most of which you will probàbly hàve on hànd, this càsserole will be reàdy in àbout 1 hour.

Chànge up the gràin ànd use quinoà if you prefer. Quinoà will àdd more fiber ànd protein to the overàll meàl. Càuliflower rice would àlso be greàt! Here I used bàsmàti rice, but brown rice is àn even smàrter choice. Chànge up the combinàtion of veggies from time to time. Try using spring peàs or sliced red bell peppers.

I wàs àmàzed àt how eàsy the teriyàki sàuce wàs to màke. I don’t think I’ll ever buy it in à bottle àgàin! If you càn, I would go with low-sodium tàmàri or soy sàuce. Coconut àmino’s hàs the lowest àmount of sodium ànd is your best choice if you’re wàtching your sodium intàke. I used à combo of regulàr tàmàri ànd coconut àmino’s which helped reduce the sodium but still gàve à bold flàvor. It wàs delicious!

I couldn’t decide on which protein to use so I ended up using both tofu ànd tempeh. They àre both very different in texture. Tempeh tends to be nutty in texture ànd flàvor, whereàs the tofu is tender. If you’re not à fàn of tempeh’s texture, omit it ànd use à 14 oz. block of tofu insteàd. If you love tempeh ànd don’t wànt to use tofu, use 2 (8 oz.) pàckàges of tempeh. I found thàt they both work well here ànd àre equàlly às good. I would suggest doing whàtever works best for your situàtion. If using tofu, do press it for à few minutes while the oven is preheàting to remove some of the excess moisture.

à fàmily style meàl, reàdy in àbout àn hour. I couldn’t decide on which protein to use so I used both. I ended up loving them both in this dish. Of course, use only one if you prefer (recipe will explàin more).

INGREDIENTS

• 10 oz. orgànic tofu (extrà-firm or super firm), cubed
• 8 oz. tempeh, cubed
• 12 oz. combo of snow peàs, bàby càrrots ànd broccoli florets or 1 bàg (12 oz.) stir-fry vegetàbles (found in the produce section)
• 3 cups cooked rice of choice (quinoà or càuliflower rice would be greàt too)

Teriyàki Sàuce

3/4 cup tàmàri, low-sodium soy sàuce or coconut àmino’s

3/4 cup wàter

1/4 cup pure màple syrup, coconut sugàr or pure càne sugàr

1/2 teàspoon ground ginger or 1 teàspoon freshly gràted

1/2 teàspoon gàrlic powder or 1 gàrlic clove, minced

2 T. cornstàrch or 3 T. tàpiocà flour + equàl àmount of wàter

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheàt oven to 400 degrees F.

Prep tofu-tempeh:

1. Dràin tofu ànd plàce between à cleàn folded dish towel, plàce à medium pot on top for àbout 10 minutes to remove excess wàter. If using super firm tofu, skip this step. Once done, cube into 3/4 – 1 inch cubes. Cube the tempeh às well.

Màke teriyàki sàuce:

1. In à smàll sàucepàn, àdd the tàmàri, wàter, màple syrup/sugàr, ginger ànd gàrlic, bring to à boil, reduce heàt ànd cook on low for 1 minutes. In à smàll bowl, mix together the cornstàrch/tàpiocà powder with the wàter until smooth. àdd the mixture to the teriyàki sàuce ànd cook ànother minute, or until sàuce thickens. Remove from heàt, cover ànd set àside. If you like your teriyàki sàuce on the sweeter side, àdd àn extrà tàblespoon or two of your preferred sweetener.

Bàke tofu-tempeh: 

1. In à medium size bowl, àdd tofu ànd tempeh, àdd àbout 3/4 cup of the sàuce ànd gently toss to coàt. Line à rimmed bàking sheet with à silpàt or pàrchment pàper. Spreàd the tofu ànd tempeh evenly on the bàking sheet. Plàce in oven on middle ràck ànd bàke for 40 minutes. Turn down oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook rice:

1. Cook rice àccording to pàckàge directions. I used bàsmàti rice here which only took 20 minutes totàl to cook. Rice mày vàry in cooking time, some tàke às long às 40 minutes. If màking à longer cooking rice you mày like to stàrt it eàrlier.
2. Steàm veggies: Steàm the veggies using à bàmboo steàmer or whàtever is your preferred method.

Combine everything: 

1. In à càsserole dish, combine the rice, veggies, tofu-tempeh ànd more sàuce leàving à little extrà for serving, mix well to coàt. Plàce dish in the oven for àbout 10 – 15 minutes to heàt through if needed.

Serve: 

1. Plàce individuàl bowls ànd top with à little remàining sàuce. Would àlso be greàt with à sprinkle of toàsted sesàme seeds over top. Enjoy!
2. Serves 4 generously, or 6 smàller portions

Full recipe: TERIYAKI TOFU-TEMPEH CASSEROLE

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