Red Curry Thai Tempeh Stir Fry

I graduated a month ago from the Rouxbe Plant-Based Certification Course. I learned so incredibly much in the course. I can't begin to grasp the plethora of information that was/is at my fingertips. I've heard that they might be adding more plant-based courses having to do with Raw Gastronomy and Pastry/Baking. If they do, you can be sure I'll be one of the first to sign up. 

During the course I gained a lot of confidence in my cooking skills. I suppose it was always there, but just lying dormant as I was nervous to branch out of my cozy little cooking bubble. Developing flavors was something I didn't know much about. Honestly, just in the last few years I've started integrating spices other than god ole salt and pepper into my cooking. 

This recipe has so many wonderful flavors and simple techniques. It's also my husband's favorite recipe that I wrote during the course. I am so happy to share it with you and I hope you love it as much as we do.

Red Curry Thai Tempeh Stir Fry

You'll need:

1-2 blocks organic tempeh, cut into thin slices (about 1/2" thick, 2" long)

3 T tamari

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1 t salt

1 inch ginger, sliced

3 yellow potatoes, cubed

1 c cauliflower, separated into small florets

1 c broccoli, separated into small florets

1 c bell peppers, cut into strips

1/2 c carrots, julienned

1/2 c fresh green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 inch ginger, minced

1 medium white onion, diced

3 T red curry paste

1 c coconut milk

2 medium tomatoes, diced

2 green onions, julienned

4 T coconut oil, for stir frying

To soften the tempeh and impart flavor, bring 5-6 cups of water to a simmer, add in the sliced ginger and garlic, tamari, salt and tempeh. Simmer for at least an hour. Once softened, drain the tempeh and let dry and cool down on a tray.

To make the stir fry, heat a wok over med-high heat, add in a tablespoon of coconut oil and stir fry the tempeh in two batches. Make sure to let both sides get evenly browned. Once the tempeh is fried, set aside. Now do the same with the yellow potatoes. After the potatoes are fried, add a little more coconut oil to the wok if necessary and then add in the white onions and carrots. After 1-2 minutes, add in the cauliflower, broccoli, green beans and bell peppers. When the vegetables are evenly cooked, add in the tomatoes and then the minced garlic and ginger and stir fry until aromatic, around a minute. Next, add in the tempeh, potatoes, red curry paste and coconut milk. Stir until all of the veggies are evenly coated. Serve over warm basmati rice, or your favorite noodle and top with the julienned green onions.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

My husband is in love with spicy food. He puts jalapenos on almost everything. So needless to say, he is always asking for dinners with a little more kick. These buffalo cauliflower bites are one of his favorite things, seriously, he asks me to make them daily weekly. I'd like to say these are healthy, but the cauliflower really doesn't rule out the high salt content, so we limit how many of these we eat. 

You could definitely lower the heat factor of the sauce by adding in some coconut oil or vegan margarine. I love serving the bites with some cashew ranch and organic celery.

After cutting up the cauliflower, you'll thoroughly cover them in a simple batter and then bake the pieces.

You'll need:

1 head of cauliflower, cut into bite size pieces
1 c flour (whole wheat, brown rice, chickpea, etc)
3/4 c nut milk or water (I use cashew milk)
2 t garlic powder
1 c cayenne based hot sauce

Let's get started!

Preheat your oven to 425F. In a medium sized bowl, mix the flour, nut milk and garlic powder together. Dredge each piece of cauliflower in the batter and lay on a sheet pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned, and let them cool for 5 minutes. Add all of the pieces to a large bowl and then pour hot sauce on top. Gently mix the cauliflower around until all are covered with sauce. Pour the cauliflower back onto the sheet pan and bake for an additional 5 minutes.