TEMPTING TEMPEH

Today is the second in a series of Virtual-Friday-Lunches, started by the adorable and brilliant Cheryl at ATigerInTheKitchen. The #LetsLunch item this go round is BURGERS, so here's my spin on it ---

TEMPEH SLIDERS !

I know...I know...what the hell is TEMPEH, right? For a long time I only thought of it as the weird bumpy package that sat beside the Tofu in the market. But, maybe you're like me; have a vivacious curiosity and a giant desire to eat healthier. And, maybe like me you just need a little more info and a few minutes to experiment. If so, then you're gonna love this little TEMPEH BURGER.

Just to be factual, and use my new found knowledge: Tempeh is a cultured cake of beans and/or grains originally from Indonesia (one of the only soyfoods not from China). It's fermented, and when cooked properly has a nutty, meat-like, earthy...I'm making myself hungry, again...hardy bite. Tempeh contains more protein than chicken or beef, and loaded with Riboflavin and Manganese (which helps our bodies utilize nutrients, keeps bones strong and provides good function to our thyroid and nerves.) You won't read that on a Happy Meal box.

It took the US until the late 1970's to really get on board with Tempeh - but that was also the time we had the most growth in our national awareness for health, world hunger, fitness and childhood nutrition.

Class dismissed, time for Kitchen Playground.

The Tempeh I bought (although many actually make their own) came in a 6x8 slab. I used a small cookie cutter to first cut thick circles out, and then cut those in half to make thinner rounds. Tempeh is a great flavor canvas, meaning that it takes on and needs your ideas for flavor. It's like tofu in that way. I MARINATED the Tempeh circle/burgers for 30 - 45 minutes in a mixture of:

MARINADE:

1/2 cup Soy Sauce
Juice of 1 orange
2 Tbls. lemon juice
2 tsps. garlic powder
2 tsps. Garam Masala (Spice mixture: if you don't have it use a pinch of cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, pepper and cumin)
1/4 cup Agave sweetener
2 tsp. red pepper flakes

Cover and turn over a few times while marinating to make sure all pieces are flavored.

When ready to saute, pat the tempeh burgers dry on a paper towel. Then, heat a saute pan with 1 tbls. olive oil and saute for a crispy outside (about 2 minutes on each side.)

Remove burgers and place on mini-rolls with condiments of your choosing.

For my Tempeh Sliders: I used Vegan Mayonaise, roasted Yellow Beet, Roma tomato, Baby Romaine lettuces and placed them on a Green Tea/Black Sesame hand-made roll. I developed those rolls for "Fete du The" by ALGABAR.

These would make great appetizers, small plates or just cut them bigger and serve for a full burger meal.

ALSO, the scraps, from the tempeh not cut out, can be marinaded along with the burgers and also sauteed. I held them in the fridge and sprinkled them over a salad the next day. OMG, very deep, nutty and delicious topping for greens with red onions and roasted curry cauliflower. Try it, impress your friends...impress your body. Attempt Tempeh!

Carrot Top Pesto? You Must Be Joking.

After carefully turning over several bunches of carrots at the Farmer's Market, you finally choose the brightest orange/purple/white/green ones that "speak" to you. Then, just as you're reaching for your money, the busy bagger says, "you don't want the top greens, right?". And you answer....."YES, I DO want the top greens. " Or at least in the future maybe you'll answer that way.

I grew up next to my grandparent's survival farm in North Carolina (a long way from California where I live now.) My grandparents used every last morsel of everything they raised, planted, or caught. That included frying the weirdest parts of unlucky possums (even I can't go that far.) They would not have thrown away any greens from anything. The greens would have been used as seed, feed or filler. With that spirit in mind, I have been on a quest to find ways to use carrot top greens and one of the more successful uses is Carrot Top Pesto.

We all know how nutritious carrots are (and if you have never had a fresh carrot pulled out of the ground by your local farmer, then you really haven't tasted carrots. Give it a try, even kids will like those sweet, warm, flavorful root-popsicles.)
But what about the carrot greens? According to the Carrot Museum (who knew?), these feathery greenies contain a crock full of Vitamin K which the actual carrots don't even have. Not to mention Potassium AND...Chlorophyll which combats tumours, cleanses our blood and glands and even heals injuries. Years ago, folks would chew on the carrot greens as a breath freshener which is nice since they didn't take a bath except for once a month-- so at least something was clean.
Besides this pesto, you could throw carrot greens into your next smoothie for a boost, chop some and sprinkle over a salad for a spicy/bitter edge, or even boil the greens and strain to make a tea (that one took some honey for me.) Make the most of everything you got, right?
Carrot Top Pesto is all about that.

CARROT TOP and toasted walnut PESTO

1 bunch carrot greens (organic, washed, and loosely chopped)
1 clove garlic
1/2 onion chopped
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 cup toasted walnuts
1/4 cup chopped italian parsley
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 cup olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

In a saute pan, heat 2 tbls of the olive oil over med. heat. Add the onions and loosely chopped carrot greens. Heat the greens and onions just til wilted (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool for a few moments.
In a blender, add the garlic, crushed red pepper, salt, pepper, walnuts, parsley, cheese, carrot greens mixture and half of the left over olive oil. Puree in pulses. Add the rest of the olive oil as needed to make a loose paste. Taste and adjust seasonings and oil.
Serve over prepared pasta, as a garnish for soups, or as a sandwich spread.
Keep in container in refrigerator for several days, or freeze for several weeks.

Send me pics of how you used the Carrot Top Pesto. Enjoy!