When I discuss being a vegetarian with people, usually they say things like “I could NEVER live without eating meat”. I would never be so bold as to say, everyone should be a vegetarian or vegan, but perhaps you could find it within you to give the “weeknight vegetarian” concept a try. Shoot for 2-3 nights in the regular week, to go meat-free. This might be a practice you observe currently and just don’t really recognize it. Why don’t you give it a shot? Start with this simple and fast weeknight recipe, Sesame-Honey Tempeh & Quinoa Bowl. You won’t miss the meat AND you can incorporate that “quinoa stuff” that you bought a while back after seeing it on Oprah, into this meal. Recipe courtesy of Eating Well Magazine. Mr. Wonderful says: “WOW, that red quinoa sure is nutty. Is that sesame?” Why yes it does, and yes it is. Mr. Wonderful approved.
There are two components to the recipe a slaw and the tempeh:
Sesame-Honey Tempeh & Quinoa Bowl
Slaw
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup quinoa, rinsed (I prefer the red quinoa, but any will do)
- 2 cups grated carrots (about 3 large)
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted (see Tip)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
Tempeh
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 2 8-ounce packages tempeh (see Note), crumbled into bite-size pieces
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 scallions, sliced
PREPARATION
- To prepare quinoa: Bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add quinoa and return to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer, cover and cook until the water is absorbed, 10 to 14 minutes. Uncover and let stand.
- To prepare carrot slaw: Meanwhile, combine carrots, rice vinegar, sesame seeds, 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- To prepare tempeh: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add tempeh and cook, stirring frequently, until beginning to brown, 7 to 9 minutes.
- Combine honey, 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add to the pan and cook, stirring, until the sauce has thickened and coats the tempeh, about 1 minute.
- Divide the quinoa among 4 bowls and top each with 1/2 cup carrot slaw and 3/4 cup tempeh mixture. Sprinkle with scallions.
TIPS & NOTES
- Tip: To toast sesame seeds, place in a small dry skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Ingredient Note: Look for tempeh near refrigerated tofu in natural-foods stores and many large supermarkets.
Per serving: 536 calories; 27 g fat (5 g sat, 9 g mono); 0 mg cholesterol; 53 g carbohydrates; 13 g added sugars; 28 g protein; 5 g fiber; 588 mg sodium; 899 mg potassium.
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (182% daily value), Magnesium (46% dv), Iron (32% dv), Folate (27% dv), Potassium (26% dv), Calcium (21% dv), Zinc (19% dv).
Veg Bon Vivant 
Makes a delicious lunch the next day too!
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Yum! I’ll have to give that a try! I’ll be enjoying a vegetable potato curry with quinoa tonight… there are so many ways to eat quinoa!
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