I apologize for being MIA the past week! We went to the shore for the Fourth of July and I started my summer job working my district’s extended school year program on Tuesday so it’s been a little chaotic. Now that I have my summer schedule, I’m hoping to settle into a routine for the next five weeks and be more consistent with my posts. I hope everyone had a nice Fourth of July with family and friends and that it was a fun and relaxing long weekend. We had a delicious BBQ dinner at the shore on Sunday since we were driving home on Monday.
Speaking of BBQ…one of my favorite meals is a baked BBQ tempeh sandwich piled high with coleslaw. I frequently mention that I’m not a huge fan of tofu. Tempeh on the other hand- I’m obsessed. I could eat it every day. The texture is much more appealing than tofu, in my opinion. I like to break it up and cook it with taco seasoning to use in tacos or burrito bowls. I also like to slice it and bake it. You can find tempeh in the vegetarian or organic sections of most grocery stores. I like Lightlife brand- try to get an unflavored variety for this recipe. I decided to try making a grilled version of my favorite BBQ tempeh. I love grilling in the summer- especially when it’s 95 degrees out and I don’t want to turn on my oven. This grilled tempeh turned out way better than I imagined it would and it cooked SO quickly. The whole meal was ready in under 20 minutes. I served the tempeh in a bowl with some of my favorite BBQ fixings- a super simple cabbage slaw, grilled zucchini, grilled corn, and grilled pineapple. The grilled corn and pineapple add a sweetness that should not be skipped! Then I topped it with a little extra BBQ sauce for some added flavor—perfection! These bowls are very customizable and you could add or take out whatever you like. Next time I might add in some grilled red bell pepper and maybe a serving of pinto beans. The next day, I threw my leftover BBQ tempeh and corn over a bed of romaine and added some chopped bell pepper and cucumber for an amazing lunch salad!
NOTE: Normally I make corn on the cob on the grill by wrapping in foil and grilling for about 30 minutes, turning a little every 10 minutes. This method allows the corn to steam in the foil and yields very tender and juicy corn. For this recipe, I placed the corn directly on the grill to speed up the cooking process. It’s not quite as juicy, but it works really well in the bowl. Feel free to use whichever method you prefer/have time for!
NOTE 2: If you are gluten free, make sure to use a gluten free BBQ sauce. This list can help you if you’re not sure what brand to buy.
PS: Did you notice that this bowl has 29 grams of plant-based protein and only 18 grams of fat per serving?!
Active Time: 20 minutes Total Time: 20 minutes
Serves: 2
Ingredients:
8 ounces tempeh 1/3 cup barbeque sauce (make sure to use a gluten free brand if you are GF!) 3 cups shredded green cabbage 1½ tablespoons mayo (use vegan, if desired) 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ¼ teaspoon sugar pinch of salt ½ teaspoon grapeseed oil ½ zucchini, sliced into rounds 2 slices fresh pineapple
2 ears fresh corn on the cob (husks removed)
Directions:
Preheat your grill to medium heat.
Slice the tempeh into ½ inch thick strips. Place in shallow bowl and add the barbeque sauce. Toss the tempeh strips to coat with the sauce. Set aside while you prepare the slaw. Combine the cabbage, mayo, apple cider vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl. Mix well. Set aside. Brush the zucchini rounds and pineapple with the grapeseed oil or cooking spray so that it doesn’t stick to the grill. Put the pineapple, zucchini, and corn directly on the grill. Cook 10 minutes, flipping half way through cooking time. You should see grill marks. If not- continue cooking a little longer. Meanwhile, transfer the BBQ tempeh to a grill pan and place it on the grill. Cook 8 minutes, flipping half way through. The sauce should look thicker and there should be grill marks on the tempeh.
Remove all food from the grill. Chop the pineapple and zucchini into bite-sized pieces and cut the corn from the cob.
To assemble the bowls: Put 1½ cups of the slaw in the bottom of a bowl. Top with ½ of BBQ tempeh slices and half of the pineapple, zucchini, and corn. Top with additional BBQ sauce, if desired.
Nutrition Information per serving:
Calories: 586 Fat: 18g Carbs: 88g Protein: 29g Sodium: 540mg Sugar: 35g
*Nutrition information is based on the products I used personally in this recipe. Different products may yield slightly different information.
