Happy Friday, friends! Today is exciting for so many reasons! First of all, it’s National Veggie Day, or National Eat Your Vegetables Day, which is the kind of observance I can really stand behind. Also, today I’m sharing the winner of the Lightlife free product giveway. Don’t worry, even if you didn’t win the giveaway, you’re not walking away from this post empty-handed. I’m also sharing one of my favorite tempeh recipes, these spicy chorizo-esque tacos. Today, everyone’s a winner!

Before I get to that recipe, I want to thank everyone who entered the giveaway! Congratulations to Stephanie, our winner of the free Lightlife products! I’m envisioning some yummy cook-outs and tempeh dinners in your future Stephanie. I’m a big fan of Lightlife’s vegan products, and have been for years, everything I’ve tried is so tasty, and their tempeh is the best! I loved hearing all of your ideas for using their products, and hope you all give them a try, if you haven’t already.

 

 

 

 

 

In fact, this weekend, you should really grab some tempeh from your local supermarket (buy it, that is!) and make these spicy chorizo style tempeh tacos. I love this saucy, “meaty” filling. I’ve been crumbling up and seasoning tempeh for use in tacos for several years now, but I’ve just started making them with this spicy sauce, and I tell ya, it makes all the difference. My inspiration came from a tasty dish I had recently at a local Mexican restaurant. They had the most delicious spicy tempeh “chorizo” all wrapped up in warm, soft corn tortillas. It was amazing, even if it was so spicy I needed about 3 glasses of water to finish my meal. I knew I needed to try to recreate it.

This recipe comes pretty darn close. I did a lot of digging around the internet, looking at what spices are traditionally used in chorizo, and how others have made vegan chorizo. Some recipes were really complicated and involved cooking hot peppers over open flame, and overnight marinating. While I might try these recipes for a once-in-a-while special occasion, I wanted an anytime taco recipe. A tempeh taco for Tuesday night, kind of recipe. And don’t worry, you can adjust seasonings to taste, if you aren’t too keen on hot and spicy food.

Hope you all have a beautiful weekend, and make sure to eat your veggies today, and everyday!

Spicy Tempeh Tacos

adapted from this recipe

Ingredients:

• 8 oz package of tempeh
• 2 cups of water or vegetable broth

Marinade:

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• pinch of garlic powder
• pinch of chili powder

Sauce:

• 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup vegetable broth or water
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed or very finely minced and crushed
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chipotle chili powder (can sub with regular chili powder)
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1/8 – 1/4 tsp cayenne or to taste
• sea salt and pepper to taste

To Serve:

• 6-8 organic corn tortillas
• chopped romaine lettuce
• chopped tomatoes
• sliced avocado
• cilantro
• other toppings as desired (cashew sour cream, green onions, salsa)

To make:

1. This step is optional, but I highly recommend pre-cooking your tempeh, this helps the marinade to soak in, and eliminates any bitterness. I sometimes skip this step if I’m short on time, but for best results, pre-boil your tempeh. Just bring a couple inches of water or veggie broth to boil and add the whole block of tempeh, reduce to low and simmer about 10 minutes while you mix up the marinade and sauce.
2. For the marinade, just mix the apple cider vinegar, a pinch of spices, and soy sauce in a shallow container and set aside. Next, whisk all the sauce ingredients in large bowl or 2-4 cup measuring pitcher, set this aside as well.
3. Remove the tempeh from the pot with tongs and allow to cool for a few minutes on a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, crumble the tempeh into the shallow dish with the marinade. Marinate for 10-20 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, prepare your toppings.
5. Transfer the marinated tempeh to a pre-heated medium-hot pan with a touch of avocado or coconut oil, or use a little splash of water. Cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the sauce, and simmer, stirring frequently until the sauce has thickened, about 5-7 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.
6. Spoon mixture into warmed tortilla shells and top as desired. Enjoy!