Forums: September 2011 Kickstart Forum: Tempeh
Created on: 09/15/11 03:35 PM Views: 1829 Replies: 13
sparkledee Joined: 09/04/11 Posts: 48	Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 3:35 PM I'm making a veggie stir fry over quinoa for dinner and I'd like to add Tempeh. I've never cooked with it (or Tofu) before and have no idea what brand to buy or what to look for. Can anyone suggest a brand they know is good, and how do I add it to a stir fry? Thanks. I'm looking for protein options (low fat) instead of beans. I eat so many beans/legumes my stomach is really distended and hurting. These past 2 days have been a bit better since I've limited them to no more than 2 half cup servings/day and I usually scatter that amount out over the days time. Thanks!
	Edited 09/15/11 3:54 PM Quote | Send PM | Link | Top | Bottom
Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2068	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 3:44 PM sparkledee wrote: I'm making a veggie stir fry over quinoa for dinner and I'd like to add Tempeh. I've never had it before and have no idea what brand to buy or what to look for. Can anyone suggest a brand they know is good, and how do I add it to a stir fry? Thanks. I'm looking for protein options (low fat) instead of beans. I eat so many beans/legumes my stomach is really distended and hurting. These past 2 days have been a bit better since I've limited them to no more than 2 half cup servings/day and I usually scatter that amount out over the days time. Thanks! I would think you'd add it the same way that you'd add tofu - cut it into chunks/cubes and add it in midway through cooking time (after the hard veggies like carrots but before the soft veggies like mushrooms) Just a guess - we don't use bulk soy products --Deb R
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vegangirl65 Joined: 08/31/11 Posts: 110	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 3:56 PM I usually chunk it up and throw it in once the onions get cooking and let it cook with the rest of the stuff. I believe my brand is lightlife. It comes in many flavors, vaggie, wild rice. it's the only brand I have seen in the store. The package is about 6 or 7 inches long and about 2-3 inches wide. I'm not near a package otherwise I'd get the exact brand. Kathy
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Lauren1213 Joined: 09/06/10 Location: Florida Posts: 57	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 3:57 PM Quinoa is an excellent source of protein in it's own right. Only a professional can elaborate on this more but if memory serves me correctly it's a "complete" protein, so maybe lots of veggies and the quinoa would be sufficient for your stir fry? After having tried tempeh a few different ways, in mine and my familes opinion, it is an acquired taste.
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2068	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 4:05 PM Lauren1213 wrote: Quinoa is an excellent source of protein in it's own right. Only a professional can elaborate on this more but if memory serves me correctly it's a "complete" protein, so maybe lots of veggies and the quinoa would be sufficient for your stir fry? After having tried tempeh a few different ways, in mine and my familes opinion, it is an acquired taste. Yes, quinoa is an excellent grain source of protein. I agree that tempeh (and tofu too) are acquired tastes - and we've never acquired them (bulk soy like that messes with my system so we avoid it mostly). Also, check out how much protein you're already getting - most folks seriously overestimate how much protein they actually need in their day. For the typical person (not a body builder, triathlete or pregnant/lactating person), you need about 1/3 of your bodyweight in protein (grams). So, an average 150 lb person needs about 50 grams of protein per day. 1 cup of beans is a third of that (give or take the type of bean). 1 cup of cooked oatmeal is about 6 grams. And so on - add a bit of soy milk (1/4 c is 2 grams protein). 1 cup of cooked quinoa is about 12 grams of protein (it's 24 grams per 1 cup dry; 1/2 cup dry is about 1 cup cooked) So, if you have 1 cup of beans (16 grams) plus 1/2 cup cooked quinoa (12 grams) plus 1 cup oatmeal (6 grams); you've covered the bulk of your protein needs. It doesn't need to be in 'chunks' - it's all around, even small bits in things like mushrooms! 1 large mushroom has about 1 gram of protein in it! --Deb R
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vegangirl65 Joined: 08/31/11 Posts: 110	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 4:09 PM I also make my own seitan. I have been experiencing with a lot of recipes to find the right one. So far I'm thinking baking it instead of slow simmering it is the way to go. It is low fat and good source of protein, but not for people with wheat allergies. Kathy
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sparkledee Joined: 09/04/11 Posts: 48	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 4:16 PM Thanks for everyone's input! Its been very helpful. Deb - Is protein need based on IDEAL weight or current weight (that would be a whole lot of protien for me if I calculate it on current weight)? Also, do I have to be concerned about the foods you listed for protein being a complete protein? Dee
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Bugsmom Joined: 09/13/10 Posts: 2068	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 4:38 PM sparkledee wrote: Thanks for everyone's input! Its been very helpful. Deb - Is protein need based on IDEAL weight or current weight (that would be a whole lot of protien for me if I calculate it on current weight)? Also, do I have to be concerned about the foods you listed for protein being a complete protein? Dee The idea of "complete protein" is kind of old-school. If you're getting a good variety of foods, grains, beans/legumes, veggies, etc. you're likely getting all you need. The old idea was that you need to 'combine' foods in the same meal for it to work. But, it's been found that as long as you generally get a well rounded variety into your days overall, it'll work out fine. I think it is what you currently weigh. However, if you're working to lose weight, the number of calories you are eating is different than the calories you'd be taking in to stay the same. A quick google said that about 15% of calories from protein is the recommended amount - so if you're eating the "RDA standard" 2000 calories per day, 15% of that would be 300 calories from protein or about 75 grams of protein (300/4). But, I'm guessing that's kinda high (the "RDA" tends toward the high side since most people don't meet it - they over-estimate how much is needed so that people who don't hit that target still get enough, KWIM?) We'd need Susan or one of the other experts here to chime in on the ins and outs of calculating this sort of thing. Bottom line, though, is that eating a well rounded plant based diet is unlikely to leave you with too little protein. Beans, lentils, quinoa, other whole grains, and even veggies contain protein. In our food-rich society, the odds of a protein deficiency are rare - it's more likely to have too much protein than too little. --Deb R
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mollyhorn Joined: 03/03/10 Location: Fort Worth, TX Posts: 582	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 5:03 PM P.S. Not sure if this is an issue, but Tempeh is not exactly a "health food." It is high in calories and fat, and not a great choice for weight loss. It is delicious, though! Molly Horn
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marlenepoet Joined: 09/08/11 Posts: 10	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 5:22 PM My tip for cooking tempeh: First, use a little oil or pam on medium-high heat & give each side a quick browning. Then lower heat & add about 1/2 cup of whatever you're using for flavoring, be it veggie broth, salsa, bbq sauce, soy sauce...the possibilities are endless. Simmer the tempeh in that until it is absorbed. You will actually see the tempeh gradually plumping up as it sucks in all that flavor. This makes the tempeh both tender & flavorful. Oh, last step: remove your chunk of tempeh, cut into appropriate pieces for whatever you're doing & add back to dish just to warm through when everything else is about done. hth!
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tinabean Joined: 09/08/10 Location: Pasadena, TX Posts: 113	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 5:40 PM I noticed that no one mentioned steaming the tempeh first. I always do that before cooking it because supposedly it removes/improves the flavor some (and I still haven't aquired a taste for tempeh). It is higher in protein than many types of beans, but it is made of beans and you can still see the soybean bits in it, so if you're avoiding/minimizing beans then I would keep that in mind.
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DianeJ Joined: 01/01/10 Posts: 134	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 7:45 PM I would recommend looking on line or in a good vegan cook book for how to cook tempeh. It is a fermented product and depending on the recipe does sometimes need to be cooked a certain way, or steamed first in order to absorb more flavor. Some, such as the fakin bakin tempeh product can just be thoroughly cooked in a pan due to the way it has been prepared. Also,IMHO, I hate to leave people new to tempeh and tofu with the idea that these are not considered healthy. While completely understanding that some just do not tolerate soy at all, it is important that we do not clump tempeh and tofu in the same group as the processed meat substitutes and other fake products that contain mostly isolated soy protein, a non-nutritive by-product. There is no question that soy is overused, in thousands of things, but tempeh, made from pressed and fermented soybeans, and tofu, from soybean curd, go back thousands of years and each have some very unique, healthy properties. Do you need them, to eat a healthy vegan diet? Probably not, but they can certainly lend a wonderful and different vibe to many dishes when used in moderation.
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sparkledee Joined: 09/04/11 Posts: 48	RE: Tempeh Posted Thursday, September 15, 2011 at 10:00 PM Thank you all so much. The input has been very valuable. Dee
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deborahjm Joined: 09/06/11 Posts: 161	RE: Tempeh Posted Friday, September 16, 2011 at 9:07 AM This week I cooked Seitan for the first time in the Buckwheat Pasta with Seitan 2 recipe from nutritionmd.org and it was delicious! The one time I cooked tempeh, it didn't turn out well. With all your advice for cooking it, I might try it again.
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