Vegan day 30: Spicy thai tempeh with garlic cauliflower mash

Now that I know how to follow a recipe, I figured I would try one from one of my many vegan cookbooks. Today I chose “Spicy Thai Tempeh with Cashews” from Clean Food by Terry Walters. I didn’t stop there- I added a side dish which I usually don’t do because it tends to be too much food. I am not a big fan of cauliflower but I certainly want to be. I looked up a garlic cauliflower mash- really amazing- and vegan of course!


Spicy thai tempeh with garlic cauliflower mash

Spicy thai tempeh (with a few changes from the original)

Tempeh package- I used organic garden veggie by Lightlife
Extra virgin olive oil- I used extra virgin coconut oil
Red onion- diced
Scallions- chopped
Red bell pepper- diced
Chili paste- 1T
Maple syrup- 2T
Tamari- 2t
Water- 1/3 cup
Cashews- I used peanuts

I sautéed the onions, scallions and red pepper in a frying pan with the coconut oil. Then I added the tempeh (sliced) with the chili paste. I let that simmer for about 10 minutes- turning the slices once or twice. I added chili paste, maple syrup, tamari for a few more minutes. I finished off this recipe with peanuts.

I have been itching to make this so-called “cauliflower mash.” I tend to stay away from mashed potatoes only because they are generally not vegan. I hardly ever eat cauliflower so when I heard of this- I was totally excited to give it a try.

I boiled a big pot of water and then added 2 heads of cauliflower slightly chopped up. I cooked this for 5-10 minutes or until the cauliflower began to soften up. After draining and slightly cooling it, I added the cauliflower to my Montel blender. I added about 6 T of almond milk and about 3 T of earth balance spread. I added salt and pepper to taste. One little problem here, my friend cut up some garlic of which I tossed the first handful into the blender before she said- aren’t you suppose to simmer that first? Well that initiated a quick debate that I’m ok with losing lol. Sure raw garlic can be good for some, but it definitely tastes strong, feels powerful and is a little bit difficult on the digestion system. I could have sautéed it for a few minutes, however for the record, cooking does destroy some of it’s antibiotic qualities. Garlic is an amazing herb, spice and home remedy for many ailments.

Disclaimer: The information given here is for eductional purposes only. You should not use this to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease without consulting with a qualified health care provider