Tag: Smart Foodie

Taco Tempeh Salad is an extremely flavorful and nutritious salad, loaded with vegan protein and pairs really well with the Avocado Cashew dressing. I love Mexican cuisine especially tacos and quesadillas. There are so many similarities between Indian and Mexican cuisine in terms of ingredients and spices used. The Taco Tempeh salad recipe that you will find below is made with keeping in mind its meal prep friendliness. Since we are making it in a jar, you can put it together ahead of time and it will last in the fridge for upto 4 days.

But it is very important to layer the ingredients in the right order for it to last long and feel as delicious as freshly made salad. The right order means layering the wet or water rich ingredients at the bottom and as we go up we layer the dry or crispy ones. This is done so that the excess water do not flow down and make the entire salad soggy.

The Avocado Cashew dressing in this recipe is very rich and creamy, eliminating the use of any oil. We are also using Nutritional Yeast in the dressing to make it more cheesy tasting and give it a boost of Vitamin B12. It has juice of one whole lime and a whole bunch of Coriander leaves, which are all the ingredients that give Mexican food its life! They brighten up our salad by bringing in lot of freshness.

All the different vegetables used are a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals. Black Beans and Tempeh are our Vegan Protein here. Tempeh is very rich source of protein and Vitamin B12. A combination of Spinach and Butter Lettuce ensures the presence of antioxidants and Vitamin K in the meal.

Yield: 2 servings
Time: 15 min
Calories: 358.08kcal (per serving)

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 358.05kcal | Carbohydrates: 36.88g | Protein: 25.73g | Fat: 15.48g | Sugar: 7.47g | Sodium: 904.88mg | Vitamins: A,B,C,E,K | Minerals: Potassium, Iron, Magnesium, Calcium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Copper, Selenium, Manganese

INGREDIENTS 

1/2 cup Butter Lettuce
1/2 cup Spinach
1/2 can Black Beans
1 cup Tempeh
1/2 cup Tomatoes
1/2 cup Red Onions
1/2 cup Red Bell Peppers
1/2 can Corn

For the Taco flavored Tempeh,

1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Tamari
2 tbsp Water
1 tsp Cumin powder
1 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Garlic powder
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Black Pepper

For the Avocado Cashew Dressing,

1 handful Cashews
1 medium Avocado, ripe
1/2 cup Soy milk
1 Lime Juice
1 cup Coriander leaves
1 tbsp Nutritional yeast
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. The night before, soak the cashews in soy milk and keep it in the fridge. This will soften them up for the next day and the dressing will become creamier.
2. Rinse, drain and chop all the vegetables.
3. Rinse and drain the corn and black beans.
4. Rinse and cut the Tempeh into bite-sized pieces.
5. Heat up the olive oil and sauté the Tempeh until brown.
6. Mix the remaining flavorings together and add into the pan.
7. Sauté until all the marinade is absorbed. Keep it aside to cool down.
8. Add all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and blend until it becomes a smooth paste. Adjust any flavoring, if needed.
9. To assemble in a jar, add the dressing first, then tomatoes, corn, onions, peppers, black beans, tempeh and salad leaves
10. You can eat it right away or keep it in the fridge for upto 4 days. Mix the ingredients before eating and enjoy! 😊