I have seen most people’s reactions when I say how much I love tempeh. They chuckle, then look a little confused and seem to fake smile at exactly 2.5 seconds after realizing I am dead serious.

I love this stuff.

I also live with a man who loves him some bacon! We have both recently committed to cleaning up our health through plant based eating, so no bacon-bacon for him. I decided I could show this man how much I love him by finding a place to meet in the middle.

Enter Tempeh-Bacon. Facon. Fakin’ Bacon. Call it what you want. I’m on a mission to master this.

So I went about this just as I go about any new recipe. I google the crap out of it, learn the basics, then I create one that includes ingredients that I actually have in the house at that moment.

Marinade looks like this:

Soy Sauce (about 1/4 cup)

Apple Cider Vinegar (also 1/4 cup)

Smoke Paprika

High quality olive oil (2 tablespoons)

Organic Maple Syrup or Honey (to taste, but I used 1-2 tablespoons)

Black pepper or hot sauce to taste

I sliced 8oz tempeh into strips, as thin as possible without it breaking apart (cutting on a diagonal helps). I put the strips with the marinade in a bag and it marinated it over night. You can leave this to marinate as long as 3 days, or as little as 2 hours. Do what works for you.

Once you are ready to cook the tempeh, be ready to eat it. Tempeh that is baked or fried rarely makes good leftovers, in my opinion.

You can bake the tempeh in the oven or saute stovetop. If you saute, use the marinade in the pan, cook for about 5 minutes on each side on medium-high heat with the lid on. If you used maple syrup, keep an eye on it as the sugar burns off easily.

To bake, preheat your oven to 350. Carefully lay the tempeh on parchment paper then place on a baking sheet. Discard marinade. Brush with EVOO and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 15 minutes, until they start to brown, then turn the tempeh and bake another 5-7 minutes.

Then eat up. I love to use the tempeh on sandwiches. Add tomato, avocado and lettuce or just hummus and sprouts. Or crumble and add to a salad.

Food for thought:

5 Reasons To Love Tempeh

(besides being super good when cooked correctly)

Found this from another tempeh loving’ chick: Meghan Telpner

1. Tempeh is a probiotic food, which means it helps the body to produce the healthful bacteria.
2. Has antibiotic properties which help fight down the nasty guys.
3. Tempeh is a complete protein, containing all of the essential amino acids.
4. It has soy isoflavones that strengthen bones, help to ease menopause symptoms, reduce risk of coronary heart disease and some cancers.
5. Tempeh maintains all the fiber of the beans and gains some digestive benefits from the enzymes created during the fermentation process.