Rice, Zucchini, Purple Carrots, and Pea Tempeh With Tahini Sauce

Going into winter and colder days, I try to focus on helping myself with what I eat, too. This bowl is really fast to make, just a pot and a pan, full of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ingredients for Two Servings

• 180g tempeh (I used the peas one because I like the flavor more, but you can use the soy one or any other)
• 2 zucchini
• 2 purple carrots (I use the purple one when I want to boost my immune system, but the traditional ones work the same, obviously)
• 120g rice (for me, whole basmati rice)
• Grated fresh ginger
• Salt, turmeric, and black pepper
• EVO oil

For the dressing:

• 2 tsp tahini sauce
• 1/2 lemon
• 10g nutritional yeast (optional)

Cooking the Rice and Tempeh

Time needed: 25 minutes total.

First thing to do is to bring 300 ml of water to a boil in a pot to cook the rice. When the water boils, add salt and rice and keep stirring until it absorbs all the water.

Trick 1: When I cook my rice, I love adding spices and herbs, like bay leaves, cumin, and 7 spices (this is a typical Arabic spice, perfect for the whole year but fundamental for me to get ready for the cold winter). It is totally optional, and you can use the ones you prefer, but I really suggest doing it. If you use leaves, break them with your hand and let them cook the whole time; take them out when serving.

In the meantime, put in a pan on medium heat the EVO oil, grated fresh ginger, turmeric, and black pepper to toast it a bit, then add the crumbled tempeh (better to crumble it with your hand) and sliced carrot and zucchini.

Stir it for a couple of minutes to crisp it a bit before adding water. We are going to add just half a glass of water and wait for it to absorb for 15 minutes, we want the veggies to soften and the tempeh to get creamy. In the end, add the salt and taste it.

Making the Tahini Dressing

For the dressing, we are just going to mix all the ingredients: tahini paste and lemon juice first, then the nutritional yeast if you want to. If you do, adjust the consistency with water if the dressing is too thick.

When everything is ready, place it all together in a bowl and enjoy!

Trick 3: Always add the lemon and all the dressing that contains it after cooking for the vitamin C boost, as it is really heat sensitive, and in this way you will both save vitamin C and boost iron intake.

Roberta Di Rosa

Rice, Zucchini, Purple Carrots, and Pea Tempeh With Tahini Sauce

A quick, nourishing bowl made with rice, vegetables, crumbled tempeh, and a lemon-tahini dressing.

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Servings: 2 servings

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 180 g tempeh pea, soy, or other; crumbled
• 2 zucchini sliced
• 2 purple carrots or traditional; sliced
• 120 g rice whole basmati recommended
• fresh ginger grated
• salt to taste
• turmeric
• black pepper
• EVO oil
• 2 tsp tahini sauce
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• 10 g nutritional yeast optional
• 300 ml water for cooking rice
• 1/2 glass water for cooking vegetables
• as needed water to adjust dressing consistency
• spices and herbs bay leaves, cumin, and 7spices; optional

Method

 

1. Boil 300ml water in a pot. Add salt and rice; stir until all water is absorbed.
2. Add optional spices and herbs, such as broken bay leaves, cumin, and 7spices, while rice cooks. Remove leaves before serving.
3. Meanwhile, briefly toast EVO oil, grated fresh ginger, turmeric, and black pepper in a pan over medium heat. Crumble tempeh by hand; add with sliced carrots and zucchini.
4. Stir for a couple of minutes until slightly crisp. Add half a glass of water; let absorb for 15 minutes until vegetables soften and tempeh becomes creamy. Salt at the end and taste.
5. Mix tahini paste and lemon juice; stir in optional nutritional yeast. Thin with water if needed.
6. Combine rice, tempeh, and vegetables in a bowl; top with dressing.

Notes

Every time you use spices, always add the salt at the end and keep tasting, as spices release a lot of flavor and you might not need as much salt. Always add the lemon dressing after cooking to preserve the vitamin C.

Total time: 25 minutes.