Asian Tempeh Salad with Sesame Lime Dressing

I created this beautiful Asian Tempeh Salad with Sesame Lime Dressing in hopes to duplicate a salad I love from the restaurant Pei Wei here in Utah.  I absolutely love this salad!! My hubby gave it a huge thumbs up when he had it for lunch today. This salad is extremely easy, fresh, light and nourishing.  If you haven't tried Gluten Free Rice Spirals they are very tasty and light, but you can use any type pasta.  I know you will love this gorgeous salad.  It is beautiful enough to serve everyday or on a special occasion with a delicious chocolate raspberry mousse (coming soon). I hope you give this main dish salad a try~I know you won't be disappointed.

What are the health benefits of tempeh?


The health benefits of tempeh are numerous. As opposed to many other soy foods (like tofu), tempeh is made from whole soybeans and possesses all the health benefits of soybeans. Also the tempeh fermentation changes the properties of the soybeans. Tempeh is easy to digest and is used in preventive and curative natural medicine because of the production of antibacterial agents during fermentation, which act against certain pathogens .

     Tempeh also provides valuable proteins, carbohydrates, healthy fats, B vitamins, minerals like calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, fiber and iron  .  Tempeh is a great choice for people who have difficulty digesting plant-based high-protein foods like beans and legumes or soy foods such as tofu. The process of fermentation makes the soybeans softer, since enzymes produced by the mold predigests a large portion of the basic nutrients. The Rhizopus molds produce an enzyme phytase which breaks down phytates, thereby increasing the absorption of minerals such as zinc, iron and calcium.

The fermentation process greatly reduces the oligosaccharides that make beans hard to digest for some people. Studies have shown tempeh to be essentially non-flatulent and producing no more gas than non-legume food.  Indonesians who eat tempeh as a regular part of their diet recognize it as a medicine for dysentery and rarely fall victim to the intestinal diseases to which they are constantly exposed.

Asian Tempeh Salad with Sesame Lime Dressing
Printable Recipe

4 oz. Original Tempeh (Westsoy)
2 Tbsp. Shoyu (soy sauce) or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
2 Tbsp. sweetner of choice
3 Tbsp. arrowroot powder
1Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup filtered water
2 cups Gluten Free Rice Spirals (or your favorite pasta)
1 lemon (juiced)
1/4 cup diced yellow onion
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup diced yellow squash
sea salt and black pepper, to taste
1 large bunch red leaf lettuce (washed & chopped)
Flat-leaf parsley (chopped for garnish)

1.  Cut tempeh into cubes, then marinate in a mixture of shoyu and agave for 15 minutes.  Squeeze out excess liquid, reserving it, and roll the nuggets in the arrowroot powder.  Keep rolling nuggets until all the arrowroot powder has been incorporated by the Tempeh.

2. Heat 1 tablespoons of oil in a frying pan and fry the tempeh over medium heat until light golden brown.  Watch very carefully not to over brown, turning each square of tempeh over, and then over again until done.   Add 1/4 cup water plus the left over shoyu and agave liquid from Step 1, and cook until absorbed, stirring occasionally.  Set aside.

3.  Bring the pasta water to a boil.  Boil the pasta for 8 minutes (look at box directions).  Drain in a colander and rinse under cold water.  Sprinkle pasta with juice of 1 lemon. Mix carefully not to break pasta noodles.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and set aside.

4.  Remove Tempeh from frying pan and add onions and saute 1 minute.  Then add the carrot, celery and yellow squash. Saute for a few minutes. Lightly sprinkle with salt and pepper.

5.  Mix tempeh with your carrot, celery and yellow squash mixture.

TO SERVE:

Arrange 2 plates with 1/2-1 bunch of red lettuce.  On top of each bed of lettuce put 1/2 of the pasta.  On top of the pasta spoon over the Tempeh/Vegetable mixture.  Garnish with chopped parsley.  Serve with Sesame Lime Dressing on the side.

SESAME LIME DRESSING

3 Tbsp. lime juice (about 2 limes)
3 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. Shoyu (soy sauce) or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
1 tsp. agave
1 tsp. sesame oil

Combine and shake well.