Vegan Tempeh Veggie Bowls

Oh my goodness do I love these bowls! They're beautifully colorful, light, yet hearty and oh so delicious. 

My husband travels a lot for work and when he's gone I pretty much eat vegetarian. He's not opposed to veggie meals, but he definitely appreciates his animal protein. When he's away I really like to get creative and make myself delicious new vegetarian or vegan recipes. 

Similar to most of my other recipes, this one is very versatile. Feel free to get creative with this bowl and sub out veggies for ones you like better or maybe play around with the sauce. I must say, however the sauce is perfection. It's salty and sweet at the same time with just a little kick. YUM.

This bowl is PACKED with superfoods- it was difficult for me to pick one to talk about! I decided to discuss the benefits of tempeh, as I've never featured it before. Tempeh is fermented soybeans and fermented foods are loaded with health benefits. Tempeh helps aid in digestion by breaking down harmful bacteria and regulating the appetite. It also helps protect the immune system and ward of disease. Tempeh also contains Vitamin B3 which is known to lower cholesterol and help strengthen the cardiovascular system. 

Bowl Ingredients:

8 oz. package of tempeh

1/2 tbsp. soy sauce

4 cups of mixed dark greens (I used Trader Joe's Cruciferous Crunch)

2 cups arugla 

1 red bell pepper- diced

2 cups butternut squash- diced

1 avocado- diced

2 tbsp. sunflower seeds

1/2 tbsp. coconut oil

1/2 tbsp olive oil

Dressing Ingredients:

1/2 tbsp. soy sauce

1 tbsp. all natural peanut butter

1 tsp. rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp. almond milk (unsweetened)

1 tsp. red curry paste

Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2) Place diced squash on a baking sheet and toss with olive oil. Roast for 25 minutes (stir halfway)

3) Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add coconut oil until melted. Crumble tempeh with your hands and add to the pan. Use a wooden spoon to break tempeh into smaller pieces. Add 1/2 tbsp soy sauce and cook for about 3-4 minutes stirring constantly until tempeh is golden.

4) Remove tempeh and add diced bell pepper. Cook for about 2 minutes or until just barely tender.

5) Combine dressing ingredients together in a bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined. 

6) Build your bowl! Start with the kale mix then add arugula, tempeh, squash, bell pepper, avocado and sunflower seeds. Drizzle dressing on top and enjoy!

*Recipe makes 2 bowls however there should be extra sauce!

Zoodles with Avocado Pesto and Spicy Shrimp

It's almost bathing suit time, guys. What that means for me is that I need to start cutting back on carbs! I discovered zoodles last summer and have been completely obsessed with them ever since. They really take on the flavor of whatever you add to them, and you really do not miss the pasta at all! 

I've been making my own avocado pesto for a little while now and it's SO SO good. Here is the recipe. You don't need any oil because of all of the delicious healthy fats in the avocado. 

To see the health benefits of zucchini check out one of my other recipes here.

Ingredients:

1/2 avocado pesto recipe

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/2-3/4 pound shrimp- peeled & deveined

1/4 tsp. Cajun seasoning

2 zucchinis- spiralized

10 oz. cherry tomatoes- sliced

1/4 cup grated Parmesan

salt/pepper to taste

Directions:

1) Make avocado pesto. Freeze half and reserve the other half for this recipe. Set aside.

2) Cook shrimp in 1 tbsp. olive oil over medium high heat. Add Cajun seasoning and cook until pink and completely cooked through- 3-5 minutes.

3) While shrimp cooks- spiralize your zucchini and set aside.

4) Remove shrimp from pan and add cherry tomatoes. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.

5) Remove lid and add spiralized zucchini and cook for about 2 minutes. Add shrimp back in and the pesto. Stir pesto around until everything is coated and hot- about 2 more minutes.

6) Taste and add salt & pepper if desired.

7) Serve in bowls with grated Parmesan on top. Enjoy!