What Is Tempeh?
A Fermented Superfood Protein!

Tempeh is a fermented bean cake that originated over 2,000 years ago in Indonesia and the island of Java, where it is still a main food today.

The white mycelium of the spore, Rhizopus oligosporus, forms a solid bean cake, which can be sliced, fried or steamed as an alternative to meat. For those of you wanting to cut back on beef or chicken, it is a great substitute with no cholesterol.

Making Homemade Tempeh

In my opinion, there is nothing like the fresh homemade variety, with its rich taste and scent, like gourmet mushrooms! Because of these qualities it is a household art in many cultures.

We have also made it a fermented food ritual in our superfood kitchen, making batches of it that can be stored in the fridge or freezer until were ready to use them. (See our homemade recipe.)

The store bought brands just don't compare to the fine, exquisite taste and texture. If you have not had homemade tempeh, you basically have not had "tem-pay"!

Tempeh Nutrition: A Digestible Protein

Tempeh is easy to digest because the beans are pre-digested by the spore culture, which also provides beneficial micro-flora to the intestinal tract. One of the main reasons why we ferment foods is to make them more digestible. They are also high in enzymes, which is great when eating food that has been cooked. So, for those who can not usually handle eating beans, this is the perfect solution. You can eat your "bean cake" and digest it too!

Although soy bean has been the most traditional ingredient used in this cultured food, it can be made from any kind of bean or grain blend.

We like to use the garbanzo bean! (See our homemade garbanzo bean recipe to learn how to make your own at home.) It is also delicious in miso soup with our homemade miso recipe!

Nutritional Values:

• high fiber content
• good digestible protein source
• high in enzymes
• contains monounsaturated fats
• provides friendly flora from Rhizopus oligosporus culture
• good source of manganese

The fermentation process improves its nutritional value considerably.

How To Use:

It is delicious fried on low heat with coconut oil and served on a bed of raw vegetables. Coconut oil is one of the best oils to cook with, if you have to use oil. It has a high heat tolerance and will maintain its nutritional integrity and structure at high temperatures. This is not the case with other oils that break down fast and are unhealthy to consume when cooked.

It is also great in a stir fry or steamed with seaweed and green leafy vegetables!

Try our "Tem-pay" Reuben sandwich on our raw onion bread with sauerkraut.

My husband makes an amazing raw mayo too, which can be made out of a variety of nuts and seeds.

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