Smoky Tempeh Vegetable and Rice Bowl

Smoky tempeh with fresh vegetables and sprouts over rice and topped with an egg makes for a healthy, and delicious meal.

No, your eyes aren’t playing tricks on you: today’s recipe sounds like a healthy dish, looks like a healthy dish (and tastes fabulous), right smack in the middle of December, with Christmas hot on our heels.

I know you all are positively drooling over the all the Pinterest sweets in your feed (which stubbornly won’t show me soups and grains and salads, no matter how many times I clear my search or refresh the page or change preferences. I get it, Pinterest, the peeps want the sweets, so you’re giving everyone sweets.)

But I … and I guess this makes me a weirdo … I’m sweeted out. Thanksgiving is the focus of all of my winter carb and sugar cravings, and once that holiday is in the rear view mirror, I’m ready for greens and light soups and lots and lots of veggies (even though, technically — and a little depressingly — we’re not even into calendar winter yet).

So, I’ll understand if you have to bookmark this recipe and come back to it in January. But maybe — just maybe — there are a few of you out there who are ready for desperately need some lighter fare leading up to next week’s celebrations.

Come and sit next to me!

And that’s where this winter vegetable rice bowl with savory smoky tempeh comes in. In case you haven’t noticed, I love food in bowls. There’s just something so cozy and complete about a meal in a bowl.

Food in bowls are versatile. They can be liquids or solids. Or both. Slung low with twirly pasta and marina sauce, or piled high with grains and vegetables. They can be neat … or messy.

The photos here? Totally styled, so that you that you can see how pretty and vibrant winter vegetables are. The first time I made this = one big confetti mix of textures and colors.

And hey, let’s talk about those textures and colors for a sec.

First, we have the cooked rice, the cooked eggs (soft and yolky, yessirree), and pan-fried smoky tempeh. Then we have the raw: freshly grated carrots and beets — I love beets, raw, roasted, pickled, I don’t care — newly sprouted sprouts, green onions, and lots of chopped cilantro.

And when you mix them all up and take a forkful, it’s an experience: crunchy, savory, chewy, yolky.

And then the colors. Folks complain about the dull, brown foods of winter, but I think the colors here in this smoky tempeh vegetable and rice bowl are pretty fabulouso.

It’s vegetarian; leave off the eggs, and it’s vegan. Also gluten-free, dairy-free, and nut-free. But completely delicious, healthy and energizing.

And who couldn’t use a little extra energy going into the last crazy two weeks of the year?

If you’re just dying for cookies — and truthfully, while I’ll be doing just minimal cookie-making this year, I wouldn’t say no to a home baked morsel if offered one 🙂 — head on over to the blog of my friend, Writes4Food.com and check out her Christmas Cookie Palooza series.

I especially appreciated her cookie choice today, which features not just a small batch recipe, but also a sweet/salty/chocolatey seven-layer cookie option without a speck of flaked coconut {shudder at that horrid substance}.

Whatever your cooking and eating fancy is — sweet or savory, healthy or decadent — I hope you’re enjoying the holiday season!

Karen xo

Print Recipe

5 from 1 vote

Smoky Tempeh Vegetable and Rice Bowl

For the best smoky flavor, marinate the tempeh ahead of time (overnight, if possible). This is a great dish to use up leftover rice, and cuts cooking time by two-thirds, for a quick and healthy weeknight meal.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time50 minutes mins

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Servings: 2 generous servings

Author: Karen Gibson

Ingredients

for the tempeh marinade

• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon tamari soy, or shoyu sauce
• 1 or 2 drops liquid smoke optional
• 8 ounce package tempeh sliced

for the rice

• 2 cups vegetable broth or water
• 1 cup uncooked brown rice
• 1 or 2 kaffir leaves optional
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves

assemble

• 1 heaping cup sprouts
• 1 heaping cup grated or julienne carrots
• 1 heaping cup grated or julienne beets
• 2 green onions sliced diagonally
• 2 soft cooked eggs
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
• Additional tamari or hoisin sauce for dressing optional

Instructions

marinate the tempeh

• Whisk together the hoisin sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, tamari, and liquid smoke (if using) until smooth. Arrange the tempeh slices in a shallow dish and pour the marinade over the slices. Turn each slice to coat. Cover, and refrigerate for several hours, preferably overnight.

cook the rice

• Bring the broth or water to a boil in a medium sauce pot. Add the rice and kaffir leaves (if using), reduce heat to maintain an active simmer, and cover. Cook the rice for the time indicated on the package directions (I simmer the rice for 20 minutes, then turn off the heat and let the rice steam, untouched, on the burner for 20 to 25 minutes more).

cook the tempeh

• Heat a skillet over medium, and cook the tempeh slices in a single layer, turning once, until nice and brown on both sides.

assemble

• Divide the rice among two serving bowls, layering each with half of the tempeh, sprouts, carrots, and beets.
• Gently peel and slice the eggs, and nestle two halves in the rice of each bowl.
• Top with green onions and a sprinkle of cilantro. If desired, add a dash or two of tamari sauce or a drizzle of water-thinned hoisin over the bowls.

Nutritional information, if shown, is provided as a courtesy only, and is not to be taken as medical information or advice. The nutritional values of your preparation of this recipe are impacted by several factors, including, but not limited to, the ingredient brands you use, any substitutions or measurement changes you make, and measuring accuracy.