Need a satiating, flavorful meal that’s easy to prep? This Chipotle Tempeh Kale Bowl is all of that, plus packed with 30+ grams of plant-based protein!

To celebrate the 1-year anniversary of the release of Vegan Yack Attack’s Plant-Based Meal Prep, I wanted to share a great recipe from it, but also, host a giveaway! This time one lucky winner will get all three of my cookbooks. (So Vegan Bowl Attack! and Vegan Yack Attack on the Go!, as well)

If you’re unfamiliar with the meal prep book, I’ve shared a few recipes here from it in the past, like my Hash Brown-Crusted Frittata and Matcha Oatmeal. And you can find others featured on some great sites on my cookbook page! Now, I can share this bowl recipe that also features my White Bean Garlic Spread. Mmmm…

Part of why I wanted to feature this recipe, to start off the year, is because it’s great for beginners. I don’t like to shift too far in any direction once the holidays are over. I think that it’s generally unproductive and usually results in people feeling guilty. I DO, however, love that people try going vegan during January!

What better way to do that with an easy meal that’s perfect for prepping and then eating throughout the week? And if you’re new to plant-based eating, (or just like recipes on the easier side) I have a whole list of vegan recipes for beginners just for you!

Substitutions & Tips:

• White beans – for the spread, I call for a 15-ounce can of cooked white beans (plus some liquid), but you can also cook your own (like I did!), and just measure out 1 1/2 cups cooked beans. Northern or canellini beans work best for the spread, but chickpeas could work in a pinch.
• Tahini – make sure to stir your tahini well before measuring it out, so that you don’t end up with a thick paste on the bottom and thin liquid up top, in the jar.
• Garlic – I just used raw garlic in this recipe to keep it simple, but this spread would be DIVINE with roasted garlic cloves if you have any on hand, or feel like making them.
• Nutritional yeast – this adds a nice savory/cheesy flavor to the spread, plus a little B12 if yours is fortified! You could technically leave it out if you don’t have any, but I think it is much better with.
• Lemon juice – fresh or refrigerated will work here (as well as for the seasoning the tempeh), but if you only have limes, that would also be tasty!
• Quinoa – in the original recipe I call for tri-color quinoa (I love the slight difference in flavor), but regular ol’ quinoa will work great! If you’re not a fan, brown rice also works.
• Tempeh – if you haven’t had tempeh before, it’s one of my fave vegan proteins! Made from fermented soy beans, it’s a lean protein, that has a nutty flavor. Just make sure to simmer it (like in the instructions) before prep to get rid of some bitterness!
• Kale – I love this hearty green so much! And here I have it gently steamed over the quinoa so as to not make too many dishes, or have you worry about over-cooking it. If you’d like to use spinach or collards instead, that will be fine.

Now, if you do have the cookbook, you can find this recipe in the “Higher Protein” Chapter! As well as in the High Protein Meal Prep for 2 menu (that has so many good dishes in it). And lastly, if you want to enter the giveaway, go to the video below, subscribe to my YouTube channel and comment on the video with why you’d love to win the cookbooks!

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Yield: 4 servings

Chipotle Tempeh Kale Bowl

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"Tempeh is one of my favorite vegan proteins. With its nutty taste, basic ingredients, and versatility, how could it not be? Covering it in delicious spices and pairing it with quinoa and my creamy White Bean Garlic Spread makes for a tasty, protein-packed dish." Recipe reprinted with permission from Vegan Yack Attack's Plant-Based Meal Prep copyright 2020 Jackie Sobon/Fairwinds Press

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Ingredients

For the White Bean Garlic Spread

• 1 [15-ounce [425 g]) can low-sodium white beans, drained with 2 tablespoons [30 ml] liquid reserved
• 1/4 cup (60 g) tahini
• 3 tablespoons (15 g) nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
• 1 to 3 tablespoons (15 to 45 ml) water
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

For the quinoa:

• 2 cups (475 ml) vegetable broth (or 1 cup if cooking in multi-cooker)
• 1 cup (170 g) tri-color quinoa, rinsed
• 3 cups (120 g) firmly packed kale, stemmed and torn into bite-size pieces

For the tempeh:

• 2 (8 ounce [225 g]) packages tempeh, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (4 g) onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) sunflower oil
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon juice

For the assembly:

• 1/2 cup (123 g) White Bean Garlic Spread (recipe above)
• 1/4 cup (25 g) diced green onion
• 4 lemon wedges

Instructions

1. For the spread, puree the white beans and reserved liquid, tahini, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water, garlic, salt, and black pepper in a blender or food processor equipped with an S-blade until very smooth, adding the additional 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) water to thin it out as needed. Season with salt to taste. Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
2. For the quinoa, combine the vegetable broth and quinoa in a large pot and bring it to a simmer over medium-low heat. Cover and cook for 20 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, add the kale, and cover so the kale can steam in the residual heat. When the leaves are bright green, remove the lid and set aside.
3. If making quinoa in a multi-cooker, add quinoa plus 1 cup (235 ml) veg broth to the inner pot, seal and pressure cook at high pressure for 3 minutes. Let naturally release for 10 minutes, then add kale to the pot (just on top of the quinoa), cover with lid and let steam for a few minutes.
4. To make the tempeh, while the quinoa is cooking, arrange the tempeh in a large sauté pan. Add water until it is about 1/4 inch (6 mm) high. Cover, bring to a gentle simmer, and cook for 7 minutes to mitigate the tempeh’s bitterness. Once tender, drain the water and transfer the tempeh to a bowl.
5. Stir the onion powder, garlic powder, chipotle chile powder, salt, and black pepper into the tempeh until evenly coated. Heat the sunflower oil in the same large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the tempeh back to pan and cook until the edges begin to brown, about 7 minutes. (You may need to do this in two batches depending on the size of the pan.) Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the lemon juice, and season with salt to taste.
6. To assemble, divide the quinoa and kale and the tempeh between 4 bowls or storage containers. Top each bowl with 2 tablespoons (30 g) White Bean Garlic Spread, green onions, and one lemon wedge. Serve warm, or store containers in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
   
   

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 540Total Fat: 21gCarbohydrates: 63gFiber: 10gSugar: 7gProtein: 31g

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