Kale + Cabbage Salad with Tempeh, Quinoa, + Herby Tahini Dressing

SALAD INGREDIENTS

Curly kale, ribs removed and leaves finely chopped

Purple cabbage, thinly sliced

Cooked quinoa

Roasted sweet potatoes

Roasted sunflower and pumpkin seeds

Microgreens

TEMPEH INGREDIENTS

1 block of tempeh, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons coconut aminos

Splash of rice vinegar

Sriracha to taste

Avocado oil

DRESSING INGREDIENTS

Tahini

Lemon juice

Water

Fine grain sea salt

Finely chopped fresh herbs such as mint, dill, parsley, and/or cilantro

METHOD

1. Marinade the tempeh*. In a large bowl or container, combine the soy sauce, coconut aminos, rice vinegar, and sriracha. Whisk well. Add the sliced tempeh to the marinade and toss until the tempeh is well coated. Set to the side.

2. Prepare the herby tahini dressing. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of tahini with the juice of half of a lemon and a pinch of salt. Whisk until the mixture seizes. Then, slowly whisk in water until the mixture just begins to loosen. Taste and adjust for seasoning (does it need more lemon? salt?). Mix in some herbs.

3. In a large bowl, combine the kale and cabbage. Add a spoonful of the dressing and use your hands to massage the kale and cabbage with the dressing. Then, add the quinoa, sweet potatoes, microgreens, and seeds. Toss with more dressing.

4. Heat up a large pan. Add enough avocado oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Arrange the tempeh slices in an even layer; save the remaining marinade for later. Cook the tempeh until golden brown on the underside, about 4-5 minutes. Flip the tempeh and pour over the remaining marinade. Cook for another 4-5 minutes.

5. Transfer some salad to a bowl and top with some tempeh. Enjoy!

*To remove the bitter aftertaste that tempeh often haves, it is recommended to steam the tempeh.

**To soften the kale and make it easier to digest, massage with a drizzle of olive oil before adding in the other ingredients.