GLUTEN FREE VEGETARIAN INGREDIENT OF THE DAY: TEMPEH

If you were vegetarian before you became gluten free, one rude awakening must have been that you could no longer pop into the grocery store for some of your old meat substitutes. Trader Joe vegetarian meatballs, Morningstar Farms sausages, Boca Burgers and other wheat-gluten-based treats are now off your radar. But don't despair. 

Teach yourself about the versatility of tempeh, and much if not all your nostalgia will disappear. Tempeh is a fermented soybean product originally developed in Indonesia, and often combined with wild rice or grains. Be careful that these grains are gluten-free; some are not. It is usually found in the refrigerator section (though it freezes very well) of your grocery, in approximately 4"x8" plastic packages. 

Many recipes direct you to slice the tempeh, marinate it and then grill or saute it, which is often wonderful. The following recipe addresses some serious wheat gluten nostalgia: faux meatballs. It's shown with julienned zucchini instead of pasta, adding another healthy aspect to this delicious dish.

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients:

 

8oz tempeh

1 c cooked millet

1 1/2 c chopped onion

2T olive oil

2 egg whites

2T gluten free Worcestershire sauce

1T oregano

2T chopped parsley

2T gluten free all-purpose flour, or as needed

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Saute crumbled tempeh with onions and herbs in pan sprayed with olive oil, at low heat, until onions are translucent.

Beat egg whites with olive oil.

Combine egg and oil with millet and tempeh mixture.

Form one-inch balls.

If the balls seem too loose, add a bit of gluten-free flour.

Bake, turning to evenly brown, on sprayed baking sheet for approximately 15 minutes.

 

Serve over spaghetti squash, zucchini spaghetti or gluten-free pasta.

Top with grated cheese

Makes 30 non-meat balls