tempeh pasta with other awesome stuff in it

Happy Halloween, everyone.  I'm not feeling too awfully festive, but who knows where the night might take me.  Michael and I are carving a pumpkin in a little bit, so maybe that will trigger my spirit.  My dad got me a killer pumpking carving kit, and I have yet to use it since I've been sick.  Tonight is theeeee night!

Ok, so dinner last night was fucking amazing.  I'm not gonna lie.  And I totally made it up all by myself, so you get to see a recipe!  You are so lucky.  Also, Michael put together the recipe for the bars that you remember so fondly, so you, my dear readers, get not just one (no!), but 2 recipes today!  I spoil you, I know.  Enough of that, on to the food.

 feast your eyes on that 

Last night I wanted pesto.  I've been sitting on some basil for awhile and it needed using up.  But...pesto wasn't enough.  I had 2 blocks of tempeh in my fridge, awaiting the day that I got over my fear of eating the tempeh that has black all over it.  But then...  pesto and tempeh on pasta alone didn't sound that appetizing.  So I did some other cool things.  Anyway, here's the tempeh, sizzlin' away in the skillet after I marinated it:

sizzletastic

And then I added some stuff:

with the addition of fire roasted tomatoes and some artichoke hearts

Are you ready for this recipe?  Ok.

Pesto Tempeh Pasta with Tomatoes and Artichokes

1 box whole wheat thin spaghetti

1 block of tempeh

1 15 oz can of artichoke hearts in brine 

1 15 oz can of fire roasted tomatoes

1 batch of basil pesto (of your choice, about 1/4 - 1/2 cup)

2 tsp capers, minced

1/4 cup plain soy milk

For the marinade:

3 cloves garlic, minced

juice from 1 medium lemon

1/4 cup bragg's (or soy sauce, or tamari)

a few Tbsp olive oil

2 tsp 'chicken' seasoning (your choice..mine's kroger brand)

1/2 tsp marjoram

1/2 tsp oregano

First, cut your tempeh into strips.  Thin as you can make 'em.  Simmer them in boiling water for about 15 minutes, then drain.  While that's going on, make your pesto.  I made mine with: garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, basil, nutritional yeast.  Set aside.  Also, whip up your marinade.  Just put everything in a tupperware and stir.  Once your tempeh is drained, put it in the marinade and let it hang out for at least 45 minutes.  If you put it in a tupperware with a lid, shake it up every 20 minutes or so (the marinade won't be enough to cover, so shaking is key).  

Once you're getting closer to hungry for dinner, bring a pot of water to boil for your spaghetti.  Prepare that according to package, drain, set aside.  While your pasta is boiling, get a large skillet, pour in the marinade from the tempeh (including the garlic), and heat it up til the garlic is sizzling.  At this point, add the capers and the tempeh.  Leave that alone until the tempeh is brown on that side, then flip them and let brown on the opposite side.  Then add your cans of artichoke hearts (drained) and tomatoes (not drained).  Stir frequently until everything is bubbling nicely.

You'll probably need to rinse your pasta with hot water because it's stuck together.  Do that, and then add it back into the big pot.  Add the pesto and stir it in as best you can (it might clump, that's fine, it'll work itself out).  Then add in the tempeh mixture and the soymilk.  Stir until well mixed.

It's so good.  

tasty, hearty, basily, yummy, wonderfuly

It really is fantastic.  I had some leftovers for lunch and I'm still not hungry.  It's filling, kids.

And now for the recipe of Michael's bars:

Triple t(h)reat bar

Ingredients

4 cups oatmeal

1 cup brown sugar (I used sucanat )

2/3 cup melted butter, plus more for greasing pan (I used EB)

2 teaspoons vanilla

1/2 cup corn syrup (I used agave nectar, molasses and maple syrup)

Frosting:

1 (12-ounce) bag chocolate chips (semi – sweet)

2/3 cup chunky peanut butter (I used creamy then added whole peanuts and lightly added salt before putting on the chocolate )

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter a 9 by 13 inch pan. In a large bowl, mix the oatmeal, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and corn syrup. Spread the mixture into the prepared pan and bake 15 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes.

For the Frosting: Combine chocolate chips and peanut butter in a double boiler and melt. Mix well. Spread on baked and cooled cookie bars. Refrigerate until frosting hardens.

Cut into bars.

Get it?  Triple Threat or Triple Treat?  He's clever.  Anyway, go make some badass pasta and finish it off with a decadent oatmeal peanut butter chocolate bar.  You might gain a couple pounds, but it's cold outside.  You  need more padding.  

So this is the end of Vegan Mofo, huh?  I'm pretty proud of my posting this month.  I learned that I really love to blog and I love sharing my ideas with the world at large and getting some totally awesome ideas in return.  Thanks for coming along on the ride with me, guys!