The marinade ingredients + the pesto ingredients may not seem like they go together, but trust me they do! Plus, feel free to make as many substitutions as needed; this recipe is very forgiving.
Pesto Pasta with Tempeh
8 oz tempeh (one pkg)
2 tbs soy sauce (shoyu or tamari)
1 1/2 tbs rice vinegar, (apple cider would probs work too)
1-2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4-1/2 tsp black pepper
2 tsp garlic, minced
1 tsp dijon mustard (or spicy mustard)
1 tsp blackstrap molasses
2 tbs hazelnuts, toasted (or any kind of nut)
2 large handfuls spinach
1 tsp garlic, minced
3 tbs nutritional yeast
1-2 tbs dried parsley (or any herb you desire)
2-3 tbs olive oil
6 oz pasta (whatever variety you'd like)
sea salt
red pepper flakes (optional)
Directions
Mix all marinade ingredients (soy sauce, vinegar, oil, pepper, garlic, mustard, and molasses) in a bowl. Cut tempeh into 1-2 bite chunks and mix into marinade. Set aside for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Toast the hazelnuts for 5 minutes at 350F or on a stop top. Time will vary if you use a different nut. Add hazelnuts to food processor and process until finely ground. Add in spinach, garlic, nutritional yeast, and parsley and process until combined. Add oil gradually as you continue to process until everything is smooth and incorporated.
Preheat oven to 375F. Follow package directions to cook pasta.
When 20 minutes are up, lay tempeh on a parchment covered baking sheet or in a greased baking dish. Bake for 12 minutes, flip tempeh over, and bake an additional 10 minutes. While the tempeh is baking, and once your pasta is done, drain the pasta. Return it to the original pot (removed from heat) and add in pesto.
Transfer the pesto pasta to 3 bowls. Once tempeh is done, divide into three equal servings and place atop pasta. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes, if desired.
Nutrition Facts: 243 calories, 24 g total fat, 3 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 24.9 g protein (19%), 664.6 mg sodium, 68.6 g carbohydrates, 12.6 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 140.8 mg calcium