Tempeh and Black Bean Taco Meat

When I became vegan, I was not interested in finding "mimic foods." Because I did not long for the taste of meat, dairy, or eggs in the slightest, I had no inclination to find veganized versions of foods that were supposed to be exact replicas of their non-vegan counterparts. Instead, I desired to look for adaptations of these traditional foods, such as pizzas, tacos, burgers, and more, in order to embrace new flavor combinations.

The other day I was making corn tortillas, so I looked in my pantry as inspiration for a taco filling. I wanted to create a something that was flavorful and high in protein, instead of just spooning a can of black beans into a tortilla and calling it a "masterpiece." That is when the idea hit me. I recently bought tempeh, a plant-based protein made from fermented soybeans, after tasting a delicious version of the product from one of my favorite health food stores, Perelandra. I used the tempeh to make this recipe, and it was an absolute hit! The crumbled tempeh not only has a similar texture to ground meat but also absorbs all of the spices, creating a wonderful, healthy dish for any occasion. It is not an exact replica of non-vegan taco meat, thank goodness for that, but instead is a cruelty-free creation that is high in protein, requires only one pan, and is bursting with flavor! It is so delicious that you will be craving this recipe any time you think of tacos. 

INGREDIENTS (Yields two servings)

• Oil of your choosing to coat the skillet
• 1/3 Cup white onion, diced
• 1/2 A bell pepper, diced (about 1/3 cup)
• 1/4 Tsp. chili powder
• 1/4 Tsp. ground cumin
• 1/4 Tsp. salt
• 1/4 Tsp. garlic powder
• A dash of smoked paprika
• 1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 Tbsp. sriracha sauce
• 1 Tsp. lime zest
• 1 Tsp. lime juice
• 1/2 a block of tempeh, crumbled (about 1 cup)
• 1 Cup black beans *
• 2/3 Cup vegetable broth

Optional: 1 Cup of fresh spinach leaves

*If using canned black beans, rinse the beans off with water to remove the excess salt and liquid. 

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a skillet on medium heat with enough oil to lightly coat the surface of the pan.
2. Once hot, add the diced bell pepper, diced onion, chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika into the pan and cook until slightly softened and fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Occasionally stir the ingredients around to evenly coat the onions and peppers in the spices. 
3. Add in the crumbled tempeh and black beans, and mix to coat them in the spices, cooking for about 4-5 minutes.
4. Pour in the vegetable broth, nutritional yeast, lime juice, lime zest, and sriracha sauce, and stir. Cook this mixture down until the liquid has dissolved, mixing occasionally, about 8-10 minutes. If using spinach, add in the leaves when half of the liquid has dissolved, and mix until the spinach leaves have wilted. 
5. Enjoy immediately in a taco, by itself, or however you may wish, or store in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days.