The weather is finally warming up so I started craving salads, plus I’ve been doing a lot of resistance training to stave off my muscular decline and help myself feel better so this is a baked tempeh slaw is what I often crave these days. It’s easy to make, all of the components can be made in advance, full of plant protein and very satiating.

The base of this baked tempeh slaw is a medley of mostly seasonal vegetables, cut very finely. I included tender Spring cabbage (also known as sweatheart or pointy cabbage), radishes, carrots, peppers and spring onions. I also added sugar snaps as I really appreciate their natural sweetness and crunch. This simple slaw is topped with chewy baked tempeh and a generous amount of protein-rich peanut sauce. It’s a salad but it’s really filling and satiating too. If you are really hungry and would love even more protein and fibre, I recommend adding a bit of brown rice to the mix too.

MORE ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS

TEMPEH: For the uninitiated, tempeh is a fantastic vegan protein source made out of fermented soy beans. As opposed to tofu there is no need to press it to extract the water, but steaming it prior to baking or frying does improve it’s flavour.

VEGGIES: I used a selection of veggies that are in season right now: Spring cabbage, radishes, carrots, spring onions/ scallions, peppers and some sugar snaps for a satisfying crunch. The key to a good slaw, in my onion at least, is a really fine cut so I recommend using a sharp knife and a veggie mandoline for that reason.

PEANUT BUTTER: This salad is oil-free and so I used a generous amount of peanut butter for the dressing. You can use any peanut butter you like but I recommend one that is natural, just peanuts and nothing else. Both crunchy and smooth works well. If you are allergic to peanuts, almond butter would be a great replacement. And if nuts in general aren’t your friend, use sunflower butter. You can buy it in most health shops these days or make your own by churning toasted (and cooled) sunflower seeds in your food processor. After a few minutes, they will start releasing their natural oils and eventually turn into smooth sunflower butter – similar to here.

PEANUTS: I love peanuts, especially toasted so any excuse to add them to a dish is perfect. They add a lovely crunch to this salad and they belong here flavours-wise so I recommend you add them in.

SOY SAUCE: I used all purpose soy sauce to season the tempeh and a little bit more to season the dressing. If you are gluten-free, use tamari instead but you may want to use a little less as I think that it’s more potent.

LIME JUICE: A touch of acidity is needed here to cut through the richness of the dressing. I recommend lime juice but rice wine vinegar will also work well. If you use the latter, adjust the amount to your taste as its potency will differ from that of lime juice.

MAPLE SYRUP: I used some maple syrup to give the dressing a bit of a sweetness. Liquid sweetener is good here as you do not need to dissolve it first, but sugar will work just as well.

CHILLI: If you like a bit of heat, a small amount of chilli sauce or paste is a nice addition. If you are not a fan, simply skip this ingredient altogether.

GINGER: A good grating of fresh ginger adds a lovely background flavour and a bit of a kick.

GARLIC: I like to grate a clove of garlic for a bit of garlicky heat. You can also use a dash of garlic powder instead or skip completely.

CORIANDER/CILANTRO: Fresh coriander adds heaps of flavour to this salad so I recommend being generous. If you are a staunch coriander hates, mint or Thai basil would also both work really well.

You don’t have to do that, but I recommend steaming a block of tempeh over a pot of simmering water before you bake or fry it. This extra step is not very time consuming – you simply place an entire block of tempeh in your steamer – but it does remove bitter aftertaste that some people are sensitive to.

Cut tempeh into bite size pieces, I went for triangles but any shape will do and marinate it briefly in some diluted soy sauce. Once marinated, bake it in a pre-heated oven for about 30 minutes. You can also fry tempeh in oil if you prefer. It’s a more hands-on approach and a little less healthy but delicious too.

The key to a delicious salad is a really fine chop in my opinion so take a lot of care over this step. I recommend using a good veggie mandoline (one that has a finger guard, trust me!!) for the cabbage and carrots, and a sharp knife for the remaining ingredients.