Tahini Broccoli Tempeh Bowl

I've been trying to eat as much raw as possible lately, which usually translates to lots of salads. It's easy to throw a bunch of chopped raw veggies and fruits into a big bowl, toss with a killer homemade dressing, and call it a lunch or dinner. However...the past few days have graced us with craptastic May weather—chilly, cloudy, and drizzly. This type of day leaves me craving heartier warm fare, like thick stews and creamy pastas. Not exactly what I'm going for as we close in on swimsuit weather. So for lunch today I decided to strike a compromise by creating a raw-heavy salad that felt like a hearty dish. Welcome to the Tahini Broccoli Tempeh Bowl.

INGREDIENTS

2 heads broccoli

1/2 block tempeh, crumbled

1 tsp. coconut oil

1 tsp. Bragg's Liquid Aminos

3 carrots, shredded

FOR THE SAUCE

1/4 cup sesame seeds (raw, untoasted)—can also use tahini paste instead

1/2 zucchini, cut into chunks

Juice of 1 lemon

2 T olive oil

4 T water

1/2 tsp. Bragg's Liquid Aminos

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat coconut oil in a pan over medium heat. Crumble tempeh with your hands and transfer to a small bowl. Add Bragg's and let absorb into tempeh. Transfer tempeh into pan and cook for 5+ minutes, until brown.

Roughly chop the broccoli (stems included) and blanch, then shock. Do this by submerging broccoli pieces in a pot of boiling water for 1-3 minutes, depending on how crunchy you like your broccoli, then draining in a colander. Immediately rinse with COLD water. This will maintain that pretty green color. If you prefer a warmer dish, do not shock (cold rinse) the broccoli. Transfer to a cutting board, and chop the cooked broccoli into smaller bits. Transfer to large mixing bowl. Conversely, you could prepare this dish with raw broccoli, and just finely chop.

To prepare the tahini sauce, combine ingredients sesame seeds through Bragg's and blend until smooth. You can add more water to thin the mixture, or more oil for a heavier dressing.

Pour dressing over chopped broccoli and stir with spoon. Stir in shredded carrot and cooked tempeh. Option to toss with additional sesame seeds. Can be eaten as is, or added to chopped lettuce or mixed greens for a substantial salad. Can also be served over brown rice or quinoa for a heartier meal. (Note: if you are serving over a grain, reserve some of the sauce to stir into the cooked grain.) Hope you enjoy!