Oh, sometimes this vegan girl is just in the mood for barbecue and nothing else will do!  This recipe seems like a no-brainer, especially because it relies on a bottled sauce, but it’s nice and quick and still has a homemade feeling.  Adding the Bragg Liquid Aminos gives any store bought brand some extra mystery.  Remember to splurge and get the organic barbecue sauce, since the base is tomatoes and they are on the Dirty Dozen list (the Environmental Working Group says you can lower your pesticide exposure by 90% by avoiding the Dirty Dozen).

Barbecued Tempeh and Tofu

  • 2 packages of five grain tempehvegan bbq tempeh and tofu
  • 1 block tofu, firm
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1 green pepper, sliced
  • 1 onion, sliced
  • 6 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
  • 1 bottle barbecue sauce (organic is best)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350*F. Slice the tempeh blocks lengthwise into 12 strips. In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and fry until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the peppers (you can use any color you prefer). Sauté until the peppers soften, about 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove the veggie mixture from the pan and set aside. Add another 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and brown the tempeh on both sides. When golden brown, remove the tempeh from the pan and place into a baking dish. Squirt 2 tablespoons of the liquid aminos (or soy sauce) over the top of the tempeh. Then place half of the onion and pepper mixture on top of the tempeh and cover with barbecue sauce. Be generous with the barbecue sauce, this adds the flavor to this dish and it will marinate into the tempeh while it is in the oven. Bake for at least 30 minutes. The longer you bake it, the more flavorful the tempeh will get.

You can also make this same dish with tofu. After draining the water from the tofu container, lightly squeeze the tofu block between paper towels to remove some of the moisture. Leave some of the moisture in the tofu since you will be baking it and do not want it to be too dry. Then slice the tofu into 1 inch thick cutlets, starting from the narrow end. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the fry pan and fry the tofu on both sides until it gets a golden brown crust. Place into a baking dish and squirt 2 tablespoons of the liquid aminos (or soy sauce) over the top of the tofu. Place the rest of the onion and pepper mixture on top of the tofu and cover with barbecue sauce. Bake the tofu for 20 minutes, be careful not to let it get too dry.

Corn Salsa

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup sweet onions
  • 1 cup celery
  • 2 cups fresh or frozen corn
  • 1/4 cup pimientos
  • Salt and pepper to taste