Recipe: Sweet and Sour Tempeh with Pineapple and Cashews.

I am on a mission to share my favorite go-to recipes. This one combines several of my favorites for a fantastic meal. It’s a good Trader Joe’s Meal since you could essentially get ALL of the ingredients at Trader Joes.

I was introduced to tempeh when visiting friends and they whipped up a quick dinner of spaghetti and tempeh. What IS this deliciousness? I had to know. It is nutty and filling and so good. It soon became a regular staple in our meals.

I’ve recently discovered Trader Joe’s frozen pineapple tidbits and oh MAN, you guys, they are good. Super sweet. Great in smoothies, muffins, and stir fry! I came across a recipe for sweet and sour tempeh and wanted to add pineapple and cashews. And so I did. And then I wanted to see if I could use salad dressing instead of making the sauce from scratch. And so I did. Watch out, kitchen. I’m on a roll.

The first night I made this, I had a craving for something Asian, and this totally delivered. Filling and nutritious comfort food. Yum.

Sweet & Sour Tempeh with Pineapple & Cashews

(Inspired by Everyday Happy Herbivore)

1 8-oz package tempeh
1 cup pineapple tidbits (frozen or canned)
½ cup cashews
1 onion, chopped

Sauce
4 tablespoons rice vinegar
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon ground ginger
agave nectar, to taste
2 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup water
hot sauce (I used cayenne)

OR:
Trader Joe’s Sesame Soy Ginger Dressing (yep, it makes a perfect substitute! Just water it down a bit)
4 tablespoons ketchup

1. Cut tempeh into about 13 strips.

2. In a small bowl, whisk vinegar, soy sauce, ketchup, and ginger together. Add a few drops of agave nectar as desired for a sweeter sauce. Whisk in cornstarch and set aside.

3. Line large skillet with thin later of water and splash of hot sauce. Bring to a boil.

4. Cook tempeh, flipping as needed, until water has cooked off.

5. Reduce head to medium and add sauce, cashews, onion, and pineapple. Continue cooking and flipping pieces until they’re evenly coated and the sauce thickens into a loose glaze.

6. Serve over cooked brown rice. Get totally psyched when you have leftovers to take to work.