food to glow

Mix and match to your heart’s content in this spicy, saucy vegan burrito bowl. Make more than you need. You won’t be sorry.

This looks so ingredient-heavy, but it is very easy. My advice: read the recipe through then take it step by step, even making the sauce up in advance if you like (but really it is easier than it looks – I don’t do difficult!). Have it as a burrito bowl like here, or wrapped in soft corn tortillas or large Romaine lettuce leaves. Any leftovers are great in quesadillas or as an omelet filling. Enjoy! xx

–Inspired by a recipe on yupitsvegan.–

200g package of tempeh

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (evoo)

Spice blend

1 tsp cumin seeds, 1 tsp coriander seeds, ½ tsp black peppercorns, ¼ tsp allspice

Sofrito Sauce Base 

2 tbsp evoo

6 spring onions, chopped –

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 roasted peppers (I used ones from a jar), roughly chopped

½ of a chipotle pepper in adobo sauce OR ¾ tbsp chipotle chilli paste, like Gran Luchito brand OR ¼ tsp dried chipotle pepper flakes soaked in a little warm water – brands and intensity vary so use as much or as little as you care to

1 tbsp tomato paste (I like old-fashioned sun-dried tomato paste)

1 tbsp white wine or cider vinegar (or I used vinegar from a jar of jalapenos)

¼ cup of water

1 tbsp lime juice

1 tsp honey or date syrup

2 bay leaves

1 tsp dried oregano

70g (heaped ½ cup) sweetcorn kernels

Add-Ins

Cooked brown rice or quinoa

Seasoned black beans (1 can of beans, drained and heated with 1 tsp Mexican style chilli powder and good squeeze of lime)

Guacamole or sliced avocado

Diced red onions or spring onions

Chopped sugarsnap peas

Chopped tomatoes or salsa

Chopped lettuce

Lime quarters

Adobo Crema – ½ cup of non-dairy yogurt, plain yogurt, crème fraiche or Quark + a few spoons of adobo liquid from the tin of chipotles in adobo sauce OR any Mexican hot sauce + a good few squeezes of lime juice

Special equipment: large sauté pan and a blender

1. First of all, heat a large sauté pan over a low-medium. Add the spices and heat until fragrant – about two minutes. Bash this up in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar until mostly powdered. Set aside.

2. Now, in the same pan heat the oil for the tempeh, and fry the tempeh pieces over a medium heat until starting to colour and crisp up. You may want to add more oil but just a little. Set aside for now.

3. Back to the pan – add the remaining oil to the pan and sauté the spring onion and garlic until golden but not burned.

4. Pop the onion and garlic into your blender with the spices you blended, roasted peppers, chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, tomato paste, vinegar, water, lime juice, date syrup or honey. Blend until very smooth. Taste and adjust how you like – more adobo liquid, some salt – whatever.

5. Now, add the corn and the rest of the spring onions to the pan (last time!); heat until slightly charred – no need to add oil but do so if you like. Pour in the sauce, add the bay leaves and oregano, and stir in the cooked tempeh. Cook this over a medium heat until the sauce is quite well absorbed into the tempeh, stirring occasionally so that it doesn’t stick. The tempeh will lose its shape, but that’s fine – the nature of the beast.

6. Start to load up your bowls, starting with a small layer of rice (confession 2: we used a combination of a pre-cooked pouch of brown rice from M&S and Merchant Gourmet quinoa), warm, seasoned beans, the sofrito tempeh and the rest of your add-ins. A complete and filling meal.