Berkeley Summer Kebabs

Source:  Cooking Light Magazine

1 T olive oil
1 T soy sauce
8 oz tempeh
1/4 c BBQ sauce (plus more for dipping)
16 button mushrooms
1 large yellow pepper
16 grape tomatoes

Combine olive oil and soy sauce.  Add tempeh cut into 16 pieces.  Let stand for 20 minutes.  Add 1/4 c BBQ sauce, toss.  Thread tempeh, mushrooms, grape tomatoes and yellow pepper onto skewers.  Grill 9 minutes.  Serve with BBQ sauce.

You don't even have to ask why I picked this recipe for this week, right?  Tempeh -- that's why.  I have never used it before, and I don't think I've ever had it before.  I had to try.  And this looked like a super simple recipe for a weeknight, and one that would let the tempeh shine.

This is what tempeh looks like in its "natural form" -- straight out of the packaging.

What is tempeh?  It's an pressed soy bean .... log?  I would say "meat substitute" at the risk of offending those who enjoy it in its own right.  In any case -- tempeh is high protein, low sodium, low fat -- so it's very good for you.  I was able to buy it at my local grocery store, right where the tofu, and veggie burgers are.


Obviously, there is not much to this recipe -- just put on a skewer and grill.  Super healthy  and low cal -- 2 skewers are only 250 calories.  With that said, this recipe goes into the epic fail category.  I just did not care for the tempeh.  It has the consistency and taste of ... well compressed beans.  It soaked up the flavor and the soy sauce and BBQ sauce nicely, but there remained a bitterness that I didn't care for.  Also, the texture was a bit mealy in the middle, and with the bitterness it was just hard to take.  I might give tempeh another chance with a different recipe, but for now, I'll stick with tofu.  Or better yet, meat.