Crunchy Tempeh over Pearl Barley and Roasted Vegetables
When is comes to lunch, I love to have a satisfying big plate that will keep me going through the day without munching too much. One of my childhood fav grain is Pearl-Barley, because of the crunch that I love so much. There is a lot going on in this plate, from Pearl-Barley to roasted veggies such as: zucchinis, mushrooms, colorful carrots, to sautéed / marinated Tempeh & a fresh salad on top.
Being prepared ahead of time with the ingredients in the house is key to be able to cook a nutritious, delicious and healthy meal in no time.
Ingredients
1 cup pearl barley
2 cups water
1 long white carrot, sliced
1 yellow long carrot, sliced
1 cup small white mushrooms, sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
1 onion, sliced into stripes
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
+salt
+pepper
Tempeh Ingredients
1 package of tempeh 8 oz / 227 g , cut into cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon shawarma spice blend
+salt
+pepper
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 F
In a pot add Pearl-Barley, water and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to a simmer and let it cook until all the water have evaporated. About 30 minutes. Set aside.
Take a baking sheet and line with a parchment paper. Take a mixing bowl and add all the vegetables, carrots, mushrooms, zucchini and onion. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Mix with your hands, to fully coat the vegetables, then lay on the baking sheet in one layer. Bake in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
Tempeh Directions
Take a ziplock bag and add the tempeh, olive oil, nutritional yeast, shawarma spice blend, salt and pepper. Shake the bag gently to cover the tempeh evenly. Let it marinade for a couple of hours or overnight.
Take a nonstick pan, and add the tempeh in one layer. Turn the heat on to medium - low and cook on each side for a few minutes, until golden brown.
Assemble the dish
Take a mixing bowl, and add the cooked pearl barley and the roasted vegetables, mix and add more salt or pepper if needed. Take a serving plate and pour the pearl barley/vegetables mixture, add tempeh, and green salad on top. You can squeeze a splash of lemon and drizzle some more olive oil before serving. Serve warm or in room temperature.
