Tucson Tempeh Pasta

Life these days is pretty suburban: I drive a station wagon (seriously), iron the sheets for the master bedroom (they feel divine), and help organize events in the social committee for my homeowners' association.  Good gracious, just typing that stuff out makes me feel like I should be on Wisteria Lane.  Needless to say, the days could use some hard edges sometimes to keep it from going stale. 

Enter Thug Kitchen.  Have y'all been keeping up with this Tumblr?  I've been a huge fan for months, if only because a) I do have a bit of a potty mouth, b) it's so wonderful to find a website devoted to vegan food that isn't self-righteous, and c) the creators of it have an awesome sense of humor.  Oh, and the recipes are legit delicious.  I wanted to pass on one of their photos from the site, but just scrolled through every one of them and there's an F-bomb on it.  Take my word for it. 

Last Thursday, JP and I had Tucson Tempeh Pasta, the TK version of Hamburger Helper.  Full of veggies, protein-packed tempeh, and whole wheat pasta, you'll absolutely love this meal without feeling guilty about sodium levels, weird ingredients, and fat.  After one bite, I looked at my husband and said, 'I want this every week for the rest of the year.'  The man who always eats out for lunch took the leftovers with him to work.  There is no greater compliment.

Tucson Tempeh Pasta (from Thug Kitchen)

1 block tempeh (about 8 oz), crumbled

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 bell peppers, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. olive oil

2 tsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. chili powder

2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. dried basil (or oregano, if you have it)

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. liquid smoke (you can find it near the bbq sauce and it is heavenly)

14 oz. can of diced tomatoes, low sodium

1 lb. whole wheat pasta

Juice from 1 lemon

1 c. peas

Any leftover veggies you have to get rid of (I used green beans)

1. Prepare pasta, drain, and set aside. 

2. Heat oil over medium heat in a large skillet, and add tempeh, onion, peppers, and carrots. Cook until onions are softened and tempeh is golden. 

3. Add soy sauce, spices, and garlic; cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.  Add liquid smoke and tomatoes; allow sauce to bubble.

4. Combine pasta, lemon juice, and additional veggies to the skillet.  Cook until everything is heated through and the pasta is coated in sauce.  Taste and adjust seasonings before serving!  JP thought it was a bit spicy and added some sour cream, which looked super-creamy and tasty.