Double Kale Quinoa Pesto

Let me set the scene:

It's Sunday.

I know that dinner won't make itself.

I know that if Jay makes dinner we'll be eating Target brand pizza.

I know that Jay's diet on Saturday consisted of Taco Bell for lunch and McDonalds for dinner.

Knowing all this it sounded like the perfect day to make the most vegetable-centric dish I could find. The boy was due for some greens.

Enter... Double Kale Quinoa Pesto, also known as the Fast Food Detox.

Quinoa is a great grain for vegetarians because it is a complete protein, meaning that it contains all 9 essential amino acids (an anomaly of vegetarian protein sources).

The addition of a leafy green like kale (known for its wealth of Vitamin K, of which each cup contains 1327% of the RDV) really kicks up the healthfulness of this recipe.

In fact, I just can't get over the surplus of heath-benefiting ingredients in this recipe. Lemon juice, olive oil, almonds... all help to keep you strong, healthy and functioning at your best! Should I mention that it is delicious? Much more so than any McNugget or Quad Steak Burrito. But maybe I'm biased by my love for vitamins...

The Stuff:

• large saute pan
• food processor

The Edibles:

• 3 cups cooked quinoa*
• 1 medium vidalia onion, diced
• 1 bell pepper, diced
• 1 large bunch kale, washed and trimmed, sliced into strips (about 5 cups uncooked)
• 5 medium garlic cloves, minced (or the equivalent of jarred or powdered garlic)
• 1/3 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 pinch salt (more to taste)
• hearty amount of fresh ground pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Optional toppings and additions:

• slivered basil
• sliced avocado
• crumbled feta or goat cheese
• white beans

The Making:

1. Heat the quinoa and set aside.
2. Spray a large sauté pan with non-stick olive oil cooking spray and place over medium heat. Dump the equivalent of 1 clove minced or powdered garlic in pan, pushing it around with your wooden spoon or spatula for about 30 seconds.
3. Place onion in pan and stir around so as to ensure it is completely covered with oil. Cook for about 2-4 minutes on medium, then turn down to medium low. Add the colored peppers. Stir frequently; cook until the onion turns somewhat translucent and is caramelized (really juicy looking).
4. Remove the cooked diced onion and peppers from the pan and set aside in a bowl.
5. Using the same pan, Spritz it with another round of non-stick olive oil cooking spray and place over medium heat. Cook 1 clove garlic, pushing it around with your wooden spoon or spatula for about 30 seconds. Add kale by the handful, stirring frequently so as to ensure oil is distributed over its surface. The green will cook down significantly, so if you feel you cannot fit it all in at once, wait until some has cooked down and add more at that point. Once all the kale is looking really wilty, turn stove off.
6. To make the kale pesto: puree two cups of the cooked kale, 3 cloves garlic, 1/4 cup of the almonds, Parmesan, salt, pepper and lemon juice in a food processor. Drizzle in the olive oil and pulse until smooth.
7. Just before serving, toss the quinoa, reserved onion and pepper mixture and remaining cooked kale with about 1/2 of the kale pesto. Taste and adjust if needed, you might want to add more of the pesto a bit at a time, or you might want a bit more salt or an added squeeze of lemon juice. Turn out onto a serving platter and top with the remaining almonds and some fresh basil. Some great additions include sliced avocado and feta cheese.

Serves 4 - 6.

*To cook quinoa: rinse one cup of quinoa in a fine-meshed strainer. In a medium saucepan heat the quinoa, two cups of water (or broth if you like), and a few big pinches of salt until boiling. Reduce heat and simmer until water is absorbed and quinoa fluffs up, about 15 minutes. Quinoa is done when you can see the curlique in each grain, and it is tender with a bit of pop to each bite. Drain any extra water and set aside.

Yummy Yammy Salad

Chicago is hot in the summer. Cost-saving efforts cause us to leave the A/C off until it is deathly blazing. Needless to say, on one particularly hot day for dinner I wanted to make sweet potatoes (mostly because they were the only potato type in the vicinity of our kitchen), but I could not fathom turning on a stove or oven or any other heat-producing appliance. Enter the 20th century marvel: the microwave oven. I cubed the lone potato we had in our possession, plopped it into a microwave-safe Pyrex bowl with about a half-inch of water and covered it with a large plate, and nuked the taters until they were fork-soft.

Upon removing from the miracle wave appliance, I carefully drained the hot water from the dish and tossed in with the dressing. Loosely cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes for prime flavor maximation.

If you have the means, this dish may be improved with the addition of fresh chopped basil. Nom nom nom!

The Edibles:

• 3 T. balsamic vinegar
• 1 T. honey Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 medium-sized sweet potato, cubed and cooked
• sea salt and pepper, to taste

The Making:

1. Whisk together first 4 ingredients. Pour over cooked sweet potato cubes. Stir gently to cover cubes with balsamic dressing.
2. Try a bite. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Cucumber and Tomato Salad

Another recipe that uses cucumbers? Another that uses tomatoes? You may be sick of these basic veggies (or are they fruits?), but here in this household they're a staple because they're in season, fresh, inexpensive, and above-all, good for you!

The main reason I decided to even post this ridiculously basic recipe is to share the making of the ridiculously delicious dressing for the cucumbers and tomatoes. It is pretty much inevitable that you will not have the spice blend I used on hand, I'm sure it will be just as delicious with some sprinkles of paprika and onion powder... or completely omitted. If you have the means, I highly recommend searching for the Celestial Seasonings blend or a spice blend like it, because the flavors are a great mix that can be used to amp up anything from tofu to pork chops. (A suggestion as a substitute: Perfect Pinch Roasted Garlic Bell Pepper Seasoning from McCormick)

The Edibles:

• 1 T. rice vinegar
• 1 T. apple cidar vinegar
• 1 T. honey dijon mustard
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
• hearty shake of Celestial Seasonings "Sweet Peppers and Onions" blend
• 1 cucumber, zebra peeled & sliced
• 2 c. cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
• sea salt & pepper, to taste

The Making:

1. Whisk together first 6 ingredients. Pour over cucumber slices and tomato quarters. Stir gently to make sure all of your veggies get covered with some of the dressing's goodness.
2. Try a bite. Add salt and pepper if desired.

Fiesta Chicken Salad

My love for the Whole Foods salad bar has made a serious dent in my bank account. One of my favorite salads the store offers is the inspiration for this serious salad that is not only totally easy to throw together, but much more economical than its $7.99/lb counterpart.

As far as how many chicken breasts you should use for this recipe, 3 easily make 4 servings, so if you're serving 2, you'll have plenty for your lunches the next day. How you cook the chicken depends on how much work you want to put into this recipe. My method of choice is to cook the breasts in a crockpot for 6 hours on low in enough chicken broth to cover them entirely. Often times I'll add a hearty shake of garlic powder for some extra "umf". I've also been known to purchase a roasted chicken and use half of the meat to make this salad. When we're talking about how much Greek yogurt to use, this again is up to you. Add a bit at a time until you reach your desired level of creaminess, as this is often a matter of strong opinion.

Now, you may be looking at these pictures, thinking to yourself, "Hey, where are these bell peppers Britt speaks of in her list of edibles?" Or you may already be at the stage of creation, looking at the fiesta in your bowl, thinking, "Hey, my salad looks way darker than Britt's... what gives?" Before you start writing me off, I'm a-gonna tell ya that the recipe below is THE way to make this salad. On the day I chose to fiesta-it-up with my camera in hand I happened to be sans peppers and taco seasoning, so I had to make do without the bells and whistles. (Get it? Bells... as in bell peppers... like this salad there's some corn in that joke... sorry...) In lieu of an easy taco seasoning packet I hastily threw in some powdered garlic, onion, chili powder, coriander, cumin, and oregano. Of course, you could do that too if you're feeling adventurous!

The Edibles:

• boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 1/2 vidalia onion, diced
• 1/2 green pepper, diced
• 1/2 red pepper, diced
• Greek yogurt
• 1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning

The Making:

1. Mix together all the above ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
2. Serve in tortilla shells, on a salad, or use as a dip for some chips. Add your favorite fiesta toppings for a real party!

Britt's Slaw

Jaybird loves himself some coleslaw. In fact, he's been talking about buying himself one of those ginormous vats of slaw that would in most instances feed a party of 50 people. Persuading him not to invest $10.00 in the slaw bucket has been challenging, so in order to appease his ravenous taste for this cabbage salad, I decided to try my hand as a homemade, healthy version. Coleslaw is typically not unhealthy, considering it's primarily cabbage, but everything is always that much fresher when I make it myself.

Naturally sweetened by crushed pineapple and its juice, this coleslaw is my variation on the backyard barbecue staple. Unlike my mom, whose suggestion for improvement of this recipe was, "More mayo," I prefer less of the condiment in my salads. Much of the creaminess in the coleslaw sauce is provided by the addition of a random supporting actor: plain yogurt. Who woulda thunk that you'd be able to get some of your daily dose of calcium and protein in a coleslaw salad?!

Play around with the spices. Add just a bit of sweetener. Letter sit. Dig in.

The Edibles:

• 16 oz. package pre-shredded coleslaw mix of cabbage and carrots
• 1/4 c. white vinegar
• 1/2 c. plain yogurt
• 1/4 c. light mayonnaise or Miracle Whip
• 1/4 c. spicy brown mustard
• 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained with 1/4 c. of the juice reserved
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• sugar or sweetener to taste (a couple teaspoons or so)

The Making:

1. Mix all of the ingredients together and stir well. Add sugar in small increments to cut the acidity of the vinegar. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Sautéed Tempeh

I've already declared my love for tempeh, so I'll spare you from reiterating my adoration for this vegetarian protein source. I love it sautéed, and you'll see that this time I served it over a bed of romaine alongside some sautéed mushrooms, sliced and toasted almonds, sliced dates, crumbled feta cheese, and some Italian dressing. That pita-like thing you see on the side happens to be a protein pancake, one of my go-to foods for post-workout nourishment!

The Stuff:

• medium sauté pan
• dish or bowl for marinading

The Edibles:

• 1/2 of one package tempeh, cut into chunks that are about 1 inch by 1 inch by 1/4 inch
• 2 T. white wine vinegar
• 1 T. dijon mustard
• 1 T. olive oil
• dried Italian seasoning
• onion powder
• garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

The Making:

1. In a small bowl whisk together white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, olive oil, and generous shakes of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
2. In a shallow bowl or large plastic bag mix all ingredients together up through the fresh ground pepper. Add the tempeh and stir around (or shake the bag) until the tempeh appears well covered with the sauce.
3. Marinade anywhere between 1 hour to overnight.
4. Place medium-sized sauté pan over medium heat. Spray with olive oil spray and once it's heated, empty tempeh and sauce into the pan.
5. Let the tempeh cook and the sauce reduce for 3-5 minutes. Turn each piece of tempeh over individually, and let them cook for another 4 minutes or so. After this time, the sauce will become quite thick and may be almost non-existent. It will stick to the tempeh, so stir it gently so as to ensure it's fully covered.
6. Once browned, your tempeh is ready for devouring!

Cucumber Salad

This chilled salad would be a perfect accompaniment for a spicy steak or chicken entree. It's simple to throw together and a great way to use up a cucumber before it gets soft. Not only is it healthful, but it's boy-approved! What more can you ask for?

The Edibles:

• 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1/4 c. white wine vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. dried dill
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. onion powder

The Making:

1. Mix together all the edibles. Allow the cucumber to marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Enjoy!

Potato Salad with Peas and Carrots

Moving along with my potato-fancying, I decided to whip together a quick veggified potato salad tonight. This salad is packed full of flavor. From the dijon mustard and coriander, to the broth and cheese, it all melds together to make a creamy summery side dish. If you're not as hasty as I was to get this to the table, you can add one or two diced hard-boiled eggs and celery to make this a real-deal potato salad almost like mom used to make.

The Stuff:

• medium saucepan
• medium mixing bowl
• fork (for mixing!)

The Edibles:

• 3 baseball-sized russet potatoes
• 3-4 T. miracle whip or mayonnaise
• 1 T. honey dijon mustard
• 1 T. beef broth (or vegetable broth, if you're making it veggie style)
• 1 T. bacon crumbles (again, omit if you're making it veggie style)
• 1 carrot, shredded
• 1/4 c. frozen peas
• 1 T. Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 T. dried dill
• 1/2 T. dried parsley
• 1/2 T. ground coriander
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

The Making:

1. Boil potatoes until cooked, testing with a fork for done-ness. Drain and immediately immerse in a bowl of ice water.
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and serve immediately, or refrigerate in a sealed container.

A "Boot-e-full" Quinoa Lunch Salad

This salad is the product of a special request from my one and only Momo,

a.k.a. the one who wears these:

I love my Momo, despite her rather peculiar sense of style.

Style aside, my mom is my idol. Her dedication to her work and health inspire me and those around her to live healthfully. A request for a lunch salad could not go unheard. Easily prepared ahead of time (in fact I recommend doing so in order to allow for maximum flavor enhancement), and extremely versatile (use whatever veggies, proteins, beans, or cheeses you may have on hand), you have almost no excuse (other than pure laziness) not to trust me on this one and give this salad a try. If you don't like it, don't write me off; I promise that I still have more grainy salad ideas up my sleeve to keep your lunches spiced up and healthful.

The Stuff:

• medium saucepan
• small sauté pan
• a fork, whisk, or blender

The Edibles:

• 1/2 c. quinoa
• 1 & 1/2 T. olive oil, divided
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• non-stick olive oil spray
• about 10 mushrooms, sliced
• 2 T. white wine vinegar
• 1 T. dijon mustard
• dried Italian seasoning
• 1 tsp. dried dill
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 1/2 cucumber, seeds removed, diced
• 1/2 c. cherry/grape tomatoes, cut in half
• 4 oz. cannelloni beans (1/2 of one 8 oz. can)
• 6 oz. cooked chicken breast, shredded (the equivalent of two breasts)*
• salt and pepper to taste
• about 1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
• 1 tsp. parsley (garnish)

*see step 4 for vegetarian substitution suggestions

The Making:

1. Bring 1 and 1/4 cups water to a boil. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, a generous sprinkle of garlic and onion powders, and quinoa. Bring back to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed.
2. While quinoa is cooking, place a small saute pan over medium heat and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Add mushrooms and a light sprinkle of garlic powder. Saute for 5 to 10 minutes, or until the shrooms are dark. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. In a small bowl whisk together white wine vinegar, dijon mustard, 1 tablespoon olive oil, dill, and generous shakes of Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and onion powder. Add salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
4. Once quinoa is cooked, add to a large mixing bowl with prepared dressing and carrots through chicken. If you choose to make this vegetarian you can omit the chicken and replace with albacore tuna or firm tofu and have fabulous results. Stir to combine.
5. Garnish with feta and a sprinkling of fresh parsley.

One Super Salad

I take my salads very seriously. I have noticed that there are quite a few people out there that are completely oblivious to just how marvelous and exciting a salad can be. If you're mindful of your portions, salads can be healthful and chocked full with high-flavor additions.

So today I feature a salad that stands as an example for just how beautiful, filling, and satisfying a salad can be. Change up the ingredients based on your tastes and what you have on hand. My rule of thumb is to always have a few colorful vegetables, something crunchy, something creamy, something with some healthy fats, and something just for fun. I'm always a fan of a beautiful plate, and this one really made me smile as I ate.

The Edibles (serves 1):

• 1/4 red bell pepper, chopped into large pieces
• 1/4 yellow bell pepper, chopped into large pieces
• 1/4 of a pint of cherry (or grape) tomatoes, sliced in half
• 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced thinly
• 1/4 of an avocado
• handful of real bacon bits
• about 2 T. hummus
• about 2 T. dried edamame
• about 2 T. crumbled feta cheese
• 1 small can albacore tuna
• homemade croutons (as many as you like), recipe below*
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 T. creamy balsamic vinaigrette (from Trader Joes)

The Making (for the croutons):

1. Preheat your oven to low broil. (You can also use high, but you'll have to watch them carefully).
2. To make croutons, tear up a slice or two of your favorite multi-grain bread into bite-size pieces. Spray with olive oil cooking spray and sprinkle with garlic powder, Italian seasoning (or just use oregano, parsley, basil, etc.), and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Broil the croutons; stay close to the oven, because they will cook quick. Once they begin to brown, flip them over and low broil on the other side. (Alternatively, if you're not feeling the whole "flip over each piece" idea, you can just cook on one side for a less all-over-crispy crouton.)

The Making (for the salad):

1. Arrange salad components on your plate. Be creative!

Rainbow Pasta Salad

I feel like meals are much more satisfying when they are visually appealing, and one way to do this is to incorporate a range of bright and colorful fruits and vegetables in your dishes. Word on the street is that different-colored foods offer different health benefits.

Here's the low-down by color (source):

Red fruits and vegetables: Contain nutrients such as lycopene, ellagic acid, Quercetin, and Hesperidin, to name a few. These nutrients reduce the risk of prostate cancer, lower blood pressure, reduce tumor growth and LDL cholesterol levels, scavenge harmful free-radicals, and support join tissue in arthritis cases.

Orange and Yellow fruits and vegetables: Contain beta-carotene, zeaxanthin, flavonoids, lycopene, potassium, and vitamin C. These nutrients reduce age-related macula degeneration and the risk of prostate cancer, lower LDL cholesterol and blood pressure, promote collagen formation and healthy joints, fight harmful free radicals, encourage alkaline balance, and work with magnesium and calcium to build healthy bones.

Green vegetables and fruit: Green vegetables contain chlorophyll, fiber, lutein, zeaxanthin, calcium, folate, vitamin C, calcium, and Beta-carotene. The nutrients found in these vegetables reduce cancer risks, lower blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels, normalize digestion time, support retinal health and vision, fight harmful free-radicals, and boost immune system activity.

Blue and purple fruits and vegetables: Contain nutrients which include lutein, zeaxanthin, resveratrol, vitamin C, fiber, flavonoids, ellagic acid, and quercetin. Similar to the previous nutrients, these nutrients support retinal health, lower LDL cholesterol, boost immune system activity, support healthy digestion, improve calcium and other mineral absorption, fight inflammation, reduce tumor growth, act as an anticarcinogens in the digestive tract, and limit the activity of cancer cells.

White fruits and vegetables: Contain nutrients such as beta-glucans, EGCG, SDG, and lignans that provide powerful immune boosting activity. These nutrients also activate natural killer B and T cells, reduce the risk of colon, breast, and prostate cancers, and balance hormone levels, reducing the risk of hormone-related cancers.

Which leads me to share an almost embarrassingly easy concoction I whipped up. Its ease really makes me want to refer to it as a "non-recipe," because let's be honest, a pasta salad loaded with vegetables is really not original at all. Nevertheless, I wanted to share it if only to promote cooking with color.

To cook the chicken (which can totally be omitted if you're a vegetarian, Jeanne), I chose to braise it in my crock pot. When cooked this way, I have found that the chicken shreds way more easily than boiling, baking, or grilling. In fact I would argue that 6 hours on low, slowly cooking in chicken broth spiced with some garlic is really the only way to go with this one. If you plan ahead, this dish is a quick, fresh, and healthy dinner that you can have on the table in less than 30 minutes. And no, I am not the next Rachel Ray.

The Edibles:

• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced (or equivalent in jarred or powdered garlic)
• 2 halves of pepper of different colors, largely diced (I used green and yellow)
• 1 c. cherry/grape tomatoes, halved
• 1 c. carrots, sliced into matchsticks
• 2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded
• 1/4 c. crumbled feta cheese
• 1 c. cooked pasta
• Britt's balsamic vinaigrette (see recipe below)

The Making:

1. Turn on stove to medium and cover a medium-sized sauté pan with olive oil cooking spray. Place garlic in the pan; once it begins to sizzle, dump onion in and stir frequently.
2. Let onion cook for 3-5 minutes, or until it is slightly translucent and has lost its super-oniony bite. Remove from heat.
3. Layer all the ingredients into an extremely large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Cover salad and refrigerate at least one hour, or dive in if you're impatient like me!

Britt's Balsamic Vinaigrette

The Stuff:

• 1/2 c. balsamic vinegar
• 1/4 c. water
• 2 T. spicy or honey dijon mustard
• 1 T. olive oil
• generous shake of dried oregano
• generous shake of dried basil
• 1 clove garlic, or equivalent in jarred or powdered
• 1 & 1/2 tsp. sugar or 1 tsp. honey (cut this in half if you are using honey mustard)

The Making:

1. This one is tough. Combine all the ingredients together, and let it sit for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Balsamic Tempeh

This dish really packs in the flavor. I'm a big fan of a tasty balsamic reduction, and this is just right. One cooking method I looked to for inspiration recommended a longer marinating time, and I don't doubt that in improving the flavor of this dish.

I recently re-adventured into the world of tempeh. Up until recently I've avoided it at all costs, as I have found that all things bean have caused me extreme stomach pains. (Sorry if that's too much information, but really, that might explain the lack of bean-age on this site.) In researching tempeh I found that the pre-fermenting of this high-protein non-animal source makes it easy on digestion and ideal for people with IBS-like symptoms. Holla! I'm glad to have re-discovered this vegetarian treat because I really enjoy tempeh and its lightly nutty texture. This dish could be paired beautifully with polenta or a nice quinoa pilaf for a complete meal.

I chose to enjoy this dish as a salad colored with sautéed onions and thinly sliced carrot sticks, crisp red pepper, toasted almonds, chopped dates, feta, and a creamy balsamic vinaigrette. A simple yet complex combination of sweetness complimented by a vinegary bite, a chewy mouthful with a bit of crunch, this salad quickly brought me to my knees. I was in love.

The Edibles:

• olive oil cooking spray
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth, chicken broth, or water
• 1 T. dijon mustard
• 1 T. honey
• 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
• light shake of onion salt
• generous shake of dried oregano
• generous shake of dried basil (fresh would be marvelous if you have some on hand)
• generous shake of garlic powder (or one clove of fresh, pressed/minced garlic)
• fresh ground pepper (as much as you like)
• 1 package tempeh, cut into 1 inch by 1 inch chunks

The Making:

1. In a shallow bowl or large plastic bag mix all ingredients together up through the fresh ground pepper. Add the tempeh and stir around (or shake the bag) until the tempeh appears well covered with the sauce.
2. Marinade anywhere between 1 hour to overnight.
3. Heat a medium saute pan on medium. Spray with olive oil spray and once it's heated, empty tempeh and sauce into the pan. You can test the pan's readiness by dropping/dipping a piece of bread into the oil and see if it sizzles--I saw it on a cooking show once and it's a tried-and-true method!
4. Let the tempeh cook and the sauce reduce for 3-5 minutes. Turn the tempeh over (yes, each piece individually) after this time, and let it cook for another 2 minutes or so. After this time, the sauce will become quite thick and may be almost non-existent. It will stick to the tempeh, so stir it gently so as to ensure it's fully covered. I chose to cook the tempeh for a minute or two longer so as to really brown the edges.
5. Once sauced and browned, your tempeh is ready for devouring!