Tangy Tempeh Tacos with Mango Pineapple Salsa

I love mexican food. I just love it! So when it comes down to planning a mexican dish that is vegetarian worthy, I often have many ideas. (Some good; some not so great. Haha) Tonight I took tempeh and spiced it up while keeping it sweet and a little tangy with hints of pineapple.

 I love a good salsa and often the grocery is lacking in this department. Tonight I toyed with the idea of creating my own salsa. Yep! Crazy I know but, oh my, was I pleasantly surprised with how this salsa turned out.

 I topped my tempeh tacos with a drizzle of a spicy vegan sauce which is a complex mixture (veganaise, jalapeño, chili powder, lime juice); ok maybe not so complex mixture, and is easily made actually. 

Ingredients for Tacos:

1 block of tempeh 

2 bell peppers (I used yellow and orange)

1/2 onion

1 c. Pineapple juice

1/2 c. Soy sauce 

2 tbsp. chili powder

1 tbsp. garlic powder

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

First you want to marinate your tempeh. Combine the pineapple juice, soy sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, and salt and pepper.

Slice tempeh in half longways (like slicing bread for a sandwich) and then chop slices into small pieces. Place pieces of tempeh in mixture to marinate for 1 hour. 

Cook tempeh in a greased glass pan at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. Flip pieces over, add more sauce and bake another 10 minutes. 

Now slice pepper and onions. Cook in a pan with olive oil and some of leftover sauce (from marinating). I also popped my peppers and onions afterwards in the oven on a foil lined pan for an additional 10 minutes to get them crispier.

Mango Salsa Ingredients and Directions: 

1 mango; chopped

1 14 oz. can of diced pineapple; partially drained

1 14 oz. can of diced tomatoes; drained

1 small can of green chiles

1/4 c. Apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp. Cilantro

1 jalapeño; seeded and finely chopped

2 tbsp. minced garlic

1/2 c. Agave or sugar

2 tbsp. lime juice

2 tbsp. Jamaican Jerk seasoning 

2 tbsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cayenne 

Salt and pepper to taste 

Bring all ingredients to a boil and simmer at medium heat for one hour stirring occasionally. Refrigerate after cooled. 

When I went to assemble my tacos I first put some of my homemade mango pineapple salsa in a soft tortilla. Then I put tempeh pieces and lettuce and tomatoes on top.

 I topped these delish tacos with a spicy vegan sauce made from veganaise, a little jalapeño juice, chopped jalapeño, lime juice, chili powder and salt and pepper to taste. 

The sweetness in the pineapple and the spice from the hints of jalapeño and chili powder bring out an amazingly delicious sensation of flavors all in one simple taco.  

Fiesta time, 

~Crago