Tempeh Tacos in Collard Green Wraps

You guys. This is an epic day. Cinco de Mayo AND Taco Tuesday! The taco gods are so happy right now. 

Scott and I spent the weekend in Palm Beach, Florida...helllloooooo beach and palm trees! We had a great time visiting his family and enjoying some beach time. The winter was long and cold here in Ohio so it was nice to get in a bathing suit and feel the hot sunshine again. We went kayaking, saw some live music at SunFest, got in some quality beach and pool time, watched the Kentucky Derby at The Breakers (one of my absolute favorite places), and of course enjoyed some delicious food. We may or may not have enjoyed a few cocktails poolside as well ;) It was a whirlwind of a weekend but it was so fun to get away for a few days. We had a late flight (plus some delays) getting back home on Sunday night and didn't end up getting home until after 1am Monday morning. Needless to say, I am exhausted! I am the type of gal who needs a solid 7-8 hours of sleep per night so my plan this week is to catch up on some much needed z's.  

But let's get to the good stuff. Tempeh tacos. My fav tacos. 

Are you guys tempeh fans? If not, it's worth checking out. Tempeh is a fermented soy product that comes in patty form. If you eat soy, fermented is the way to go. The fermentation actually helps you digest the amazing nutrients, making them far more readily available for your body to use. 

Tempeh is made with the whole soybean with very little processing, unlike tofu which can be very processed. It is also high in protein which makes it an excellent plant-based protein source! Depending on the brand, one serving of tempeh provides around 18 grams of protein (that's more than tofu!) and around 10% of the RDA of both calcium and iron. 

We eat this meal often at home. Sometimes we use whole wheat tortillas to wrap it all up, but my preference is always collard green wraps. It's such a great way to get some extra greens in! Collards are a sturdy green which makes them the perfect vessel for wraps.  Remember, in order to allow the collard leaves to be as flexible as needed, you will need to trim the thick backbone portion of the stem so it bends well at the bottom.  Be sure to check out the collard wrap tutorial from Choosing Raw!

Tempeh Tacos in Collard Green Wrap

Ultra satisfying and hearty, this nutrient dense meal comes together in less than 30 minutes!

| Makes 4-8 servings |

Ingredients

• 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 small orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 (8oz) package of tempeh, grated or finely crumbled
• 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce (I use Bragg's Aminos)
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• dash of siracha (or hot sauce of your choice) if desired
• 6-8 collard green leaves

Instructions

1. Heat the oil over medium heat in a skillet. When hot, add the onion and bell pepper and cook for 10 minutes, or until tender. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the tempeh, soy sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano, and hot sauce. Toss until thoroughly combined. 
3. Once onions and peppers are tender, add the tempeh mixture and brown it, stirring almost constantly for 4-5 minutes. 
4. Add your choice of toppings and wrap in collard green leaf (see tutorial link above). My favorite toppings are tomato, avocado, corn, black beans, cilantro, and lime. 
5. Enjoy!

xoxo,

Lauren