Vegan Tempeh Poke Bowl

In our Vegan Tempeh Poke Bowl recipe, the tempeh is not the star of the dish, but—like all the ingredients—plays a more supportive role. Throw this together for a dynamic lunch or dinner that'll leave you full for hours.

If you have tasted tempeh, then you already know how versatile it is; with a firm texture, it makes an unrivaled meat replacement for most any dish. With a subtle nutty and—we mean this in the very best way—slightly bitter flavor, it's not nearly as bland as tofu but fits just as well into all manner of dishes.

• 1 cup white rice
• 2 cups water
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen unshelled edamame
• 1 tablespoon cane sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons soybean oil
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 tablespoons veganaise
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon ginger powder
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 block tempeh
• 2 teaspoons soybean oil
• 2 tablespoons tamari
• 2 teaspoons fresh cilantro
• 2 medium avocados
• 1 large cucumber
• 1 cup chopped fresh asparagus
• 3 whole carrots
• Organic romaine lettuce

1. In a medium-sized pan, combine water and rice and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and continue to cook for 15 minutes, stirring intermittently to avoid sticking. Once water is mostly absorbed,, add your cup of edamame. Turn rice off, cover, and let sit for five minutes. After, add cane sugar and rice vine vinegar, and fluff with a fork.
2. While the rice is cooking, make the tempeh marinade by whisking together soybean oil, cilantro, and tamari in a medium-size bowl. Slice tempeh in half lengthwise and in fourths widthwise. Soak tempeh squares in marinade bowl, making sure they are evenly coated. Heat griddle or pan over medium heat. Place the tempeh squares when griddle is hot and baste with additional sauce. Once golden, flip the square over and repeat (about 3 minutes). Once both sides are browned, take the tempeh off the heat. When the pieces have cooled enough to touch, you may cut each square into smaller slices or cubes.
3. Dice cucumber, cube avocados, steam chopped asparagus until tender, and prepare your carrots (we recommend using a vegetable peeler to slice off long, thin carrot strips, but you can also dice or grate the carrots). Wash and chop your romaine lettuce.
4. Whisk together soybean oil, tamari, veganaise, rice wine vineyard, ginger powder, red pepper flakes, and minced garlic to make the dressing. In 4 large, single-serving bowls, divide the rice and top with romaine, vegetables (cucumber, avocado, asparagus, carrots), and tempeh. Drizzle generously with dressing.

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