Tempeh is a new adventure for me this past week and I am LOVING it!

Truthfully (like most of us) I can get a bit tired of using the same protein sources so mixing in this amazingly fiber rich, low carb protein source has got me extra HAPPY.

Considering I try my best to avoid soy products, Tempeh has always been (until recently) on my "looks interesting, but no thanks" list. But after much reading and research, it seems that:

The dangers of soy are overstated and the benefits may be too.

I personally believe that as long as you are not consuming an excess amount of soy (i.e. eating 1 lb of tofu a day, or having 3 soy protein shakes a day), you are good. Most claims of "soy causing men's estrogen to go wonky, or it negatively impacting your thyroid gland are false and based on no significant, scientific evidence. **If you have an iodine deficiency, soy is something you should indeed avoid. See more HERE

A few tips (from Dr. + Wellness Expert Dr. Mark Hymen) on what to look for when consuming soy products:

Say YES to whole, real soy. The Okinawans are the world’s longest-lived people, probably in part because of their diet. For more than five millennia, they’ve eaten whole, organic and fermented soy foods like miso, tempeh, tofu, soy milk, and edamame (young soybeans in the pod). One to two servings a day of any of these foods are fine.
Say NO to processed soy. That includes soy protein isolate and concentrates, genetically engineered soy foods (typically made from Monsanto’s Roundup soybeans), soy supplements, and soy junk foods like soy cheese, soy ice cream, soy oil, and soy burgers. They don’t have the thousands of years of traditional use that whole soy foods do, are processed, and contain unhealthy fats and other compounds. I have real concerns about these types of soy.

SOY SUMMARY:

don't eat high amounts of soy products. moderation (as with everything) is KEY.

eat fermented, high quality, organic only.

be mindful of soy sensitivities which could stress and negatively impact the gut.

More thoughts on soy found HERE and HERE

Okay, now onto my perfectly crisp, Tempeh Garden Greens Salad:

Ingredients:

organic flax tempeh
mixed greens
basil
2 small sweet bell peppers
shredded carrots
1 green onion
hemp seeds
fermented sauerkraut
1/2 avocado
1/2 lemon
1 tbs olive oil (salad dressing) + 3 tbs for tempeh sauté
himalayan sea salt

Directions:

Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat. Thinly slice your tempeh into 1/2 inch - 1 inch pieces and place in pan to lightly crisp for (about) 8-10 minutes on each side. **Season w/ sea salt, garlic powder and a few drizzles of coconut aminos.
Add greens + veggies (avocado, shredded carrots, green onion, sauerkraut, etc.) to large bowl.
Drizzle greens + veggies with olive oil, lemon, sea salt & massage well.
Add your cooked tempeh + hemp seeds to your bowl.
Mix ingredients (mash the avocado around so it evenly covers the greens) & ENJOY!

To soy or not-to-soy....what are your personal thoughts on this topic?

xoxo