Lalibela Farm Tempeh!!
(please scroll down for recipes)
Tempeh is a traditional Indonesian food made by a natural fermentation process of soybeans. Our tempeh provides a unique, rich source of (LOCAL!) vegetarian protein that contains a huge list of essential nutrients including B-vitamins, which is hard to find in vegetarian/vegan foods. The fermentation process breaks down the soybeans into an easily digestible food that has a meaty texture and a slightly mushroomy-nutty flavor.
For vegans and vegetarians, tempeh is a great alternative to heavily processed vegetarian proteins, as it is much easier for your body to digest because of the natural fermentation process, as well as being made from whole beans- it is very close to it's whole-food form.
Our Tempeh is made from whole organic soybeans grown by Henry Perkins at Bull Ridge Farm in Albion, Maine. Henry grows MOFGA certified organic soybeans and sunflowers (to name a few)and has just started making his organic sunflower oil available commercially!! Thank you Henry!!!
We will have different varieties of Tempeh available in the future: Soy (all soybean, which we currently have), Multi-Grain (grain & soybean), and possibly a Non-Soy (made with a different type of maine grown bean).
We hope to create awareness of this valuable, local, organic, vegetarian protein source!
PRESS:
Check out this wonderful article written by Avery Yale Kamila in the Portland Press Herald about Lalibela Farm Tempeh: Thanks Avery! http://pressherald.mainetoday.com/story.php?id=290850&ac=Food
Our friend, Brad Bowman writes a wonderful food blog called Cornucopasetic. He included our Tempeh in a recent blog: http://mazirian.blogspot.com/ (see the October 23, 2009 entry) Thanks Brad!
Another friend of ours, Meg Wolff, who is an author and has a macrobiotic food blog mentioned us in her October 25, 2009 writing: http://http://www.becomingwhole.typepad.com/ Thanks Meg!!
Buy from us direct at the Farmer's Market:
From December to April, find us at: 1) the Brunswick Winter Market at the
and 2) the Portland Winter Market at 85 Free St. in Portland, Saturdays from 10am-1pm
From April to November, come to our booth at the: Portland Farmer's Market in Deering Oaks Park on Saturdays from 7am to 12pm, and in Monument Square on Wednesdays from 7am-2pm.
You can also find it at the following stores and restaurants:
Rising Tide Food Co-op in Damariscotta
Morning Glory Natural Foods in
Bruce's Burrito's in
Rosemont Market and Market in
O'Naturals in
North Star Cafe in
Rosemont Market and Bakery on
Green Elephant Vegetarian Bistro in
Lois' Natural Marketplace in
New Morning Natural Foods in Kennebunk
Good Life Market in Raymond
Axis Natural Foods in
Nezinscot Farm Store in Turner (coming soon!)
Mofga's Farmer to Farmer Conference 2009 in
Farmer's Fare in Rockport
Fresh Off The Farm in Rockport (coming soon!)
Belfast Co-op in
Blue Hill Co-op in Blue Hill (coming soon!)
Cleonice Mediterranean Bistro in Ellsworth
A & B Naturals in
also available through: Crown of
Please check back for added retailers and restaraunts that will have it!
To order Tempeh directly, please email us at lalibelafarm@yahoo.com.
Our Tempeh is available at wholesale pricing in case amounts (6 lbs per case). Minimum order is one case.
We offer retail-ready packaging in 8oz sizes or 1 lb bulk sizes for restaurants.
Please email us to inquire about wholesale prices: lalibelafarm@yahoo.com
If you are beyond our delivery area (from Dresden south to Portland, and from Dresden east to Damariscotta) and would like to purchase our Tempeh wholesale, please contact Crown of Maine Organic Cooperative for ordering!
(note: we are vegan, so all of our suggested recipes are vegan, and can certainly be adjusted to your dietary liking!)
From Gem Cultures... (where our Tempeh Starter comes from)
Tempeh Tacos
Crumble up your Tempeh and add it to a small amount of oil in a skillet, cook untill browned. Add some cumin and chili powder to taste and cook for about 2 more minutes.
Prepare hot taco shells and fill with shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, salsa, and crumbled Tempeh!
Tempeh Reuben (oh yeah!!)
A 1/2 inch thick patty of Tempeh can be skillet toasted and seasoned to taste. (A splash of Tamari alone is great)
Place the Tempeh on your favorite Rye Bread (toasted), and top with a layer of hot, well drained sauerkraut (we like Thiry Acre Farm's Sauerkraut the best...you can buy it here... http://www.thirtyacrefarm.com/culturedfoods.htm).
Top with vegan Thousand Island dressing or your favorite mustard! Yum
From How It All Vegan by Tanya Barnard and Sarah Kramer:
Faux Chicken Salad
Ingredients:
1 Cup Tempeh, cubed
1/2 cup Veganaise (or mayo)
1 stalk Celery, finely chopped
1 medium (Thiry Acre Farm) Dill Pickle, finley chopped
1/2 medium Onion, chopped
2 Tbspn fresh Parsley, minced
2 tsp prepared mustard (dijon)
2 tsp Tamari (soy sauce)
1 Garlic clove, crushed and minced
Directions:
Steam (or browned with a little oil) the cubed Tempeh for 15 minutes on med-high heat. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. In a medium bowl, combine the vegenaise, celery, pickles, onions, parsley, mustard, Tamari, and garlic with the Tempeh and toss lightly.
Serve over toast, as a side dish, as a sandwich filling, or alone. Makes 2-4 servings
From www.recipezaar.com:
Barbequed Tempeh
Recipe Ingredients;
1 lb (2 packages) Tempeh, cut into 1/2 inch-wide strips
2 Tbspn Olive Oil
1 small yellow onion, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tspns peeled and mince fresh ginger
1 (14oz.) can (or fresh) crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup unsulphured molasses
1 Tbspn Dijon mustard
3 Tbspn tamari
1 Tbpsn vinegar
1/8 tspn cayenne
Directions:
Place the Tempeh in a medium sized saucepan with water to cover, bring to a simmer, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain the Tempeh and pat dry. Set aside.
Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Add the Tempeh and cook, turning until browed on both sides, about 5 minutes total. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Add the onion, garlic, and ginger to the skillet, cover and cook, stirring a few times, until softened, about 5 minutes.
Stir in the tomatoes, molasses, mustard, tamari, vinegar and cayenne and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring occasionally, to thicken the sauce slightly and develop the flavors, about 15 minutes.
Return the Tempeh to the sauce and cook for 10 minutes longer, then serve.
From The Tempeh Shop (www.tempehshop.com)
Total servings: 4
Recipe ingredients
8 oz Tempeh, cubed
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 cups coconut milk
2 Tbs oil
1 onion, sliced
2 green chili, sliced
1 small red chili, sliced
2 tsp honey
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
4 cups cooked rice
Directions
Heat a wok and add the oil. Add onion, coriander, garlic, red chili and sauté for 1 minute.
Add the coconut milk together with the tempeh, green chili, bay leaf and honey. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove bay leave.
Serve over rice.
Tempeh Cashew Noodles
1 cup cashews
8 ounces Tempeh cut in small chunks
1/ 2 medium onion, chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves
4 tablespoons Tamari
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon chili paste, to taste
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
1 ( 8 7/8 ounce) package udon noodles
16 oz. Tempeh
3 Tbspn olive oil
1 tspn sea salt
(I included this recipe because it is close to its traditional Indonesian preparation...this is a recipe that will allow the earthy flavor of Tempeh to be enjoyed)
The following 2 recipes were submitted by our friend, Kathy Coleman...they sound delicious!!!! Thanks Kathy!!
Coconut Thai Tempeh
Ingredients:
1 onion - chopped
4 garlic cloves - chopped
1 bunch of fresh cilantro - chopped (leave a little for final garnish) 1
half inch piece of fresh garlic = diced
2 tbs. virgin olive oil
2 tsp green curry paste
2 cups of fresh chopped veggies-spinach, kale, collards, sweet potatoes,
carrots (whatever you like or have available)
2 tbsp frsh lemon juice
4 tbsp brown rice vinegar
Seasonings- thai herbs, curry powder, lemongrass
14 oz can of Lite coconut milk
1 cup veggie broth
1 package Lalibela Farm Tempeh
Cook all ingredients in a skillet
Heat skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, cut tempeh into
thin rectangles of 1 in x 2 in and brown on each side until golden and put
aside in separate bowl. In same skillet, add 1 tbsp of additional olive
oil and "sweat" onions, garlic and ginger. Add coconut milk, broth, rice
vinegar, lemon juice, green curry paste and stir well for 2 minutes and
turn heat down to low. Add the veggies, seasonings, herbs and cilantro
until veggies are al dente and cilantro is slightly wilted. Mix well and
when mixture is heated , add the browned tempeh and stir. Season with sea
salt and pepper. Garnish with cilantro and serve. It's delicious
(Note: for non-vegans,could use organic chicken broth and add 4 tbsp of
fish oil to the mixture if desired.)
Easy, Breezy Salsa Tempeh
Ingredients: (all veggies chopped/diced) 1 Onion, 1 green pepper, 5 garlic
cloves, 1 bunch of cilantro (save some for a garnish), 1 32 oz. bottle of
organic salsa( mild, medium or hot, whatever desired) and 1 package of
Lalibela Farm Tempeh-cubed or thinly sliced into squares or rectangles. 2
tbsp of virgin olive oil.
In a skillet with medium heat, brown tempeh on all sides and set aside in
a separate bowl. In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp of olive oil and sweat
the veggies.Lower the heat. Add the salsa and chopped cilantro and mix
well until evenly heated over low heat. Add the browned tempeh, heat
mixture thoroughly. Garnish and serve. It takes about 15 minutes and it's
healthy, hardy. So good! Makes a quick meal with a small green salad and
corn chips! Yummy
-"Thank you so much for a delicious source of protein and fiber. The
consistency holds up firmly.It's great to have a locally made product.
Stay tuned for more recipes because this tempeh is so easy to work with!
With appreciation, Kathy Coleman"
Have a favorite Tempeh Recipe? Please let us know how you like to prepare your recipe, and we'll add it to our list!