Air fried tempeh

Fiona Staunton • Oct 03, 2023

Tasty, nutritious protein dish, a great source of phytoestrogens

I am excited to share this new recipe, ideal for World Menopause Month. Air- fried tempeh.

It has become my go-to phytoestrogen-rich protein source lately.

I bought a basic air fryer to allow the kids to make homemade chips or cook food quickly themselves without turning on the whole oven. It is great as it uses very little energy and cooking oil and cooks small portions quickly, however, you need to add lots of flavour as otherwise food can be bland.

So, organic soy is an excellent source of plant-based protein and phytoestrogens, ideal for perimenopause and menopause. Tofu is made from soy milk and tempeh is fermented whole soybeans. You can tempeh it in jars, fresh or frozen, mostly in a health food shop. If you know me well you know I love edamame, which are baby soy beans.

Here is my recipe, I hope you enjoy it. I will be including it in my upcoming 6-week cooking course for perimenopause and beyond.

This recipe is naturally gluten free and vegan. I like this crispy tempeh on its own as a snack or as a meal with salads currys, stir fries, soups and more. Once you try it you will be addicted! It takes only 5 mins to prep, ideally leave it to marinade for 10 mins and then 15mins to cook so that is 25 mins all together! Watch the video on instagram.

Ingredients Serves 4

200g tempeh sliced into 2 cm cubes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tbsp liquid aminos or soy sauce
2 tsp Chinese 5 spice mix (keep 1 tsp to serve)
1/4 tsp salt

Method

Place tempeh into a mixing bowl.
Add remaining ingredients & toss to coat.
Allow to marinate for 10 minutes.
Preheat air fryer to 200ºC.
Brush the tray of the air fryer with olive oil so that it will not stick.
Place the marinated tempeh in one single layer in your air fryer basket or tray.
Air fry for 15 mins, shaking the tray half way through.
Top with the 2nd tsp Chinese five spice & enjoy.

Variations: You can use whatever spices you like, e.g. smoked paprika, cajun spices, garlic powder or chilli. If you don't have an air fryer, simply use frying pan with a little more oil.

Serving suggestion: Serve with salad or as a snack. It can be added to soups, curry, noodle bowls, wraps etc

Note: An organic firm tempeh is best for this recipe. Each 100g tempeh contains 17g protein. This is available in all health food shops and some supermarkets. Check the freezer section!