How is everyone’s weekend going so far? Mine has been busy, busy!! Friday evening after work I went to an outside spin class hosted by Sweat, Cycle, and Soul at Lululemon with Erin and Joanna.
Photo courtesy of Erin.
And don’t we just look awesome in this picture? Yes, this was after the class! 😉
I was a little afraid that it was going to be extra brutal since it was in the upper 80’s on Friday, but luckily by the time the 6:00 class rolled around we were in the shade and there was a nice breeze. It was definitely still tough, but fun!
Yesterday I was on the go go go! I went to the gym, grocery shopped, cleaned my apartment, did laundry, blogged, read, and went to dinner with Erin. It was a busy but great day!
I also partook in a beer last night, which I drank by myself. But it was totally justified because it was National Drink Beer Day! I had to celebrate, right? 😉
And that brings us to today. Spin class and an incline treadmill power walk are already in the books. Now it is time to catch up on blogging, reading and TV watching. Oh, and maybe a nap if I have time, too! But before I get to all of that, I want to share a super tasty recipe with you.
I think it is pretty safe to say that I have not eaten a chicken nugget in several years. Do I miss the taste of them? Not one bit! But what I do miss about chicken nuggets is dipping them in all sorts of yummy condiments (ketchup, mustard, and/or bbq sauce), and the fact that they are a finger food. I think there is also a bit of nostalgia associated with chicken nuggets, too. I definitely think of my childhood when I think of them. They were, after all, one of my favorite school lunches growing up.
But, I am SO over chicken! 😉 As a result, I decided to make a vegan version of nuggets using tempeh that could just as easily be eaten with my hands and dipped in lots of yummy sauces, like the “adult” ketchup that I am about to share with you. It is time to make some tempeh nuggets!
Ingredients
For the Tempeh “Chicken” Nuggets:
1 8 oz block of tempeh, cubed (I cut mine into 24 pieces)
1/4 cup Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or low-sodium soy sauce)
1/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs + 1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
fine sea salt, a few sprinkles
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp paprika
EVOO cooking spray
For the Sriracha Ketchup:
2 TB ketchup
1/2 to 1 tsp of sriracha sauce (depending on how spicy you want it)
Directions
1. Marinate tempeh cubes in the Bragg’s Liquid Aminos in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray baking sheet with EVOO cooking spray.
3. Heat tempeh over medium heat in an EVOO sprayed pan (or you could use oil) for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until cooked through. Turn the tempeh throughout the cooking time in order to slightly brown all sides.
4. Let the tempeh cool for at least 20 minutes.
5. Combine the bread crumbs and seasonings to make your bread crumb mix.
6. Bread the tempeh. Dip the tempeh cubes in the almond milk and then into the bread crumb mix until all sides are well-coated.
7. Place the breaded tempeh onto the baking sheet and bake for approximately 25 to 30 minutes, or until the nuggets become golden brown and crispy. Flip the tempeh nuggets once halfway through.
8. Prior to serving, make the spicy ketchup by combining the ketchup and sriracha sauce.
Nice and crispy!
I served my Tempeh “Chicken” Nuggets with a side of roasted green beans. It was a taaaasty meal!
You can bet that these bad boys would taste awesome dipped in Dijon mustard or bbq sauce, too! These will absolutely be making many more appearances on my weekly meal plans, and soon!
Are you a chicken nuggets fan? If so, what do you love about them? Would you try a vegan version?
Have a fabulous rest of your weekend!
