Hearty Vegan Pasta, Beef n' Tempeh

I experimented with some ingredients with the intention to make a hearty and filling vegan pasta recipe and the results were amazing! Vegan or not, you'll enjoy this easy to make multi-grain, protein packed and flavorful dish.

Ingredients:

1 box or package of whole-wheat or whole-grain pasta (any shape)

1 package of 3-grain tempeh (I got mine from Trader Joes)

¼ package (or really as much as you would like) of vegan ground beef crumbles (soy-free and made from pea protein... The kind I used was the brand "Beyond Meat" found at a health-food supermarket) 

1 jar of marinara sauce (dairy free)

1 can of stewed tomatoes

Mixed seasoning blend (I used Trader Joes 21 Seasoning Salute, some of the ingredients include: onion, celery seed, cayenne pepper, bay leaf, oregano, thyme, savory, rosemary, cumin, garlic, carrot, orange peel, tomato, lemon juice & citric acid; a quick and appropriate addition to many recipes)

3 tablespoons of garlic

1 Tablespoon of lemon juice

Olive oil

Directions:

Boil a pot of water and add pasta to soften for about 10-15 minutes until well cooked.

While pasta is cooking, fill a frying pan with ½ inch of olive oil until it simmers. Dice your tempeh and add into the olive oil. Allow to brown on both sides. Add stewed tomatoes, mixed seasonings, lemon juice, and vegan ground beef into the pan. Mix thoroughly and allow to cook on low heat.

Once pasta is fully cooked, strain in a colander and mix thoroughly with frying pan mixture in a large bowl. Add marinara sauce and enjoy! Serves about 4.