lentil and tempeh stroganoff

stroganoff is one of those dishes i never had growing up... so my recipe mimics what i *think* it should taste like. luckily, i had a another tester who agreed that it was pretty similar to the traditional one. i've been on a major tempeh kick lately. i don't purchase it that often since it can become a costly ingredient, but i recently made my own homemade batch and have been swooning over some new recipe ideas.

• 8 oz. tempeh
• 1¼ veggie broth
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1¼ tablespoon lemon juice, divided
• 1½ cups cooked green lentils
• 1/2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 6 oz. silken tofu
• 2+ tablespoons reserved marinade

first break tempeh into smaller strips or cubes and steam for 12 minutes. mix vegetable broth, garlic and onion powders, paprika, black pepper and 3/4 tablespoons lemon juice in a flat bottom bowl or dish. marinate the steamed tempeh for several hours (at least 2).

after tempeh has marinated, drain and reserve liquid. in the magic bullet or food processor, combine tofu, apple cider vinegar, the rest of lemon juice and two tablespoons of reserved marinade. pulse until tofu mixture is thick and creamy... if needed, add a little more marinade by the teaspoon.

heat olive oil in skillet on medium and add cooked lentils. sauté until they start to brown and get a little crunchy, much like a lentil hash. after crunchy bits have formed, add in rest of the marinade broth (at least 1 cup) and simmer on low for 2-3 minutes. do not let all the liquid evaporate. finally, kick heat up just a notch and add in the creamy tofu mixture. cook for approximately 2-3 minutes, until it's a nice stroganoff consistency (like a thick gravy).

server over flat pasta noodles, or brown rice.