August 30th, 2011:

Since lowering my meat intake I have been trying to get more creative when it comes to making dinner. I am good at meatless breakfasts and lunches but for some reason dinner is hard for me. Since I am pretty much useless at creating my own recipes without something to follow I have been searching Mama Pea’s Vegan blog and cookbook to help come up with some creative veggie meals.

On the menu for dinner tonight was her tamale pie. As always I was very nervous while making this that Lew wouldn’t like it. Sure Lew likes tamales and even likes tempeh, but he doesn’t like onions, pinto beans or really anything out of the ordinary for dinner. However, Lew told me he will try anything so we tried it. And I like it! A lot! LB and Daisy even liked it. But Lew, not so much…oh well that just means more for me.

After picking his brain and trying to figure out what he didn’t like we decided it was the black eyed peas (which I substituted for the beans because he likes black eyed peas but he said they were too much like beans in this recipe). He is also weird about anything that should be savory having a hint of sweetness. This recipe calls for maple syrup in the filling and in the crust. I am thinking that is the main reason for him not liking it.

Anyway, I liked it and I hope you will too.

(I am eliminating most meats from my diet for digestive reasons and still plan to eat meat on occasion. I think this recipe would be good using ground beef or turkey in place of the tempeh.)

Tempeh Tamale Pie

(I made a few changes in the recipe. Make sure to check out the original recipe here.)

• 1/2 large onion chopped
• 8 oz. organic wild rice tempeh
• 2 tsp. minced garlic
• palmful of cumin
• sprinkle Mrs. Dash chipotle seasoning
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tsp. red wine vinegar
• 1 tsp. pure maple syrup
• 14 oz. tomato sauce
• 15 oz. can black eyed peas; drained

Crust

• 2/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 Tbs. pure maple syrup
• 2 Tbs. organic unsweetened applesauce
• 1 cup frozen corn; thawed
• 1/3 cup shredded mexican style cheese

Cook onion in butter or olive oil 4-5 minutes

Crumble tempeh into skillet with onion. It is easiest to do this using a grater so all the tempeh crumbles are the same size.

Saute the tempeh and onion for 3 minutes. Then add garlic, seasonings, salt, vinegar, maple syrup, tomato sauce and peas.

Simmer for 5 minutes to let ingredients marry together.

Spread into greased casserole dish.

In small bowl combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder and salt. In separate bowl combine milk, maple syrup and applesauce. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients then fold in corn.

Top tempeh mixture with cornbread mixture and top with cheese.

Bake on 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until crust in cooked through. Let casserole sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!