Tempeh, Kale and Sweet Potato Skillet

Another recipe from the Annals of Vegan Express. This one jumped out at me while I was flipping through the book because of two things:

1. Kale
2. Sweet potatoes

Those are two of my favorite foods. Of course the problem came with the "tempeh" part and the "curry powder" part of the recipe. I've never really been too crazy about tempeh. I'd tried it prepared at home and prepared out and it just never did much to me. It had a slightly weird taste. I'd eat it, it was okay, but I never went out of my way to prepare it. I actually tried making dishes with it for a while, thinking I'd get used to it or something. It's supposed to be really good for you. Still didn't like it. Tried boiling it first which is supposed to take away some of the bitterness. Still didn't like it. So what on earth possessed me to buy it again a few weeks ago? It was on sale. Only this time, it was Soyboy Tempeh, not the Lightlife Tempeh I'd been trying different varieties of. Well that made all the difference!! I actually *liked* it, and so did the boy, and he's been as indifferent-bordering-on-disliking tempeh as I have. I thought maybe it was a fluke and we were both hungry that day, so this seemed to be a good opportunity to try it again. It was even better this time sauteed in oil with soy sauce. I do still par-boil it, just in case, but mark my words: Soyboy tempeh is infinitely better than Lightlife tempeh.

So what about the curry powder? I'll admit that I've never eaten a curry. I can't get past the smell. I decided to give it a try this time because the boy loves curries, and so I fished out a portion of dinner before adding the curry, then added it, and tried some of that too. It wasn't too bad! The recipe also calls for optional curry paste, but I left that out. I need to start small. I also left out the scallions because of my onion... thing. Served alongside some short grain brown rice, this made a yummy and easy dinner. I did have to improv a bit on the recipe though (haha like that's a problem for me) because at no point does the recipe indicate to add back in the sweet potatoes or tempeh. I figured they weren't meant to be side dishes, so I added them where I saw fit and that will be reflected in the recipe.

Tempeh, Kale and Sweet Potato Skillet

2 Medium Sweet Potatoes, microwaved until tender/firm, then peeled, cut in half, and cut into thick slices
2 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 tbsp tamari
1 8oz package tempeh cut into 1/4" slices
1 bunch of kale, tough stems removed, torn/chopped into bite sized pieces
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 cup cashew pieces

1. In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp oil and tamari. Add the tempeh, toss to coat, and cook until golden and crisp, then remove from the pan.

2. Heat the second tablespoon of oil in the pan and sautee the garlic for a minute or two over low heat until soft.

3. Add the kale and 1/2 cup of water, the canned tomatoes, and the curry powder. Cook for about 10 minutes until the kale is bright green and wilted, but not soggy.

4. Fold in the sweet potatoes, tempeh and cashews and cook until everything is heated through again.