healthlifeblog: TMT Pita. Tempeh. Mache. Tomato. The Vegan BLT.

Somewhere between sixteen layers salads and extravagant veggie burgers and sandwiches I forgot about one of the best and simplest sandwiches out there. Here's my makeover of the American classic, the BLT.

My TMT is Not Your Dad's BLT. To me, this pita tastes like summer. The flavors? Cheddar Tempeh. Mache. Tomato. Serve it with some ice cold iced tea and consider it a summer vacation on a plate. The recipe ahead...

My TMT. You may know this recipe as the BLT (Bacon Lettuce and Tomato). But I've given it healthy vegan makeover. More nutrients, less bad stuff and more veggie flavor! End result: The TMT. Tempeh. Mache. Tomato. A bit of melted vegan cheddar cheese, Dijon mustard, fresh pepper and vegenaise.

TMT. The first ingredient in a TMT is the tempeh. I use a simple agave-pepper saute and melt on some Follow Your Heart brand cheddar cheese. Here's my tempeh recipe:

Easy Agave Cheddar Tempeh 'Not-Bacon'
vegan

1/2 block tempeh, sliced into thin strips
*About the size of a deck of cards makes about 7 thin strips.
1 Tbsp agave syrup
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp apple cider or white vinegar
1/4 cup veggie broth
fresh ground black pepper
a few dashes of salt
Cheese: Vegan Cheddar
*I used follow your heart brand cheese because it melts really well and tastes sharp and bold.

To Make:
Turn saute pan on high.
Add oil and vinegar.
Add tempeh.
When pan starts to sizzle, add veggie broth and cover pan with lid.
Steam should start to fill the inside of the pan cooking the tempeh through.
Uncover and drizzle the agave on top of the tempeh.
Sprinkle the salt and a few grinds of pepper on the tempeh as well.
Turn heat on medium.
Flip tempeh strips. Bottom should be light brown and crisp.
Cover pan again and saute for a few minutes.
If needed add more veggie broth to prevent burning or drying out your tempeh.
Crisp, not burnt is the ideal tempeh.
Once both sides are browned add thin slices of cheese and an ice cube to the pan.
Cover immediately.
The steam from the ice will melt the cheese quickly.
Remove tempeh from heat and allow cheese to cool and harden on the hot tempeh.
Grind more pepper on the tempeh before the cheese firms up.

Now the tempeh is ready for the TMT recipe....

TMT Pita. Tempeh. Mache. Tomato.
vegan

2-4 mini whole wheat pita pockets
*or 1-2 large pitas
Agave Cheddar Tempeh 'Not-Bacon'
1 cup mache lettuce
1 medium tomato, slices thick
2 Tbsp dijon mustard
1 Tbsp vegenaise
generous fresh pepper

Easy Assembly Steps:
1. Slice pitas in half.
Toast pitas.

2. Add mustard and vegenaise to inside of pitas

3. Add tomato slices.

4. Add tempeh strips.

5. Stuff in mache. As mush as you can cram into all the crevices!

6. Grind in some fresh black pepper.

Enjoy! Serve with a tall glass of iced tea and a side of soy crisps of natural root veggie chips. Light bite full of nutrients, protein, fiber and vitamins.

You can also make this on regular bread, but the pita pockets allow for more of that delicious and healthy mache to get crammed inside the pita!