Two Brands of Tempeh (tofu’s groovy cousin!)

Tempeh is an Indonesian food made by fermenting organic soybeans (this brand does not use soybeans from rainforests). It’s then blended with water and a live culture, to produce a food that has more protein than tofu, and more fibre than brown bread.

You can freeze tempeh for up to 3 months, then chop it up to use in favourite recipes, without meat. Like tofu, it’s not flavoured, but most brands offer pre-marinated flavoured chunks that you can just throw in recipes.

Before cooking, read up on food safety for people and pets (many foods are unsafe for children, pregnancy/nursing and animal friends).

Just bin acidic scraps that could harm compost creatures (rhubarb, citrus, tomato and alliums – onion, garlic, shallots, leeks, chives). For tinned ingredients, fully remove lid or pop ring-pull over holes before recycling, to avoid wildlife getting trapped.

Tempeh is made from whole soybeans that are fermented into a firm block. You can often see the beans inside. It tastes nutty and savoury, with a hearty bite that holds up in sandwiches and bowls. Because it’s fermented, some people find it easier to digest than other beans, and it tends to have a deeper, more “umami” flavour.

Tiba Tempeh is a popular food brand sold in most groceries and supermarkets, of an Indonesian staple food that looks and tastes like meat (but isn’t) and ideal to ramp up your curries and stir-fries. The brand was created after tasting it while on holiday, and now sells nationwide.

To cook, just slice or dice the tempeh and pan-fry in a little oil to fry for around 5 minutes, until golden brown. You can alternatively coat it with a little oil, and bake in the oven for around 15 minutes.

Plant-Based Mince is ideal for your spaghetti bolognese, lasagne or chilli non carne!

Tiba Tempeh also offers pre-flavoured pieces like Chilli or Curry (ideal for stir-fries, tacos, wraps and salads).

Smoky BBQ Burgers can be cooked on the grill or BBQ, serve in a bun with salad & sauce)

Better Nature Organic Tempeh

Better Nature is a another popular brand, created by four friends. One is an Indonesian who even did a thesis on the benefits of tempeh, and the other three then got on board to offer their skills.

This company is planet-positive. This means that it has a very low carbon footprint (no ingredients are air-freighted), and is also ‘plastic-neutral’ meaning any plastic used (which can be recycled) is also offset. Plus it also uses profits to donate to a charity that uses tempeh to tackle malnutrition in Indonesia.