(photo taken by Venus Martinez)
This recipe was a combination of a few, but I truly made it my own by adding my own seasonings and choosing Tempeh as my protein source.
Marinara Sauce
1lb. (12 oz. can) of Diced Tomatoes, drained, but reserving the liquid
3 cloves of garlic
Handful of basil leaves
1/2 tsp. Red Pepper flakes
Salt n Pepper to taste
-Blend ingredients together in food processor, pour in a bowl and set aside.
Tempeh & Roasted Red Pepper Filling
1 block of Tempeh (I chose garden veggie, but use whatever is your favorite), finely chopped
(should resemble ground meat)
1 jar of Roasted Red Peppers, drained & diced
1 medium Sweet Onion, diced
1-2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
Handful of Parsley, finely chopped
1/2 c. Breadcrumbs, unseasoned
The reserved tomato juice from can
Salt and Pepper to taste
2-3 Tbsp. EVOO
-Add EVOO to a skillet on Medium heat, saute onion and garlic (5 mins.), until translucent
-Add Roasted Red Peppers, saute for another 5 mins.
-Add Tempeh and remaining tomato juice and cook down until liquid has almost evaporated
-Add Parsley, bread crumbs, and seasonings and cook for an additional 2-3 mins.
-Take off of heat and cover to keep warm
Swiss Chard Leaves
8-10 Swiss Chard Leaves, red stems cut off, and carefully remove the rib from back of leaves
(helps to roll the leaves easier) *Note: I actually left on the stalk, so that I could use that as my handle when placing the leaf into the boiling water. Then cut them off once ready to roll the leaves*
6 cups of water
Plate with towels for draining & drying
-Once all leaves are prepared and washed
-Bring the water to a boil in a large pasta pot
-Place one chard leaf in at a time 50-60 secs. (it doesn't take too long to get them soft), then place on the towels to dry off. Repeat with the remaining leaves until finished.
-Remove stems if needed once cooled off
-Preheat Oven to 375 degrees.
-Now you're ready to rock n roll!!
Preparing Dish-->
-Coat the bottom of the casserole dish with some of the marinara sauce
-Begin with placing about 2 tbsp. of the Tempeh filling onto one side of the leaf, roll over once, then tuck in the sides of the leaf and finish rolling. Place in dish and repeat with the remaining leaves until complete.
-Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the entire dish and cover with your favorite cheese blends.
(I used shredded mozzarella and freshly grated parmesan cheese and added some basil too!)
-Place foil loosely over the dish and bake for 40 mins.
-Take off foil after the 40 mins. and place back into oven to melt the cheese until bubbling
-And enjoy with a slice of rustic bread and a nice glass of wine!
(Photo taken by Venus Martinez)
