Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage with Apples and Tempeh

Adapted from Vegetarian Times
Serves 6

1 8-oz package tempeh, cubed small
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon tamari
2 large sweet-tart apples, such as Gala, Idared, or Rome, peeled and sliced
1 large red onion, chopped
2 pounds red cabbage, cored, quartered, and thinly sliced (8 cups)
1/2 cup apple cider or apple juice
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
3 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Add tempeh and sauté 5 minutes, or until browned. Stir in tamari and 1/3 cup water. Simmer 5 minutes, or until liquid has absorbed, stirring occasionally. Scrape into a bowl and set aside.
2. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add apples and onion and sauté about 10 minutes. Stir in cabbage, cider, vinegar, and brown sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low, and partially cover skillet. Cook about 30 minutes, or until cabbage is tender, stirring occasionally. Add more apple juice or water if it gets dry. Season with salt and pepper, stir in tempeh, and heat through.

Tempeh is a cultured (fermented) food and this makes it easier to digest. The fermentation process eliminates the substance in the beans that cause gas and indigestion (oligosaccharides) and it also gets rid of some questionable inhibitors (trypsin inhibitors and phytates) that are part of soy. It adds some important vitamins as well. Unlike tofu, tempeh is a whole food; nothing is discarded from the soybeans.

Tempeh is rich in protein. Tempeh is comparable to chicken in terms of quantity and quality of protein but has no cholesterol.