Tempeh Avocado Salad

This metabolism-supporting salad helps keep you energised and satisfied all day. This layered power salad showcases how to create a balanced plate: start by making your vegetables the base (aiming for about ½ the meal), then add your protein and slow-releasing carbohydrate in equal portions (about ¼ of the meal each), and finish with a small amount of protective fats. You can also include a gut-supportive addition: here we’ve added sauerkraut for a boost of fermented goodness, and the cooked then cooled sweet potato adds resistant starch.

Ingredients (2 servings)

Base:

• 4 big handfuls kale & baby spinach

Tempeh:

• 200g tempeh, cubed
• 2 Tbsp gochujang BBQ sauce

Roasted sweet potato:

• 1 medium sweet potato, cubed
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Salt + paprika

Avocado drizzle dressing:

• 1 ripe avocado
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp water (to thin)
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Note: Dressing makes 2 servings

Finishing touches:

• 2 tbsp sauerkraut
• ¼ cup edamame
• Extra lemon wedge (optional)

Method:

1. Roast the sweet potato: Preheat oven to 200°C. Toss sweet potato cubes with olive oil, salt, and paprika. Roast for 25–30 minutes, until golden and soft inside.

2. Cook the tempeh. Heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add tempeh cubes and cook until golden. Add BBQ sauce. Cook until edges are crispy and caramelised (about 6–8 minutes).

3. Make the avocado dressing: Blend the avocado with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, garlic powder, and a splash of water. Aim for a smooth, drizzle-able consistency.

4. Assemble the power plate: Start with a base of leafy greens. Add roasted sweet potato, crispy tempeh, spoon on sauerkraut, edamame beans, and drizzle avocado dressing generously over the top. Finish with seeds and extra lemon if desired