Guest Post: Italian Vegetable Bowl

Hi to all of Max's readers. I'm Ashlei and I blog over at the Vegster. Max and I have very similar eating styles and he always has great ideas for meals with lots of variety. I love cooking but at the same time I love simple meals I can easily throw together. I love Italian food and tomato sauce which was my inspiration for this meal. It's basically a vegetable and protein bowl topped with tomato sauce and lots of dried herbs. Italian Tempeh Vegetable Bowl

• 1 block of tempeh, cut into slices or cubes
• zucchini, chopped
• onion, chopped
• eggplant, sliced
• garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce (canned or homemade)
• coconut oil
• dried herbs
• optional: shredded cheese

Heat a medium sized pan over medium-low heat. Add about a teaspoon of coconut oil to the pan and add in the onions and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes until they start to turn translucent. Add in the rest of the vegetables and the tempeh and cook about 10 minutes until browned. While the vegetables are cooking, heat the tomato sauce over medium low heat until heated through. When the tempeh and vegetables are done, place in a bowl and pour the heated tomato sauce over top. Top with dried herbs and shredded cheese, if desired. I like to use basil, thyme, oregano and black pepper, or alternatively herbs de provence. Feel free to use another protein source instead of the tempeh. Tofu, chicken, ground turkey or beef would work really well also. Enjoy!