It’s October 7, and the temperature outside is about 75°F. That’s kind of crazy. I thought about heading down to the beach and going surfing, but instead I stayed home and cooked fall recipes. Who knows what next week will be like, but I’m guessing it’ll still be warm enough for me to hit the water. Or, it could be like 40°F by then. Everything is up in the air these days.
I stayed inside today—even though New Jersey Veg Fest was happening right down the street!—to finish up a recipe I’ve been pondering and testing all week. Despite the weather, Starbucks tells me it’s fall and I’ve taken its cue by working with some seasonal ingredients. Last week’s Coffee Scones with Maple Glaze were the start of it, and this week, I’m back at it again like Damn Daniel with the maple syrup. This time, I’m bringing pumpkin, too.
Tacos always remind me of summer. And since it still feels like that outside, I figured I’d keep the vibe alive and while also focusing on fall. Enter these Fall Tacos with Maple Tempeh and Pumpkin Crema. They have all the trappings of a crisp autumn day, and you can still carry them around like you were getting them from a food truck at the beach. The maple tempeh is smoky and sweet, while the pumpkin crema is a little tart. And the roasted vegetables in the middle provide a nice bridge between two extremes.
This recipe is full of flavor and I’m very happy with it. I think you will be, too. So please give it a try if you’re looking for something new and fun, and take some photos! Tag them #nutfreevegan on social media so I can check them out. I’d really love to know what you think after you’ve tried these.
Fall Tacos with Maple Tempeh and Pumpkin Crema
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. maple syrup
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- ¼ tsp. liquid smoke
- 1 8-oz. package tempeh
- 3 large carrots peeled and julienned
- 1 medium red onion sliced
- 3 Tbsp. vegan butter melted
- 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
- 3 cups kale stemmed and chopped
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 cup vegan sour cream
- 2 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine maple syrup, garlic powder and liquid smoke. Stir until mixed thoroughly.
- Crumble tempeh into bowl and stir until fully mixed. Spread out into a single layer on baking sheet.
- Mix butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add carrots and onions and toss to coat. Spread out into a single layer on baking sheet.
- Place both baking sheets in oven and bake for 20 minutes, stirring both dishes every 5 minutes. Cook longer if needed.
- While the other ingredients bake, place kale in a large bowl. Top with oil and salt and massage for 2 minutes.
- Stir together sour cream, pumpkin and cinnamon.
- Build tacos and top with pumpkin crema.
Notes
Nutrition
Do you buy your vegan sour cream or make it?
I looked all over for some for a different recepie last week and couldn’t find any. :/
Jessica, I use store-bought sour cream—usually Tofutti or Follow Your Heart, depending on which grocery store I’m in. I haven’t looked for recipes online recently, but I recall finding a few on Pinterest. I think they all had nuts in them though, which is why I stopped looking. Hmm, maybe I’ll try to work on this for a future post 🙂
Thank you. Now I know what to keep an eye out for. I know some stores that carry those brands, just not the sour cream. Maybe I’ll ask if they can order some.
I tried making one of the Pinterest ones nut free but trading those darn cashews for sunflower seeds (I heard they are a good sub) but I couldn’t get it to smooth out. And it definitely was very sunflowery in flavor
I suspected some of the Pinterest ones might be that way. That’s why I usually go store-bought.
Asking for it at your local grocer is a great idea. I’ve seen that work for several products in the past, so it can’t hurt!