That depends entirely on your nutritional, and in particular, your protein requirements.  As a rule of thumb, tempeh can replace any animal protein source, like for like.  A 200g pack will serve two as the basis of a burger or a shepherdess pie, for example. 

If protein is your thing – say, for example, you are looking to build muscle – then take a nutritionist’s advice. 

Tempeh is low in fat, but still very satisfying, so learn to listen to what your body is telling you, but don’t be afraid to include it in more meals.

In the days when we began, even soya milk was a really niche product, and we were able to source organic beans from farms we knew and had direct relationships with.  Gradually, as demand for soya beans grew, larger producers began forward-buying whole crops.  From that point we have bought on the open market, via brokers we have dealt with for many years and trust.  Most of the time we are able to buy Canadian beans, and occasionally Austrian or Italian.  We try to buy from these areas whenever we can (and that is most of the time) but on occasion stock will not be available, and we will only be offered Chinese beans.  This is only ever a choice when there is no other choice, and it’s rare, but it does happen.  Likewise, we try to buy white hilum beans (the little ‘smile’ at the end of the bean is the same colour as the bean, and therefore invisible in the final product).  Occasionally, and if no other stock is available, we will buy brown hilum, which will result in small brown speckles occasionally appearing in the end product.  There is no nutritional or taste difference… just a slightly different look.

 

Well you can….. but we don’t recommend it, and honestly, I don’t think you’re getting the best out of your tempeh if you do.  It won’t harm you either, though, so the choice is yours.

 

We only buy organic beans, and with each batch we  are also sent a GMO free declaration as part of the Organic certification process for those beans.

We are also Organically certified, and the traceability of all our raw ingredients, and their GMO free status is audited annually.

 

Tempeh is a mycelium which produces seeds.  All the time it is growing, it is producing fine, white, hyphae, which is what you see binding the beans together.  Most of the time they remain white, but there are some changes in the incubation process which can make the tempeh feel threatened, and as a result, decide to start forming its seeds (sporulating, to the fungal-afficionados).  These seeds or spores, are dark, and if tempeh feels a draught, or has been in the incubator for slightly longer than it feels necessary, then it will begin to produce these patches of seed.  These grey or back spots or patches are entirely a natural part of the tempeh process, and do not indicate spoilage, although they can look a little alarming to the uninitiated!

The ‘wonky’ tempeh we sell is, in general, tempeh that has  a slightly larger area of sporulation than we feel is visually appealing.  Although we did have one Indonesian gentleman who rang us up with a request for really dark tempeh…. it’s all a matter of taste.