8 Simple Steps to a Grilled Tempeh Sandwich

1. Visit relatives who have grilled tofu and vegetables just for you.  Realize that if you had a grill that worked (instead of the old, crummy charcoal grill in the garage) you could make something like this on your own.
2. On the Fourth of July, go out to buy a grill on sale.  Decide not to mess with charcoal and pick out a gas grill.  Forget you no longer have a family of five and get a big one. 
3. At home, unpack the 100+ parts and spread out on garage floor.  Allow to sit for two years, moving aside to accommodate car when winter comes.
4. Lose manual.
5. Two years later, read many mouthwatering recipes on vegan blogs and wish you had a grill. Resolve to assemble that grill, not matter what, once school is out.  And when we’re back from vacation.  Seriously.  After all, the manual is probably available online, right?
6. Pull out your friend’s tempeh marinade recipe and follow directions.  Make potato salad with old family recipe off the Hellman’s Mayonnaise jar, substituting Trader Joe’s vegan mayo. 
7. When it’s time for dinner, cook the tempeh inside on the griddle.  Reflect that it is, as usual on Memorial Day, dark, cold and about to rain, and that you’d be eating indoors anyway.
8. Create a delicious sandwich and consume indoors with your family.  Enjoy.

Claudia’s Marinade for Grilled Tempeh

• 1/3 cup lemon juice
• 1/2 cup wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 cup, or less, salad oil (note: I used a lot less)
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 TBS black pepper
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 TBS mustard powder

Slice tempeh in half lengthwise and then into halves sideways.  Marinate at least a few hours before grilling.  If you aren’t a total loser, grill outdoors on your grill.  If it’s rainy or all you have is a pancake griddle, this will work well also.

Here’s the potato salad.  Note that I leave the onions in large chunks so I can pick them out at school.  I don’t want to breathe onions on the kids!  I have terrible memories of Mrs. Charleson, my fifth grade teacher… she had the worst breath ever!