Tempeh and collards soup

This soup was inspired by an Indonesian restaurant in south Philadelphia called Hardena. If you have never been, I highly recommend!

Since I couldn't get the recipe I did my best to attempt to recreate it with my own little spin.

My recipes are meant to be fun and fluid! Therefore the measurement sizes will not be exact. And if you are one of those people that NEED exact measurements for cooking and/or baking this will be perfect practice to give your cooking its own little identity. Feel free to add or take away ingredient portions to whatever you see fit for your taste buds!

Ingredients:

tempeh (I used 2 of the "Lightlife" Tempeh brand blocks)

1 russet potato

1/2 red pepper

1/2 green pepper

1/2 yellow pepper

1/2 white onion

2 celery stalks

2 (16 oz) boxes of vegetable stock

collard greens

portobello mushrooms

asparagus

oregano (to taste)

rosemary (to taste)

parsley (too taste)

olive oil

salt

pepper

Directions:

1. Chop tempeh into cubes (~1" works best in my experience) and asparagus, mushrooms, and potatoes into desirable "bite sized" pieces.

2. Saute tempeh, asparagus, mushrooms, and potatoes in olive oil in the bottom of a big soup pot on medium heat. Add a few pinches of salt and pepper.

3. While the tempeh, asparagus and mushrooms are cooking, chop up collard greens, celery, red, yellow, and green peppers.

4. Add chopped peppers and celery to pot and pour both boxes of vegetable stock in. Let the soup mixture cook on medium high for ~10 minutes.

5. Add salt, pepper, oregano, rosemary, parsley, and any other desired spices into the soup mixture, cover, and let it cook on low for ~ 1 hour.

6. Add collard greens into soup ~3-5 minutes before planning on serving.

7. Be sure to mix the soup thoroughly while all ingredients are simmering.

8. Salt and pepper to serve!

What is great about this soup is that you can let it sit on the stove top and eat it throughout the day, or you can eat it once all the vegetables are thoroughly cooked down!