{"id":7423,"date":"2026-07-06T18:30:00","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7423"},"modified":"2026-07-06T18:30:00","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T18:30:00","slug":"go-plant-based-this-summer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7423","title":{"rendered":"Go plant-based this summer"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"tni-source-date\"><strong>Originally published:<\/strong> 2026-07-06T18:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Savor saucy BBQ tempeh \u201cribs\u201d with a sustainable twist<\/h2>\n<p>This summer, fire up the grill and your health! Choosing delicious <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/docs\/Cookbooks\/PracticalPlantBasedCookingMAY2023.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">plant-based<\/a> foods can help lower your risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.veteranshealthlibrary.va.gov\/Search\/3,88757\" rel=\"noopener\">Vegetarian meals<\/a> are full of flavor and perfect for celebrations. At your next cookout, try grilling savory tempeh instead of your usual beef burger!<\/p>\n<p>Tempeh, like tofu, is made from fermented soybeans. It\u2019s firmer and has a nuttier taste. It\u2019s high in protein and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.veteranshealthlibrary.va.gov\/Search\/3,83063\" rel=\"noopener\">fiber<\/a>, so it\u2019s filling and healthy. Because tempeh is denser and holds its shape better than tofu, you can use it instead of meat in many recipes. You can also marinate and grill it, just like ribs. Look for tempeh in the refrigerated area of your grocery store\u2019s produce section.<\/p>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">To make tempeh \u201cribs\u201d<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Cut tempeh into rib-size strips.<\/li>\n<li>Marinate it in your favorite barbecue sauce for 1 hour.<\/li>\n<li>Bake at 350\u00b0F for 30 minutes or grill it on foil for about 15 minutes.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>Enjoy this smoky and saucy dish along with your favorite sides. Try some healthy twists like <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/docs\/Recipes\/SideDishes\/Apple-ColeslawOCT2021.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Apple Coleslaw,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/docs\/Recipes\/SideDishes\/Bright-Broccoli-SaladOCT2021.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Bright Broccoli Salad<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/NUTRITION\/docs\/Recipes\/SideDishes\/Fresh-Corn-and-Roasted-Red-Pepper-SaladOCT2021.pdf\" rel=\"noopener\">Fresh Corn and Roasted Red Pepper Salad<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nutrition.va.gov\/Sustainability.asp\" rel=\"noopener\">plant-based eating<\/a>, contact your local VA dietitian. For more summer inspiration, explore other VA News articles, including how to <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/132742\/summer-is-here-stay-hydrated\/\">stay hydrated<\/a> and these <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/141926\/too-hot-to-cook-try-these-no-cook-meals\/\">no-cook meal ideas<\/a>.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p class=\"tni-attribution\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/news.va.gov\/148018\/go-plant-based-this-summer\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to go plant-based at your next BBQ with the health benefits of tempeh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":318,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7423","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-u-s-veterans-news"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v28.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Go plant-based this summer - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how to go plant-based at your next BBQ with the health benefits of tempeh.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=7423\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Go plant-based this summer - 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