Grits, Tempeh and Gravy

Grits:
1 cup traditional, white stone-ground grits
4 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil
Few grains celery seed
2 garlic cloves crushed
1/4 tsp salt
ground black pepper
Few drops Tobasco sauce

Cook the grits as directed (rinse, combine with water, bring to boil, cook for 30 minutes)
Add the olive oil after you reduce from a boil (reduces sticking)
Add the rest of the ingredients whenever you feel inclined.  Use celery seed sparingly to provide a salty taste so you can get away with using much less salt.

Tempeh:

Multi-grain tempeh cut into thin strips (4 - 8 oz or however much you want)

Marinade:
3 Tbs tamari soy sauce
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
enough water to cover tempeh
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp garlic powder

Combine marinade ingredients and tempeh in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.  Turn-off heat and let sit for as long as you like.  Reserve the marinade and cook and brown the tempeh in a black frying pan at medium high heat with a few tablespoons of olive oil.

Gravy:
3 Tbs all-purpose flour
3 cups water
marinade from above

After cooking and removing the tempeh, add the marinade to the black frying pan, bring to a boil and reduce until almost all the liquid is gone. Remove heat for a few minutes.  Whisk the flour into the water and add all at once to the frying pan.  Over medium high heat, bring to a boil and lower temperature as needed so the mixture is bubbling fairly rapidly.  Cook  bubbling for about 3 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste.