*I recommend using stale or day-old breadcrumbs, and I do not recommend using the canned breadcrumbs. You can tear the bread into very small pieces and crisp in the oven if not stale enough.
**You can use an egg replacer, such as EnerG, or you could also use mashed red or brown lentils instead, as the binder.
Preheat the oven to 375.
Prep the tempeh (optional) – in a medium saucepan, place the soy sauce, crushed garlic, and add about 1 ½ inches of water. Bring to a simmer, and add the sliced tempeh. You don’t want to boil it, but you want to simmer it. This tenderizes the tempeh and adds flavor. Simmer as long as you want, or until most of the liquid has evaporated, and drain the tempeh on a couple of paper towels and let cool.
Put the bread and cracker crumbs in a large bowl.
Heat the oil over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms, carrots, and onions for about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, and continue to sauté for another 2 minutes, and then pour the sautéed veggies over the breadcrumbs and let cool a little.
Crumble the tempeh into the bowl. Add all the other ingredients except the egg replacer, and mix well.
Add salt & pepper to taste. Add the egg replacer (or other binding agent) and mix until just combined.
Put mixture into an oiled small loaf pan (8 ½ x 4 1/2, I think), and place in the oven.
Bake for 35-45 minutes, or until the top is brown and crispy, and then remove from the oven.
To serve, invert loaf onto a serving platter and slice, as you would a meat loaf. I love this with a mushroom, onion & red wine sauce!!