Guest guest Posted April 4, 2002 Report Share Posted April 4, 2002 MEAT ALTERNATIVES INSTEAD OF MEAT: Explore the world of TOFU. Made from soybeans, TOFU is very high in protein; the firmer it is, the higher the protein content. Tofu is one of the most versatile foods on the vegetarian market. TOFU can be prepared in as follow: sauté, steam, grill, braise, roast, bake, boil, stir-fry, deep fry, mash, blend, or process. You can make an outstanding traditional chili with textured vegetable protein (a defatted soy protein) that tastes just like the real thing. See recipe below. Notice other meat alternatives in the deli case of your health food market. SEITAN, made from wheat gluten, is high in protein and can lend a meat-like texture to many dishes. SEITAN can be sliced, chopped, or diced and will take on flavor when cooked in a stir-fry, a casserole, or in a sauce. TEMPEH is a fermented soy-bean cake that takes well to marinating and makes a hearty high-protein substitute for meat. It can be baked, broiled, chopped, shredded, sauteed, stir fried, and braised. TEMPEH makes an excellent addition to casseroles, pastas, stir-fries, and soups. NUTS AND SEEDS are an excellent meat replacement, high in protein, essential fatty acids, and vitamin E. A serving of 2 to 3 ounces of nuts several times a week lowers the risk for heart attack and lowers total and LDL cholesterol. Make sure the NUTS AND SEEDS you purchase are raw, not roasted in oil and salted. Keep them refrigerated to prevent rancidity. INSTEAD OF BEEF BROTH: Choose a canned or packaged vegetable broth or create your own flavorful broth with a base of water. Add TAMARI, BRAGG LIQUID AMINOS, or SOY SAUCE, a dash of red wine, a clove of garlic, perhaps a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, and season with your favorite herbs, salt and pepper. To turn the broth into a GRAVY, thicken by combining equal parts of cornstarch and water (about 2 tablespoons each for 2 cups broth) and stirring into a smooth, runny paste. Add to bubbling broth a little at a time, stirring constantly, until thickened to desired consistency. VEGETABLE BOUILLON CUBES in imitation beef flavor are easily dissolved in boiling water to create a quick beef flavored broth. Plant-based POWDERED BEEF FLAVORING is also a quick method for making beef broth. Both are available in health food markets. INSTEAD OF HAMBURGERS: Awaken to the joy of BOCA BURGER in the VEGAN ORIGINAL flavor. It won't really fool you into believing it's beef, but it sure is an impressive substitute. Enjoy your BOCA BURGER on a whole-grain hamburger bun with all the usual fixings like lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup, and mustard, and top it with a slice of vegan cheese. You won't miss the beef! BOCA BURGERS are made from soy protein. Several vegetarian companies are employing SOY PROTEIN to create HAMBURGER-STYLE PATTIES. Check the frozen food section of your local market or the health food market to discover an array of vegetable patties to slip into your burger bun. Try them all to find your favorites. INSTEAD OF HOT DOGS: VEGETARIAN HOT DOGS made from SOY PROTEIN are made by several food manufacturers. Many are fat free. Explore the different brands to seek out the one you like best, tuck it into a whole-grain hot dog bun with all your favorite fixings, and enjoy a cholesterol-free meal low in saturated fat. You can even shred some VEGAN CHEESE into the bun for an extra special treat. INSTEAD OF GROUND BEEF: Choose TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN, often referred to as TVP, to make comfort foods like Sloppy Joe's or Chili without the " Carne. " Almost anything you do with ground beef can be recreated with TVP. Simply pour boiling water or vegetable broth over the dried minced soy protein, and in 5 minutes it will be ready to cook with. Though it has no flavor of its own, TVP will eagerly take on any seasonings you choose. INSTEAD OF LUNCHMEAT: Explore the many SOY BASED LUNCHMEAT ALTERNATIVES. Some are very low fat, some even fat-free. Many of these alternatives contain wheat gluten, an excellent source of protein. As an added benefit, many of these replacements have fat content as low as .5 grams per serving. You may be delighted to learn that you can find soy and gluten-based alternatives for sliced PIZZA PEPPERONI, CANADIAN BACON, SMART BACON, FAKIN' BAKON, TURKEY, SALAMI, and even HAM. INSTEAD OF SAUSAGES: Venture into the land of GIMMELEAN, a one-pound chub that comes in sausage or beef flavor. Made by LightLife, these are fat-free and can be sliced and browned lightly in one tablespoon of oil. Made from soy products and wheat gluten, the flavors and textures are superbly satisfying. They freeze well and keep for several days in the refrigerator. For a great start to the day, use these SAUSAGE PATTIES for breakfast along with some whole-grain bread and fresh fruit. It's quick, delicious, and nutritious. _______________ Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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