New Vegan Products From Morningstar Farms

[Guest guest]

In the mood for something different recently, I tried these also.

They do look real. I used them in a simple stir fry and found the

texture a tad gross. Soggy, for lack of a better word. Almost like

chewing the fat of red meat, from what I remember.

 

>>I've tried the Steak Strips in a red curry. It's ok...edible.

[Guest guest]

We've used these in fajitas with mushrooms and strips of onion, various colours

of peppers, etc. Topped with a little salsa. And they turn out really good. I

sautee all the vegetables together over low heat and not much oil. Didn't like

the 'chicken strip' kind but the beef ones we keep using for wraps.

Renee

 

darranged wrote: In the mood for something different recently,

I tried these also.

They do look real. I used them in a simple stir fry and found the

texture a tad gross. Soggy, for lack of a better word. Almost like

chewing the fat of red meat, from what I remember.

 

>>I've tried the Steak Strips in a red curry. It's ok...edible.

 

 

For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to

provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a

qualified health professional.

 

edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health

professional.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Well, my mom just tried the dish, and she loves it!! I think you are

right...it is a tad soggy. I'm sure some people will love it. It's

like reviews of Tofurky...some people LOVE it. I tried it and was

wondering if I was eating the same thing they were raving about. Ha!

To each his own. I say the steak strips are just average. I'd

prefer tofu in my red curry.

[Guest guest]

I think Lightlife has a similar product. They are really good. I made a beef

stew with them and my kids loved it. We have used the chicken in stirfry, also

quite good.

Carol

 

Lisa <lisaviafamily wrote:

I found two more vegan products from Morningstar Farm besides their

Better Than Burgers and crumbles. They are Steak Strips and Chick'n

Strips. They are called Meal Starters. I've tried the Steak Strips in

a red curry. It's ok...edible. I'm sure some of you could make some

good recipes with them. I have to admit the product was kind of

grossing me out when I was frying it, because the look of it reminded

me of meat. They're pre-seasoned, so I don't think red curry was the

best choice for them. Something different though. I found them in a

chain where I'm from called Shopper's Food Warehouse. So far I've only

found them in one store. If you have any good recipes involving these

products, let me know.

 

 

 

 

 

For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to

provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a

qualified health professional.

 

edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health

professional.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Are these made from soy or from wheat gluten? Are they in the freezer

case along with other M'star products?

 

K

 

, Renee Carroll <renecarol25> wrote:

>

> We've used these in fajitas with mushrooms and strips of onion,

various colours of peppers, etc. Topped with a little salsa. And

they turn out really good. I sautee all the vegetables together over

low heat and not much oil. Didn't like the 'chicken strip' kind but

the beef ones we keep using for wraps.

> Renee

>

> darranged@f... wrote: In the mood for something different

recently, I tried these also.

> They do look real. I used them in a simple stir fry and found the

> texture a tad gross. Soggy, for lack of a better word. Almost like

> chewing the fat of red meat, from what I remember.

>

> >>I've tried the Steak Strips in a red curry. It's ok...edible.

>

>

> For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG

website at http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for

families go to http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list

and is not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical

advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional.

>

> edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified

health professional.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

They are in the freezer section.. over the weekend I saw them on a whole end of

the freezer section in their own little area.. they had a ton of them. But

I've seen them at other stores with the other MSF stuff. You can check the MSF

website to see what the ingredients are.. I imagine it is a mixture of both.

Renee

 

kaydeemama <lionstigersbearsohmy wrote: Are these made

from soy or from wheat gluten? Are they in the freezer

case along with other M'star products?

 

K

 

, Renee Carroll <renecarol25> wrote:

>

> We've used these in fajitas with mushrooms and strips of onion,

various colours of peppers, etc. Topped with a little salsa. And

they turn out really good. I sautee all the vegetables together over

low heat and not much oil. Didn't like the 'chicken strip' kind but

the beef ones we keep using for wraps.

> Renee

>

> darranged@f... wrote: In the mood for something different

recently, I tried these also.

> They do look real. I used them in a simple stir fry and found the

> texture a tad gross. Soggy, for lack of a better word. Almost like

> chewing the fat of red meat, from what I remember.

>

> >>I've tried the Steak Strips in a red curry. It's ok...edible.

>

>

> For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG

website at http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for

families go to http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list

and is not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical

advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional.

>

> edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified

health professional.

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I haven't tried the steak strips yet, but I just tried the chik'n strips over

the weekend in mock chicken noodle soup. The recipe called for a mild flavor of

baked tofu, but I couldn't locate any so I used the strips instead. It actually

turned out quite good -even my omni hubby really enjoyed it. The recipe is in

" The New Vegetarian Family Cookbook " by Nava Atlas.

 

 

 

--

" Lisa " <lisaviafamily

 

Mon, 28 Nov 2005 23:05:26 -0000

 

>I found two more vegan products from Morningstar Farm besides their

>Better Than Burgers and crumbles. They are Steak Strips and Chick'n

>Strips. They are called Meal Starters. I've tried the Steak Strips in

>a red curry. It's ok...edible. I'm sure some of you could make some

>good recipes with them. I have to admit the product was kind of

>grossing me out when I was frying it, because the look of it reminded

>me of meat. They're pre-seasoned, so I don't think red curry was the

>best choice for them. Something different though. I found them in a

>chain where I'm from called Shopper's Food Warehouse. So far I've only

>found them in one store. If you have any good recipes involving these

>products, let me know.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to

provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a

qualified health professional.

>

>edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health

professional.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I just love Nava Atlas, I have her Five Ingredient Vegetarian Gourmet and

get her occasional e-mails. I am not very fond of the chik'n strips - too

chewy, too much like real meat for me. But I have used the steak strips in

stir-fry and they were good. My mom is going to make flaquitas (sp?) with

them at Christmas.

 

Chessie

 

 

On

Behalf Of Maria Rasmussen

Tuesday, November 29, 2005 10:38 AM

 

Re: New Vegan Products From Morningstar Farms

 

I haven't tried the steak strips yet, but I just tried the chik'n strips

over the weekend in mock chicken noodle soup. The recipe called for a mild

flavor of baked tofu, but I couldn't locate any so I used the strips

instead. It actually turned out quite good -even my omni hubby really

enjoyed it. The recipe is in " The New Vegetarian Family Cookbook " by Nava

Atlas.

 

 

 

--

" Lisa " <lisaviafamily

 

Mon, 28 Nov 2005 23:05:26 -0000

 

>I found two more vegan products from Morningstar Farm besides their

>Better Than Burgers and crumbles. They are Steak Strips and Chick'n

>Strips. They are called Meal Starters. I've tried the Steak Strips in

>a red curry. It's ok...edible. I'm sure some of you could make some

>good recipes with them. I have to admit the product was kind of

>grossing me out when I was frying it, because the look of it reminded

>me of meat. They're pre-seasoned, so I don't think red curry was the

>best choice for them. Something different though. I found them in a

>chain where I'm from called Shopper's Food Warehouse. So far I've only

>found them in one store. If you have any good recipes involving these

>products, let me know.

>

>

>

>

>

>

>For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to

provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a

qualified health professional.

>

>edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health

professional.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I think the lightlife ones are much better than the morning star farms

ones but also more expensive I believe. Either one is nice for an

occassional change to add to stir fry or tacos, etc but I don't think

that I would use either brand on a regular basis.

 

, carol sobczak <cpsobczak>

wrote:

>

> I think Lightlife has a similar product. They are really good. I

made a beef stew with them and my kids loved it. We have used the

chicken in stirfry, also quite good.

> Carol

>

[Guest guest]

They're not on the M'star website yet--must be brand-spankin' new! ;-)

I'll just look for them in the store and see what's inside....

 

K

 

, Renee Carroll <renecarol25>

wrote:

>You can check the MSF website to see what the ingredients are

[Guest guest]

I tried the Morningstar steak strips also, cooked in fajitas. It was tasty,

but it got me thinking. It's been over 37 years since I had steak, but those

steak strips triggered the memory of it.

 

Do vegetarians still think like meat-eaters, that something resembling meat

should be the center of a meal? Many, but not all, of the recipes people

describe are vegetarian versions of traditionally meat dishes, like chili,

meat loaf, burgers, turkey, chicken, and such. I'm not being critical; I'm

curious.

 

We had Worthington smoked turkey for Thanksgiving with vegetarian versions

of dressing and gravy. It is a tradition my 12 year old son feels strongly

about continuing.

 

I've had people taste my cooking and become upset because something doesn't

resemble meat closely enough, and others criticize that it is too close to

meat. Among meat substitutes there are products that closely resemble meat

and others that are substitutes without being similar [like the 'squeaky'

turkey substitute someone complained about]. Should we evaluate these food

products by how closely they resemble the meat products they replace? ...or

should we ask ourselves, is this a tasty and nutritious thing to eat?

....

Be kind. Be of good cheer.

Dick

[Guest guest]

You bring up good points, Dick. For myself, I try to stay away from the meat

looking stuff, but with my husband, who only eats veg at home, I do tend to try

to make things that resemble his meat cravings. So we use TVP in our chili, I

make lentil roasts, etc. For me, I can not stand the texture of meat, so if

something is too close to the actual texture it grosses me out. TVP boarders on

that " too close " texture. But for us, sometimes it is a better alternative

(more kind) to have the tofurky and faux steak strips than having the actual

turkey and steak.

 

I do think we crave what we were raised on. I was raised in TX, and no less

on meat and potatoes. Our diet was a huge slab of meat with a potato and a

veggie. The veggie was covered in butter (yuck) and boiled to a slime. So

eating meat probably reminds me of the days in which I hated eating. When I was

growing up I swore I hated food, and if there were a way I could get all the

nutrients I needed through an IV, I'd be a happy camper. Then I moved out of my

home, and learned I really did like food, just not fried and over cooked.

 

But for people like my husband, who maybe need the transition from a meat and

potatoes diet to a vegan diet, those substitutes are the greatest thing since

sliced bread. I know I have a kind " good old stand-by " incase my meal has too

many veggies in it that my husband doesn't like. They are something simple and

quick to make, and not too much hassle in case a second meal is needed around

here.

 

My daughter, thus far doesn't know the difference, and usually the closest

thing she gets to a meaty texture is tofu and seitan, and she does not crave the

meaty textures her dad does.

 

So all in all, I think it boils down to comfort foods and acquired tastes that

have been developing all of our lives.

 

Melanie

 

Dick Ford <dickford wrote:

I tried the Morningstar steak strips also, cooked in fajitas. It was tasty,

but it got me thinking. It's been over 37 years since I had steak, but those

steak strips triggered the memory of it.

 

Do vegetarians still think like meat-eaters, that something resembling meat

should be the center of a meal? Many, but not all, of the recipes people

describe are vegetarian versions of traditionally meat dishes, like chili,

meat loaf, burgers, turkey, chicken, and such. I'm not being critical; I'm

curious.

 

We had Worthington smoked turkey for Thanksgiving with vegetarian versions

of dressing and gravy. It is a tradition my 12 year old son feels strongly

about continuing.

 

I've had people taste my cooking and become upset because something doesn't

resemble meat closely enough, and others criticize that it is too close to

meat. Among meat substitutes there are products that closely resemble meat

and others that are substitutes without being similar [like the 'squeaky'

turkey substitute someone complained about]. Should we evaluate these food

products by how closely they resemble the meat products they replace? ...or

should we ask ourselves, is this a tasty and nutritious thing to eat?

....

Be kind. Be of good cheer.

Dick

 

 

 

For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to

provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a

qualified health professional.

 

edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health

professional.

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Personally I don't judge a food on how closely the taste of it

resembles meat; I just judge it on whether it tastes good or not. Of

course I haven't eaten meat in 3+ decades (since I was 7), so I don't

know if my memory of meat-taste would be accurate or not anyway. My

husband who's been a lacto-ova veggie for 4+ years makes comments

like, " This tastes like meat. " I think he misses meat sometimes but

won't eat it for ethical reasons. I don't miss it at all. I can

remember that when I did eat it, I liked the taste of it. But now the

idea of what it is disgusts me, and I'm finding that as I get older

the smell of meat cooking actually makes my stomach queasy…especially

beef. Ugh! I think that's why I was kind of disturbed when I was

cooking the Steak Strips. They really did look like steak. We usually

don't have a meat-substitute " centerpiece " for dinners. I just try to

always include something that has protein.

 

, " Dick Ford " <dickford@d...> wrote:

>

> I tried the Morningstar steak strips also, cooked in fajitas. It was

tasty,

> but it got me thinking. It's been over 37 years since I had steak,

but those

> steak strips triggered the memory of it.

>

> Do vegetarians still think like meat-eaters, that something

resembling meat

> should be the center of a meal? Many, but not all, of the recipes

people

> describe are vegetarian versions of traditionally meat dishes, like

chili,

> meat loaf, burgers, turkey, chicken, and such. I'm not being

critical; I'm

> curious.

>

> We had Worthington smoked turkey for Thanksgiving with vegetarian

versions

> of dressing and gravy. It is a tradition my 12 year old son feels

strongly

> about continuing.

>

> I've had people taste my cooking and become upset because something

doesn't

> resemble meat closely enough, and others criticize that it is too

close to

> meat. Among meat substitutes there are products that closely

resemble meat

> and others that are substitutes without being similar [like the

'squeaky'

> turkey substitute someone complained about]. Should we evaluate

these food

> products by how closely they resemble the meat products they

replace? ...or

> should we ask ourselves, is this a tasty and nutritious thing to eat?

> ...

> Be kind. Be of good cheer.

> Dick

>

[Guest guest]

When I first became a vegetarian, I hated the texture of meat and meat

substitues. If it too closely resembled meat, it would gross me out.

 

After 7 years of being a vegetarian, and my son was about 2 (maybe younger), I

started using a LOT of the Morningstar products for convenience (single mom,

working full-time). I started eating a bunch too and I wasn't grossed out

anymore. I think I was just so tired and hungry I didn't care at first, but

then I came to like them. Another year or so passes, and I start dating someone

who is not vegetarian. He's pretty open minded about trying anything I fix, but

after awhile it just got easier to fix some " traditional " food with fake meat

instead of running through a million cookbooks and ideas everytime he came for

dinner. I haven't really done that much experimenting, but the favorites are

tacos and stuffed bell peppers using Boca crumbles; also spaghetti sauce and

chili are easy. We first used Morningstar Farm crumbles, b/c their sausage and

other things seem to have a better texture, but bought Boca once when the store

was out of MF, and found we liked the Boca crumbles a LOT better. However, my

son won't eat anything with the meat crumbles in them b/c he's never eaten meat.

He will eat chik nuggets, corn dogs, et al.

 

I have both the steak and chicken strips in the freezer, but I'm at a loss about

what to do with them. I never ate fajitas before I was veg, and son and BF

won't anything with peppers in it (I know he eats stuffed peppers, don't

ask.....) and everything I come up with has a lot of spices in it that a 5 yr

old won't eat. I'm sure I will think of something that I can at least eat.

Hopefully, before they get freezer burn.

 

Anyway, I use them for convenience. I don't miss what I was raised on. Total

midwestern diet. Steak 28 days a month, mashed or baked potato, peas and corn.

Almost every single night of my life. I hated meat long before I became a

vegetarian. It sort of never occurred to me that was an option. I know it

sounds weird, but it didn't.

 

I would not and do not recommend people use meat substitues who are trying to

become veg. I think the " meat " should not be the center of attention. However,

I'm short on time, so.....

 

My son's request tonight for dinner was a can of pinto beans with parmesan

cheese. I heated them in veggie broth and threw in some onion powder and dry

mustard. He's 5 and ate a HUGE bowl of them. I'm talking, it had to be really

quick tonight.....

 

Message: 3

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 09:06:49 -0600

" Dick Ford " <dickford

Re: Re: New Vegan Products From Morningstar Farms

 

Do vegetarians still think like meat-eaters, that something resembling meat

should be the center of a meal? Many, but not all, of the recipes people

describe are vegetarian versions of traditionally meat dishes, like chili,

meat loaf, burgers, turkey, chicken, and such. I'm not being critical; I'm

curious.

 

We had Worthington smoked turkey for Thanksgiving with vegetarian versions

of dressing and gravy. It is a tradition my 12 year old son feels strongly

about continuing.

 

I've had people taste my cooking and become upset because something doesn't

resemble meat closely enough, and others criticize that it is too close to

meat. Among meat substitutes there are products that closely resemble meat

and others that are substitutes without being similar [like the 'squeaky'

turkey substitute someone complained about]. Should we evaluate these food

products by how closely they resemble the meat products they replace? ...or

should we ask ourselves, is this a tasty and nutritious thing to eat?

....

Be kind. Be of good cheer.

Dick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I have a suggestion about the chicken strips from Morning Star. When I was

first married one of the only meat dishes I knew how to make was Arroz con

Pollo. That is chicken and rice. It does have green bell peppers in it, but

you could easily omit it. The way I made it was, chicken broth (veg broth will

work just fine), green bell pepper, chicken, green olives (of course those can

be omitted too), over a bed of rice. You use enough broth to cook the rice, put

in the oven at 350* until the rice is done. Brown rice takes about 55 minutes

and white rice takes about 45 minutes. We live in a really high altitude so the

time may be different. Another way you could make it, is using the broth, rice,

chicken strips, and some dry veg soup. If you are not vegan, and eat dairy, you

could throw some cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup in there. Just a few

ideas you could give a try. You could also always do burritos with chicken and

green chili sauce. You don't have to make that

hot, and leave it off if you wanted.

 

The steak, I would be at a loss beside making tacos out of them. Perhaps even

burritos. You could make beans and Mexican rice to go along with the

tacos/burritos, or in them of course, and that way you could have a variation of

using the " meaty " stuff or beans w/o making two different meals. Fajitas are

really just burritos that have bell peppers, sauted onions, sour cream, cheese,

and guacomole on a flour tortilla. You could also make flautas. Those are

those rolled, fried tacos. You cook your stuff, roll them in the corn tortilla,

and then fry the rolls in really hot oil. That would probably work better with

the crumbles than the steak, I guess.

 

Just some thoughts to throw at ya.

 

Melanie

 

Lori Lugar <llugar wrote:

When I first became a vegetarian, I hated the texture of meat and meat

substitues. If it too closely resembled meat, it would gross me out.

 

After 7 years of being a vegetarian, and my son was about 2 (maybe younger), I

started using a LOT of the Morningstar products for convenience (single mom,

working full-time). I started eating a bunch too and I wasn't grossed out

anymore. I think I was just so tired and hungry I didn't care at first, but

then I came to like them. Another year or so passes, and I start dating someone

who is not vegetarian. He's pretty open minded about trying anything I fix, but

after awhile it just got easier to fix some " traditional " food with fake meat

instead of running through a million cookbooks and ideas everytime he came for

dinner. I haven't really done that much experimenting, but the favorites are

tacos and stuffed bell peppers using Boca crumbles; also spaghetti sauce and

chili are easy. We first used Morningstar Farm crumbles, b/c their sausage and

other things seem to have a better texture, but bought Boca once when the store

was out of MF, and found we liked the Boca crumbles a

LOT better. However, my son won't eat anything with the meat crumbles in them

b/c he's never eaten meat. He will eat chik nuggets, corn dogs, et al.

 

I have both the steak and chicken strips in the freezer, but I'm at a loss about

what to do with them. I never ate fajitas before I was veg, and son and BF

won't anything with peppers in it (I know he eats stuffed peppers, don't

ask.....) and everything I come up with has a lot of spices in it that a 5 yr

old won't eat. I'm sure I will think of something that I can at least eat.

Hopefully, before they get freezer burn.

 

Anyway, I use them for convenience. I don't miss what I was raised on. Total

midwestern diet. Steak 28 days a month, mashed or baked potato, peas and corn.

Almost every single night of my life. I hated meat long before I became a

vegetarian. It sort of never occurred to me that was an option. I know it

sounds weird, but it didn't.

 

I would not and do not recommend people use meat substitues who are trying to

become veg. I think the " meat " should not be the center of attention. However,

I'm short on time, so.....

 

My son's request tonight for dinner was a can of pinto beans with parmesan

cheese. I heated them in veggie broth and threw in some onion powder and dry

mustard. He's 5 and ate a HUGE bowl of them. I'm talking, it had to be really

quick tonight.....

 

 

 

 

Personals

Single? There's someone we'd like you to meet.

Lots of someones, actually. Personals

 

 

[Guest guest]

Huh, if it is like a centerpiece meat, you could make steak and gravy. Mushroom

gravy would be good. Here I thought they were strips and centered my whole last

response on ideas to do with strips. LOL! I live in a small town, Morningstar

Farms is hard to come by sometimes, and I haven't seen these new products.

 

I don't think I could handle it if it was too much like meat either. My

husband would probably love it though.

 

Melanie

 

Lisa <lisaviafamily wrote:

Personally I don't judge a food on how closely the taste of it

resembles meat; I just judge it on whether it tastes good or not. Of

course I haven't eaten meat in 3+ decades (since I was 7), so I don't

know if my memory of meat-taste would be accurate or not anyway. My

husband who's been a lacto-ova veggie for 4+ years makes comments

like, " This tastes like meat. " I think he misses meat sometimes but

won't eat it for ethical reasons. I don't miss it at all. I can

remember that when I did eat it, I liked the taste of it. But now the

idea of what it is disgusts me, and I'm finding that as I get older

the smell of meat cooking actually makes my stomach queasy…especially

beef. Ugh! I think that's why I was kind of disturbed when I was

cooking the Steak Strips. They really did look like steak. We usually

don't have a meat-substitute " centerpiece " for dinners. I just try to

always include something that has protein.

 

 

Music Unlimited - Access over 1 million songs. Try it free.

 

 

[Guest guest]

I think it is a texture thing. Tofu cannot have a meaty texture. I remember my

first trial with tofu. I took one bite and ran to the nearest place to spit it

out! And then went and gathered everyone's plate and made something different

for dinner. It was aweful. That was a little over 3 years ago. Tofu and all

soy products also have a very " soy " flavor that a lot of people can't get past.

I have been lactose intolerant all my live, along with allergies to casien. I

just never drank milk, but decided I wanted to try soy milk. I had a really

hard time drinking it. I always loved milk, regardless of my problems with it,

and sometimes decided a bowl of cereal with milk was worth the ailment

afterwards. I have always just put juice on my cereal. So I tried soymilk, and

it was disgusting. It was way to sweet for me, then I found the unsweetened

stuff, and that was disgusting. So I forced myself to get used to it because

w/o soy we'd be stuck with beans and rice all the time.

My husband had no problem getting used to the taste, but I did. I was

pregnant when I started trying (which was why I decided to try the soy milk) so

that probably did not help matters. But now I look forward to my tofu chicken

patties. Even frozen, tofu still does not have the same texture as meat.

 

Melanie

 

TheNutritionNut <thenutritionnut wrote:

I'm with Lisa, I try to make sure I serve some type of protein every night

with dinner, but it doesn't need to be a meat substitute. I often try to make

sure it's some type of beans or something along those lines.

 

As for substitutes tasting like meats - I just have to say that I think we

forget what meat tastes like. I've been a vegetarian for about 11 years and to

me tofurky tastes like turkey, at least what I remember it tasting like. Well, I

told my sister to taste it because it tastes like turkey, she put it in her

mouth and spit it out and said how disgusting it was. She said it tasted nothing

like turkey. She said that I have a distorted memory of what meat tastes like. I

had never thought about that but I think she's right....

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Yeah, it's interesting, the idea of the meat-taste and its role. When I

became veg I just stopped with meat altogether and I didn't know about any

meat-alternatives back then. Oddly enough, the " meat " that I missed the

most was hotdogs, so I was pretty happy when I found the veg weiners! My

husband thinks every meal needs a meat sub...he is veg more because meat

grosses him out than for any other reason, though he certainly agrees with

the ethical arguments. But we were both raised on " meat-ful " diets, so I'm

not sure what the difference is. Maybe I just never liked it all that much?

Or maybe it's been so long I don't remember. We do use the crumbles a lot,

b/c he likes them in spaghetti sauce and we love, love, love Soy Taco. That

is some good sh*t! ;-) I also use the lunch slices - we call it soylogna -

about twice a week. My kids love it with tofu cream cheese rolled up

(thanks Vegan Lunch Box). I'm really not sure if I remember what meat

tastes like. For me it's more about the actual taste and definitely the

texture of the product. I do recommend the dried product called Beef Not,

it is cheaper than the frozen crumble products, easier to store and tastes

the same. They have a chik'n version too, but I haven't tried it yet.

 

Chessie

 

-

" TheNutritionNut " <thenutritionnut

 

Wednesday, November 30, 2005 9:56 PM

Re: Re: New Vegan Products From Morningstar Farms

 

 

I'm with Lisa, I try to make sure I serve some type of protein every night

with dinner, but it doesn't need to be a meat substitute. I often try to

make sure it's some type of beans or something along those lines.

 

As for substitutes tasting like meats - I just have to say that I think we

forget what meat tastes like. I've been a vegetarian for about 11 years and

to me tofurky tastes like turkey, at least what I remember it tasting like.

Well, I told my sister to taste it because it tastes like turkey, she put it

in her mouth and spit it out and said how disgusting it was. She said it

tasted nothing like turkey. She said that I have a distorted memory of what

meat tastes like. I had never thought about that but I think she's right....

 

Lisa <lisaviafamily wrote:

Personally I don't judge a food on how closely the taste of it

resembles meat; I just judge it on whether it tastes good or not. Of

course I haven't eaten meat in 3+ decades (since I was 7), so I don't

know if my memory of meat-taste would be accurate or not anyway. My

husband who's been a lacto-ova veggie for 4+ years makes comments

like, " This tastes like meat. " I think he misses meat sometimes but

won't eat it for ethical reasons. I don't miss it at all. I can

remember that when I did eat it, I liked the taste of it. But now the

idea of what it is disgusts me, and I'm finding that as I get older

the smell of meat cooking actually makes my stomach queasy.especially

beef. Ugh! I think that's why I was kind of disturbed when I was

cooking the Steak Strips. They really did look like steak. We usually

don't have a meat-substitute " centerpiece " for dinners. I just try to

always include something that has protein.

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Yes they are strips.. they are huge strips. This is what they look like

http://www.vegcooking.com/productArchive.asp

 

melanie casto <melaniekcasto wrote: Huh, if it is like a

centerpiece meat, you could make steak and gravy. Mushroom gravy would be

good. Here I thought they were strips and centered my whole last response on

ideas to do with strips. LOL! I live in a small town, Morningstar Farms is

hard to come by sometimes, and I haven't seen these new products.

 

I don't think I could handle it if it was too much like meat either. My

husband would probably love it though.

 

Melanie

 

Lisa <lisaviafamily wrote:

Personally I don't judge a food on how closely the taste of it

resembles meat; I just judge it on whether it tastes good or not. Of

course I haven't eaten meat in 3+ decades (since I was 7), so I don't

know if my memory of meat-taste would be accurate or not anyway. My

husband who's been a lacto-ova veggie for 4+ years makes comments

like, " This tastes like meat. " I think he misses meat sometimes but

won't eat it for ethical reasons. I don't miss it at all. I can

remember that when I did eat it, I liked the taste of it. But now the

idea of what it is disgusts me, and I'm finding that as I get older

the smell of meat cooking actually makes my stomach queasy…especially

beef. Ugh! I think that's why I was kind of disturbed when I was

cooking the Steak Strips. They really did look like steak. We usually

don't have a meat-substitute " centerpiece " for dinners. I just try to

always include something that has protein.

 

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[Guest guest]

Those are pretty big.

 

Renee Carroll <renecarol25 wrote: Yes they are strips.. they are

huge strips. This is what they look like

http://www.vegcooking.com/productArchive.asp

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Chessie wrote:

 

<<I also use the lunch slices - we call it soylogna>>

 

What a fun little side conversation....what do all of us call those things?

 

We call them " veggie slices " ....covers all the different types and brands. We

had a scare one Christmas many years ago at a cousin's house when somebody

ignorantly offered my older child some " baloney " and she didn't realize it was

different than what we ate. So we learned to use other names to distinguish any

meat-like veggie products that we might occasionally eat. Like " veggie dogs "

instead of hotdogs.

 

Liz

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I sometimes use the meat analogues as an extra source of protein, sometimes to

make my omni hubby a little happier, and once in a while I try them just out of

curiosity. I don't think that the meat subs are really necessary, but they can

sometimes offer a little variety, and certainly convenience. Heck, if it were

up to me, we would just have beans and rice every day. Those are my true

comfort foods.

 

Maria

 

 

--

" Dick Ford " <dickford

 

Wed, 30 Nov 2005 09:06:49 -0600

 

>I tried the Morningstar steak strips also, cooked in fajitas. It was tasty,

>but it got me thinking. It's been over 37 years since I had steak, but those

>steak strips triggered the memory of it.

>

>Do vegetarians still think like meat-eaters, that something resembling meat

>should be the center of a meal? Many, but not all, of the recipes people

>describe are vegetarian versions of traditionally meat dishes, like chili,

>meat loaf, burgers, turkey, chicken, and such. I'm not being critical; I'm

>curious.

>

>We had Worthington smoked turkey for Thanksgiving with vegetarian versions

>of dressing and gravy. It is a tradition my 12 year old son feels strongly

>about continuing.

>

>I've had people taste my cooking and become upset because something doesn't

>resemble meat closely enough, and others criticize that it is too close to

>meat. Among meat substitutes there are products that closely resemble meat

>and others that are substitutes without being similar [like the 'squeaky'

>turkey substitute someone complained about]. Should we evaluate these food

>products by how closely they resemble the meat products they replace? ...or

>should we ask ourselves, is this a tasty and nutritious thing to eat?

>...

>Be kind. Be of good cheer.

>Dick

>

>

>

>

>For more information about vegetarianism, please visit the VRG website at

http://www.vrg.org and for materials especially useful for families go to

http://www.vrg.org/family.This is a discussion list and is not intended to

provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a

qualified health professional.

>

>edical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health

professional.

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

in our house we've been calling things " we're glad it's not " Like we're glad

it's not corn dogs. Though Tofurkey is still tofurky

On

Behalf Of E.R. Bakwin

Thursday, December 01, 2005 4:35 PM

Re: Re: New Vegan Products From Morningstar Farms

 

 

Chessie wrote:

 

<<I also use the lunch slices - we call it soylogna>>

 

What a fun little side conversation....what do all of us call those

things?

 

We call them " veggie slices " ....covers all the different types and brands.

We had a scare one Christmas many years ago at a cousin's house when

somebody ignorantly offered my older child some " baloney " and she didn't

realize it was different than what we ate. So we learned to use other names

to distinguish any meat-like veggie products that we might occasionally eat.

Like " veggie dogs " instead of hotdogs.

 

Liz

 

 

[Guest guest]

Thanks for the product recommendation. Thanks also, Dick, for

bringing up the topic of 'mock meat'. When I ate meat, I usually

liked things that weren't really like meat in its 'purest' form. I

hated steak, but I liked steakums. I hated turkey, but I liked

really thinly sliced deli turkey. Ok, I'm grossing myself out now,

but you get the idea. So now, when I go for things like a veggie

burger, tvp chili or vegan seseme 'chicken', I'm not really trying to

replicate meat, I'm just eating something that I think tastes good

and is enjoyable to chew. I would like it if the manufacturers would

move away from using the same titles as used for meat, since the

meaty similarity really isn't important to me personally. It is

helpful, however, when serving non-veg'n friends and family members.

 

Nikki

, melanie casto <melaniekcasto>

wrote:

>

> I have a suggestion about the chicken strips from Morning Star.

When I was first married one of the only meat dishes I knew how to

make was Arroz con Pollo. That is chicken and rice. It does have

green bell peppers in it, but you could easily omit it. The way I

made it was, chicken broth (veg broth will work just fine), green

bell pepper, chicken, green olives (of course those can be omitted

too), over a bed of rice. You use enough broth to cook the rice, put

in the oven at 350* until the rice is done. Brown rice takes about

55 minutes and white rice takes about 45 minutes. We live in a

really high altitude so the time may be different. Another way you

could make it, is using the broth, rice, chicken strips, and some dry

veg soup. If you are not vegan, and eat dairy, you could throw some

cream of mushroom or cream of celery soup in there. Just a few ideas

you could give a try. You could also always do burritos with chicken

and green chili sauce. You don't have to make that

> hot, and leave it off if you wanted.

>

> The steak, I would be at a loss beside making tacos out of them.

Perhaps even burritos. You could make beans and Mexican rice to go

along with the tacos/burritos, or in them of course, and that way you

could have a variation of using the " meaty " stuff or beans w/o making

two different meals. Fajitas are really just burritos that have bell

peppers, sauted onions, sour cream, cheese, and guacomole on a flour

tortilla. You could also make flautas. Those are those rolled,

fried tacos. You cook your stuff, roll them in the corn tortilla,

and then fry the rolls in really hot oil. That would probably work

better with the crumbles than the steak, I guess.

>

> Just some thoughts to throw at ya.

>

> Melanie

>

> Lori Lugar <llugar@n...> wrote:

> When I first became a vegetarian, I hated the texture of meat and

meat substitues. If it too closely resembled meat, it would gross me

out.

>

> After 7 years of being a vegetarian, and my son was about 2 (maybe

younger), I started using a LOT of the Morningstar products for

convenience (single mom, working full-time). I started eating a

bunch too and I wasn't grossed out anymore. I think I was just so

tired and hungry I didn't care at first, but then I came to like

them. Another year or so passes, and I start dating someone who is

not vegetarian. He's pretty open minded about trying anything I fix,

but after awhile it just got easier to fix some " traditional " food

with fake meat instead of running through a million cookbooks and

ideas everytime he came for dinner. I haven't really done that much

experimenting, but the favorites are tacos and stuffed bell peppers

using Boca crumbles; also spaghetti sauce and chili are easy. We

first used Morningstar Farm crumbles, b/c their sausage and other

things seem to have a better texture, but bought Boca once when the

store was out of MF, and found we liked the Boca crumbles a

> LOT better. However, my son won't eat anything with the meat

crumbles in them b/c he's never eaten meat. He will eat chik

nuggets, corn dogs, et al.

>

> I have both the steak and chicken strips in the freezer, but I'm at

a loss about what to do with them. I never ate fajitas before I was

veg, and son and BF won't anything with peppers in it (I know he eats

stuffed peppers, don't ask.....) and everything I come up with has a

lot of spices in it that a 5 yr old won't eat. I'm sure I will think

of something that I can at least eat. Hopefully, before they get

freezer burn.

>

> Anyway, I use them for convenience. I don't miss what I was raised

on. Total midwestern diet. Steak 28 days a month, mashed or baked

potato, peas and corn. Almost every single night of my life. I

hated meat long before I became a vegetarian. It sort of never

occurred to me that was an option. I know it sounds weird, but it

didn't.

>

> I would not and do not recommend people use meat substitues who are

trying to become veg. I think the " meat " should not be the center of

attention. However, I'm short on time, so.....

>

> My son's request tonight for dinner was a can of pinto beans with

parmesan cheese. I heated them in veggie broth and threw in some

onion powder and dry mustard. He's 5 and ate a HUGE bowl of them.

I'm talking, it had to be really quick tonight.....

>

>

>

>

> Personals

> Single? There's someone we'd like you to meet.

> Lots of someones, actually. Personals

>

>

[Guest guest]

, " E.R. Bakwin " <bakwin@s...> wrote:

>

> Chessie wrote:

>

> <<I also use the lunch slices - we call it soylogna>>

>

> What a fun little side conversation....what do all of us call those

things?

>

I think someone already said this but- we call them

" veggielogna " and " veggieroni " for the balogna and pepperoni.

As for the weiners, my daughter coined the term " cool dogs "

although she is still trying to think of a replacement for the " dog "

part. Why are they called " dogs " anyway? What a gross thought!

Heather