best of faux meats products ???

[Guest guest]

I personally am not fond of any of the faux meat products however I am trying to

convert

a 14 year old very slowly and was wondering if everyone would chime in with

their favorites

or even terrible choices so I don't waste money and time looking.

 

Thanks !

Me - Vegan ( McDougall)

Husband - trying to be vegan (McDougall)

14mth old vegan

14 year old on SAD diet

 

 

~Kimberly~

[Guest guest]

My favorite brands are Tofurky and Boca. I use the Boca crumbles,

burgers, chick patties, nuggets. I also use the Tofurky deli slices and

some of their sausages. I love faux meats. Not only do many of them

taste good, but they show that you don't need to kill animals to get the

same texture, look, and from what I can remember, flavor (but after over

13 years my sister insists that I don't remember what meat tastes like.

She is convinced of this after I gave her a slice of Tofurky to try,

telling her it tasted just like turkey). I don't use them daily, but

these are the ones that I do use when I'm in the market for one.

 

Also, I can't remember the brand - but I love the chicken style seitan

that comes in a white container with a yellow plastic outer cover. I

think it's WestSoy? Can't remember for sure, but it's great for making

seitan salad for sandwiches and crackers and for using in chickenless

soup!

 

Jacqueline

[Guest guest]

I love the Upton Naturals products.  They may be local to my area (made in

Skoke, IL), though they are carried by Whole Foods.  They make seitan " sausage "

crumbles in Italian and Chorizo and both are fabulous.  The Yves pepperoni is

great on pizza.

 

Robin

 

 

--- On Thu, 11/6/08, klesser60089 <klesser wrote:

 

klesser60089 <klesser

best of faux meats products ???

 

Thursday, November 6, 2008, 11:18 AM

 

 

 

 

 

 

I personally am not fond of any of the faux meat products however I am trying to

convert

a 14 year old very slowly and was wondering if everyone would chime in with

their favorites

or even terrible choices so I don't waste money and time looking.

 

Thanks !

Me - Vegan ( McDougall)

Husband - trying to be vegan (McDougall)

14mth old vegan

14 year old on SAD diet

 

~Kimberly~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I like the GardenBurger brand over Boca.  Not all is vegan, but I think all is

vegg (will say on it)

Kashi frozen veg stuff is yummy, but I am not sure if I would have enjoyed it at

14.  Trial and error.  Let the child go with you to see some of the options. 

Explain what you will make  with the animal substitutes and ask for help.

Best of Luck,

Cassie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

--- On Thu, 11/6/08, Jacqueline Bodnar <jb wrote:

Jacqueline Bodnar <jb

RE: best of faux meats products ???

 

Thursday, November 6, 2008, 1:10 PM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My favorite brands are Tofurky and Boca. I use the Boca crumbles,

 

burgers, chick patties, nuggets. I also use the Tofurky deli slices and

 

some of their sausages. I love faux meats. Not only do many of them

 

taste good, but they show that you don't need to kill animals to get the

 

same texture, look, and from what I can remember, flavor (but after over

 

13 years my sister insists that I don't remember what meat tastes like.

 

She is convinced of this after I gave her a slice of Tofurky to try,

 

telling her it tasted just like turkey). I don't use them daily, but

 

these are the ones that I do use when I'm in the market for one.

 

 

 

Also, I can't remember the brand - but I love the chicken style seitan

 

that comes in a white container with a yellow plastic outer cover. I

 

think it's WestSoy? Can't remember for sure, but it's great for making

 

seitan salad for sandwiches and crackers and for using in chickenless

 

soup!

 

 

 

Jacqueline

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Field Roast sausage is amazing. We use Morning Star crumbles and chik'n strips.

We use

Smart Life for crumbled sausage and bacon. And we use Ives for hot dogs and

pepperoni.

Boca Original vegan burgers are good and if you top it w/ a port mushroom cap

they are

even better. We also like Trader Joe's Marsala burgers. I'm not really a fan of

any of the

lunch meats but I was never big on them when I was omni.

 

We just tried pretty much everything until we figured out which brand we liked

for which

product.

 

, " klesser60089 " <klesser wrote:

>

> I personally am not fond of any of the faux meat products however I am trying

to

convert

> a 14 year old very slowly and was wondering if everyone would chime in with

their

favorites

> or even terrible choices so I don't waste money and time looking.

>

> Thanks !

> Me - Vegan ( McDougall)

> Husband - trying to be vegan (McDougall)

> 14mth old vegan

> 14 year old on SAD diet

>

>

> ~Kimberly~

>

[Guest guest]

The original Boca burgers are the best, I also like the Morningstar

farms vegan ones (I think it's their original griller, but it says

vegan on them). They also make Chick'n strips and I forget what they

call the 'beefy' strips - those are/were vegan last time we got them.

I heard in some areas they were not (had egg, but the ones we got

never did).

 

The Light Life deli slices are good, too. My son really likes the

vegan ham, and bologna. We don't get them often, but they do make

things easier (for packing sandwiches for his lunches for field trips

or when we're going on long drives/trips for us).

 

 

I don't know if it matter to you or not, just to get your 14yr old on

board -if things are vegan or just vegetarian, as the chik'n

patties/nuggets and other veggie burger offerings like the brats and

italian sausages and some of the other stuff (not crumbles, though - I

think) are not vegan. They do have egg, some of the other patties have

milk and egg. Just so you know that not all of it is vegan (I only

mention because I saw she's the only one not vegan or even vegetarian

in your house).

 

Maybe, if you could also try allowing her eggs and cheese, as that can

help ease the transition, especially if she's able to go out with

friends - she'd have more options for what she could have if she goes

out with friends to the mall or whatever? Just a thought. Small

steps, might be easier for her to deal with in order to change her

diet. Otherwise it's just taking away everything that makes her just

like her friends, and that might not be a welcomed thing - but then it

might depending on your child, of course. Just let her know that it

is for a set time (like maybe 6 months or something) so she gets used

to all the other changes and by then they should be more 'normal' for

her, perhaps. Just a thought. Eggs were the last thing we gave up

before going vegan.

 

Hope this helps.

Missie

 

On Thu, Nov 6, 2008 at 12:10 PM, Jacqueline Bodnar

<jb wrote:

>

> My favorite brands are Tofurky and Boca. I use the Boca crumbles,

> burgers, chick patties, nuggets. I also use the Tofurky deli slices and

> some of their sausages. I love faux meats. Not only do many of them

> taste good, but they show that you don't need to kill animals to get the

> same texture, look, and from what I can remember, flavor (but after over

> 13 years my sister insists that I don't remember what meat tastes like.

> She is convinced of this after I gave her a slice of Tofurky to try,

> telling her it tasted just like turkey). I don't use them daily, but

> these are the ones that I do use when I'm in the market for one.

>

> Also, I can't remember the brand - but I love the chicken style seitan

> that comes in a white container with a yellow plastic outer cover. I

> think it's WestSoy? Can't remember for sure, but it's great for making

> seitan salad for sandwiches and crackers and for using in chickenless

> soup!

>

> Jacqueline

>

>

 

 

 

--

 

http://mszzzi.zoomshare.com

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mszzzi/

 

~~~~~(m-.-)m

[Guest guest]

We are all fans of the soy chorizo here.  Great mexican type flavor and

versatile.  I usually make a skillet meal, potatoes and mix of veggies like

zucchini, summer squash, sweet red peppers, onions, sweet potato, mushrooms, and

greens like kale or spinach.  Cook long cooking veggies first (potatoes, onion,

and peppers).  (Can use oil or just steam depending on your choice.)  Add the

chorizo after the potatoes are mostly done.  Then add quick cookers like summer

squash.  Lastly add greens.  Big hit with both kids (3 and 6) and me!  I serve

with ketchup.

 

Or mix chorizo with refried beans and favorite mexican style vegan cheese and

use as a dip for chips and/or veggies.

 

Also the balogna flavor immitation meats are my kids favorite lunch type vegan

'meat'  (we call it veggie slices).  Also there are 'steak' and 'chicken' type

strips that my kids love.  I will put them in stirfrys or in burritos.  But my

kids are also big fans of edamame.  Not  a meat substitute but less processed.

 Laura Ballinger Morales

 

 

 

 

________________________________

klesser60089 <klesser

 

Thursday, November 6, 2008 12:18:18 PM

best of faux meats products ???

 

 

I personally am not fond of any of the faux meat products however I am trying to

convert

a 14 year old very slowly and was wondering if everyone would chime in with

their favorites

or even terrible choices so I don't waste money and time looking.

 

Thanks !

Me - Vegan ( McDougall)

Husband - trying to be vegan (McDougall)

14mth old vegan

14 year old on SAD diet

 

~Kimberly~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Our absolute fav is Garden Burger's brand Riblets we actually just had

them for dinner because my four year old had been begging all week for

them he is four and is an on again off again vegetarian. My 12 year

old is not at all a veg and she loved them as well. For chicken the

Quorn brand is my fav. They are so good. I sometimes use morning

star farms crumbles and the sausage links they make and my son and veg

daughter love the " fake bacon " they make. Hope that helps. Shari

 

On 11/6/08, Laura Ballinger Morales <lballinger wrote:

> We are all fans of the soy chorizo here. Great mexican type flavor and

> versatile. I usually make a skillet meal, potatoes and mix of veggies like

> zucchini, summer squash, sweet red peppers, onions, sweet potato, mushrooms,

> and greens like kale or spinach. Cook long cooking veggies first (potatoes,

> onion, and peppers). (Can use oil or just steam depending on your choice.)

> Add the chorizo after the potatoes are mostly done. Then add quick cookers

> like summer squash. Lastly add greens. Big hit with both kids (3 and 6)

> and me! I serve with ketchup.

>

> Or mix chorizo with refried beans and favorite mexican style vegan cheese

> and use as a dip for chips and/or veggies.

>

> Also the balogna flavor immitation meats are my kids favorite lunch type

> vegan 'meat' (we call it veggie slices). Also there are 'steak' and

> 'chicken' type strips that my kids love. I will put them in stirfrys or in

> burritos. But my kids are also big fans of edamame. Not a meat substitute

> but less processed.

> Laura Ballinger Morales

>

>

>

>

> ________________________________

> klesser60089 <klesser

>

> Thursday, November 6, 2008 12:18:18 PM

> best of faux meats products ???

>

>

> I personally am not fond of any of the faux meat products however I am

> trying to convert

> a 14 year old very slowly and was wondering if everyone would chime in with

> their favorites

> or even terrible choices so I don't waste money and time looking.

>

> Thanks !

> Me - Vegan ( McDougall)

> Husband - trying to be vegan (McDougall)

> 14mth old vegan

> 14 year old on SAD diet

>

> ~Kimberly~

 

[Guest guest]

Hi-

I second the Boca burgers- they are great, especially on the grill, but in the

micro during the winter, too. Other faves: Quorn brand (Whole Foods, other HF

stores)- never had something I DIDN'T like of theirs, but my favorite is

probably their chicken bits. Not breaded, sort of a naked chicken, great for

putting into whatever dish you would normally use cut-up chicken. Also

Morningstar Farms: bacon, sausages, chicken strips, steak strips, corn dogs,

chicken nuggets (breaded). The chicken/steak strips are great in stir

fries/chinese-type dishes- a wonderful diversion from tofu, which usually gives

me a huge stomach ache. I do use tofurkey slices for sandwiches, and Yves

bologna and deli slices. I have three children, ages 6 months-5 years, and they

like MOST of the above (well, the baby is just starting to eat some of it). To

me, most of the above tastes like 'the real thing', but like a previous

responder said, I've probably been a veg for too long (20

yrs.) and don't have an accurate memory. I do know my husband (not veg) eats

all of the above quite willingly, although he does laugh about it. I've also

made BLTS+turkey with the tofurkey/Morningstar farms bacon (best prepped in the

oven, which doesn't take long) for my non-veg brother in law, and he said it was

great. My husband does eat the soy chorizo on occasion because the real thing

(he's half Mexican and grew up on real chorizo) gives him a stomach ache, so it

must be good. I personally don't care for it, but have never been much of a

sausage fan, real or fake.

Stay away from the fake tuna, unless someone can recommend one they've tried

recently. I was looking forward to a 'tuna' sandwich several years ago when I

found some and blech!!! could not take more than a bite or two.

I guess I've gone on too long, best of luck. Plenty of delicious 'meats' out

there. I know some in this group don't eat the fake versions of meat, and more

power to them. I personally like the variety- and the ability to make some

familiar foods for those who come over, just in a body, planet, and

animal-friendly version.

ps I have enjoyed reading what everyone calls animal products and laughed out

loud when I read that someone simply calls everything 'dead'. Awesome! We

personally call everything by its 'live' name- pigs, cows, etc. And I like to

throw the term 'dead flesh', 'seared flesh' in there on occasion just to be

funny. MMM! Smells like burnt flesh! You get the idea. My daughter, a

Kindergartner and new to public school, is having an interesting time learning

all the little Thanksgiving songs etc. Luckily most of them so far seem to

center around the turkey successfully running away. Go, Turkey! She did tell me,

" Mom, we are the only family that doesn't eat turkey on Thanksgiving. It's

disgusting! " Aawww. How cute.

jenni

 

 

 

 

________________________________

Laura Ballinger Morales <lballinger

 

Thursday, November 6, 2008 3:55:26 PM

Re: best of faux meats products ???

 

 

We are all fans of the soy chorizo here.  Great mexican type flavor and

versatile.  I usually make a skillet meal, potatoes and mix of veggies like

zucchini, summer squash, sweet red peppers, onions, sweet potato, mushrooms, and

greens like kale or spinach.  Cook long cooking veggies first (potatoes, onion,

and peppers).  (Can use oil or just steam depending on your choice.)  Add the

chorizo after the potatoes are mostly done.  Then add quick cookers like summer

squash.  Lastly add greens.  Big hit with both kids (3 and 6) and me!  I serve

with ketchup.

 

Or mix chorizo with refried beans and favorite mexican style vegan cheese and

use as a dip for chips and/or veggies.

 

Also the balogna flavor immitation meats are my kids favorite lunch type vegan

'meat'  (we call it veggie slices).  Also there are 'steak' and 'chicken' type

strips that my kids love.  I will put them in stirfrys or in burritos.  But my

kids are also big fans of edamame.  Not  a meat substitute but less processed.

 Laura Ballinger Morales

 

____________ _________ _________ __

klesser60089 <klesser (AT) mac (DOT) com>

@gro ups.com

Thursday, November 6, 2008 12:18:18 PM

best of faux meats products ???

 

I personally am not fond of any of the faux meat products however I am trying to

convert

a 14 year old very slowly and was wondering if everyone would chime in with

their favorites

or even terrible choices so I don't waste money and time looking.

 

Thanks !

Me - Vegan ( McDougall)

Husband - trying to be vegan (McDougall)

14mth old vegan

14 year old on SAD diet

 

~Kimberly~

 

 

[Guest guest]

Yes, gardenburgers are good, too. I like the boca when you're in the mood for a

more 'burgery' tasting burger. The gardenburger is more 'nuts and grains and

cheese', no burger taste to be found. I like both, though.

 

 

 

 

________________________________

Cassie Dixon <roxy87cabriolet

 

Thursday, November 6, 2008 12:41:01 PM

RE: best of faux meats products ???

 

 

I like the GardenBurger brand over Boca.  Not all is vegan, but I think all is

vegg (will say on it)

Kashi frozen veg stuff is yummy, but I am not sure if I would have enjoyed it at

14.  Trial and error.  Let the child go with you to see some of the options. 

Explain what you will make  with the animal substitutes and ask for help.

Best of Luck,

Cassie

 

--- On Thu, 11/6/08, Jacqueline Bodnar <jb@jacquelinebodnar .com> wrote:

Jacqueline Bodnar <jb@jacquelinebodnar .com>

RE: best of faux meats products ???

@gro ups.com

Thursday, November 6, 2008, 1:10 PM

 

My favorite brands are Tofurky and Boca. I use the Boca crumbles,

 

burgers, chick patties, nuggets. I also use the Tofurky deli slices and

 

some of their sausages. I love faux meats. Not only do many of them

 

taste good, but they show that you don't need to kill animals to get the

 

same texture, look, and from what I can remember, flavor (but after over

 

13 years my sister insists that I don't remember what meat tastes like.

 

She is convinced of this after I gave her a slice of Tofurky to try,

 

telling her it tasted just like turkey). I don't use them daily, but

 

these are the ones that I do use when I'm in the market for one.

 

Also, I can't remember the brand - but I love the chicken style seitan

 

that comes in a white container with a yellow plastic outer cover. I

 

think it's WestSoy? Can't remember for sure, but it's great for making

 

seitan salad for sandwiches and crackers and for using in chickenless

 

soup!

 

Jacqueline

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

I'm with you -- not a big fan of faux meats but I do actually love the Quorn

brand chicken substitutes. The nuggets are great in any recipe that calls for

chopped chicken pieces (like stir-fries) and the Turkey-style Roast is YUM,

especially when roasted in the oven in a bag with spices like rosemary, sage,

and thyme. Maybe it's been too long for me to remember but I would swear it

feels/tastes like white chicken, except better. I also like that the protein

comes essentially from the mushroom family. There might be egg whites in them,

can't recall right now. Whole Foods carries them along with other natural foods

stores.

 

I unfortunately can't stand any Tofurkey products and have tried about 6-7.

They seem to all have a certain flavor that rubs me the wrong way. Sad since

they're in every grocery around here.

 

I too love Soyrizo and find it in the major grocery stores - yum!

 

I've heard so many good things about Field Roast brand!

 

My kids love the Morningstar sausage patties and will often make McDonalds-like

concoctions out of them with an English Muffin or toast and sometimes with an

egg too. Morningstar's bacon is a big hit with our kids too, especially in

BLT's.

 

Oh, and our kids used to love those veggie corn dogs from Morningstar too.

Trader Joe's sells one too but the kids like the Morningstar one slightly better

(taste the same to me).

 

HTH!

 

Angelique

 

 

[Guest guest]

Veat mock chicken - solid enough to stick a fork in a cut without

crumbling or mushing. It also has that 'grain' that real chicken has.

Even my anti-veggie mother eats this, although it does taste a bit

sweet to me.

 

Quorn mock chicken - tastier than Veat and just a bit 'softer'. This

is my favorite as it grills/bbq's well. It even batters well.

 

MSF mock chicken [or steak] - I've found it to be tolerable for stews,

but it is generally mushy and lacks texture. it's much closer to

baked tofu

 

Tofurkey deli slices - Oven Roasted is thin with a hint of smoke

flavor that, to me, reminds me alot of real turkey slices. It's my

favorite on a sandwich.

 

Yves deli slices - the mock turkey is my favorite, but they're all a

pretty good choice. The only thing is that the slices are thick, like

bologna and while it doesn't taste bad or anything, it doesn't 'taste'

like lunch meat either.

 

Smart Start's Bacon - just the best. Actually tastes like bacon [or

what I remember bacon tasting like!] However, the texture doesn't

really match. Then again, I've never met a fake bacon that did.

 

Boca Crumble - my favorite choices for dishes calling for ground beef.

MSF is good, but I've found it to be grainier than Boca's.

 

TuNO - nasty, don't even try it

 

Seitan - an excellent, flexible thing. I love it for mock fried

'chicken'.