March 9, 2008

Meat substitutes

Seitan (wheat gluten) is a food made from the gluten of wheat, that is can used as a substitute for meat, which is high in protein and other nutrients. In meat substitutes seitan can be made to resemble chicken, beef, pepperoni, ribz, steak & duck.

Tempeh is a fermented food made by fermenting soybeans and grains and then forming them into a cake, also is high in protein and other nutrients. Tempeh can be used a meat substitute, mainly to resemble bacon.

Tofu is a food made by coagulating soy milk, and then pressing the resulting curds into blocks. Tofu can be made into almost anything. It is at times used as a meat substitute in certain recipes. It has a lot of protein, as well as other nutrients. In meat substitutes tofu can be made to resemble chicken (sticks, nuggets, wings, broiled, fried steak, etc), ribz, bacon, burgers, etc.
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP)/Textured Soy Protein (TSP) is food that is used as a meat substitute made from defatted soy flour. It is quick to make, is high in protein & fiber, and low in fat. It commonly used to make tacos and chili (the 'meat').
Beans and legumes are a food that is high in fiber and other nutrients, and can be made into a variety of food, when cooked certain ways to resemble meat. Beans are the seed part of a plant, and legumes are plants. Mostly black beans and garbanzo beans are used for meat substitutes in recipes, especially in making burgers.
Mushrooms are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. Portobello mushrooms are commonly used for portobello burgers, stroganoff or steaks.
Okara (soy pulp) is a white or yellowish pulp consisting of insoluble parts of the soybean which remain in the filter sack when pureed soybeans are filtered in the production of soy milk. It is used as a meat substitute to make patties and crab cakes.
Falafel is a fried ball or patty made from spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas. Sometimes eaten alone or made into a sandwich.
Seaweed is a large sea plant in the category of benthic algae. Seaweeds especially raw, are highly nutritious. Seaweeds are sometimes added to foods such as tofu having it resemble fish.
Nut roasts are commonly made with any variety of nuts, but typically Brazil nuts and cashew nuts and eaten as an alternative to a roast dinner.
Eggplant is a large edible purple-colored vegetable like fruit. Eggplants can be made in many different ways, in casseroles, patties, stuffed, patties, etc.
Veggie burgers can be made from vegetables, tofu, seiten, soybeans, tempeh, TVP, beans mostly black beans & chickpeas, or portobello mushrooms). A burger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty served on a bun, often with other ingredients. A Veggie Burger is like a 'ham'buger but made without the meat and either a meat substitute or a cooked patty is used in place.
Imitation/mock meats: There are vegan versions of pretty much every animal product out there, some just are accidentally substitutes/imitation like such as the ones listed above, and others are made specifically like a certain animal product. There are veggie burgers, veggie dogs, lunch 'meats', and much more. Some popular meat substitute brands include:
  • Gardenburger - has BBQ Riblets, Breaded Chik’n, Veggie Breakfast Sausage, Chik’n Grill, Herb Crusted Cutlet, Burgers: GardenVegan, Veggie Medley, California Burger, Black Bean Chipotle, Flame Grilled.
  • Yves Veggie Cuisine - has Chili, Lasanga, Deli Slices: Ham, Turkey, Smoked Chicken, Roast Beef, Salami, Pepperoni, Bolonga, Burgers: Chicken, Beef, Canadian Bacon, Breakfast Patties, Doz: Hot Dog, Good Dog, Tofu Dog, Jumbo Brat, Veggie Brats Classic, Veggie Zesty Italian Taco Stuffers: Turkey, & Original.
  • Lightlife - has Smart bacon strips, Smart BBQ, Smart Deli slices (Roast Turkey Style, Baked Ham Style, Bologna, Santa Fe Chick'n Style), Chick'n Strips, Steak, Gimme Lean, Sausage Style, Gimme Lean, Ground Beef Style, Smart Links Country Breakfast Style, Organic Tempeh (Fakin' Bacon strips, soy, garden veggie, 3 grain, wild rice, flax), & Pepperoni Style slices.
  • Morningstar Farms - has Meal Starters (Veggie Steak Strips, Chik'n Strips, & Sausage Style Recipe Crumbles), & Grillers Vegan burger.
  • Boca - has mild Chili, Original Vegan burger, Roasted Onion burger, & Roasted Garlic burger.
  • Tofurky - has deli slices (Hickory Smoked, Philly Style Steak, Italian, Cranberry & Stuffing, Original, Peppered), Sausages (Italian sausage, Kielbasa, Beer Brats), SuperBurgers (Original, TexMex), Franks (Chipotle, Breakfat links, Tofurky Franks), Tempeh (The Original Multi-Grain, Soy, Spicy, Veggie), Tofurky Jurkys (Original, Peppered).
  • Amy's - has All American Veggie Burger, Texas Veggie Burger, Bistro Burger, California Veggie Burger, Quarter Pound Veggie Burger, & Breakfast Patties.
  • Nate's - has Meatless Meatballs Savory Mushrooms, & Mini's Crispy Tacos Portobello Mushrooms.
  • Worthington - has Chic-Ketts.
  • Sol Cuisine - has Vegetable Burger.
  • Vegieworld.com has Vegetarian Lobster Balls
  • Vegieworld.com has Vegetarian Salmon
  • Natural Touch has Tuno
  • Food Fight Grocery has Soy Caviar
  • Now & Zen - has Unsteak, UnRibs, UnChicken, & UnTurkey.
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