The Basics of Substitution

When most people think of being a vegetarian, their mind immediately flashes to lettuce, beans, rice, and bland soggy tofu. While this may have been the case 5-10 years ago, it isn’t anymore. Our generation is spoiled-- in a very good way. We now have a substitute for, well, just about everything. In fact, yesterday I encountered something new (to me at least)—soy chorizo. That’s right ladies and gentleman; we can now enjoy meatless chorizo. How awesome is that? They truly have thought of everything. You name it, there’s a substitute.

So while a decade ago being a Vegetarian might have meant sacrificing flavor, it now means enjoying meatless delights.

In this blog I hope to dispel the age old stigma that meatless means tasteless, and along the way share my experiences and any tips I can.

So let’s go over some basic meat replacements. One of my favorite brands is Morningstar Farms. 

Morningstar Farms

They have a replacement for just about everything. Here are a few of my favorites:

Meat Crumbles- These are the perfect replacement for ground beef. They can be used in anything from homemade chili to tacos. Simply heat it up on the stove and add your seasoning.

I love these. They can be used in lettuce wraps or by themselves. A quick snack or even crumbled over salad. But beware, these little guys pack quite a punch. So if you aren't a fan of spicy, steer clear.

These are amazing in fajitas! They also have "steak" strips, though I couldn't find a picture of them. I love the fry both kinds up, add some bell peppers onions and mushrooms, throw in some fajita seasoning and viola, you have fajitas. Of course, they can be used for other things too, but we'll get into that later.

 These are such great little snacks, tasty and quick.

I'm still on the fence about these guys. They're a pretty good imitation, but not necessarily the best. I'm still experimenting, attempting to figure out the secret to making them as close to the real thing as possible.

These are great for breakfast. With some eggs and toast, or even crumbled up and used in some biscuits and gravy.

These are amazing! They can either be used in burgers, or just cut up and served with salad and bread. Delicious! 

These are awesome! My local market no longer carries them, so I'm on the lookout for another store that stocks it.

Now let’s talk about my all-time favorite meat replacement, which can be used as a substitute for just about everything—Tofu. Unfortunately, this versatile source of protein has gotten a bad rap over the years. Most people cringe when they think of Tofu, which is usually due to its appearance. Let’s face it, uncooked Tofu looks disgusting. Of course, uncooked meat isn’t exactly esthetically pleasing either, but anyone who eats meat knows that it’s all in how it’s prepared. The same goes for Tofu. If you don’t know how to cook it, Tofu can be downright disgusting.  So if you’ve tried Tofu, and think it’s not for you, let’s go over a few basics and see if we can’t turn that around J

I get asked quite often if there’s a certain “miracle” brand of Tofu….the answer is NO. In my experience, the brand doesn’t matter, but rather the type.

Have you ever stood in the middle of a grocery store, staring at the Tofu section, and feeling completely lost?

 I’ve been there, and it took some interesting “experiments” before I figured out the secret. It’s called Extra Firm. This is the key to well cooked, yummy Tofu, and soggy prevention.

So to sum it up, the secret to good Tofu lies not in the brand, but the type. Later we’ll get into proper cooking to insure your meal doesn’t end up with bits of sogginess in it.

There are many other meat substitutes available; these are just a few of my favorites. As I go along in this blog, I’ll continue to introduce you to more as I try them.