Meat Substitutes

ashleyconleche

I am currently switching to a vegetarian diet, and am looking for some suggestions for meat substitutes. I am more than willing to try new foods, but am so scared of meat substitutes!

What are your favorites?

vingogly

Some of my favorites: cheese, soy milk, Icelandic yogurt (skir), lentils, quinoa (there's a Peruvian sandwich shop near my house that has a great quinoa burger), steel cut oats, edamame, garbanzos, nut butters.

ashleyconleche

vingogly wrote: »

Some of my favorites: cheese, soy milk, Icelandic yogurt (skir), lentils, quinoa (there's a Peruvian sandwich shop near my house that has a great quinoa burger), steel cut oats, edamame, garbanzos, nut butters.

This is super helpful! Thank you!

janejellyroll

Are you in the US?

My favorite commercial brands are Field Roast (sausages, deli slices), Beyond Meat (chicken strips, burgers), and Upton's Naturals (chorizo, jackfruit, bacon).

If I'm making my own, it's usually seitan or tempeh bacon.

GottaBurnEmAll

I am limited in my ability to eat many meat subs because I'm soy intolerant and have celiac disease.

The Beyond Meat beef crumbles and burgers are both good. However, I usually stick to Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, egg whites, beans, lentils and whole grains.

Sorry, I know my dietary restrictions limit how helpful I am!

ashleyconleche

janejellyroll wrote: »

Are you in the US?

My favorite commercial brands are Field Roast (sausages, deli slices), Beyond Meat (chicken strips, burgers), and Upton's Naturals (chorizo, jackfruit, bacon).

If I'm making my own, it's usually seitan or tempeh bacon.

I am in the US! I'm wanting to avoid soy as much as I can, are those commercial brands soy products?

ashleyconleche

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

I am limited in my ability to eat many meat subs because I'm soy intolerant and have celiac disease.

The Beyond Meat beef crumbles and burgers are both good. However, I usually stick to Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, eggs, egg whites, beans, lentils and whole grains.

Sorry, I know my dietary restrictions limit how helpful I am!

Still super helpful, thank you!

janejellyroll

ashleyconleche wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Are you in the US?

My favorite commercial brands are Field Roast (sausages, deli slices), Beyond Meat (chicken strips, burgers), and Upton's Naturals (chorizo, jackfruit, bacon).

If I'm making my own, it's usually seitan or tempeh bacon.

I am in the US! I'm wanting to avoid soy as much as I can, are those commercial brands soy products?

I don't avoid soy, so I couldn't tell you if the commercial products include any soy ingredients. But they're not primarily soy, they're either seitan (which is made from wheat), pea protein, or fruit.

Tempeh is a soy product.

ashleyconleche

janejellyroll wrote: »

ashleyconleche wrote: »

janejellyroll wrote: »

Are you in the US?

My favorite commercial brands are Field Roast (sausages, deli slices), Beyond Meat (chicken strips, burgers), and Upton's Naturals (chorizo, jackfruit, bacon).

If I'm making my own, it's usually seitan or tempeh bacon.

I am in the US! I'm wanting to avoid soy as much as I can, are those commercial brands soy products?

I don't avoid soy, so I couldn't tell you if the commercial products include any soy ingredients. But they're not primarily soy, they're either seitan (which is made from wheat), pea protein, or fruit.

Tempeh is a soy product.

I will check them out! Thanks!

nowine4me

Most of them are dreadful so I don't rely on them. Anything fake deli meat is horrible, I can't stand tofu, and jackfruit is despicable.

I like tempeh to replace chicken and Gardein meat crumbles for tacos. Mostly, I've learned to use veggies as a stand in. Black bean burgers are awesome, mushrooms are hearty where you would use beef, big slabs of grilled cauliflower, etc.

ashleyconleche

I saw Gardein "meat" the other day and wondering if it was any good. Do you only use the crumbles?

lisa2113940

My favorites: Boca, Gardein, and Morning Star. Tofurkey is amazing for sandwiches. Beyond meat burgers have gotten great reviews (no soy) but I have struggled to get my hands on them in my area.

orangegato

Another vote for Field Roast and Beyond Meat products. However the Beyond Meat chicken strips have soy while the crumbles and Beyond Burger don't.

Sp1tfire

edamame is sooo good and fun to eat! I found that I enjoy it with breakfast or as a bedtime snack.
I also like Gardein products, I've liked all the ones I have tried (and i'm not a vegetarian, but I'd choose their chik'n patties over a regular one any day!) Their mandarin chikn is my also favorite. Sweet earth makes really good convenience meals with lower calories and sodium considering its frozen. Their curry tiger burrito is the best!

neldabg

I'm not vegetarian myself, but I enjoy trying new foods. I recently tried Aldi's Earth Grown Veggie Burger, and it was quite tasty. I could tell it wasn't meat, but it was unique and had lots of peas.

HeidiMightyRawr

I was going to recommend anything by Linda McCartney, but not sure of availability in the US and I noticed since you said you're avoiding soy. (They do contain soy) but if you ever decide to try any ever, they are amazing, especially the sausages!

For a soy free meat substitute I'd say 'Seitan' It's a homemade meat sub made from mostly wheat gluten (there are gluten free versions out there if anyone's sensitive to it) veg stock and just a few other bits. It's super easy to make, very high protein, and can be used to replicate most types of meats. My favourite is this recipe; http://www.thatwasvegan.com/2012/01/30/my-favorite-chicken-style-seitan-recipe/ - some recipes call for a small amount of soy sauce, that one doesn't.

The only thing I'd say about that recipe is don't steam then refridgerate then reheat. It doesn't turn out the best texture when reheated. Serve straight after steaming. If you have any extra you want to save for later, put the extra portions in the fridge before steaming (after all the kneading and everything else) and just cook when ready to eat.

HeliumIsNoble

If you want to avoid soya (I don't), I recommend trying Quorn products.

ashleyconleche

Any idea what the Quorn products use instead of soy?

orangegato

Mushroom based protein. Gives a "meaty" texture. Soy free burgers but unsure of all products being soy free. I like them too.

ashleyconleche

I was standing in the grocery store just staring yesterday (I felt so clueless), and eventually just left with nothing because I had no idea what I was looking at and was too nervous to bring something home I wouldn't like. I know I have to try it, and I want to, but I think actually doing it is going to be my greatest hurdle.

orangegato

You can be vegetarian without eating meat substitutes that are fake chicken or beef etc. processed food. Have you considered that and looked at cookbooks or maybe even consulted with a dietitian?

ashleyconleche

My end goal is to not have to eat anything processed or "fake". I am only looking for meat substitutes as I adjust to new protein sources (I have always been a meat eater). I'm struggling a little bit to meet my protein needs, but I'm getting there.

JRSINAZ

ashleyconleche wrote: »

I saw Gardein "meat" the other day and wondering if it was any good. Do you only use the crumbles?

Gardein is soy based. I love all their stuff. Winco ifoods s the cheapest.

HeidiMightyRawr

ashleyconleche wrote: »

Any idea what the Quorn products use instead of soy?

It's a protein derived from fungi. So it's similar to mushrooms, but it's not actually mushroom.

http://www.mycoprotein.org/index.php/faq/index.html

ashleyconleche

@HeidiMightyRawr Super helpful! Thank you!

GottaBurnEmAll

ashleyconleche wrote: »

My end goal is to not have to eat anything processed or "fake". I am only looking for meat substitutes as I adjust to new protein sources (I have always been a meat eater). I'm struggling a little bit to meet my protein needs, but I'm getting there.

I haven't eaten a meat sub in a while. I've been primarily getting my protein from cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs, egg whites (I mix the two), and the combination of beans and whole grains (to make a complete protein). Another food I eat is bean pasta.

It's mostly been laziness on my part. I have to go to a different grocery store than I usually shop in to get the Beyond Meat products, and I haven't bothered. My daughter, who's also a vegetarian, hasn't particularly minded either.

orangegato

GottaBurnEmAll wrote: »

ashleyconleche wrote: »

My end goal is to not have to eat anything processed or "fake". I am only looking for meat substitutes as I adjust to new protein sources (I have always been a meat eater). I'm struggling a little bit to meet my protein needs, but I'm getting there.

I haven't eaten a meat sub in a while. I've been primarily getting my protein from cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, eggs, egg whites (I mix the two), and the combination of beans and whole grains (to make a complete protein). Another food I eat is bean pasta.

It's mostly been laziness on my part. I have to go to a different grocery store than I usually shop in to get the Beyond Meat products, and I haven't bothered. My daughter, who's also a vegetarian, hasn't particularly minded either.

Yes, I wish Beyond Meat was distributed to more local stores. Pain in the *kitten* to go out of my way for it, but I do.

ashleyconleche

There is only one store in my town that sells them!

deekayg

I make these amazing "meatballs" that even carnivores like and have tricked people into thinking they're meat. Walnut based with eggs, onion, shredded cheese, italian bread crumbs and spices. We call them ballnuts, lol.

WilmaValley

What great suggestions! I love frozen veggie burgers!

cjsacto

There's a lot you can do with black beans or lentils, including making your own veggie patties. The store bought ones are typically high in sodium and it's cheaper to make them.

I've recently started making seitan (wheat meat) every week and using it in my sandwiches for lunch. You won't want seitan if you're gluten free but it is VERY easy to make (high gluten flour + water + spices) and high in protein. You can buy seitan, too, but it's pricey and again high in sodium. Maybe try it once before making it to see if you like it. It's got a chewy, meat-like texture.

ETA: seitan is not a high carb food even though it's made from flour. One cup of the flour gives me six servings that each have 81 cal, 15g protein, 3g carbs, less than 1g fat.