Alternatives to meat?

LKArgh
LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am trying to lower the meat we eat as a family. We are not eating meat every day, but ideally I would like especially red meat to be limited on just 2-3 meals per week, less if possible. I do not however want to reduce our protein intake significantly. I go through vegetarian and even vegan phases personally, as I do not particularly like meat, but my recipes tend to be too low in protein this way. Any tips, links, book suggestions?
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Replies

  • jamesisaac108
    jamesisaac108 Posts: 27
    When I first went vegetarian I ate a lot of portabella mushrooms. And beans. But I just wasnt eating enough to sustain my physical activity and my blood work came back all screwed up. Adding a multivitamin and whey protein sorted me out. Protein from low fat dairy is also great.
  • Ataraxia81
    Ataraxia81 Posts: 63 Member
    Beans, tofu, seitan. I have always been a fan of seitan. It tastes better than tofu(imo) and is high in protein.
  • citteacat
    citteacat Posts: 6 Member
    I'm a pescatarian and haven't had meat other than seafood for about 7 years.
    While I'm not the best at keeping up with protein, here's a few tips-

    Beans & nuts can be your best friend!


    You may have seen this already but -
    http://www.cookinglight.com/food/vegetarian/protein-for-vegetarians-00412000078915/page2.html

    Also make sure you're keeping up with the other nutrients you'll be missing, not just protein.

    I suggest joining some blog sites, and follow a lot of vegan/vegetarian ones that will post plenty of recipes for you to try. Here's a few I found;

    http://goveganmeow.blogspot.com/

    http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/

    http://hellyeahitsvegan.com/

    I'm sure you'll find some your whole family will love. ^^
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Thank you :)
  • Stefgoju
    Stefgoju Posts: 43 Member
    I'm a huge fan of quorn: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quorn Here in Belgium all major stores have quorn or they have a home vegetarian brand with foods packed in protein. If you come across it I would definitely give it a go. Unflavored quorn is a great substitute for chicken. It also absorbs other flavours well and can be used in a variety of recipes.Other main sources of protein I use:

    - Dairy : Low fat or semi skimmed milk / cheeses/ Yoghurt... Greek yoghurt especially.
    - Eggs
    -Beans, lentils,...
    - Tofu, Soy.
    - Whey protein and meal replacement powders (dont rely too much on them, they are still supplements, natural food is still better)
    -...

    Hope this helps
  • darreneatschicken
    darreneatschicken Posts: 669 Member
    quinoi
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    My husband of 28 years has never eaten meat--spit it out as a kid. So I cook alot of meatless meals using legumes, eggs, cheese, fish, and nuts. I make pasta everyday, as we live in Italy and that is a staple. To pasta you can add almost anything and it is always different and doesn't get boring. He is slim and the picture of health. His bloodwork comes back perfect everytime--he's 60. His brother is a doctor, so there is no problem eating as he does since he is always under control. Also, he goes to the gym-pool 4 times a week. When we go to the sea, he swims everyday way out and people that try to go with him come back discouraged.
  • CharlotteAnneUK
    CharlotteAnneUK Posts: 186 Member
    My husband and I have swapped Quorn mice for beef mince and it makes the BEST cottage / shepards pie EVER! I have to say though the other day I bought a Quorn ready made shepards pie and it was not as good as homemade, and the quorn and leek sausages make a great toad in the hole.

    The other way we substitute meat is with Fish, before we met im sure hubby thought fish only came in batter or breadcrumbs....
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    Fish is meat.........just saying!
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Fish is meat.........just saying!

    Actually some fish, such as swordfish, tastes like meat so I can't use it. Well then, where I live fish is fish, meat is meat--white or red, sort of like wine.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    Fish is meat.........just saying!

    Actually some fish, such as swordfish, tastes like meat so I can't use it. Well then, where I live fish is fish, meat is meat--white or red, sort of like wine.

    I stand by my statement. Fish is meat. Not a fruit, not a grain, not a vegetable, not a dairy product, it's just meat.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    Fish is meat.........just saying!

    Actually some fish, such as swordfish, tastes like meat so I can't use it. Well then, where I live fish is fish, meat is meat--white or red, sort of like wine.

    I stand by my statement. Fish is meat. Not a fruit, not a grain, not a vegetable, not a dairy product, it's just meat.

    Then why, during Lent, can we Catholics eat "fish" but not "meat" on Fridays? I also stand by what I said.
  • Kymmu
    Kymmu Posts: 1,650 Member
    Of course fish is meat- did it grow from the ground? No

    Does it have muscles nerves and a brain?? Yes

    Is it a plant or a creature?

    It's another type of meat - from the sea.
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
    Go to your local supermarket and have a look in the meat free isle(s) (at my local there's both a refrigerated and frozen section). You will find everything you used to eat with meat - only vegetarian. Even if you don't buy the ready meals they'll give you a good idea of what you can make. You can still cook pretty much any dish you already eat but with a substitute. Quorn/lentils/tofu instead of mince/chicken etc.

    Also as a lifelong veggie protein and iron have never ever been a problem for me.
  • elliej
    elliej Posts: 466 Member
    Fish is meat.........just saying!

    Actually some fish, such as swordfish, tastes like meat so I can't use it. Well then, where I live fish is fish, meat is meat--white or red, sort of like wine.

    I stand by my statement. Fish is meat. Not a fruit, not a grain, not a vegetable, not a dairy product, it's just meat.

    Then why, during Lent, can we Catholics eat "fish" but not "meat" on Fridays? I also stand by what I said.

    Calling stuff meat or fish are just labels. Fish are animals, cows are animals. Dogs are animals. Potatoes are not animals.

    In the middle ages Catholics wouldn't consume eggs and dairy products either, lent is about abstinence not about whether or not a fish is meat.
  • maasha81
    maasha81 Posts: 733 Member
    Beans, chickpeas, tofu, soy, quinoa, eggs, cottage cheese are all great alternatives. Portobello mushrooms have a nice meaty texture and you can grill and make sandwiches similar to burgers ..I love them stuffed though.

    Fish is a meat.
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Fish is meat.........just saying!

    Actually some fish, such as swordfish, tastes like meat so I can't use it. Well then, where I live fish is fish, meat is meat--white or red, sort of like wine.

    I stand by my statement. Fish is meat. Not a fruit, not a grain, not a vegetable, not a dairy product, it's just meat.

    Then why, during Lent, can we Catholics eat "fish" but not "meat" on Fridays? I also stand by what I said.

    Calling stuff meat or fish are just labels. Fish are animals, cows are animals. Dogs are animals. Potatoes are not animals.

    In the middle ages Catholics wouldn't consume eggs and dairy products either, lent is about abstinence not about whether or not a fish is meat.

    I am not Catholic, I am Orthodox, and we consider fish meat, dairy and eggs are forbidden during Lent if you want to fast, BUT shrimp, squids and octopus are allowed...You cannot make much sense out of religion I fear, at least not when it comes to nutrition ;)
  • shinkalork
    shinkalork Posts: 815 Member
    Tofu etc but if you want to add quick good protein ...easy
    go with Edamame beans... So easy to make....cheap and high protein,low fat,low cals etc
  • katylil
    katylil Posts: 223 Member
    Try looking up recipes on Pinterest. There's TONS of gorgeous things to try with veggies, fish, seafood, eggs and quinoa :)
  • thatpixichick
    thatpixichick Posts: 77 Member
    I'm vegan and I always make a point of having some type of bean/nut based meal at minimum once a day. Even baked beans will do! Multiseed bread is a great way of getting extra nuts in. Monkey nuts are yummy, and great if you're a savoury snacker! Peanut butter is your best friend :heart:

    http://renovegans.com/media/images/ex/nutrition/veggie-protein.png

    ^ That little pic should be of help :smile:
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    I'm vegan and I always make a point of having some type of bean/nut based meal at minimum once a day. Even baked beans will do! Multiseed bread is a great way of getting extra nuts in. Monkey nuts are yummy, and great if you're a savoury snacker! Peanut butter is your best friend :heart:

    http://renovegans.com/media/images/ex/nutrition/veggie-protein.png

    ^ That little pic should be of help :smile:
    Wow! I would have never guessed that there is protein in cucumbers!
  • jls341
    jls341 Posts: 30 Member
    .
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
    Fish is meat.........just saying!

    Actually some fish, such as swordfish, tastes like meat so I can't use it. Well then, where I live fish is fish, meat is meat--white or red, sort of like wine.

    I stand by my statement. Fish is meat. Not a fruit, not a grain, not a vegetable, not a dairy product, it's just meat.

    Then why, during Lent, can we Catholics eat "fish" but not "meat" on Fridays? I also stand by what I said.

    Calling stuff meat or fish are just labels. Fish are animals, cows are animals. Dogs are animals. Potatoes are not animals.

    In the middle ages Catholics wouldn't consume eggs and dairy products either, lent is about abstinence not about whether or not a fish is meat.

    I am not Catholic, I am Orthodox, and we consider fish meat, dairy and eggs are forbidden during Lent if you want to fast, BUT shrimp, squids and octopus are allowed...You cannot make much sense out of religion I fear, at least not when it comes to nutrition ;)

    All this sounds like a weak Sapir-Whorf hypothesis discussion. The linguistic relativity of what constitutes meat is influenced by culture and upraising. Meat as food is probably not dog, cat or your neighbor in most western cultures. The classification of fish as "other than meat" is relatively valid within the culture of some.
    Personally, I'd likely place whey, fish, meat in the same basket all as animal protein sources but clearly understand that if I say to the stewardess "I'll have the meat dish" I won't get fish.

    Context. It's a think. Err, thing.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    ^^this. I said "where I live" fish is not a meat--mabe it is where you live. In our restaurants fish is never listed in the meat section, and the food pyramid has fish alongside of meat, but separate.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I think people are looking at this wrong you shouldn't look to replace meat in recipes. What you need to be doing is looking at recipes and foods that don't include it to start with. Google is your friend

    As for the Meat/Fish argument seems people are arguing for the sake of it really.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    ^^this. I said "where I live" fish is not a meat--mabe it is where you live. In our restaurants fish is never listed in the meat section, and the food pyramid has fish alongside of meat, but separate.

    The food pyramid also lists poultry seperate from "meat". do you not consider poultry meat??
    I do.

    But in my world meat comes from animals, and i like to eat animals!
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    Fish is meat.........just saying!

    Actually some fish, such as swordfish, tastes like meat so I can't use it. Well then, where I live fish is fish, meat is meat--white or red, sort of like wine.

    I stand by my statement. Fish is meat. Not a fruit, not a grain, not a vegetable, not a dairy product, it's just meat.

    Then why, during Lent, can we Catholics eat "fish" but not "meat" on Fridays? I also stand by what I said.

    why? because they wanted to do something- (not eat meat) then realized they were not THAT dedicated- so they came up with a loop hole.

    you can say whatever you want- fish are living animals that are killed and then you eat their flesh.

    fish is meat. period- it's not an opinion. It's science- something of which the church knows little about.
  • Rocbola
    Rocbola Posts: 1,998 Member
    One of the common misconceptions about reducing meat in your diet is that it you will need to supplement protein in your diet. If you eat whole plant foods, like fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and beans, you will get more than adequate protein.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    One of the common misconceptions about reducing meat in your diet is that it you will need to supplement protein in your diet. If you eat whole plant foods, like fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and beans, you will get more than adequate protein.

    I think that's a really broad paintbrush to paint everyone's protein needs.

    There is no way I could cut and get enough protein from plants. I'd be over full and having to eat more than my calorie goals.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    One of the common misconceptions about reducing meat in your diet is that it you will need to supplement protein in your diet. If you eat whole plant foods, like fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and beans, you will get more than adequate protein.

    I think that's a really broad paintbrush to paint everyone's protein needs.

    There is no way I could cut and get enough protein from plants. I'd be over full and having to eat more than my calorie goals.

    Feeding the troll!

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