Just for the record, I’m not actually becoming a vegetarian. I’m dieting, and looking for ways to reduce my fat intake. In particular I need a replacement for the ground beef I eat (as hamburgers, too, but mainly in chili/spaghetti sauce/etc.).
I do use ground turkey, but it’s so pallid and unappealing that I have a hard time using it. I figure that vegetarian “meat crumbles” can’t be any worse, and might be better … but I’d rather skip the step where I try ten different brands trying to find the best one.
When it comes to veg patties, I’ve been more pleased with the ones that don’t even try to pretend to be meat – I really like Gardenburger’s Black Bean/Chipotle flavor, for example. The crumbles should be convincing, though. And what about fake chicken?
What brand(s) do you guys recommend? Bear in mind that it should be lower in fat and/or calories than actual ground beef, or it won’t be worth using.
I’ve used the Boca burgers (the one called I think “All American” that has charcoal grill flavoring) and thought they were OK. I’ve also used the Boca crumbles in things like spaghetti sauce and thought they didn’t add any flavor but worked. I’ve never eaten any fake chicken and don’t have any desire to – you’re not going to save any fat that way, anyway.
When I’m watching intake, I don’t always try to have “meat like product” in meals. Sure, sometimes I’ll go for something like fish, but I’ll also use extra-firm tofu in stir-fries (like the crumbles, tofu adds no flavor on its own, just bulk and carbs and protein). Eggs are also good; I’ll do a scramble or omelet or frittata using a whole egg and a couple of egg whites to keep the fat content down. Lunches often consist of salad or vegetable-based soup with cheese toast, or fruit with cottage cheese. Dinner might also be Barilla Plus pasta (extra protein) with mushroom marinara and Parmesan. I also eat no-fat or low-fat Greek yogurt or milk or cottage cheese as snacks, so I get plenty of protein throughout the day.
For chicken, Quorn is my absolute favourite. If it’s available in your area, count yourself very lucky. Barring that, Morningstar Farm products are pretty tasty, too.
For ground beef, I generally go with Yves because it’s what’s available here, but honestly, it’s my least favourite. If I had a choice, I’d go with anything from LightLife. The “pork” sausage, in particular, is really good, and is enjoyed by all the non-vegetarians I’ve ever fed it to.
I’ve also recently started making my own seitan (wheat gluten) sausages. They are incredibly easy to make, good for you, freezable, and I’m having a fantastic time creating new flavours. So far, the biggest hits have been Spicy Italian, Jalapeno Cheddar, Greek and Bratwurst. If you’re interested in something like that, I’d be happy to share the recipes.
For burgers or sausage, Morningstar Farms or Boca Burger are my two favorite go-to brands (I LOATHE Gardenburger brand products, as I think that they taste horrid, but I realise that not everyone feels that way, since they are the #1 selling brand in the country) and both companies make many other good veggie options, like veg corn dogs or chicken nuggets…
Gimme Lean is another good brand for veggie sausage, and they sell it in a fresh, unfrozen pack (just like regular sausage comes in) so you can make your own patties, or fry it loose like raw sausage to use as a pizza topping, sprinkle on an omlette, etc.
ETA–After reading spoike’s post, I realized that Gimme Lean is the name of the product (veg. sausage) and it is made by the LightLife company…
Well, I’ve heard of substituting black or red beans in things like tacos, and that would probably work in chili or spaghetti sauce, too. Just remember that beans soak up flavorings so use much more spice/herbs than you would with meat.
Personally, I’ve never cared for meat substitutes, I’ve tried to find ways to cook things like beans and vegetables in a manner where I like the taste of what they are, rather than trying to make them be like something else.
I much prefer Morningstar crumblers to the Boca ones, although it is more of a texture issue than a taste one for me Having not eaten meat in 14 years, I’m not sure which one has the more “realistic” flavor/ texture, but if you’re using them in anything where you’ll be seasoning the food (tacos, hamburger helper, most casseroles or soups/stews) then the taste won’t be an issue. I’ve had friends eat some of my tacos and not realize that they weren’t eating ground beef. Morningstar also makes some buffalo chicken pieces that I love - pop in the toaster oven and they get all crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, nice and spicy - I make a buffalo ranch salad or wrap, and it’s delicious. I think in general, most of the meat substitute products are pretty good - you’re more likely to be limited by what’s available in your area than by what’s “bad”.
You can also just increase the portion of vegetables in many dishes, or use them instead of meat. For example, I’ve often made hamburger helper with minced zucchini and mushrooms, and it was delicious.
I actually do use beans and especially mushrooms as meat replacements (sliced grilled portabella mushrooms make fantastic fajitas, for example), I just want some other options, especially for ground-beef-type applications.
I also like the Quorn “chicken” products, and I prefer the Morningstar ground beef crumbles to the Boca ones.
Chickpea patties are awesome if you’re looking for something more similar to breaded chicken or veal. Seitan is also easy to make, and can be used as a sub for ground meats, small pieces (like fajitas) or larger pieces.
Watch the calorie count on some of those vegan recipes, though. Some have as much, if not more, fat & calories than their meat counterparts.
I would second that opinion - any vegetarian meat substitute is not going to satisfy the taste buds the way real meat would. If I’m eating vegetarian, I’d rather have something that was designed vegetarian. I like beans, for example. A good vegetarian chili - WITHOUT soy fake stuff - is a real treat.
Re the meat, and cutting fat: You can buy 93% lean ground beef which isn’t a whole lot fattier than boneless chicken breast (I seem to recall that the Weight Watchers points would say a 3 ounce serving of cooked extra-lean beef is 4 points, vs a 3-oz serving of 80% is 5-6 points, and a 3-oz serving of chicken breast is 3 points - points are calculated based on fat and fiber amounts).
Get the 93% lean, brown it, drain it to get rid of residual fat (if you like, you can save the drained liquid, refrigerate it, and once the fat has solidified remove it and add the liquid back in). You’ll get the taste you’re expecting, and practically no fat.
Fake meats tend to be very high in sodium. So while it’s fun to BBQ a fake beef patty a few times in the summer, it’s not something I’d eat regularly.
When recipes have really, really required meat, we’ve used TVP flakes. “Textured vegetable protein” is a dry soy-based product that when re-hydrated takes on the flavor of whatever it’s cooked in. It has no real flavor of its own. In pasta sauces in lieu of ground beef meat -eaters rarely notice the substitution because the texture is very similar to meat. We also use TVP chunks in Mexican pozole (a soup) in lieu of pork/chicken and in vegetarian butter chicken.
In spaghetti or chili it really takes the place of hamburger meat well. We don’t often use it though, we prefer actual vegetable goodness in our foods as Broomstick and Mama Zappa have said. But sometimes, when you really need that texture for a recipe, it comes in handy. Like pozole just isn’t the same without chunks of something.
I’m not quite so ambitious; I just buy the prepared Seitan from (I think) WhiteWave. It comes in a little blue box, looks pretty unappetizing, but if you slice it up and sautee in a little olive oil, it makes a really tasty meat substitute. The texture is pretty close and it’s low fat. I especially like it in mexican food: fake fajitas, or tostadas with plenty of cotija cheese
I rather like the Morningstar farms vegan griller patties. I don’t think they taste much of anything like meat, but I enjoy eating them between a bun with pickles and onions and tomatoes. Don’t know how they stack up nutritionally, since that’s not why I eat 'em.
If you’re trying to cut fat and calories, I’d suggest cutting the portion size rather than going to substitutes. You might be surprised how many recipes turn out just fine with half as much meat in them, or how many meals can be satisfying with a steak half the size and a few extra helpings of vegetables. You’ll get the taste you actually want, which will make you more satisfied with your meal and less likely to load up on the fake stuff because it isn’t really the taste you are craving.
I use Lightlife Gimme Lean Vegetarian ground sausage for making meatballs. My omnivore boyfriend thinks they are real meat and very tasty.
I wish I could find a good substitute for sweet Italian sausage. I may have to break down and make my own. And speaking of sausage, if you can find it, seafood sausage is great. I found some in Mystic CT, but I live in upstate NY where it’s impossible to find.
I like the Quorn Chicken very much, the morningstar breakfast patties and the Smart Ground meat/crumbles, at least the taco meat is good. I’ve also had a bratwurst/italian sausage substitute that I liked very much, but cannot remember the name. I am not a vegetarian but my wife is and those listed above are the ones I actually like.
