Meat free ideas and advice

[Prettykiwicrazy]

While I'm not making any sweeping declarations, after watching a few documentaries recently and internet research, I'd definitely like to massively reduce the amount of meat I eat and try a bit more of a plant based diet.
I bought some clear spring tofu today but have no idea what to do with it. I'd also like some recommendations for any other meat/dairy substitutes available.
As a wider thing, I just wondered how many meat free days people have, or similar to how I am currently, does meat feature daily?

[smitch]

Is it silken tofu you bought? I’m not keen on the texture and prefer the other type (from the fridge). Tofoo is available in Sainsburys and Tesco and is nice. I also like Taifun brand, you can buy from Ocado and some independent vegetarian and health food shops. My omni OH likes Fry’s products, they are vegan and are sold in Holland & Barrett and Ocado. He also loves the Quorn ‘chicken’ escalopes and southern fried bites. Vegenaise vegan mayo is good, some branches of Sainsburys and Ocado stock it. We eat loads of tofu, tofu scrambles are lovely and make a filling breakfast. I often marinate in spices, herbs etc and chargrill, use in a stir fry or in salad. Chinese supermarkets sell Tofu King brand spice tofu which is fab.

Most supermarkets have loads of frozen veggie stuff, often it is vegan too. We also enjoy the frozen veggie balls from Ikea.

Cook book wise, I love Isa Chandra and Vegan Richa. Both have website with recipes on. Ottolenghi’s veggie books are good too. There are some amazing recipes on the internet using chick pea water in place of egg whites, you can do meringues or use it as a binder.

I do the cooking so we eat veggie at home unless it is something like a bought pie or pizza. My husband enjoys veggie food and doesn’t miss meat at all in his meals.

[Prettykiwicrazy]

Unfortunately it is the silken tofu, yeas . Any ideas on how to use it? I've heard of pressing tofu before using to make the texture better, if that's right. Scrambled tofu sounds interesting . Am I right in thinking not all Quorn products are vegan. A veggie friend said to me the Linda McCartney range is good too.

Definitely will invest in vegan mayo. Aquafaba is the chickpea water isn't it? I'm very intrigued by that. Thanks very helpful

[Herbidacious]

I like the Tofoo brand to. I would recommend pressing tofu... but not the silken type!

There are suddenly a lot of meat substitutes on the market, in the light of the popularity of veganism, so you will be relatively spoilt for choice if that's something you want to try. Some people hate Quorn. I like their ingredient products - their ready meals not so much. There really is a huge range now but yes, not all of it is vegan. In fact most weren't, but I am not sure if this is still true.

Yes also re Aquafaba.

[smitch]

You can’t press silken tofu. You could probably use it in a tofu scramble though. I add (Jarred) salsa and Mexican type spices to mine. I also add some turmeric for colour and you can use kala namak (black salt) for an eggy taste.

Quorn have started bringing out vegan stuff, the products have the word ‘vegan’ quite prominently on the front. The ‘fish’ fingers are good in a crappy nostalgia kind of way and the 5 grain fillets are nice. I used them in a katsu curry. Linda Mc sausages are nice but quite salty, the burgers are good too. Not all that range is vegan either. I don’t like VBites stuff at all, I think they taste weird. Sainsburys do vegan ‘meatballs’ that are nice in pasta and Tesco have some good frozen mini sausage rolls. All Fry’s products are vegan and often on offer at Ocado. Vivera burgers, mince and pulled ‘chicken’ is nice, stocked in some Sainsburys and at Ocado.

I haven’t found a good vegan cheese to replace mature cheddar. You can use nutritional yeast flakes to make a cheesy flavour in sauces and violife and follow your heart slices are ok in a sandwich. I like the the pepperjack one.

If you have access to a Chinese supermarket, the tinned mock meats are good in stir fries and they often have a good range of mock meats and seafood in the freezer. Really cheap tofu too.

[TeresaFoodie]

I would agree with everything that has already been said.

I don't think soya mince has been mentioned? I am not keen on the dried stuff, but the frozen stuff sold in most supermarkets are very good in place of beef mince. Sometimes i use either Puy or red lentils in a chilli instead of veggie mince, both work equally well. Recently I discovered Sainsbury's frozen hotdogs, very tasty, not sure if vegan.

Firm tofu can be turned into a vegan egg mayonnaise. I will try and find the recipe I have used in the past if you would like me to. One of my favourite dishes uses firm tofu which I put on a pizza tray, one with holes in, over the sink with a plate and a heavy weight on top then give it a final squeeze before using. You'd be surprised how much water comes out of one block. I'd cube it up and marinate, not for too long as it starts to fall apart, in a mix of soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, chilli, lemon grass, ginger then stir fry with sliced mushrooms, bird's eye chillies halved lengthways, the marinade, a tin of coconut milk, head of broccoli, simmer for a bit then add noodles, beansprouts and fresh coriander.

Homemade pizzas without the cheese can be very special if you have a good, preferably home made tomato sauce. I like my dough made at home, then on the tomato sauce lots of sliced mushrooms, fine slices of garlic and chilli, halved black olives. Lovely, no need for cheese!

Being vegan for thirty years, a blood disorder three years ago had me eating liver for the iron and I will eat meat now if it's offered, but given the choice I don't, and will usually choose vegetarian when shopping for myself or eating out. I would say my diet is 80% veggie, 10% vegan, 10% neither.

[Prettykiwicrazy]

That stir fry sounds nice. Looks like I need to find out more about this tofu malarkey.

[EmWilk]

I'm not veggie but eat quite a lot of veggie food. I don't like minced/ground meats (I.e. sausages, burgers, mince, some hams, etc) so we have a freezer full of veggie subs... we prefer the Linda McCartney sausages to quorn, OH is somewhat obsessed with LMc mozzarella burgers. We are also guilty of loving the southern fried quorn bites a bit too much

But aside from subs, we eat vegetable dishes quite a lot anyway... veg fried rice, vegetable curries, mexican eggs, roast veg lasagne, etc.

I often find (usually when posting on the 'What Are You Eating Today's thread that I can have days of eating veggie only without realising. In fact, yep, I've had a completely veggie day today (not vegan though, I probably eat very little vegan food).

We visit the butchers maybe once a month and get a few bits which last us. Similarly with fish.

And because I'm a bit fussy about meat, I tend to eat veggie whilst out unless it's somewhere I'm comfortable with.

On reflection, i think I'd say my meals are around 50% veggie. I might be wrong though. OH doesn't bother at all either, he's become quite fussy about meat after seeing me screw my nose up so much

[StokeySue]

I'm with EmWilk
You don't needed a direct meat sub like tofu, though I like tofu in stir fries and various things that currently escape me (not in soup)

As a meat eater I find nearly all the "meat like" vegan products utterly disgusting

I eat a lot of meat free meals - last night I had a tortilla made with potatoes and leftover roast spiced cauliflower and squash - very good. I aat quite a lot of pulses, for example chickpea curry, veggie chilli etc. And loads of meatless pasta dishes (some of which, in my case, contain anchovies).

[smitch]

I forgot to say earlier, Swedish Glace ice cream is really nice. I originally bought it to hide my rat’s antibiotics in but we both liked it! I just got the tub out to do tonight’s medication and it reminded me. Alpro custard is nice too, long life in cartons. We’ve been buying it for a while but also use it with the rats

[Prettykiwicrazy]

I need to experiment more with pulses. I hate chickpeas which is a shame , because eating out, a lot of veggie options seem to contain them . I really like red lentils and know I hate butter beans and tolerate kidney beans. I’m not going to commit fully though but think a varied plant based diet with a lot less meat in it can only be a good thing

[Herbidacious]

I don't use meat subs that much. Just every now and again for a change. I do rather like to make chilli with soy or quorn mince. But I do eat eggs and cheese...

Do you like black beans pkc? Flageolet? Both less mealy than butter beans and kidney beans, I think. Puy lentils?

Has anyone mentioned seitan (aka satan to gluten intolerant people )

If you can get to a posh health food store, such as Planet Organic, people are making cultured vegan cheeses. Or you could have a go yourself.

I have this book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/160 ... UTF8&psc=1

I have made 'salami' from gluten flour (hard to get, as in: "Oh you mean gluten free flour." "No I mean gluten flour." I send off for it.) a few times. It is essentially seitan.

[earthmaiden]

I don't eat meat that often, probably once or twice a week at the most but do eat fish, cheese and eggs. I am wary of processed meat substitutes, whilst they serve a purpose, the processes don't always sound great.

I find tinned pulses very handy. Mixed pulses make nice salads. I like mixing pulses with rice and other grains too - there are no end of Middle Eastern and African dishes which use this sort of thing with a variety of grains as a base and served with lots of veg or salad aren''t hugely stodgy. It is worth keeping an open mind with pulses, for instance, I had only had butter beans served at school - dry and overcooked with horrible fish and thought I hated them. Try the lovely Greek jars of succulent beans and they are worlds apart. I had only had lentils in horrible soup my mother used to make, then I went to a class where we made lovely lentil cutlets full of flavour and I was hooked. You could find that you liked certain pulses when served in a pleasing way.

Lots of dishes which use mince can have beans as a substitute - with veg in a tomato sauce with mashed potato or cheese and crumb topping, ditto in a creamy/cheesy sauce.

Books I am fond of are Hugh Fearnley Whittingstall 'River Cottage Light & Easy', Yasmin Khan 'The Saffron Tales' and most Ottolenghi's.

[karadekoolaid]

An interesting discussion. All the more interesting because tofu, quorn and soya mince are mentioned: ALL, at one time or another, popular "protein" substitutes.
But you know what? If you eat pulses, you don't have to worry so much about "meat" subs. Just as Herbie said - black beans, for example, are really tasty. Lentils are unbelievably versatile and different varieties of "peas" are tasty AND nutritious, so why bother with trendy alternatives? There re so many different varieties, it's a question of buy it, experiment, but something else, etc. until you find a recipe you realy like. Soy beans, for example, are extraordinary - but we buy them as tofu and veggie protein instead of in their natural state.
I suppose the rub is, have you got time to play around with them to make the recipes that really rock your socks?

[suffolk]

My response is along the same lines as SS's ... although I'm a committed meat and fish lover I'm pretty omniverous and enjoy lots of fruit, veg, pulses and grains too ... OH is happy to eat less meat and until I acquired him he ate very little.

In fact, we do eat quite a lot of meat-free dishes ... vegetables with pasta, stir fries, frittata, soups and pulse and veg based dishes ... and I'm a huge fan of a tofu scramble or stir fry ... there's always a couple of blocks of firm silken tofu in the cupboard and by coincidence we are having a spicy tofu scramble for lunch today. I really should look up more tofu recipes ... I tend to do just the ones I can put together without looking at a book.

Edited to say: I loathe soya mince but I've always had a very soft spot for a Burger King Beanburger ....... haven't had one for years tho' ... it was a staple lunch when I worked close to a Burger King in Ipswich many years ago.

[Hope]

for tofu - I like smoked "Tofoo" best. (it's in waitrose, sainsburys and ocado!) you don't need to press it. I like it thickly sliced and chargrilled or cubed and sauteed.

In meals such as bolognas or chilli I use chopped mushrooms and puy lentils instead of mince. Chillies are great with loads of mixed beans in.

And of course there is just lots of veg - eat lots of veg cooked in different ways, add herbs, spices, and something acidic (lemon juice, diferent vinegars etc) for added flavour.

[Herbidacious]

I should say, you don't need to press any tofu. But I find it absorbs flavours for marinating better if you do. (I guess you are just taking the liquid out and replacing with more flavourful liquid, if you steep it for long enough.) I suppose if you did this with smoked tofu, you would override the smoky flavour, so a bit pointless and a waste of money if it costs more. Pressing is also a faff unless you have a tofu press, but I do have one, and if I have plain tofu I almost always press it now.

This all said, although I keep optimistically giving tofu the benefit of doubt, I have not made much headway with it and don't use it regularly. I am not really a convert.

[scullion]

[Prettykiwicrazy]

Very interesting posts thank you . It’s been interesting reading about the benefits of a plant based diet . Some articles imply you can barely function on one while others say it can cure cancer etc . I think overall as long as it’s balanced it’s probably going to be more healthier than meat based as a bigger fruit and veg intake and less saturated fat overall from meat . There a lot of poor quality meats out there too .

Will be interesting to try some new ingredients and recipes. How do people scramble their tofu ?

[suffolk]

Today I softened a sliced onion, added chopped ginger, grated garlic and chilli, broke in the tofu, added a teaspoon of turmeric, a generous slosh of soy sauce and stirred until it was all heated through, added some thinly sliced red pepper and mushrooms, continued to stirfry until they were just softening then added some blanched kale leaves, tossed until it was all 'scrambled' together and served.

I vary the veg according to what I've got ... tomatoes, peas or french beans and chopped spring onions are another favourite.

[Pepper Pig]

I'm following this with interest. I'm very aware that this house eats far too much meat. OH is a very, very fussy eater and I have never been able to get anything meatless past him. He is/was an extremely gentle man but I still quake when I think of the vegetarian shepherd's pie I made him once which he simply refused to eat and insisted I cooked a proper one. Not sure whether the Alzheimer's is going to enhance or negate this tendency.

I loathe Quorn though. Have tried it in various guises via SW. Would much rather have lentils. And therein lies another interesting problem. I'm sure I've mentioned this before but my mum was on the Laconia when it was torpedoed and has been on all sorts of TV programmes and films in the last 20 years. She is the world's unfussiest eater but almost vomits when anyone mentions lentils because she had to live on them for so long. They were interned for about a year.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laconia_incident
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/northampton ... 344950.stm

[Seatallan]

[Ratatouille]

I had to cater last years for a newishly converted veggie d-i-l and had lots of help from every informative wildies. I love all pulses anyway - the diet in this part of Provence traditionaly relies on them - meat only on high days and holidays and fish, so far from the coast always salted,

The big hit with everyone, included hallumi - so may things to do with the stuff, my own falafels - which i have made for years, and combinations like beetroot and goats' cheese and various risottos, main course soups, like soupe au pistou and of couse ratatouille which can be either a side dish or a base with eggs.

[Prettykiwicrazy]

[smitch]

For our tofu scramble this morning, I fried an onion and red pepper, then added chopped spring onions. I crumbled in the tofu, added garlic, turmeric, coriander and cumin and cooked for a bit. I then added some corn and half a jar of salsa. I heated some corn tortillas, piled on the tofu and added a bit of chopped coriander. We both really enjoyed it.

[Pepper Pig]

And she never mentioned it until I was about 10. She's 90 this year and goes everywhere giving talks about it. And the German lot fly her out there for their reunions.

[liketocook]

I've been eating more veggie & vegan food since my son left home. I made this earlier in the week (though used savoy cabbage instead of kale) and it was really delicious https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyl ... eera-sodha I like her recipes as they seem to fit with what I like to eat and use ingredients I can get around here. Although I enjoyed it when making again I probably would add some chickpeas. While it was lovely as a light meal, for me I felt it could have done with something a bit more substantial as I felt hungry again relatively quickly after eating it. I'm not keen on "fake meats" but love pulses and legumes particularly broad beans, lentils and chickpeas.

[Prettykiwicrazy]

Thanks smitch and suffolk

[scullion]

[StokeySue]

[Amber]

I can eat tofu, but I really don’t like it. Quorn mince is ok, but otherwise I think I’d just rather eat extra veg. I know of somebody who uses grated beetroot as a mince substitute; I’m looking forward to trying it.

[Herbidacious]

How interesting PP.

[earthmaiden]

I have made 'beetroot burgers' from a H F-W recipe and they were quite nice. It does concern me that some turn to veggie diets without thinking about nutrition though. Beetroot will not give you the same nutrients as meat so although the odd beetroot burger is fine, you do need to ensure that you are getting enough protein, iron, vitamin B12 etc. It's easy if you plan properly. The Vegetarian Society site is quite helpful. https://www.vegsoc.org/page.aspx?pid=1680

PP - oh goodness! I think that your ma is excused lentils.

[TeresaFoodie]

I've had it drummed into since my early vegan days, for B12, Marmite all the way. I have always had the biggest jar available in my larder, I have one right now, yum yum, never been B12 deficient. My first vegan cheese replacement involves equal parts Marm, soya flour and veggie margarine all melted and mixed together. Very nice!

[Hope]

Most people in the west eat much more meat than is natural for human beings. As hunter gatherers we should mostly eat plants, with small amounts of meat (if desired, but not necessary!)

I eat a veggie-version of cucina povera (peasant food). Lots of veg, some dairy, wholegrains, and pulses (well, ones that my tummy allows!) Not that I'm exactly the picture of good health!

[TeresaFoodie]

I love your first paragraph there Hope! I wish I could have phrased it better myself!

[Ratatouille]

Or for the hunter gathers large amounts of meat at irregular intervals

[Hope]

Rats - yes indeed, but overall fairly small amounts (balanced out over a lifetime!)

Thanks Tessa! (pretty amazed I could string a sentence together before 8AM!)

[dennispc]

We’re not veggie nor vegan but we do try to tread lightly on this planet, buying local as far as possible. We like our veg, fruit and so on though unfortunately, as we’ve aged, our bodies don’t like too much plant based stuff and one of us has to be careful of spicy food.

We don’t plan our meals to be veggie, but often are. Most days I have a salad for lunch, plus cheese, egg, and sometimes tinned sardine, small amount of ham etc.

A couple of years back I was lacking in B12 and salt so again need to be careful. Don't like any artificial 'meat' products.

Some vegan sites, particularly American ones, claim plant based diet will cure cancer (and just about everything else) - they won’t, as Barry Gibb, Steve Jobs and a few others have found to their cost.

For my interest I lurk on

https://philosophicalvegan.com/viewforu ... 26696dd8b6

Some of the discussions are way beyond me but posters are very helpful to anyone asking questions and non-judgemental with those from non-vegans.

I think I’m right in saying most hunter gatherer tribes (Hadze) live in warm climates and thus don’t need so much protein to keep warm. The traditional Inuit were just hunters and eat a lot of meat. Not sure about the meat eating Masai. Not that I think those examples are any use to us Westerners in the 21st century, just my interest I guess.

[Hope]

Dennis - that's interesting about protein and keeping warm! Is that why I keep craving protein when it's cold?

[StokeySue]

I thought it was mainly carbs (for calories to burn) that kept you warm - hence the penchant for potatoes and puddings in colder regions?

Cravings are an unreliable guide to body needs, the only things I ever really crave are gin and ice cream, but I'm fairly sure I don't have a clinical deficiency of either OK that's flippant, but the underlying principle is sound I think

[Ratatouille]

Sue, Except for me don't bother with the ice cream!

[Hope]

[StokeySue]

The fact that what you crave is healthy still doesn't mean there's a specific need for the food, there is as far as I know no scientific evidence that cravings ever correlate with nutritional deficiency
Here's an article by a qualified dietician


Going back to keeping warm, I seem to remember that polar explorers eat butter and sugar to combat the cold

[dennispc]

Sue, I understand what you’re saying about cravings being an unreliable guide (alcoholism is a good example and chocolate no doubt). However, if I go a few days without salad, I miss it. Hope and her oranges is good example of the same thing.

Carbs for warmth certainly, I leave fasting days to when the weather’s warm.

On one of our trips we got chatting to a District Nurse specialising in elderly care. She was quite emphatic about the need for us to eat meat for strength and warmth.

[Herbidacious]

Yes I think that's it. Missing it - but not because of it's nutritional value. I missed fresh vegetables and salad after a week in Croatia. Generally speaking, I never miss salad!

One needs contrast in one's diet. I crave cheese if I haven't had it for a few days. OH craves non-brown food after a week in Germany eating canteen food

[scullion]

[Prettykiwicrazy]

I think a lot of old school medical professionals and indeed people generally see vegetarians/vegans as pasty things who are bound to be deficient in all sorts . I think mixed bean casseroles , vegetable and chickpea curries and porridge with plant based milk are all very nutritious meals , without meat that would help you keep warm and healthy.

So tried Linda McCartney sausages today loved them. Bought some vegan cheddar and vegan Mexican cheddar . Both ok. Absolutely fine on pasta, in cooking etc though I might not have them just on crackers. Bought some quorn pieces and burgers to try at some point, though the Quorn cold meats didn’t look overly tempting . Oh and vegan Ben and Jerry’s Ice cream

[StokeySue]

Agree with Herbi and scullion

If there is a role for meat in surviving the cold, I suspect it is in preventing anaemia, which does tend to make you feel the cold, but veggies have other ways of doing that, meat not essential

[suffolk]