Fake meats - how to escape them?

[happy]

Usually this is not a problem for me, but I have noticed my general trend towards not cooking,for my own reasons and also being busy lately .I bought some Redwood Chicken-style pieces today and liked them a lot.I had a quarter pounder of theirs but it tasted so much like beef that it made me feel sick.Chicken I always liked though.I have gone back to liking the idea of how it used to taste when I liked it,I cooked tarragon the other day for example.I did feel uneasy about what I was eating.I do have some left and so will eat them because of hunger anyway.

I will not stray,but I sometimes miss how it was and other meats,I did not like some much,but I find I miss the texture too.I think this sends out a bad message to meat-eaters though.It sends them the idea that meat is something you cannot do without.Since they can get it anywhere in any style,easily and cheaply it will I think make us look dumber.

I thought that myself that it looks silly buying these things when we have given them up .When I had Primal's Seitan Jerky I was very pleased,it had the right texture and did not taste of anything.

Maybe I could make my own seitan and use sauces and herb mixes? There are recipes on vegweb I think(I really like that site-just found it a few months ago). I want the texture and being able to bite in to something I know that may sound silly,but I find that I want that and that something is missing even when having refried beans,mushrooms,breads and so on.What do people think?

[RubyDuby]

I've noticed when I freeze a block of tofu, the defrost and fry it up or bake it the texture is a lot like chicken breast. Maybe you could try poking it with a fork and marinating it in different flavors first and give that a shot?

[happy]

Ah,sorry RubyDuby(I like the name ) but I really dislike tofu and tempeh,I only ever use soya sauce if anything has soya in,or if it is already a protein in food,that's why I brought up seitan.Thanks though

[missbettie]

try making seitan, its awesome and pretty easy to make too, you need vital wheat gluten though, which i've heard is hard to find over where you are...

and i'm sure it will react the way tofu will, toughing up in the freezer...seitan is my favorite! <3

[RubyDuby]

^mine too... but only in restaurant. It never turns out right for me! It's like eating a ball of rubber bands.

happy- I never understand how someone could not like tofu! It's so versatile and can be prepared in so many different ways... I can see not liking it prepared in a particular way, but at all??? Although I'm not very picky. My taste buds aren't very refined.

[happy]

Ok,,but yeah,it was ok deep fried in the Tampopo restaurant I went to and done another way in a chinese place whose name I forget,but I like other things more really Yeah,vital wheat gluten is hard to find,but from what I read of one instruction,I think wheat dough must be washed until the starch comes out and then the left-over can be used.I will have to look back at that,I do not remember if it was on these forums or not,but people here generally are very knowledgable

[RubyDuby]

you can make it from scratch with wheat dough, but it is a huge pain and uses a lot of water. It's much easier to just buy the vital wheat gluten. I've seen UKers say they got a pretty good deal online.

[vegcurry]

Thanks for the message RubyDuby. Yes, I managed to get some gluten online in the UK from LowCarb Megastore where they sell it by the kilo as opposed to the baking suppliers that I looked at. I bought five kilos and so far I've used about 1kg of it, and have been having quite a few yummy experiments with baking, braising, and boiling it up. It goes a long long way and has all been going pretty well so far. I also got hold of a cookbook called The Seitan Cookbook (see http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book...ng-with-Seitan) and that's been pretty useful but isn't required reading. Try cooking some up, and then braising it in a BBQ sauce .... om nom nom. PM me if you want to discuss this in any more depth.

[leedsveg]

I will not stray,but I sometimes miss how it was and other meats,I did not like some much,but I find I miss the texture too.I think this sends out a bad message to meat-eaters though.It sends them the idea that meat is something you cannot do without.Since they can get it anywhere in any style,easily and cheaply it will I think make us look dumber.

Hi happy

If it's suitable for vegans and I like it, I'll eat it. I refuse to be dictated to by what meat-eaters think I should or shouldn't eat. They're the dumb ones choosing death on a plate sorry meat and two veg, not me.

leedsveg

[JC]

Hi happy

If it's suitable for vegans and I like it, I'll eat it. I refuse to be dictated to by what meat-eaters think I should or shouldn't eat. They're the dumb ones choosing death on a plate sorry meat and two veg, not me.

leedsveg

I totally agree

[RainInStarlight]

Hi happy

If it's suitable for vegans and I like it, I'll eat it. I refuse to be dictated to by what meat-eaters think I should or shouldn't eat. They're the dumb ones choosing death on a plate sorry meat and two veg, not me.

leedsveg

Do you mind if I quote you on this? I really like this statement.

[leedsveg]

Hi RIS

Yes it's ok to quote. I'm just happy to be of some help to you.

Good wishes

Leedsveg

[veganese]

I personally think fake meats are ok for those who miss the "real thing", for instance, I used to like fish very much, but there's no way I would touch the "real thing"! so I think the redwood fishless steaks (fish and chips ) and scampi (surf and turf) as well as fake tuna do the trick for me and relieve the occasial craving... BUT there's no way I'd have it every day. I'd have it once or twice a month, not more.

What about being creative in the Kitchen?? Soups are very nutritious and you can make a huge batch (I do), and freeze it up in portions. You can make gourmet dressings for salads and freeze them. When hunger strikes, defrost the dressing in hot water, put some veggies and lettuce on a plate and the dressing Tortilla wraps, Curries, pasta with a nice tomato sauce with lots of veggies and homemade garlic bread... the list is endless and my mouth watering... I'M OFF TO THE KITCHEN!

[elvee]

I think this sends out a bad message to meat-eaters though.It sends them the idea that meat is something you cannot do without.Since they can get it anywhere in any style,easily and cheaply it will I think make us look dumber.

I thought that myself that it looks silly buying these things when we have given them up.

I disagree; I think the important distinction is that (most) vegans didn't give up meat based on the taste. Buying a product that replicates the taste of meat but without the morally-objectionable source, doesn't seem dumb at all to me.

[Zero]

I think that we would have created simlar things to the "mock meat" we have now even if we had never eaten meat. Look at how East Asia have used things like Tofu, Tempeh and Seitan for generations.