re: Quorn and other meat substitutes

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So I have stopped eating those except for special occasions....like my wife going out of town.

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I like your style Zappa. A maverick. Wife out of town? Get the tofu, hurry! Mine is out of town I'm eating an 8 piece Popeyes, a pepperoni pizza and chocolate milk out of the carton. On the couch. With no pants. Watching Foghorn Leghorn.

I make a couple veggie burgers from a couple online recipes that I rework myself. Mushrooms, black beans, brown rice, beets, maybe a few walnuts and a few other things. If someone has The Spot recipe I'd like it. I do like a veggie burger but the best one eludes me. It's a work in progress.

I eat a ton of fresh vegetables, beans, etc. I had really cut back over the past few months but was eating a lot of seafood. Just figured it would be easy to do for a month to see if I felt any different. I am still eating eggs and some dairy. The reason for the meat substitutes is more out of curiosity than anything. They make the transistion easier and it is fun to try new products. Like I said before, it is not like people who do not eat meat don't like the taste and texture of meat. I dont plan on going vegetarian full time but I could see myself only eating seafood and eating meat on rare occasions.

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My favorite part is creating stuff that doesn't have meat/subs and people enjoying the dish regardless

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I have enjoyed letting people at my work try some of these products not telling them it was not meat. I made a chili last night using the quorn crumbles and people at work this morning do not believe it is not ground meat. I realize some of these products are not that healthy but from my research some are. I dont see anything wrong with consuming them but I agree that they shouldn't be the backbone of your diet.

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Beyond Meat is one of the better options if you need some type of shredded chick'n or chunks. Tempeh is good grilled and used as a meat sub. Makes a really good bacon for a sandwich.

Jackfruit (canned in brine/water not syrup) can be used as a pulled pork type meat replacement in stuff like tacos or whatever.

I've seen seasoned walnuts in dishes like chili for a meaty texture.

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I've tried and like 2 of your suggestions, I will try tempeh in a TLT this weekend.

Tempeh is one of my favorites. I had a tempeh vegan Reuben for lunch today

Really enjoyed the massaman curry tempeh I prepared. The tempeh tastes nothing like meat. Has a nutty mushroom flavor. I will definitely be experimenting with it again. Pics of the tempeh curry:

yo mouton

I haven't done too many things with jackfruit but my bbq sandwiches were certainly a success.

Here's the jackfruit I get - amazon. But if you can find it around town, even better! I'm not sure what city you're located in. Make sure to get the young jackfruit that is in brine or water. All the places I have been around town have had them in syrup :/ that won't work, since that's more for dessert.

As far as preparing, I drain and rinse. The jackfruit is similar to a pineapple in that it has a tough core that you don't want to eat. The tips of the triangles of the jackfruit need to be cut off (maybe you'll understand when you see it). The part that remains is the 'meat'

I've cooked it twice now, and the second time I had more luck. You can 'shred' the jackfruit with a fork before or after you cook it - in my experience, it tasted better when I shredded it before hand. Maybe it was just a little more complicated when the food was hot and I was trying to shred.

Some folks will cook it a few hours in the crock pot to let it absorb flavors. I cooked it for about 30-40 minutes with some sauteed onions and garlic in my BBQ sauce. It's so very easy and delicious. Be sure to share your recipe if you try

BBQ sandwiches, tacos, enchiladas, chick'n salad - the possibilities are endless. It's all about the seasoning baby