Posted by Savneet Singh on Nov.15, 2010

©iStockphoto.com - bukvalno

If you have decided to opt for a vegetarian diet and you may wonder how are you going to substitute the meat with vegetarian diet, but you have ample of options available. You don’t have to worry about how you are going to prepare for the feast on Thanksgiving without meat. There are many meat substitutes available in the market which will not only give you enough nutrients but also make tasty recipes, helping your transition from a meat eater to a vegetarian easily. In addition the soy-food has cholesterol reducing properties, which in turn reduces the risk of heart diseases and high blood pressure related problems. You can welcome your guests with healthy and vegetarian food on this thanksgiving.

Here is a guide to some of these food that you may experiment with:

Tofu

Tofu is basically soybean curd, separated when soy milk is separated into curd and whey. These curds are then pressed into blocks and sold in packets. A five once serving of tofu provides only 86 calories containing 10 grams of protein. It has no cholesterol. It has polyunsaturated fats which constitute 40 to 50 percent of the calories from fats. The tofu is eaten with any other food item or is a part of other dish, thus the percentage of calories from fats in the entire dish drops. Tofu is bland and has a very little taste or smell of its own. It absorbs the flavor of almost everything it is coated with like ginger, garlic, broths,oil, marinades etc. Tofu can be grilled, bar-be-cued, fried, broiled or can be scrambled like eggs. It can make great desserts like a chocolate pie on thanksgiving. Thus, you don’t miss anything by going vegetarian.

Tempeh

Tempeh read as TEM-pay is a fermented soybean cake with a nutty aroma and chewy texture that can remind you well of a meat. It is a meat analogue for vegetarians. It is prepared from split and hulled soybeans which are then inoculated with tempeh starter and fermented in much the same way as cheese. The enzyme action of the starter makes the soybean easy to digest and filaments which bind the beans into cake provide texture and many valuable vitamin B. It is available in frozen food section of most super-stores. You can get ready made or make your own burgers, bacon and sloppy joe. It can be grilled and barbecued like tofu and it absorbs flavors of ginger, garlic and other seasonings.

Seitan

This is used as vegetarian substitute for meat in China, Japan and other Asian countries. It is chewy food made from wheat dough that has been kneaded under water to isolate the gluten and wash away the starch and bran. What is left at the back is an elastic mass of gelatin, very high in protein. You can get seitan in jars, frozen or fresh and add them to sandwich, soups or stew. You can stir it fry with all kind of spices you like.

TVP- Textured Vegetable Protein

During the production of soy oil, after the oil has been obtained what left behind is deffated soy flakes having 50 percent proteins by weight, these flakes go through various acid base and alcohol solutions to reduce their carbohydrate content. This yields TVP, a great substitute of meat for vegetarians. It is very easy and quick to eat and has no fats. It used in burgers and sausages. It is available in plain granules and chunks to be used in dishes like chillis, flavored granules and slices.

Soy nuts-Roasted

This is a nutritious alternative if you have nut allergy. Just soak a few soybeans over night in a bowl in cold water. Next morning drain all water and spread these on a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes a 300F, stirring in between to avoid scorching. Remove and sprinkle salt. Add some tamari sauce if you desire.

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Posted under Cooking Healthy, Food Facts.