1. Eat Your Vegetables
There are several ways to use vegetables as an alternative to meat. One of the most delicious substitutions is using a Portobello mushroom as the "meat" to a juicy, grilled burger. Serve it on a whole-wheat bun with some cream cheese, tomatoes and sprouts. Load your plate with veggies at mealtime to help fill you up and keep you healthy.
2. Textured Vegetable Protein
Textured vegetable protein (TVP) is a dehydrated product you buy in bulk and reconstitute using boiling water. Pay attention when purchasing TVP in bulk, as some of the varieties may be high in sodium or other undesirable additives. Different varieties of TVP taste like chicken, beef or sausage. There are granules for use in chili, tacos or spaghetti sauces. Chunks and nuggets are rehydrated and used in stews and soups.
3. Tofu Selections
Tofu makes a great meat substitute because it picks of the flavor of whatever it cooks with it. Tofu is a soy product that is low in calories and high in protein. Use it in stir-fry to replace meat, blended with herbs and cheeses for lasagna filler or in small chunks in a soup. Tofu comes in a variety of textures, so you can choose what texture you like from creamy to extra firm. Flavored tofu is available in some places, which requires no preparation and is ready to eat from the package or mixed into an already prepared dish.
4. Soy Burgers, Nuggets and Other
Check your grocery store for a variety of soy meat alternatives. There are sausage patties, sausage links, burgers, nuggets and even ground "meat" products available. These soy products taste amazingly similar to the meat they are imitating. The bonus is a lower calorie, low (or no) cholesterol and lower fat product.
5. There's a Lot More to Eat Than Meat
Sometimes you can leave the meat out of a dish altogether without even noticing. In this case, the substitution would be whatever other ingredients make up the meal. In a stir-fry, add more veggies or serve it up with an extra scoop of rice or noodles. If you leave the steak off your plate at dinner, load a baked potato instead. In many cases, your plate is so loaded with other goodies that you hardly notice a missing hunk of meat.
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