Great Vegetarian Foods
Giving in to tempeh
Tempeh is a more strongly flavored soy product made from fermented soybeans, and sometimes containing other grains like rice or millet. Like tofu, it’s another ancient food, with uses dating back to Indonesia some 2,000 years ago. It’s not as creamy or as versatile as tofu, and comes in patties – it’s recognizable by its pale brown, rough texture.
But don’t let tempeh’s forbidding appearance stop you from trying it. It’s great as a substitute for meat on dishes that traditionally call for animal proteins. It has a delicious nutty flavor, and you can crumble it into pita sandwiches or chili, or make "chicken" salad with tempeh in place of poultry. If you’re feeling creative, it can also be grilled, baked or barbecued, or skewered with veggies for a tempeh-kabob. It’s also great in soups, stews or casseroles.
Tempeh is generally available in shrink-wrap packages or reusable plastic bags. Like tofu, it’s high in protein and fat, but also cholesterol-free.
Seize the seitan
Seitan is a brown, chewy protein food (pronounced SAY-tahn) that’s made from gluten, the protein portion of wheat. If you live on a small town, it may be difficult to find – it’s usually only available in natural food stores. It can be purchased as a mix, but it’s most commonly purchased ready-made.
If you’ve never had seitan, try it the next time you’re at a Thai or Chinese restaurant, served in a stir-fry or other dish. It’s delicious, and a terrific low-fat source of protein. Once you try it, you’ll want to use it sandwiches, simmered in vegetable broth or baked in the oven – the texture is different depending on how it’s prepared. It’s also excellent as a substitute for beef in stroganoff.
TVP in the house
Textured vegetable protein (TVP) doesn’t have a very appetizing name, but it’s a terrific meat substitute. Made from soy flour, it can be purchased in bulk or in small packages, and has the same chewy texture as beef. Crumbled into spaghetti sauce, sloppy joes, or used as taco filling, with the right seasoning it’s a dead ringer for ground beef – so it’s not for use by people who find the texture of meat disgusting, but vegetarians who miss beef’s chewiness enjoy it immensely.
TVP is used extensively in Europe, though it’s not used as widely in the U.S. You’ll find scores of recipes for TVP in British vegetarian cookbooks, while most American cookbooks lean more towards tofu recipes. Crumbled into chili or made into Shepherd’s Pie, it’ll even fool meat-eaters into thinking their eating ground beef.
Those great grains
As you stroll the aisles of your natural foods store, you’ll find a treasure trove of grains that you never ever knew existed, with exotic names and a wide variety of textures. Whole grains are a vital part of the vegetarian diet, and learning how to use different grains in your cooking will add variety and excitement to your menus.
Just the different types of rice take up several shelves at a good health food store – short, medium, and long-grain white and brown rice, arborio rice, sushi rice, jasmine rice, sweet rice, and white and brown basmati rice. Then there are the whole grains – amaranth, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, cornmeal, kamut, millet, oats, quinoa, spelt and more. All have different tastes and textures, and all deserve a chance to shine on your dinner table.
Before cooking whole grains, rinse them thoroughly to remove dirt and debris, especially if you are buying from bulk bins (and you should buy in bulk whenever you can – it costs less!) Some grains like quinoa, need to be rinsed to remove their bitter outer coating. To cook them, use a heavy non-aluminum pot (some grains interact with the aluminum) with a tight-fitting lid. Cover the grains with cold water and stir gently to separate the grains. Bring the water to a boil – with a pinch of salt, if you like – then lower the heat to a simmer and cook, covered, until done.
Cooking times (by grain)
GRAIN WATER (salted) COOKING TIME YIELD
(1 cup dry) (cups) (minutes) (cups)
Amaranth 2 25-30 2 to 2 ½
Barley, whole/hulled 3 90 3 ½ to 4
Barley, pearled 3 45 3 ½ to 4
Buckwheat groats 2 15 2 to 2 ½
Corn grits 3 20 3 ½ to 4
Kamut 3 120 2-3/4
Millet 2 ½ 25 3 ½ to 4
Oats, whole 3 60 3
Oats, rolled (oatmeal) 2 15 1 ½ to 2
Quinoa 2 20 3 to 3 ½
RICE:
Arborio 2 ½ 30 2 to 2 ½
Basmati, brown 2 45 3 ½
Basmati, white 1-3/4 15 3 ½
Brown 2 45 2 ½ to 3
Sushi 2 45 2
Sweet 1 ½ 45 2
Spelt 3 90-120 2 ½
WHEAT:
Whole berries 3 90-120 2 ½
Bulgur 2 15 2 ½
Couscous 2 1 2 ½ to 3
Grains are delicious, nutritious and versatile foods, and great sources of fiber. Because of this, they’re very chewy – so make sure you eat slowly, thoughtfully, and thoroughly for proper digestion. Grains rushed through the system can cause gas and bloating – so slow down and enjoy your food!
