![VEGETARIAN LESSONS FOR LAZY DUMMIES (Part 3 of 4)feat. TVP or Textured Vegetable Protein [photo from Funkinutt]
[Last last week, I had my own “Vegetarian Cooking 101”. Not that what we prepared was the most basic of vegetarian fare, but that it was simple enough to do, and that I got some vegetarian cooking fundamentals when I got introduced to Chia Seeds, Nutritional Yeast, Liquid Aminos and TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein).
I also decided to do a wee bit of research on my own, and here’s the super simple low-down (I didn’t go all-out geek, I promise!) for those of you exploring vegetarian fare as well.]
TVP or TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN
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What is it? TVP is also known as textured soy protein (TSP), soy meat, or soya meat, which is made with soy flour. [ref] It is available in a variety of flavored and unflavored varieties, as well as different sizes, from large chunks to small flakes. [ref]
What is it used for? It is used in place of meat in vegetarian diets, or as a low-cost extender in meat dishes such as tacos, “corned beef”, chili, burgers, and meatballs.
What are its health benefits? It’s packed with PROTEIN! Because it is normally used in the place of meat, it also reduces fat and cholesterol intake.
Any known risks? In feeding experiments, the use of SPI (soy protein isolate, which TVP essentially is) increased requirements for vitamins E, K, D and B12 and created deficiency symptoms of calcium, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, copper, iron and zinc. [ref] So you might want to find supplements or other food sources for these nutrients if you’re on a regular TVP diet, which I wouldn’t really recommend.
Where can I get it? If you’re still curious to try it out after my last answer, you can get it from Magic Bread Bakeshop (post coming up next!) for P30-P45/pack. I think it’s worth exploring, if only to understand different vegetarian options better. :)
Off to free yoga at White Space,Jen
Twitter | Facebook | Vimeo | E-mail](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m4yqynlfKJ1r0u81eo1_1280.jpg)
VEGETARIAN LESSONS FOR LAZY DUMMIES (Part 3 of 4)
feat. TVP or Textured Vegetable Protein [photo from Funkinutt]
[Last last week, I had my own “Vegetarian Cooking 101”. Not that what we prepared was the most basic of vegetarian fare, but that it was simple enough to do, and that I got some vegetarian cooking fundamentals when I got introduced to Chia Seeds, Nutritional Yeast, Liquid Aminos and TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein).
I also decided to do a wee bit of research on my own, and here’s the super simple low-down (I didn’t go all-out geek, I promise!) for those of you exploring vegetarian fare as well.]
TVP or TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN
10 LAME EXCUSES THAT KEEP US FROM PUTTING IDEAS INTO ACTION
It’s one thing to be creative enough to come up with a lot of potentially awesome seeds for sowing, but another to be persevering and fearless enough not to make the above excuses in order to see them through.
Many times we come up with the above excuses for our inaction, when really, it’s just us masking our fear of things we aren’t even sure will materialize (anxiety), and our procrastination (laziness).
In preparation for my GK CSI Night talk, I outlined these ten popular excuses I hear, and admittedly, say to myself sometimes many times. Unfortunately, I talked too much, so I didn’t have enough time to share this that night.
If you’d like to find out how Punchdrunk Panda or I personally overcame some of these excuses, send me a tweet / message / e-mail, and I’d be glad to share my not-so-swabe stories with you. :)
In the meantime, what’s your favorite excuse?
Brain labandera,
Jen
![VEGETARIAN LESSONS FOR LAZY DUMMIES (Part 2 of 4)feat. Nutritional Yeast [photo from FatFreeVegan]
[Last week, I had my own “Vegetarian Cooking 101”. Not that what we prepared was the most basic of vegetarian fare, but that it was simple enough to do, and that I got some vegetarian cooking fundamentals when I got introduced to Chia Seeds, Nutritional Yeast, Liquid Aminos and TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein).
I also decided to do a wee bit of research on my own, and here’s the super simple low-down (I didn’t go all-out geek, I promise!) for those of you exploring vegetarian fare as well.]
NUTRITIONAL YEAST SEASONING
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What is it? Nutritional yeast a.k.a. “nooch” is a deactivated yeast, meaning it has no leavening ability like the regular yeast that we’re familiar with. Yeasts are members of the fungi family, like mushrooms, so no animals are hurt in the process. [ref]
What is it used for?Because of its cheesy, nutty flavor, it is often used by vegans in place of cheese. Add it to pasta, stir it into mashed potatoes, scrambled tofu (instead of scrambled eggs), and sprinkle it on popcorn. [ref]
What are its health benefits? It’s NUTRITIONAL! It’s a source of the B-complex vitamins, and is a complete protein. It is also naturally low in fat and soidium and is free of sugar, dairy and gluten (double check labels, to be sure). Sometimes nutritional yeast is also fortified with Vitamin B12 (such as the Red Star variant — not sure about Braggs’)
Any known risks? I didn’t find any immediately, and felt too lazy to do much more digging, but I figure if this is a pretty popular product, then I should be good, for now.
Where can I get it?I got my Red Star Nutritional Yeast from Healthy Options for (P299).
Now hankering for some popcorn,Jen
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VEGETARIAN LESSONS FOR LAZY DUMMIES (Part 2 of 4)
feat. Nutritional Yeast [photo from FatFreeVegan]
[Last week, I had my own “Vegetarian Cooking 101”. Not that what we prepared was the most basic of vegetarian fare, but that it was simple enough to do, and that I got some vegetarian cooking fundamentals when I got introduced to Chia Seeds, Nutritional Yeast, Liquid Aminos and TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein).
I also decided to do a wee bit of research on my own, and here’s the super simple low-down (I didn’t go all-out geek, I promise!) for those of you exploring vegetarian fare as well.]
NUTRITIONAL YEAST SEASONING
![VEGETARIAN LESSONS FOR LAZY DUMMIES (Part 1 of 4)feat. Chia Seeds [photo from The Chalkboard]
[Last week, I had my own “Vegetarian Cooking 101”. Not that what we prepared was the most basic of vegetarian fare, but that it was simple enough to do, and that I got some vegetarian cooking fundamentals when I got introduced to Chia Seeds, Nutritional Yeast, Liquid Aminos and TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein).
I also decided to do a wee bit of research on my own, and here’s the super simple low-down (I didn’t go all-out geek, I promise!) for those of you exploring vegetarian fare as well.]
CHIA SEEDS
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What is it? Chia seeds are typically small ovals with a diameter of about 1 mm (0.039 in). They are mottle-colored with brown, gray, black and white. It is a species of flowering plant in the mint family [ref].
What is it used for? It can be mixed with drinks, porridge, bread or pastries. Its gelatinous texture when mixed with liquid makes it an ideal sustitute for eggs or butter/shortening/oil in vegan baked goods, or as a binder for vegan meatballs and such.
What are its health benefits? It is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, since the seeds yield 25–30% extractable oil, including α-linolenic acid (ALA). Eaten raw as a whole seed, providing protein, fats, and fiber [ref]. It’s also an energy booster, and helps keep you full longer [ref].
Any known risks? If you’re prone to low blood pressure, you might want to avoid or keep chia seed consumption at a minimum [ref].
Where can I get it? I haven’t gone out and bought my own chia seeds yet but the brand above, Bob’s Red Mill, is available at Healthy Options. I’ll update you guys if I find other sources.
Happy baking and meatball-making!
Chiao,Jen
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VEGETARIAN LESSONS FOR LAZY DUMMIES (Part 1 of 4)
feat. Chia Seeds [photo from The Chalkboard]
[Last week, I had my own “Vegetarian Cooking 101”. Not that what we prepared was the most basic of vegetarian fare, but that it was simple enough to do, and that I got some vegetarian cooking fundamentals when I got introduced to Chia Seeds, Nutritional Yeast, Liquid Aminos and TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein).
I also decided to do a wee bit of research on my own, and here’s the super simple low-down (I didn’t go all-out geek, I promise!) for those of you exploring vegetarian fare as well.]
CHIA SEEDS
