That groundbreaking book by Frances Moore Lappe is now 50 years old and it was the first to argue that world hunger was not caused by lack of food but by lack of effective food policy. And while I’m not vegan or even vegetarian by any means, I do agree that raising animals just for consumption does expend a lot more resources that we get from that final steak. And though one of my heroes was Tony Bourdain, I disagree with his assessment that “vegetarians are the enemy of everything good and decent in the human spirit, an affront to all I stand for, the pure enjoyment of food”. Hey, I’m not recommending anyone totally switch from a pure animal-based diet to a pure plant-based diet but shifting more of your edibles to plant based probably will improve your health as well as the planet.
My Old Standby
I only used to purchase the products from MorningStar Farms as they are always readily available at any supermarkets and frequently are on sale. The Grillers Burgers taste just like regular burgers at those conglomerate fast-food chains while the Chik Patties gives you the satisfaction of chicken nuggets with a lot less fat and you know it’s not filled with chicken nerves and gristle. I still also use the Veggie Breakfast Sausage Links either sliced for a vegan dressing at Thanksgiving or finely diced for a vegan sausage gravy using soy, oat or macadamia nut milk in place of cow’s milk. Ms. S has also discovered the delights of the Spicy Black Bean Burgers so there’s usually several bags in our freezer.
Which takes me to another benefit, the MorningStar Farms products are all frozen so it’s handier to store as you’ll always have some on hand unlike fresh ground beef, pork or turkey. However, the main drawback is that you need to rotate your products as they tend to dry out if stored too long. I tried remedying the situation by microwaving the patties in a very damp paper towel. However, once the patty cools, the consistency goes right back to cardboard. So, if you’re purchasing a lot on sale but find that when you finally use the product, it’s coated in a solid layer of ice, cut back on your purchases.
Here’s the recipe for my vegan Thanksgiving dressing that I created years ago when my Sister was still a vegan (she now flavors her bacon with food) and that I demonstrated back in 1997 on The Electric Kitchen television show – because Hawaiian Electric didn’t want to promote specific brands, my recipe simply lists vegetarian breakfast links but the only product I use is the MorningStar Farms Veggie Breakfast Sausage Links.
Vegan Dressing
2 pkg (8 oz size) vegetarian breakfast links
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup diced celery, including leaves
1 cup diced onion
8 oz fresh mushrooms, diced
1 cup diced roasted chestnuts, optional
3 tablespoons poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves, optional
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can (14 1/2 oz) vegetable broth
1 pkg (13 oz) unseasoned stuffing mix
Chop links. In a large sauce pot, heat the oil. Sauté links until lightly browned. Add celery, onion, mushrooms, and chestnuts; cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in poultry seasoning, rosemary, salt, pepper, and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat; add stuffing mix and stir until thoroughly moistened. Use as a stuffing or serve as a side dish. Makes 10 servings.
Almost Chicken
The Tofurky line of products includes a plant based, Lightly Seasoned Chick’n that we always stock in our refrigerator. You see, workweek lunchtime meals are simply for one purpose. To carry you through the rest of the day so that your stomach doesn’t start “speaking” to co-workers. And if a meal is simply for necessary sustenance, it might as well be healthy. I’ll reserve those potato chips and charcuterie just for weekends. More often than not, that means a lunch of cooked vegetables and fruit. Of course, you do need a little protein to avoid that post prandial bonk so that’s where the Chick’n comes in. I often braise about two large head of cabbage perhaps with chopped celery, onions or broccoli after briefly stir frying 2 packages of Tofurky Chick’n for that added protein. Fast, healthy, full of fiber and as an added bonus, I’m helping the company that usually is a co-sponsor of the annual Soy and Tofu Festival!
Tofurky also produces plant based cold cuts, several varieties of sausage and ground products to mimic ground beef or chorizo. And I’m sure that plant-based proteins aren’t just fringe products anymore as my local Safeway stocks the full line of Tofurky products.
The New Find
As usual, while perusing the Internet, I stumbled upon a link to the Very Good Butchers probably because I do my fair share of browsing for small production charcuterie. However, these “butchers” based out of Victoria, BC simply butcher beans. So, I placed an order and thus far have sampled the Very Good Burger which has the same consistency as ground animal protein and literally gives off an aroma of bacon while it heats though there’s no animal product in the patties. The Ribz have the flavor and mouthfeel of pulled pork probably with the added jackfruit while the Pepperoni is reminiscent of Nduja or spicy, spreadable salami. I’ll probably reserve the Very British Banger and Smokin’ Bangers the next time I cook cabbage for our workweek lunches.
https://www.verygoodbutchers.com/
Don’t Need a 180 Degree Shift
I’m not recommending an about face with your dietary habits, simply consider reducing your consumption of animal products shifting to a greater consumption of plant-based products for better health and being a better steward of the planet. You may have noticed that I didn’t even mention that new trend with plant-based burgers that even the national fast food chains are offering. While any plant-based product reduces the environmental impact on the planet, part of the reason why I consume these plant-based products is also for its health benefits as many products supply a good dose of protein plus dietary fiber and are low in saturated fat. However, some of these plant-based burgers try to mimic ground animal protein so much that they “bleed” red juices (to mimic blood) as you cook them, but they also carry a fair share of saturated fat (usually from coconut oil) to mimic the mouth feel of ground beef. So, I’ll simply continue purchasing and consuming the products I’ve already mentioned.
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