Okay I was at the health food store and sprang a whole two bucks for a
package of TVP aka textured vegetable protein...it's a meat analogue made of
soy from what I gather.

I read the directions - basically soak it for a whiles and then drain it. A
few web searches turned up some uses such as using it as a ground beef
substitute, in stir fries, etc. I suspect that simply by itself it is
pretty bland stuff....

Anyone have any experience using this? I'm not vegetarian but there are
times when I'll go off of meat for a few days or even a week I also have
vegan friends so it might come in handy for, say, vegetarian chili and such.
I like seitan and use it once a while, so I'm always looking for something
new in the veg protein area....

If it is decently edible I'll consider using it ocassionally - if not I'll
chalk it up to experience....

--
Best
Greg

"Gregory Morrow" > writes:
> Okay I was at the health food store and sprang a whole two bucks for a
> package of TVP aka textured vegetable protein...it's a meat analogue made of
> soy from what I gather.
>
> Anyone have any experience using this?

Is there a Mormon cannery in your area? I've got a whole ~200 page
TVP cookbook that I picked up free at a Mormon cannery in Arizona in
the 80s...

--
Richard W Kaszeta

http://www.kaszeta.org/rich

"Gregory Morrow" > writes:
> Okay I was at the health food store and sprang a whole two bucks for a
> package of TVP aka textured vegetable protein...it's a meat analogue made of
> soy from what I gather.
>
> Anyone have any experience using this?

Is there a Mormon cannery in your area? I've got a whole ~200 page
TVP cookbook that I picked up free at a Mormon cannery in Arizona in
the 80s...

--
Richard W Kaszeta

http://www.kaszeta.org/rich

Richard Kaszeta wrote:

> "Gregory Morrow" > writes:
> > Okay I was at the health food store and sprang a whole two bucks for a
> > package of TVP aka textured vegetable protein...it's a meat analogue
made of
> > soy from what I gather.
> >
> > Anyone have any experience using this?
>
> Is there a Mormon cannery in your area? I've got a whole ~200 page
> TVP cookbook that I picked up free at a Mormon cannery in Arizona in
> the 80s...


Afraid not, although there is a Mormon community several hundred miles
southwest of here in Nauvoo, Illinois (where Joseph Smith started his trek).
Is TVP a featured "survivalist" staple, then?

--
Best
Greg

"Gregory Morrow" > writes:
> > Is there a Mormon cannery in your area? I've got a whole ~200 page
> > TVP cookbook that I picked up free at a Mormon cannery in Arizona in
> > the 80s...
>
> Afraid not, although there is a Mormon community several hundred miles
> southwest of here in Nauvoo, Illinois (where Joseph Smith started his trek).

You sure? A lot of populated areas have a cannery, even if it's not a
predominantly LDS area. A call to the nearest ward can answer that
(and I've found that they are usually quite friendly to this sort of
inquiry by non-LDSers).

> Is TVP a featured "survivalist" staple, then?

Yes, for quite some time TVP was a staple of various survivalist
stashes, including the Mormon year-supply. TVP is decent, in that
while of questionable palatability (especially the older stuff, it has
gotten better), it is very stable and, more importantly, affordable.
We'd see a *lot* of it come through the food banks when I was doing high
school volunteer work in AZ in the 80's, as local families removed
near-expired or expired TVP and other long-term-storable foodstuffs
and replaced them with new.

I'll see if I can dig up the cookbook and post some recipes.

--
Richard W Kaszeta

http://www.kaszeta.org/rich

Richard Kaszeta wrote:

> "Gregory Morrow" > writes:
> > > Is there a Mormon cannery in your area? I've got a whole ~200 page
> > > TVP cookbook that I picked up free at a Mormon cannery in Arizona in
> > > the 80s...
> >
> > Afraid not, although there is a Mormon community several hundred miles
> > southwest of here in Nauvoo, Illinois (where Joseph Smith started his
trek).
>
> You sure? A lot of populated areas have a cannery, even if it's not a
> predominantly LDS area. A call to the nearest ward can answer that
> (and I've found that they are usually quite friendly to this sort of
> inquiry by non-LDSers).


Well, being an atheist and all.... <g>


> > Is TVP a featured "survivalist" staple, then?
>
> Yes, for quite some time TVP was a staple of various survivalist
> stashes, including the Mormon year-supply. TVP is decent, in that
> while of questionable palatability (especially the older stuff, it has
> gotten better), it is very stable and, more importantly, affordable.
> We'd see a *lot* of it come through the food banks when I was doing high
> school volunteer work in AZ in the 80's, as local families removed
> near-expired or expired TVP and other long-term-storable foodstuffs
> and replaced them with new.
>
> I'll see if I can dig up the cookbook and post some recipes.
>

Many thanks for the info!

--
Best
Greg

Hi Greg,

I've only used TVP as a ground beef substitute in tacoes. I mix it with the
taco seasoning and water, let it soak, and then stir-fry in a little oil. I
AM a vegetarian so I can't say how it compares to the real thing but as it
compares to the pre-made "fake ground beef" I would say it is not quite as
tasty but much less expensive. Since it doesn't require refrigeration, I
basically keep it as an emergency back-up for when I don't have anything
else in the house. I supposed you could add it to tomato sauce as well,
haven't thought much beyond that.

But TVP has been around a long time, and not just as a meat substitute. I
have seen it pop up on ingredient lists of packaged foods from time to time
and, as far as I know, it is not made of soy (I could be mistaken though so
make sure you check before you serve it to someone with a soy allergy).

Here's a site I used to use that has some TVP recipes:
http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/meat-analogues/ Oh, now that I look over the
list I think I used to make the TVP dumplings. Not so bad. Again, don't
know how it compares to meat but I try to recommend that people don't look
at these things (tvp, soy, seitan, etc) as a meat substitute but as a
different food. If you're expecting the fake stuff to taste like X, I
imagine you're going to be disappointed pretty much every time.

You might want to ask over in rec.food.veg.cooking for more ideas.

LauraJ

"Gregory Morrow" > wrote in
message link.net...
> Okay I was at the health food store and sprang a whole two bucks for a
> package of TVP aka textured vegetable protein...it's a meat analogue made
of
> soy from what I gather.
>
> I read the directions - basically soak it for a whiles and then drain it.
A
> few web searches turned up some uses such as using it as a ground beef
> substitute, in stir fries, etc. I suspect that simply by itself it is
> pretty bland stuff....
>
> Anyone have any experience using this? I'm not vegetarian but there are
> times when I'll go off of meat for a few days or even a week I also have
> vegan friends so it might come in handy for, say, vegetarian chili and
such.
> I like seitan and use it once a while, so I'm always looking for something
> new in the veg protein area....
>
> If it is decently edible I'll consider using it ocassionally - if not I'll
> chalk it up to experience....
>
> --
> Best
> Greg
>
>

Gregory Morrow wrote:
>
> Okay I was at the health food store and sprang a whole two bucks for a
> package of TVP aka textured vegetable protein...it's a meat analogue made of
> soy from what I gather.
>
> I read the directions - basically soak it for a whiles and then drain it. A
> few web searches turned up some uses such as using it as a ground beef
> substitute, in stir fries, etc. I suspect that simply by itself it is
> pretty bland stuff....
>
> Anyone have any experience using this? I'm not vegetarian but there are
> times when I'll go off of meat for a few days or even a week I also have
> vegan friends so it might come in handy for, say, vegetarian chili and such.
> I like seitan and use it once a while, so I'm always looking for something
> new in the veg protein area....
>
> If it is decently edible I'll consider using it ocassionally - if not I'll
> chalk it up to experience....
>
> --
> Best
> Greg

I've used it for mainly meatballs in spagetti sauce, so spicing it
up works well. I heat the water that it soaks in, steeping
rosemary, oregano, basil, and fennel in it, then adding the tvp.

Family doesn't notice the difference.

maxine in ri

"Laura J" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Greg,
>
> I've only used TVP as a ground beef substitute in tacoes. I mix it
with the
> taco seasoning and water, let it soak, and then stir-fry in a little
oil. I
> AM a vegetarian so I can't say how it compares to the real thing but
as it
> compares to the pre-made "fake ground beef" I would say it is not
quite as
> tasty but much less expensive. Since it doesn't require
refrigeration, I
> basically keep it as an emergency back-up for when I don't have
anything
> else in the house. I supposed you could add it to tomato sauce as
well,
> haven't thought much beyond that.
>
> But TVP has been around a long time, and not just as a meat
substitute. I
> have seen it pop up on ingredient lists of packaged foods from time
to time
> and, as far as I know, it is not made of soy (I could be mistaken
though so
> make sure you check before you serve it to someone with a soy
allergy).

TVP is made of soy flour and processed into various sizes. It doesn't
have any flavor of it's own but will "pick up" the flavor of whatever
you use it in.

> Here's a site I used to use that has some TVP recipes:
> http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/meat-analogues/ Oh, now that I look
over the
> list I think I used to make the TVP dumplings. Not so bad. Again,
don't
> know how it compares to meat but I try to recommend that people
don't look
> at these things (tvp, soy, seitan, etc) as a meat substitute but as
a
> different food. If you're expecting the fake stuff to taste like X,
I
> imagine you're going to be disappointed pretty much every time.

This is excellent advice. The problem is that manufacturers make
veggie burgers look like real burgers, soy milk to look like dairy
milk, etc. So people expect them to taste the same too. People get
hung up on that every time.

"Laura J" > wrote in message
...
> Hi Greg,
>
> I've only used TVP as a ground beef substitute in tacoes. I mix it
with the
> taco seasoning and water, let it soak, and then stir-fry in a little
oil. I
> AM a vegetarian so I can't say how it compares to the real thing but
as it
> compares to the pre-made "fake ground beef" I would say it is not
quite as
> tasty but much less expensive. Since it doesn't require
refrigeration, I
> basically keep it as an emergency back-up for when I don't have
anything
> else in the house. I supposed you could add it to tomato sauce as
well,
> haven't thought much beyond that.
>
> But TVP has been around a long time, and not just as a meat
substitute. I
> have seen it pop up on ingredient lists of packaged foods from time
to time
> and, as far as I know, it is not made of soy (I could be mistaken
though so
> make sure you check before you serve it to someone with a soy
allergy).

TVP is made of soy flour and processed into various sizes. It doesn't
have any flavor of it's own but will "pick up" the flavor of whatever
you use it in.

> Here's a site I used to use that has some TVP recipes:
> http://www.fatfree.com/recipes/meat-analogues/ Oh, now that I look
over the
> list I think I used to make the TVP dumplings. Not so bad. Again,
don't
> know how it compares to meat but I try to recommend that people
don't look
> at these things (tvp, soy, seitan, etc) as a meat substitute but as
a
> different food. If you're expecting the fake stuff to taste like X,
I
> imagine you're going to be disappointed pretty much every time.

This is excellent advice. The problem is that manufacturers make
veggie burgers look like real burgers, soy milk to look like dairy
milk, etc. So people expect them to taste the same too. People get
hung up on that every time.

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 09:47:58 -0400, maxine in ri >
wrote:

>Gregory Morrow wrote:
>>

>
>> If it is decently edible I'll consider using it ocassionally - if not I'll
>> chalk it up to experience....
>>
>> --
>> Best
>> Greg
>
>I've used it for mainly meatballs in spagetti sauce, so spicing it
>up works well. I heat the water that it soaks in, steeping
>rosemary, oregano, basil, and fennel in it, then adding the tvp.
>
>Family doesn't notice the difference.
>
>maxine in ri

the swine.

your porcine pal,
blake

On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 09:47:58 -0400, maxine in ri >
wrote:

>Gregory Morrow wrote:
>>

>
>> If it is decently edible I'll consider using it ocassionally - if not I'll
>> chalk it up to experience....
>>
>> --
>> Best
>> Greg
>
>I've used it for mainly meatballs in spagetti sauce, so spicing it
>up works well. I heat the water that it soaks in, steeping
>rosemary, oregano, basil, and fennel in it, then adding the tvp.
>
>Family doesn't notice the difference.
>
>maxine in ri

the swine.

your porcine pal,
blake

>On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 09:47:58 -0400, maxine in ri >
>wrote:
>>
>>I've used it for mainly meatballs in spagetti sauce, so spicing it
>>up works well. I heat the water that it soaks in, steeping
>>rosemary, oregano, basil, and fennel in it, then adding the tvp.
>>
>>Family doesn't notice the difference.
>>
>>maxine in ri

You're right- spicing it up makes it palatable. TVP can also be
buried in chili.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

>On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 09:47:58 -0400, maxine in ri >
>wrote:
>>
>>I've used it for mainly meatballs in spagetti sauce, so spicing it
>>up works well. I heat the water that it soaks in, steeping
>>rosemary, oregano, basil, and fennel in it, then adding the tvp.
>>
>>Family doesn't notice the difference.
>>
>>maxine in ri

You're right- spicing it up makes it palatable. TVP can also be
buried in chili.

Sue(tm)
Lead me not into temptation... I can find it myself!

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 04:52:17 GMT, (Curly
Sue) wrote:

>>On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 09:47:58 -0400, maxine in ri >
>>wrote:
>>>
>>>I've used it for mainly meatballs in spagetti sauce, so spicing it
>>>up works well. I heat the water that it soaks in, steeping
>>>rosemary, oregano, basil, and fennel in it, then adding the tvp.
>>>
>>>Family doesn't notice the difference.
>>>
>>>maxine in ri
>
>You're right- spicing it up makes it palatable. TVP can also be
>buried in chili.
>
>Sue(tm)

Yeah, chili, always chili.

Sorry,


modom

"Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes."
-- Jimmie Dale Gilmore

On Mon, 26 Jul 2004 04:52:17 GMT, (Curly
Sue) wrote:

>>On Fri, 16 Jul 2004 09:47:58 -0400, maxine in ri >
>>wrote:
>>>
>>>I've used it for mainly meatballs in spagetti sauce, so spicing it
>>>up works well. I heat the water that it soaks in, steeping
>>>rosemary, oregano, basil, and fennel in it, then adding the tvp.
>>>
>>>Family doesn't notice the difference.
>>>
>>>maxine in ri
>
>You're right- spicing it up makes it palatable. TVP can also be
>buried in chili.
>
>Sue(tm)

Yeah, chili, always chili.

Sorry,


modom

"Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes."
-- Jimmie Dale Gilmore

When I use TVP it is usually to supplement the meat in a recipe and add soy to
our diet. Instead of using plain water I use a base flavored with either
chicken or beef, which helps a lot. I even used it once in tuna salad,
reconstituting it with the water the tuna was packed in. It helped the salad
by absorbing the liquid from the vegetables.

When I use TVP it is usually to supplement the meat in a recipe and add soy to
our diet. Instead of using plain water I use a base flavored with either
chicken or beef, which helps a lot. I even used it once in tuna salad,
reconstituting it with the water the tuna was packed in. It helped the salad
by absorbing the liquid from the vegetables.