Top 5 Foods to Satisfy Your Meat Cravings on a Meatless Monday
Meat has become an important part of every-day meal. For most people, eating a meal that doesn’t have meat could be difficult. And on the flipside, there are people who don’t ever eat meat – vegetarians and vegans. But meat does not have to be the end all be all or the not at all. There are plenty of meat substitutes that are delicious and amazing. Just check out some of them below.
Tofu
Tofu easily tops the meat substitute list. It is a soybean byproduct that has served as a substitute for chicken, pork, seafood, and beef recipes for centuries. Even though tofu is typically associated with vegans and vegetarians, it has what it takes to stand all on its own. Some meals just taste better with tofu. Tofu is very common in Asian cuisine and prized for its versatility; you can make it taste however you want, and feel however you want, soft, firm, or chewy. So, it can taste just like your favorite meat, or like something entirely different.
Tempeh
Tempeh is tofu’s little brother. It is another soybean byproduct, but it is firmer and has a grainier texture. It is noted for its nutty flavor and has fiber, protein, calcium, and a whole sweet of vitamins. You can cook it many ways; slice it up, crush it, dice it, or even grind it up. It works best as a substitute for fish in recipes or as any kind of meat that is typically served ground up like ground beef.
Seitan
Seitan is a type of processed wheat gluten that makes for a great source of protein. This is great for people who do not have gluten intolerances, but is obviously not an option for people who cannot handle it. It is easy to make seitan taste however you want; you can season it to taste like chicken, pork, or beef. Its chewy and dense texture can easily withstand all forms of meat cooking like grilling, braising, frying, broiling. And what makes this really attractive is you don’t have to just buy this in stores. You can actually make it yourself at home.
Jackfruit
Jackfruit is a fruit, you’re not mistaken. But it’s got a very chewy and thick texture that makes it stand out in a meal. It is often used as a meat substitute because of this. You can cook it and season it just like you would do for meat. Not only is jackfruit a great meat substitute, but one jackfruit can go an extremely long way – they are huge fruits.
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are a classic meat substitute; they are savory, have a meat like texture, and taste delicious. Most importantly, they are natural, and chewy. You may not be fooled into thinking you’re eating meat, but you will find that you don’t mind the mushroom instead of meat. It is just too similar to meat in just about everyway minus the bloodiness.
