Author Topic: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?  (Read 6113 times)

brewer12345

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Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« on: April 26, 2014, 07:27:59 PM »
I turned some beef flavored TVP (rehydrated) into sloppy joes tonight and I thought it was OK.  The kids were of less favorable opinions, especially my picky vegetarian daughter.  Any tips on what to do with this stuff to sell it to the kids?

Thegoblinchief

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #1 on: April 26, 2014, 07:32:14 PM »
Why not make lentils? Lentil tacos have gone over pretty well, since the texture is similar to ground beef.

Haven't tried TVP myself. Hopefully someone has good advice :)

brewer12345

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #2 on: April 26, 2014, 07:47:34 PM »
We do lots of legumes.  I buy pintos by the 50 pound sack, clean out the grocery store when they have a sale on chickpeas, and am on the "bean club" list with Rancho Gordo (fabulous, but expensive heirloom beans).  The TVP works in recipes where beans don't and is ready to use in 15 minutes rather than several hours.

Nords

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #3 on: April 26, 2014, 09:25:54 PM »
Is TVP the same thing as tofu, perhaps of the extra-firm variety?

I substitute it for about half of the meat (well, ground beef or ground turkey) in chili, tacos, and spaghetti sauce.  If you go all-tofu for your vegetarian then you could add extra spices.

You could also try stir-fry or deep-fried tofu, but that's more of an Asian meal.

brewer12345

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #4 on: April 26, 2014, 09:38:39 PM »
Different from tofu, although TVP is soy-based.  TVP is basically soy flour and protein isolate that has been texturized, flavored (anything from "plain" to any kind of meat you can think of aside from squirrel), dried and formed into pellets.  Shelf stable and pretty versatile, at least that is the billing.  If I can figure out how to use it, I will be in good shape.

I believe this is basically what Taco Bell got into trouble for when it turned out that their "meat" was over 50% "not meat."

Rural

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #5 on: April 26, 2014, 09:47:21 PM »
Most of our protein comes from TVP when we don't have venison; I buy it online by the 25-pound bag. Do you have the kind that looks like chunks or ground meat when it's rehydrated? I'm guessing the smaller kind based on the sloppy Joe attempt.


Anyway, for the introduction phase, try it in something like chili or pasta sauce rather than sloppy joes.  Also, rehydrate in whatever you're cooking instead of doing it with hot water and then adding it to the dish; it'll have more flavor. Add a little more spice than you usually do.


It goes great in homemade granola; no need to rehydrate. Also, it works well in baked goods for breakfast. Gets some protein into muffins or even oatmeal cookies (a fine breakfast, I say).


I have a whole TVP cookbook -- what do you like to eat? :-)

brewer12345

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #6 on: April 26, 2014, 09:52:22 PM »
Thanks, rural.  I would actually take the name of the cookbook if you don't mind sharing.  I have the stuff that looks like ground meat, in beef, chicken and unflavored variants.  I do a lot of soups, chilis, etc.  The picky vegetarian is going to be a hard sell, especially after tonight.

How do you use it in granola?  I have been making my own and adding some extra protein to granola would be great.

Rural

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #7 on: April 26, 2014, 09:56:03 PM »
Thanks, rural.  I would actually take the name of the cookbook if you don't mind sharing.  I have the stuff that looks like ground meat, in beef, chicken and unflavored variants.  I do a lot of soups, chilis, etc.  The picky vegetarian is going to be a hard sell, especially after tonight.

How do you use it in granola?  I have been making my own and adding some extra protein to granola would be great.


I'll have a look at the cookbook in the morning, but I'm afraid it's out of print. I think it's The TVP Cookbook.


I just add about one part TVP to 3-4 parts oats in making my granola. Assuming you mix in oil anda sweetener   and bake it, make sure the TVP gets mixed in and baked. If you decide to do cookies or muffins with it, add about as much as you would of nuts ( or a little more), and do be sure you rehydrate it first.

Sonorous Epithet

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #8 on: April 26, 2014, 10:00:41 PM »
I love vegetarian food and cook almost exclusively veggie at home and I really am not a big fan of TVP. It's too close to non-food for my tastes. I'm not gonna try to convince you that it's bad for you, but I prefer my vegetarian food to be, you know, food.

One protein source I have really enjoyed lately is tempeh. It's also soy-based, but it's an old-school ethnic food. It's much firmer than tofu, and it has a sort of nutty flavor. It doesn't taste like meat -- it tastes like tempeh, which is a food. One of our favorites is to make simple fajitas with them. When we go camping we often do foil-packet tempeh fajitas in the campfire coals. Man, just thinking about it is making my mouth water.

Bakari

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #9 on: April 26, 2014, 10:15:02 PM »
idk about kid's tastes - I usually just put it in hot water for a minute, then add it to whatever other food, which has its own flavor (like mixed into pasta sauce for example)

socaso

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #10 on: April 27, 2014, 09:03:59 AM »
I also do the half-n-half of TVP for whatever ground meat I'm using. I also use it with beans or lentils in veggie burgers. Rehydrate and pulse it all together with seasonings in a food processor. TVP is definitely bland although you can buy varieties that are chicken or beef flavored. I've never tried those because I didn't want to commit to one flavor. I usually find I have to season more heavily when I'm using TVP. I've also found a number of recipes using TVP simply by searching it online.

plantingourpennies

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #11 on: April 27, 2014, 09:37:11 AM »
Try chili or tacos.  Rehydrate using vegetable broth/bullion to give it a little extra ooomph.  Go heavy with the spices and add plenty of other vegs.  When I make TVP tacos, meat eaters occasionally get the TVP dish confused with the ones made out of ground turkey. 

Rural

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #12 on: April 27, 2014, 11:10:34 AM »
Here's the cookbook I have, and it is still in print. There are a lot of recipes online, though. I have the cookbook because I found it for a dollar at a used bookstore years ago. There are a couple of good recipes I use a lot in it.


http://www.amazon.com/The-TVP-Cookbook-Quick-Cooking-Substitute/dp/0913990795

Also, one thing that I do that goes over well is to spice the TVP as if I were making sausage. That blend works well in spaghetti, on pizza, and in omlettes, for starters. If you don't mind using egg for a binder, it even makes good sausage patties.


Here's my Southern sausage crumbles recipe:
1/2 cup dry TVP
1/2 tsp onion powder or 1/6 cup onion flakes. Use a minced real onion if you're feeling fancy
1tsp parsley
1tsp salt
1/2 tsp sage
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper


Mix the spices into the dry TVP. Pour in 1cup boiling water, stir.




Edited to remove an Amazon referral. It was for a charity, but still.
« Last Edit: April 27, 2014, 11:14:11 AM by Rural »

brewer12345

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #13 on: April 27, 2014, 12:31:59 PM »
Much obliged.

Nords

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Re: Any suggestions on how to cook TVP?
« Reply #14 on: April 27, 2014, 12:56:13 PM »
Different from tofu, although TVP is soy-based.  TVP is basically soy flour and protein isolate that has been texturized, flavored (anything from "plain" to any kind of meat you can think of aside from squirrel), dried and formed into pellets.  Shelf stable and pretty versatile, at least that is the billing.  If I can figure out how to use it, I will be in good shape.
Interesting.  Tofu is a competitive food group here (with many Asian varieties) and I've never looked for TVP.  I bet it makes a good hurricane food, along with our dried salmon and MREs.

We usually buy "extra firm" cakes and refrigerate them for weeks, even months.  Of course if it goes too long then it turns into ground-up natto, which is a whole different acquired taste...

 

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