TVP

If VegitariMan! had a side kick, it would be TVP, or textured vegetable protein (seriously guys, your marketing folks need to be fired). OK not the most exciting (or appetizing) name, and one of their reasons vegetarian food is so looked down upon by the carnivore crowd. But chances are, they and you have eaten this product and not even known it. There was even one famous Tex-Mex fast food joint that used it in a 2:1 ratio with their beef in their tacos, and kept doing it even after they were busted, and why not?

Note: I don't endorse any particular brand of TVP, I usually buy it in bulk and unflavored. There are many different brands and many meat flavored versions, so if you have used any let me know if there is one you love...or not. 

Now for those of you that are still trying to get your head around this stuff, rest assured, this is one bit of vegan cooking you can't screw up. TVP is a soy product that is ground to different sizes and then dried. Some are formed into nuggets, but I just use the loose medium grind. The package directions are pretty standard for the loose stuff. Take one cup (235ml) TVP, and one (235ml) cup warm water and mix to re- hydrate the protein....which is fine but VegitariMan! craves flavor!

One way to do this is use your favorite vegetable broth instead of water which works ok but I have a better method if your family craves ground beef flavor. First in my pantry I always have some form of dehydrated mushroom, either a mix or shitake mushrooms. I re-hydrate them in warm water until I can squeeze liquid out of them and not feel any hard dehydrated bits.

Now that I have 'shrooms for my dish, there is that brown lovely mushroom flavored water that should be used, and that is what I re-hydrate the TVP with. 

Next, 2 (37ml)Tbls of your favorite fry oil, I like grape seed oil as it has a clean taste and a high smoke point, into a frying pan.

2 cloves garlic minced

1/2 yellow or other onion chopped goes in with the garlic. The garlic can burn if you put it in alone, but the water in the onion will provide some thermal cushion for the oily garlic. I stir fry them until they are just getting tender.

next add your TVP re-hydrated with the mushroom water and saute' until slightly brown.

Now here is my secret: add 2 Tbls (37ml) of steak marinade, or your favorite liquid steak sauce and my mushrooms. and stir until mixed

I follow that with a splash of liquid smoke and turn the mixture in the pan until it looks like browned ground round.

Keep this recipe for later use, we will use this lots more!

1 cup (235ml) Textured Vegetable Protein, (TVP) unflavored

1 cup (235) dehydrated mushroom mix

2 Tbls (37ml) grape seed oil

2 cloves (or more) garlic, minced

½ onion chopped

2 Tbls (37ml)steak marinade or seasoning

2 Tbls (37ml) liquid smoke

Rehydrate the mushrooms and use the left over liquid to rehydrate the TVP.

Heat the oil in a fry pan, add garlic and onion, stir fry until softened, add mushrooms, TVP and brown. Add steak marinade and smoke and fry until browned.