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Meat Alternatives Explained: Tofu, Tempeh, and Seitan

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 01:46:16 PDT

I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years, so tofu, tempeh, and seitan are always stocked in my fridge. If you're new to the meat-free world, preparing and eating these new foods can be really intimidating. I'm here to break down the basics so you know how to choose the right one for your nutritional needs and what to expect from your first bite.

	Firm Tofu (1/2 cup)	Tempeh (1/2 cup)	Seitan (1/2 cup)
Calories	88	160	240
Fat (g)	5	9	3
Sodium (mg)	15	7.5	705
Carbs (g)	2	8	12
Fiber (g)	1	3.8	1.5
Protein (g)	10	15.5	36

Now that you know the nutritional stats, learn how these meat alternatives are made, what they taste like, and discover yummy recipes for preparing them after the break.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Polenta Lasagne With Seitan

partysugar — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 12:08:33 PST

I love recipes like this lasagna that are fresh new takes on comforting classics. Traditionally lasagna is made with noodles and meat sauce, but this modern variation uses polenta and a mushroom seitan sauce. The update saves time because you don't have to fuss with boiling pasta. It also is meat-free and vegetarian-friendly. Don't be intimidated by the cheese sauce; it's a straightforward béchamel that's simple to put together.

For the recipe to this hearty casserole, please

Polenta Lasagne With Seitan
From Gourmet

Ingredients

For cheese sauce: 1/2 stick unsalted butter 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 1/2 cups whole milk 1/4 pound Italian fontina, coarsely grated (about 1 cup) 3 ounces gruyère, coarsely grated (about 1 cup), divided Scant 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg For mushroom-seitan filling: 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons olive oil 10 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced 8 ounces seitan (patted dry and thinly sliced) 1/2 teaspoon thyme leaves 3 tablespoons water 2 (16-to 18-ounce) logs ready-made plain polenta

Directions

Preheat oven to 425°F with rack in upper third. Lightly butter a 2- to 2 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.
Make cheese sauce: Melt butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth, then cook roux, whisking frequently, until pale golden, 2 to 3 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat milk in a separate small saucepan until just about to boil. Add milk to roux in 2 batches, whisking constantly until very smooth.
Bring to a boil, whisking, then cook, whisking, 30 seconds. Remove from heat and whisk in fontina, half of gruyère, nutmeg, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and set aside, whisking occasionally.
Make mushroom-seitan filling: Cook garlic in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until beginning to turn pale golden. Stir in mushrooms, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened, about 3 minutes. Add seitan and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms and seitan are slightly golden, about 4 minutes. Add water and cook briefly, scraping up any brown bits.
Assemble and bake lasagne: Spread 1/2 cup cheese sauce in bottom of baking dish.
Slice 1 log of polenta into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and arrange enough rounds to cover bottom of dish, overlapping slightly. Spoon half of filling evenly over polenta, then spread with half of remaining cheese sauce (about 1 cup). Slice enough rounds from second log to form a second layer. Cover with remaining filling, then cheese sauce. Sprinkle with remaining gruyère and bake until top is just bubbling and slightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4-6.

Print recipe with images | without images

Name That Dish!

partysugar — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 16:00:26 PST

Seitan makes an excellent filling for fajitas and I think it would be equally delicious in the Mexican dish that's pictured below. Do you know what it's called?

Seitan Fajitas

Yum Community — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:45:04 PST

This story was written by member girlA and comes from The Dairy Free Diva Recipe Exchange group in the YumSugar Community.I love that there is a tasty alternative to meat! Even my husband went so far as to say that he liked these better than chicken. This...coming from a man who absolutely loves chicken! Maybe it's because seitan really, truly has the same texture and similar flavor to meat, particularly chicken, but none of the saturated fat, hormones, and antibiotics. These were super easy to make and I served them with a scoop of refries with rice cheddar melted on top. Talk about a yummy, protein-packed meal!

To get her recipe, keep reading.

Definition: Seitan

YumSugar — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:30:26 PST

Seitan (pronounced "say-tahn") is a protein source made from the gluten of wheat that is often found in vegan, macrobiotic, and East and Southeast Asian food. Also known as wheat gluten, wheat meat, or gluten, this wheat-based meat substitute is an alternative to soy-based products such as tofu and tempeh.
Like meat, seitan, which is often sold in Western health markets in strips and cubes, can be braised, deep-fried, grilled, or simmered in soups.

Source: Flickr User jakub_hla

3 Words to Know When You're Ordering Vegetarian

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:00:00 PST

Vegetarians pay particular attention to ensuring they're consuming enough protein because there's no meat centerpiece to take care of that important nutritional component. There are often choices like tempeh and seitan for building a veggie-friendly salad that goes beyond tofu, and quinoa is a go-to grain because it contains high levels of protein. When you're choosing a meatless meal out, don't skim over these selections because you're not sure how to pronounce them. Expand your vegetarian vocab by learning how to say these three words.

Tempeh: Pronounced tem-pay, 4 ounces of this soy-based meatless alternative contains 22 grams of protein.
Seitan: Made from wheat gluten, this veggie option is pronounced say-tan or see-tan. Just 3 ounces of it contains 19 grams of protein.
Quinoa: Often referred to as the mother grain, the options with this protein-rich grain are endless. Ask for keen-wa, and you'll get 6 grams of protein in just 1/4 cup.

Source

5 Things: Highest Sources of Vegan Protein

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:30:00 PDT

Whether you are cutting back on meat and dairy products for health or moral reasons, it's good to remind ourselves that there are other forms of protein out there besides cheeseburgers, steak, and chicken satay. Check out these vegan sources.

Tempeh: 4 ounces gives you 22g of protein
Tofu: 1/2 cup serving equals 19.9g of protein.
Seitan: If you eat 3 ounces, you'll have consumed 19g of protein.
Plain soy milk: 1 cup of soymilk has 11g of protein.
Edamame: You'll get 10g of protein by eating 1/2 a cup of these beans.

Incorporating these foods into your meals will not only give you cholesterol and saturated fat free sources of protein, but since many of them contain fiber as well, they're even healthier.

Fit's Tips: Not sure how much protein you should be getting in a day? Then check out this chart.

Source

What's the Deal With Seitan?

FitSugar — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 11:00:00 PST

There are so many meat alternatives out there, which is wonderful for vegetarians. There are tofu turkey, tempeh bacon, and seitan chicken nuggets. Tofu and tempeh are both made from soybeans, but seitan is actually made out of wheat gluten. It's sometimes referred to as the vegetarian wheat meat.

When cooked, seitan has more of a chewy texture than tofu or tempeh, making it a popular meat substitute. Many vegetarian restaurants use it to make mock steak strips, mock chicken in stir-frys, and I've even had mock eel made out of seitan.

Since people eat meat alternatives as a source of protein, I was curious to see how seitan compared to tofu and ground beef? To find out

	3 oz. Nasoya Chinese Spice Seasoned Firm Tofu	3 oz. LightLife Teriyaki Seitan	3 oz. 85 percent Fat-Free Ground Beef
Calories	90	110	181
Total Fat	5g	0g	12.6g
Saturated Fat	1g	0g	4.9g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg	57mg
Sodium	220mg	380mg	55mg
Carbs	3g	6g	0g
Fiber	1g	1g	0g
Sugar	less than 1g	4g	0g
Protein	8g	19g	15.6g

Check out the difference in protein! I'm totally amazed that seitan has 19g and is only 110 calories. It even has more protein than ground beef. Very impressive. If you're looking for new ways to get your daily protein, give seitan a try. Since wheat gluten doesn't have a very strong flavor, you can flavor it any way you want. It'll give your dishes the chewy consistency you get from meat, but without all the cholesterol and saturated fat.

Mock Meat

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Mar 2007 14:30:00 PDT

Beef is loved by many a person, maybe a little too much perhaps. Diets high in red meat have been linked to heart disease due to its high fat content.

A recent study found a link between eating high amounts of red meat and developing colon cancer. It can also increase the risk of heart disease in diabetics.

Anyway you slice it, eating a ton of beef just doesn't do a body good. Instead of simply switching to the other "white meat," why not try a meat alternative instead? Take a walk on the healthy side of life and check out some mock meats. Now don't get me wrong - they don't taste exactly like real beef, but they can be pretty tasty just the same.

Tofu, made from soaked and ground up soybeans, can be cubed and baked or stir-fried. It is also used to make Tofurky and Tofu Pups.

Tempeh is made with whole, fermented soybeans. It's great to marinate and bake. Fakin Bacon is made out of tempeh. Some people find it easier to digest than tofu.

The chewy consistency of Seitan (the vegetarian wheat meat), made from wheat gluten, is great in mock chicken nuggets, or mock steak strips for fajitas. You can make it yourself, or buy the pre-made ones at the store.

TVP (textured vegetable protein) can be used to make veggie burgers, or added to chili or other soups to replicate a meaty texture.

These meat alternatives taste fairly bland, making them perfect for marinades. Plus they're great alternative sources of protein.

Fits Tips: Many Asian restaurants offer dishes with these mock meats. If you're nervous about making them yourself, order them the next time you go out to eat. Their delicious taste and texture is not only satisfying but healthier for you than red meat.

3 Simple Ways to Eat Healthier in 2012

Anna Monette Roberts — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 01:55:57 PST

You might have told yourself that this year is about trimming down your sugar, coffee, and fatty food intake. However, cutting out these foods quickly can make you feel deprived, which may lead to overindulging later. Rather than cutting out all the bad stuff, add in a few healthy, tangible choices to your daily diet. Here are three small foods you can easily eat, so you can feel healthier and accomplished each day.

Green smoothie or juice: Sometimes it's tough to get your daily dose of veggies and fruit, so why not start the day off right with a large glass of something that's packed with antioxidants and nutrients? If you're a smoothie drinker, try Kimberly Snyder's Glowing Green Smoothie. If you have a juicer (or are looking to invest in one), try out this sweet and gingery green juice recipe.

See more tips.