I’m happy to share this article with…
- Fight Back Friday @ Food Renegade
- Finer Things Friday @ The Finer Things in Life
- Frugal Friday @ Life as Mom
- Food on Fridays @ Ann Kroeker’s blog
- Foodie Fridays @ Designs by Gollum
- Tasty Tuesday @ Balancing Beauty and Bedlam
- Tempt My Tummy Tuesday @ Blessed with Grace
- Tuesday’s at the Table @ All the Small Stuff
- Visit Kitchen Stewardship for more frugal, healthy bean recipes as part of the October Fest Carnival of Super Foods. Next week’s theme: Broth/Stock Recipes.
Last night I went out on a limb. I tried something new and in the eyes of my family, weird. I purchased a bag of TVP during my trip to the grocery store yesterday and made some for dinner last night.
Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) looks a little like Grape-Nuts. The ingredient: defatted soy flour. According to the package, TVP “is a highly nutritious soy product. It is incredibly wealthy in complete protein (12 grams per 1/4 cup serving) and contains no fat, so it is an excellent alternative to meat. It is also a good source of dietary fiber, iron, magnesium, and phosphorus. Since it takes on the flavor of whatever recipe it is added to, the array of recipes in which it may be used is immeasurable.”
(Added 9/30/2009: Please note that there is currently a lot of controversy on the topic of soy. While many claim it is nutritious and heart healthy, studies have also shown that eating soy causes a myriad of health problems. I noted a substitution below. If you are interested in learning more about the side effects of eating soy, please visit Food Renegade and the Weston Price Foundation.)
Prep:
- Overnight – soak 2 cups dried beans (red, kidney, or pinto)
- Or you can do the quick soak described on the pack of beans
- Drain and thoroughly rinse beans
In a kettle:
- 2 cups beans
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 6 large cloves garlic, mashed
- 2 quarts boiling water
Cook for 45 minutes, then add:
- 2 cups TVP (or instead use ground beef or cubed ham)
- 3 tablespoons chili powder (I used a mix of mild and hot)
- 1 tablespoon cumin
Continue cooking until beans are tender, 20-40 minutes. Most of the liquid should have cooked into the beans and TVP. I must have been cooking mine on a higher setting because the TVP soaked up the liquid within 5 minutes. Taste and add salt. It wasn’t herb-y enough for me so I added more salt and cumin.
You also need to cook some brown rice: basmati or short grain.
- 1 cup rice
- 2 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt
Once the rice is cooked, mix it with the beans, taste, and add a pinch of cayenne or hot sauce if desired. I didn’t mix mine together right away, as seen in the photo because I was interested in how the TVP tasted.
Yield: 8 servings
My Opinion
I liked it! It was easy to use and tasted fine. The TVP does soak up the flavor of whatever it is cooked with: cumin, salt, chili powder, onion. The cooked texture made me wonder if you could use TVP to make vegan Sloppy Joe’s. That is something I would like to try in the future.
The recipe is courtesy of Bob’s Red Mill.
[...] Prudent and Practical (TVP Red Beans and Rice) [...]
Pingback by Food on Fridays: State Fair Food « — August 21, 2009 @ 2:51 PM
I love how many experiments and risks people take and write about — it gives me inspiration, hope, and vision that I can do the same. If it flops, my life in the kitchen is not over. If it succeeds, I have something new in my repertoire. Thanks for sharing your TVP experiment!
Comment by Ann Kroeker — August 21, 2009 @ 2:54 PM
Whoa- sounds interesting. Glad you liked it.
Comment by Taryn — August 21, 2009 @ 11:39 PM
I love to try new recipes. My husband loves red beans and rice and honestly he asks for this all the time. Glad you had fun making this. Thanks for shairing.
Joyce
Comment by Joyce — August 23, 2009 @ 10:06 AM
Love a fun kitchen experiment. What did your family think?!
Comment by Amy @ Finer Things — August 25, 2009 @ 3:26 PM
I threw some on D’s plate – just the TVP, no beans or rice. He saw me do it and protested. He had a hamburger for dinner and with his last bite he ate the TVP as well. I questioned him about it and I don’t think he even realized he ate it because it looked almost like the hamburger! If D ate it… that’s saying a lot
Comment by K — August 26, 2009 @ 8:16 PM
Thanks for dropping by my blog and the great resource you mentioned. *smile*
If you want to save even more money, go to your local health food store that has a bulk section. TVP is less expensive by the pound than it is in a pre-measured bag.
I’ve been using TVP for years, and if you aren’t vegan, but just trying to stretch you dollars, “Better than bullion” is the best bullion on the market. Very true to flavor, and it makes your TVP taste like, well, the bullion. The possibilities are endless.
Oh, and your blog is beautiful. Hope you don’t mind if I bookmark and blogroll?
Comment by Whimspiration — August 27, 2009 @ 4:56 AM
[...] Summer: Peach Gelato (FoodieTots)30. Moms for Safe Food – Homeopathy, real traditional medicine31. Prudent and Practical (Red Beans & Rice)32. Robyn Goodwin33. Dr. Dolly @Traveling with Baby – Chicky Chicky Hummus34. Kristen35. Ajamvari [...]
Pingback by Fight Back Fridays August 21st | Food Renegade — August 27, 2009 @ 7:23 PM
Hum…I had no idea what TVP was. Thanks for the info and recipe. Thanks for linking to TMTT.
Comment by Lisa@Blessedwithgrace — August 28, 2009 @ 5:44 PM
Thank you for making this blog post, it has been very useful for me! I will post a link to this page on my blog as I’m sure my visitors will find your article very useful too.
Comment by Healthy Eating ideas — December 14, 2009 @ 2:36 PM
[...] (Inexpensive, Quick Breakfast Idea) 45. Seeking His Face(Cheap, Versitile Household Cleaner 46. Prudent and Practical (TVP Red Beans & Rice) 47. nmetzler (homemade laundry soap) 48. Michele (Disorganization) 49. Valerie @ Frugal Family Fun [...]
Pingback by Frugal Friday: When in Debt, Let Dave Help You — Life As Mom — February 9, 2010 @ 4:36 PM
So I eat TVP a lot in the form of “Morning Star Veggie Burger loose meat” you would never know it inst meat… There is however a VERY subtle sweetness and it doesn’t have the same bite (Meaning firm texture) as actual beef. We like to put it in cheese sauce and dunk nachos or sprinkle in pasta. It freezes really well too. I’m a fan. I don’t buy it all the time because it can be a bit pricey. Also, don’t plan on forming it into a patty it doesn’t work like that. If you want a veggie burger or even a veggie chicken patty both morning star and boca make these very yummily!
Comment by Erin Young-Surrett — February 15, 2010 @ 12:55 PM
Thank you so much for posting this. I just became a vegan after watching Food Inc. and am looking for new ideas on how to change my diet. I just can’t go back to eating meat after seeing such cruel and awful treatment. It made me cry. I already eat lots of beans, but I’m looking for other veg-friendly foods as well. I look forward to try some new recipes out!
Comment by Bobbi Jenkens — July 10, 2010 @ 6:44 PM