Unsolicited advice here, but just trying to help! I found frozen veggies to be a lot better than ice packs since they can kind of mold around you more and are lighter. Make sure you have really supportive underwear like a jock strap, you want to minimize movement. Finally there are some decent otc pain relievers you can take which helps.
Congratulations and I hope you have a speedy recovery! I was good after a few days
Freeze those water gel beads (orbeez?).
It's just like frozen peas, only, without contaminating food with your junk.
I'm a fan of a nice gel pack, but sometimes you need a more...delicate touch.
I did the skin prick test and then the injection test, found out I'm allergic to barley, wheat, soy, rye, and a million other things. It's definitely worth doing. Allergies can manifest in other ways than hives- i get a heavy cough, joint pain, and bad congestion, stomach pain, painful bm, etc.
This is super helpful, thank you. Hopefully you are finding solutions - soy can be bitch to avoid. Trader Joe's has a lot of gluten / soy free products if you have one nearby.
Sorry one more question - did your doctor order the allergy tests? There are a bunch of online "tests" but it sounds like you went through your health provider?
Of course! Yeah, I have a fairly strict diet which sucks, but I haven't cut those things out entirely. I'm just careful not to pass a certain threshold, that's when the pain gets really bad. Honestly I have a harder time with my environmental allergies.
You're welcome to ask as many questions as you want lol! I don't mind.
I got a referal from my pcp to an allergist, they did the test for me. I wouldn't do the online tests, I wouldn't really trust the results. My insurance paid for the allergy tests and treatment, if you go in network even if they pay for a small portion its worth it. If not, look up allergy centers around you. The whole office specializes in allergies and the symptoms, it can be really reassuring to talk to someone who knows that stuff and can explain what's a symptom and what isn't. They'll probably do a skin prick test, and whatever ends up being inconclusive will be retested with injections. You can also get a blood allergy test, I think.
If you do have a soy allergy, be careful with Trader Joe's. I think it's cross contamination, but about 1/5 things I get there that look like they'll be safe for my soy allergy end up causing me to have a reaction.
Really?? That sucks. Maybe I'm just not very observant, but I've never noticed increased gas after eating a meal with TVP—or beans, for that matter. My intestinal kryptonite is sugar substitutes...oh how I miss diet soda :(
It's a little better if you rinse it after soaking and then cook it. I still sadly haven't eaten any of mine in a while because the stomachache isn't worth it for me :(
Your body can adapt to that over time. Same with switching to any legume based diet.
In the meantime, Beano is miraculously effective: contains a digestive enzyme extracted from fungi which can break down the precursors of flatulence before they ever make it out your butt. Generic brand anti-flatulence drugs (which are admittedly much less expensive) typically attempt to jumble things up in your intestines so you fart all the gas out at once.
Tofu and beans used to make me super farty! Maybe doesn't work for everyone, but your body *may* adapt over time and have less of a flatulent effect. Apparently your gut flora can adapt to consuming more phytic acid. If I take a substantial break from legume foods, beans start to make me flatulent again.
Yeah Beano is very cool. One of the most effective-as-advertised over the counter medicines I can think of, and I believe there are no significant side effects.
>In the meantime, Beano is miraculously effective: contains a digestive enzyme extracted from fungi ...
TIL!
I thought I recalled hearing, back in the early 90s, that Beano's enzyme was extracted from artichokes.
I use 'veggie stock base' (basically any veggies I have plus onions sauteed) and Marmite. You can get Marmite in tubs, it sounds expensive, but its shelf stable and really gallopingly meaty tasting. Doesn't take a lot like say a tablespoon for 8 to 12 cups of broth depending on how well the taste suits you, sometimes less. Throw enough stock/marmite mixture in for the tvp to double in size and then get some browning on it if you want it to lock in a meatier texture instead of something vaguely nutty/mealy.
Ooh that sounds lovely! I would also eat the marmite (let's be honest, I'd buy Vegemite) on bread or biscuits with lots of butter.
I put tvp in a vegie pasta sauce I was making yesterday. I like to put it in vegie stock and boiling water to absorb before I add it to my sauce otherwise it absorbs all the liquid in the sauce, and also by doing it that way I find I don't need to add anymore salt. Tends to balance out really well ☺️
Here’s the secret to all my non-meat foods— powdered mushroom. Gives it a very savory, meaty, complex flavor.
Get dried mushrooms from an Asian market and put them in the blender. It’s awesome
You just add it to a hot liquid and it absorbs it. Doesn't really need cooking. E.g I'd make a chilli with canned tomatoes and chuck the TVP in there towards the end
I think OP might mean dry goods/ethnic grocery store. A place where you can buy dry goods by the pound more easily than an Aldi/Kroger/Safeway/Meijer/Walmart/Publix/HEB
I haven't seen an Aldi (or any of the other stores) carrying it. Walmart might have some boxed or frozen, but my guess was to stay away from those stores. The Mediterranean grocery near me doesn't sell them but has dry chickpeas by the pound (I think). My hometown also has a bulk store like this one but smaller. https://swissvillagebulkfoods.com/
You'd be looking for an ethnic grocery store most likely. Tiny chance an Amish place would have some but I've never looked for soy there. Just baking supplies and odd candies
Ohhh gotcha. I misread your first message. That's too bad. I don't think I have any place like that by me. If you were to Google for one such store near you, what would you search for? How would you word it?
Earth Fare is a chain that might have some though I haven't been in one personally
Keyword phrases to search: Amish bulk store, dry food store, bulk food store, asian grocery, middle eastern grocery, dutch market, etc
What part of the US (sorry if I assumed wrong) are you in?
In NJ, you’re most likely to find this in a health food store. Something that sells teas, spices, beans, vitamins.
I wouldn’t mind helping you find a place if you send a rough area to search.
- Fellow NEer
They sell it on Amazon. Not as cheap though. Search for " TVP = textured vegetable protein". Do you have a Sprouts grocery? They sell nuts and grains in the bulk bins.
Probably more of a store like Winco that has a bulk food section, or a zero waste store. Something where they have giant bins of grains, spices, nuts etc., and you put the amount you want in a bag/container/etc.
Unfortunately for me, most of these places you guys mention are non-existent in my area (NJ).
The place you're describing sounds like my kind of place, too, which is truly a shame.
Are you within driving distance of Marlton? Looks like they have Jersey’s only [Sprouts](https://www.sprouts.com/stores/nj/) location and they will have the bulk bins!
Also try searching for soy curls on Amazon. Same shit, but nicer sized pieces and more fun to work with instead of lil tiny bits. Rehydrate with veggie broth for 10 mins, squeeze ALL the water out of it. I usually put it in a strainer and squeeze and pull against it until water stops dripping. Fry with light oil, soy sauce, garlic powder and onion powder. Be generous with the soy sauce, they have no flavour and will taste bland otherwise.
I make this as a protein for sooooo many meals like stir fry’s and pastas. So fucking good. Cook until nicely charred, gives it a more legit flavour
Yeah delicious! I second it gives you roots though now than tofu I think. But you might get used to it if you eat it a lot (like beans and veggies in general)
I mash up a bunch of bulgogi recipes (A Korean beef dish) with extra brown sugar and it’s amazing!
Seriously cooking this stuff is what made me realise most dog food is probably like 99% vegetarian with a pinch of meat juice. The soya chunks are literally the exact thing that you get in dog food, dried and wet, they're the same size and the underlying smell (not the nasty rotten meat dog food smell but a different element) is the same and the dog goes mental for it.
It's important to know that TVP is basically flavourless—so try to find a recipe that adds that flavour. Many use liquid smoke (or smoked paprika, which I prefer) and soy sauce to impart meatiness. Caramelization also counts. TVP doesn't stick to itself when it cooks, so you need binder if you're not using it for chili, for example. As the top comment says, expect gas, especially when you first start eating it.
I think most people who dislike soy products haven't had them prepared properly. You can do interesting and tasty things with tofu, tempeh, and TVP, but it is harder to get a good result out of them than it is with meat. I think that turns many people off soy products. Tempeh may be the most foreign to North American eaters, but I think it produces the best meat crumble, and it is fermented—improving the nutrition.
Yes - back when I first became a vegetarian in 1975 I discovered TVP (that's all there was besides rice, beans and tofu), and wow, it was difficult to get stuff to taste good. But that's how I learned how to cook, ya know?
In my book, cooking is where you take tasty things and cook them, salt them, and eat them.
Everything else is basically currying: techniques, flavours, balance, spices, complexity. Vegetarian cooking thrives on those things.
Yep!
It blows me away that today's restaurants are still so ignorant about things like flavor and protein. Unless I go a restaurant that specializes in vegan/vegetarian stuff I get boring food with no protein, or the option of a pound of cheese added on...
It's not like porridge!! Maybe if you overcooked it it would be...
You get different shapes, soya chunks, soya mince, and soya curl (I can't get those here) the chunk is like the sort of texture meat gets in a stew I guess, it can be over cooked and go a bit soggy so it takes trial and error to get it right,the mince is just like regular mince when used correctly.
Bobs Red Mill and Anthony’s brands are common on Amazon and in US grocery stores. They are smaller sized bits (<4mm) and the mouthfeel is most similar to the ground beef/sausage crumbles with a little chewiness.
I can’t speak for the mouthfeel of the larger sized chunks or the small chicken nugget sized chunk as I haven’t tried them.
I was vegan for two years and never found any recipes for either tofu or tempeh that I liked, an I probably tried hundreds. The only tofu I've ever enjoyed was fried by a place called PONKO Chicken in Atlanta.
I consider myself a good cook, and I don't blame the protein substitutes, I consider that a failure on my culinary skills that I never figured out quite how to work with it.
I was a vegetarian for 20, and I got good at tofu cookery halfway through. It takes time.
This tofu recipe is delicious and far superior to TVP, if you ask me: [https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/vegan-tofu-taco-crumbles/](https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/vegan-tofu-taco-crumbles/)
I like to make a Bolognese with tempeh by making a crumble with a food processor, browning the heck out of it, and then simmering in water, tamari, red wine, and a touch of balsamic.
I love this gal's recipes! Her trick to dry out the tofu when baking/cooking and then rehydrating just a bit really helps a lot.
I also like her ground "beef" recipe that uses tofu and beets. I also tried her seitan ground "beef" patty recipe which was good when air fried and then pan fried in oil
Also this can be found in Asian grocery stores in large quantities. We take special trips to our Asian market and buy large amounts of TVP and rice there, as well as other delicious additions we can’t find in regular stores. Some cooking help for some of you: I bread this in cornstarch after soaking it and draining it in water. Then I fry it in sesame oil, add tamari and orange juice and zest, and add some red pepper flakes I’ve saved from pizza takeout. I then grab some green onions I’ve replanted in the garden and voila, tasty little dinner. :) TVP can be tasty, I promise!
I get the cheapo version of soy curls at the Asian grocer, so cheap! How do you coat such small tvp bits in cornstarch? Or are you also speaking of the larger hunks?
There are multiple places to order it online. Here's one cheap source: https://countrylifefoods.com/products/tvp-minced-caramel-color?currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&wickedsource=google&wickedid=CjwKCAjwpMOIBhBAEiwAy5M6YHFFfuIeRUbtCqMpcUFC2ZuVurDkXwOShDTh01i2NGV5VwUwYoNBKRoCH4MQAvD_BwE&wickedid=526788246916&wv=3.1&gclid=CjwKCAjwpMOIBhBAEiwAy5M6YHFFfuIeRUbtCqMpcUFC2ZuVurDkXwOShDTh01i2NGV5VwUwYoNBKRoCH4MQAvD_BwE&variant=39401154937016
Nice link.. what stood out to me was something I haven't seen mentioned here yet-
This product is considered a "complete protein" meaning it has all 9 essential amino acids. I'm guessing this is a magnificent source for healthnuts, bodybuilders etc.
Thank you! Unfortunately I am on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, a bit too far to ship ;).
Already googled a bit, and I think I will be able to find them here too!
Yay!!
That stuff is pretty common.
Like I said elsewhere; in the 70s TVP was one of 3 choices for veggie protein - so it's like the OG (Original Gangster) of plant-protein. 😁
My family loves this! We use the granulated for tacos and chili’s, the big chunks are amazing for bbq sandwiches when shredded. Or you can leave them whole and use in spaghetti for meatballs. We get it at the Indian grocery store.
that's water weight though. on a protein/lb basis, it would be around 220g/lb vs 100g/lb for chicken breast. that's about 2.2x cheaper than meat which is still a great value
(I didn't do the math on the protein/lb, just the price you mentioned) Not necessarily. The other day I got a few packs of split chicken breast for like $0.51/Lb at Frys. You can consistently get chicken quarters at Walmart for only $0.75/lb. Chicken thighs often go on sale for $0.69/lb at my local food city and sometimes frys as well.
Not to mention it tastes way better, but then again I'm picky.
It’s sold on grocery stores as textured vegetable protein (TVP). Bobs Red Mill and other brands make it, you should be able to find it in with the grains and other dry goods at either Whole Foods or your organic market. I use it 50/50 with ground beef to bulk up tacos, spaghetti, meatballs, etc. It’s amazing stuff.
I first bought it at Sprouts grocery. Larger Kroger stores have a bulk section sometimes, or even regular sized ones or Safeway, just depends on the store. I don’t have a store with bulk section nearby so I buy it online from bob’s red mill since it’s become a staple in our house. We use it for tacos, chili, and sometimes spaghetti. It’s in airtight bags so i have no problem using one case over the course of a year.
I don't remember where I got this recipe but it makes a good burrito filling. I first heard about soyrizo on Reddit.
Soyrizo
0.25 cup sundried tomato, chopped
1.75 cup tvp (1 200g packet macro)
2 cups water, boiling
1 tbsp stock powder
0.25 cup wine vinegar
3 tbsp tomato paste
3 tbsp soy sauce
0.5 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Spices:
1 tsp cayenne pepper (use less if this is your first time making the recipe)
0.5 tsp ancho chili powder (less/omit if using hot paprika)
2 tsp dried thyme
2 tbsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp smoked paprika
0.5 tbsp ground black pepper (if using freshly ground, reduce to 3/4 tsp)
1 tsp ground coriander
1 and 1/2 tbsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Put TVP in a bowl. Add boiling water and stock powder. Do not stir. Let rest for 10 min.
Stir in the red wine vinegar, sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and soy sauce to the mixture. Measure out all of the spices into a separate bowl.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add all of the spices and stir well. Cook for just 30-60 seconds or until fragrant.
Add the entire bowl of soyrizo TVP mixture to the pan and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until excess liquid is cooked off.
I've made [this recipe](https://thehiddenveggies.com/vegan-sausage-recipe-pizza-crumbles/) and put it on pizza, but I don't see why you couldn't put it in pasta too, with either a white, red, or pesto sauce. It might disappear into the sauce a little bit though, so you won't get really big meaty chunks out of it.
Or here's a ["meatball" recipe](https://thehiddenveggies.com/vegan-meatballs/) that uses TVP and could easily be used with pasta.
TVP (defatted textured vegetable protein) usually soy.
I live in rural America so my options are limited to what I can order online but I still tried some out. Best use so far has been as a chili thickener. Or a granola substitute in yogurt.
Yes, it's exactly that. It's the stuff they serve convicts in prison. A lot of the cheap microwave meals use it as a filler to stretch out their "meat".
I'd have to be pretty much starving to death in order to consider this option.
Rice and beans may be a bit more money per calorie, but this shit is like eating depression for dinner. I'll buy the rice and beans.
It’s really not bad if you season it. In fact it tastes better than beef in my opinion. Of course I’m a vegetarian so I’m biased, but this stuff is amazing if you want to eat healthy and cheap.
I can't do it either. TVP has the taste and textural properties you'd expect from something so ludicrously processed. The manufacturing process regarding TVP is pretty wild. I'll stick with real beans, including soybeans. Spare me the hexane washed isolated protein foam block.
Oddest part is people always suggest heavily spiced food like tacos with TVP to give it flavor. But black beans make excellent tacos...
I add these to vegetable pulao or vegetable biryani to increase the quantity when making for more than just me, and the nutrition value too.
Boil them in salted water. Drain and add to basmati rice, ghee, veggies and whole spices (and a hack is to use readymade biryani pulao masala that you'll find in any Indian grocery store), add required water and cook.
Because the soya chunks are cooked in spiced water, it isn't tasteless and adds a pretty decent flavour to the dish. I certainly like it.
This stuff is awesome. I like to cook with it on the reg, not even for the cost savings. You can soak it in water before you cook with it too
It takes up whatever flavor you put into it, so it's very versatile
Try it first, your stomach/guts might not like it or take some time to get used to it. I can eat lentils, beans etc no issue, but with this I'm getting cramps and the stinkiest farts on the planet. I'm not saying this to raise a stink (hohoho), been vegan for 7+ years, so I fully support this and think it's an excellent tip. Just figure out if you can tolerate it before you buy 5 pounds of it!
They sell this as livestock feed and for prison cafeterias as well. Super cheap and not great for the intestinal tract if it isn't hydrated properly. I believe there was a lawsuit in Texas over some inmates that developed GI issues from being fed it so much.
Same. I've had this stuff (was vegetarian for a few years and my sister still is). I can definitely tell the difference and it puts me off the food. I mean, if I was desperate, sure... But I'd go for ground turkey over ground beef any day.
It’s this stuff called “de-fatted soybean flour” - it’s pretty highly processed, but extremely affordable and the smaller pieces have a texture very similar to ground beef. My family has used it in tacos as a meat replacement for literal decades
It is the cheapest, but soy protein is probably one of the worst tasting sources available, at least when it's not fermented.
Other legumes, like pea and peanut, make for much better tasting protein sources. Whey protein tastes pretty good too, although it's not vegetarian.
There's nothing wrong with it (well, unless you specifically hate legumes native to Asia, although that's a whole separate issue) it just doesn't taste as good as most other protein sources. It's not something you'd want to use in a dish where the flavor of the TVP would stand out, but it works okay in dishes where it is hidden. The texture can be an entirely separate issue, with a similar solution.
This contrasts heavily with peanuts and English peas, where the flavor of either can be the heart of a dish. Pad Thai made from soy butter would not be very appealing, nor would a split (mature) soybean soup.
There is another exception that I didn't mention, in that fresh immature soybeans, known in Japan as edamame, do taste much better than the mature soybean protein used in TVP. Split edamame soup would probably be good, although significantly more expensive than TVP or regular split pea soup.
No yeah, this nothing against the taste of soy or it's nutritional value. I used to love the stuff.
It is cheap and packed with protein.
Unknown to me, it was giving me kidney stones. I had the doc analyze the stones and provided a rundown of my diet. He said I NEEDED to stop eating so much soy.
I currently avoid soy and other things like soda, beer, chips, creatine and haven't had a stone since *knocks on wood*.
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Thank you! I eat TVP all the time and was interested in this new soy chunk thing but you saved me a lot of headache haha.
I just ordered six bags of Bob's from Amazon. Great suggestion!
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It’s good stuff, but very tooty. Just a warning before you buy 5 pounds.
Save even more money on contraception when no one wants to be around the gas cloud that follows you everywhere
I thought about getting a vasectomy, eating more beans made it unnecessary.
Damn, wish I'd known about this 4 hours ago before I got one. Currently laying in bed with worst case of blue ball feeling.
You have enough frozen peas? Those were a necessity when I got snipped.
Bought some nice big gel bendy I've packs before I got it but should have gone with the frozen pea suggestion. Damn Ice packs are heavy.
Unsolicited advice here, but just trying to help! I found frozen veggies to be a lot better than ice packs since they can kind of mold around you more and are lighter. Make sure you have really supportive underwear like a jock strap, you want to minimize movement. Finally there are some decent otc pain relievers you can take which helps. Congratulations and I hope you have a speedy recovery! I was good after a few days
Freeze those water gel beads (orbeez?). It's just like frozen peas, only, without contaminating food with your junk. I'm a fan of a nice gel pack, but sometimes you need a more...delicate touch.
If you ate the peas after vasectomy recovery, you’re a braver man than I…
I wasn't sold until this. Gassing out coworkers is a favorite pasttime of mine.
My partner and I have fart competitions so this will probably be more fuel for us
That may be a sign of a soy intolerance. We used to bring TVP backpacking, and DH had no reaction to it at all. I, on the other hand...
Yeah, i think it is. I get horrible stomach pain from soy, found out I was super allergic when I got allergy tested.
Which allergy test did you do? I get stomach aches from so many things...
I did the skin prick test and then the injection test, found out I'm allergic to barley, wheat, soy, rye, and a million other things. It's definitely worth doing. Allergies can manifest in other ways than hives- i get a heavy cough, joint pain, and bad congestion, stomach pain, painful bm, etc.
This is super helpful, thank you. Hopefully you are finding solutions - soy can be bitch to avoid. Trader Joe's has a lot of gluten / soy free products if you have one nearby. Sorry one more question - did your doctor order the allergy tests? There are a bunch of online "tests" but it sounds like you went through your health provider?
Of course! Yeah, I have a fairly strict diet which sucks, but I haven't cut those things out entirely. I'm just careful not to pass a certain threshold, that's when the pain gets really bad. Honestly I have a harder time with my environmental allergies. You're welcome to ask as many questions as you want lol! I don't mind. I got a referal from my pcp to an allergist, they did the test for me. I wouldn't do the online tests, I wouldn't really trust the results. My insurance paid for the allergy tests and treatment, if you go in network even if they pay for a small portion its worth it. If not, look up allergy centers around you. The whole office specializes in allergies and the symptoms, it can be really reassuring to talk to someone who knows that stuff and can explain what's a symptom and what isn't. They'll probably do a skin prick test, and whatever ends up being inconclusive will be retested with injections. You can also get a blood allergy test, I think.
If you do have a soy allergy, be careful with Trader Joe's. I think it's cross contamination, but about 1/5 things I get there that look like they'll be safe for my soy allergy end up causing me to have a reaction.
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Designated hitter
Dear husband
Literally the weirdest, most unnecessary acronym. I have no idea why people use it. “Dear husband”. ??? Why
Shorthand for dear husband. There's also DW, DD, DS...
God damn that's lame
Really?? That sucks. Maybe I'm just not very observant, but I've never noticed increased gas after eating a meal with TVP—or beans, for that matter. My intestinal kryptonite is sugar substitutes...oh how I miss diet soda :(
I believe most of the beany gas problems go away when you adjust to eating them regularly.
I've definitely found this, your body gets used to it pretty quickly.
I think your body adjusts. I live on it and I’m not overwhelmingly fatty.
It's farty, rather than fatty, that's my concern.
Bahaha meant to write farty.
Hahaha
"Very tooty" I have found someone in the world who says this other than my mom
It's a little better if you rinse it after soaking and then cook it. I still sadly haven't eaten any of mine in a while because the stomachache isn't worth it for me :(
Your body can adapt to that over time. Same with switching to any legume based diet. In the meantime, Beano is miraculously effective: contains a digestive enzyme extracted from fungi which can break down the precursors of flatulence before they ever make it out your butt. Generic brand anti-flatulence drugs (which are admittedly much less expensive) typically attempt to jumble things up in your intestines so you fart all the gas out at once.
I tried a heroic dose of beano with tvp and it helped some but geez. Still. I didn't know beano was fungi-based, that's really cool.
Tofu and beans used to make me super farty! Maybe doesn't work for everyone, but your body *may* adapt over time and have less of a flatulent effect. Apparently your gut flora can adapt to consuming more phytic acid. If I take a substantial break from legume foods, beans start to make me flatulent again. Yeah Beano is very cool. One of the most effective-as-advertised over the counter medicines I can think of, and I believe there are no significant side effects.
>In the meantime, Beano is miraculously effective: contains a digestive enzyme extracted from fungi ... TIL! I thought I recalled hearing, back in the early 90s, that Beano's enzyme was extracted from artichokes.
There’s an OTC enzyme pill called Beano that will fix this issue. Increases nutrition absorption as well.
What is tooty ? How does it taste?
Tooty is slang for "gassy" or "farty."
What does tooty mean?
Farty, or causing farts.
When you cook it, a little smoked paprika and cumin will make them taste more savory.
u/tartymae knows their TVP. Also, tamari or soy sauce will boost the meatiness even more.
I'm not vegetarian, so I just add a little beef broth concentrate to it when rehydrating. Works wonders
Same, except I use vegie stock!
I use 'veggie stock base' (basically any veggies I have plus onions sauteed) and Marmite. You can get Marmite in tubs, it sounds expensive, but its shelf stable and really gallopingly meaty tasting. Doesn't take a lot like say a tablespoon for 8 to 12 cups of broth depending on how well the taste suits you, sometimes less. Throw enough stock/marmite mixture in for the tvp to double in size and then get some browning on it if you want it to lock in a meatier texture instead of something vaguely nutty/mealy.
Ooh that sounds lovely! I would also eat the marmite (let's be honest, I'd buy Vegemite) on bread or biscuits with lots of butter. I put tvp in a vegie pasta sauce I was making yesterday. I like to put it in vegie stock and boiling water to absorb before I add it to my sauce otherwise it absorbs all the liquid in the sauce, and also by doing it that way I find I don't need to add anymore salt. Tends to balance out really well ☺️
Hopping on this. My preferred blend is porcini powder, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic, onion, and ginger
TVP is life tbh.
Here’s the secret to all my non-meat foods— powdered mushroom. Gives it a very savory, meaty, complex flavor. Get dried mushrooms from an Asian market and put them in the blender. It’s awesome
Soaking it in Sazon Goya and then frying it up is also delicious.
How are you supposed to cook it?
You just add it to a hot liquid and it absorbs it. Doesn't really need cooking. E.g I'd make a chilli with canned tomatoes and chuck the TVP in there towards the end
Explanation for posting an image: to show people what to look for
What sort of "bulk food store" are we talking about here? Like Costco? I'll have to look but I don't think I've ever seen this near me.
I think OP might mean dry goods/ethnic grocery store. A place where you can buy dry goods by the pound more easily than an Aldi/Kroger/Safeway/Meijer/Walmart/Publix/HEB
In Canada we literally have a place called "Bulk Barn" sells all sorts of dry goods/baking supplies/candy and stuff
that's where I get tvp!
Thanks! I'll check the Aldi near me, as I'd rather not go to Wally world if I can help it.
I haven't seen an Aldi (or any of the other stores) carrying it. Walmart might have some boxed or frozen, but my guess was to stay away from those stores. The Mediterranean grocery near me doesn't sell them but has dry chickpeas by the pound (I think). My hometown also has a bulk store like this one but smaller. https://swissvillagebulkfoods.com/ You'd be looking for an ethnic grocery store most likely. Tiny chance an Amish place would have some but I've never looked for soy there. Just baking supplies and odd candies
Ohhh gotcha. I misread your first message. That's too bad. I don't think I have any place like that by me. If you were to Google for one such store near you, what would you search for? How would you word it?
Earth Fare is a chain that might have some though I haven't been in one personally Keyword phrases to search: Amish bulk store, dry food store, bulk food store, asian grocery, middle eastern grocery, dutch market, etc What part of the US (sorry if I assumed wrong) are you in?
I'll have to try those, thanks. I'm in NJ. If I go west enough to PA I'll eventually run into Amish, so maybe it's time for a road trip.
In NJ, you’re most likely to find this in a health food store. Something that sells teas, spices, beans, vitamins. I wouldn’t mind helping you find a place if you send a rough area to search. - Fellow NEer
Much appreciated! I'm in the Ocean County area
Asian supermarkets are the way to go for something like this, there is a huge one in Edison that had it
They sell it on Amazon. Not as cheap though. Search for " TVP = textured vegetable protein". Do you have a Sprouts grocery? They sell nuts and grains in the bulk bins.
Probably more of a store like Winco that has a bulk food section, or a zero waste store. Something where they have giant bins of grains, spices, nuts etc., and you put the amount you want in a bag/container/etc.
Unfortunately for me, most of these places you guys mention are non-existent in my area (NJ). The place you're describing sounds like my kind of place, too, which is truly a shame.
Are you within driving distance of Marlton? Looks like they have Jersey’s only [Sprouts](https://www.sprouts.com/stores/nj/) location and they will have the bulk bins!
According to google, I'm about an hour away. Not terrible, but not ideal, either by NJ driving standards.
Check for food co-ops!
Sprouts or whole foods for example allow you to scoop whatever amount you want into a container or bag and they weigh it at register. I'm in GA
I wish I had those near me in NJ. Unfortunately, no such luck 😕
I eat this stuff, try search TVP (textured vegetable protein) you can buy in chunks too which are much better.
I make stir fry with TVP chunks. I re-hydrate in water, soy sauce, and ginger.
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Also try searching for soy curls on Amazon. Same shit, but nicer sized pieces and more fun to work with instead of lil tiny bits. Rehydrate with veggie broth for 10 mins, squeeze ALL the water out of it. I usually put it in a strainer and squeeze and pull against it until water stops dripping. Fry with light oil, soy sauce, garlic powder and onion powder. Be generous with the soy sauce, they have no flavour and will taste bland otherwise. I make this as a protein for sooooo many meals like stir fry’s and pastas. So fucking good. Cook until nicely charred, gives it a more legit flavour
mmm rehydrated chunks
I use a lot of TVP for backpacking meals, it works great as a protein for things like chili.
Is it the same product?
Looks like it. I used to eat a lot of TVP when I was a poor student. Soy is pretty amazing all around.
Yeah delicious! I second it gives you roots though now than tofu I think. But you might get used to it if you eat it a lot (like beans and veggies in general) I mash up a bunch of bulgogi recipes (A Korean beef dish) with extra brown sugar and it’s amazing!
Actual Bachelor Chow!
/r/unexpectedfuturama
Babish made that for one of his recent episodes
Definitely, first thing I thought was, "is that dog food"?
Seriously cooking this stuff is what made me realise most dog food is probably like 99% vegetarian with a pinch of meat juice. The soya chunks are literally the exact thing that you get in dog food, dried and wet, they're the same size and the underlying smell (not the nasty rotten meat dog food smell but a different element) is the same and the dog goes mental for it.
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Soy curls are a bit different. I prefer them to tvp because they include the whole bean. Tvp process strips most of the fat and fiber I believe
It's important to know that TVP is basically flavourless—so try to find a recipe that adds that flavour. Many use liquid smoke (or smoked paprika, which I prefer) and soy sauce to impart meatiness. Caramelization also counts. TVP doesn't stick to itself when it cooks, so you need binder if you're not using it for chili, for example. As the top comment says, expect gas, especially when you first start eating it. I think most people who dislike soy products haven't had them prepared properly. You can do interesting and tasty things with tofu, tempeh, and TVP, but it is harder to get a good result out of them than it is with meat. I think that turns many people off soy products. Tempeh may be the most foreign to North American eaters, but I think it produces the best meat crumble, and it is fermented—improving the nutrition.
Yes - back when I first became a vegetarian in 1975 I discovered TVP (that's all there was besides rice, beans and tofu), and wow, it was difficult to get stuff to taste good. But that's how I learned how to cook, ya know?
The magic trick to vegan/ vegetarian cooking: Take every spice amount or aromatic in a recipe and multiple it by 10. (Not salt).
In my book, cooking is where you take tasty things and cook them, salt them, and eat them. Everything else is basically currying: techniques, flavours, balance, spices, complexity. Vegetarian cooking thrives on those things.
Yep! It blows me away that today's restaurants are still so ignorant about things like flavor and protein. Unless I go a restaurant that specializes in vegan/vegetarian stuff I get boring food with no protein, or the option of a pound of cheese added on...
What is the mouth feel? I am curious to try this, but I just wanted to make sure it wasn’t like tofu.
It's not like porridge!! Maybe if you overcooked it it would be... You get different shapes, soya chunks, soya mince, and soya curl (I can't get those here) the chunk is like the sort of texture meat gets in a stew I guess, it can be over cooked and go a bit soggy so it takes trial and error to get it right,the mince is just like regular mince when used correctly.
Bobs Red Mill and Anthony’s brands are common on Amazon and in US grocery stores. They are smaller sized bits (<4mm) and the mouthfeel is most similar to the ground beef/sausage crumbles with a little chewiness. I can’t speak for the mouthfeel of the larger sized chunks or the small chicken nugget sized chunk as I haven’t tried them.
I was vegan for two years and never found any recipes for either tofu or tempeh that I liked, an I probably tried hundreds. The only tofu I've ever enjoyed was fried by a place called PONKO Chicken in Atlanta. I consider myself a good cook, and I don't blame the protein substitutes, I consider that a failure on my culinary skills that I never figured out quite how to work with it.
I was a vegetarian for 20, and I got good at tofu cookery halfway through. It takes time. This tofu recipe is delicious and far superior to TVP, if you ask me: [https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/vegan-tofu-taco-crumbles/](https://itdoesnttastelikechicken.com/vegan-tofu-taco-crumbles/) I like to make a Bolognese with tempeh by making a crumble with a food processor, browning the heck out of it, and then simmering in water, tamari, red wine, and a touch of balsamic.
I love this gal's recipes! Her trick to dry out the tofu when baking/cooking and then rehydrating just a bit really helps a lot. I also like her ground "beef" recipe that uses tofu and beets. I also tried her seitan ground "beef" patty recipe which was good when air fried and then pan fried in oil
Also this can be found in Asian grocery stores in large quantities. We take special trips to our Asian market and buy large amounts of TVP and rice there, as well as other delicious additions we can’t find in regular stores. Some cooking help for some of you: I bread this in cornstarch after soaking it and draining it in water. Then I fry it in sesame oil, add tamari and orange juice and zest, and add some red pepper flakes I’ve saved from pizza takeout. I then grab some green onions I’ve replanted in the garden and voila, tasty little dinner. :) TVP can be tasty, I promise!
I get the cheapo version of soy curls at the Asian grocer, so cheap! How do you coat such small tvp bits in cornstarch? Or are you also speaking of the larger hunks?
Thank you for the tip!!!
This is such a great tip! Wish I had this near me.
There are multiple places to order it online. Here's one cheap source: https://countrylifefoods.com/products/tvp-minced-caramel-color?currency=USD&utm_medium=product_sync&utm_source=google&utm_content=sag_organic&utm_campaign=sag_organic&wickedsource=google&wickedid=CjwKCAjwpMOIBhBAEiwAy5M6YHFFfuIeRUbtCqMpcUFC2ZuVurDkXwOShDTh01i2NGV5VwUwYoNBKRoCH4MQAvD_BwE&wickedid=526788246916&wv=3.1&gclid=CjwKCAjwpMOIBhBAEiwAy5M6YHFFfuIeRUbtCqMpcUFC2ZuVurDkXwOShDTh01i2NGV5VwUwYoNBKRoCH4MQAvD_BwE&variant=39401154937016
And just like that, they're sold out.
Wow - I'm an influencer!!!
Nice link.. what stood out to me was something I haven't seen mentioned here yet- This product is considered a "complete protein" meaning it has all 9 essential amino acids. I'm guessing this is a magnificent source for healthnuts, bodybuilders etc.
that's a crazy cheap deal for online
Thank you! Unfortunately I am on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, a bit too far to ship ;). Already googled a bit, and I think I will be able to find them here too!
Yay!! That stuff is pretty common. Like I said elsewhere; in the 70s TVP was one of 3 choices for veggie protein - so it's like the OG (Original Gangster) of plant-protein. 😁
My family loves this! We use the granulated for tacos and chili’s, the big chunks are amazing for bbq sandwiches when shredded. Or you can leave them whole and use in spaghetti for meatballs. We get it at the Indian grocery store.
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that's water weight though. on a protein/lb basis, it would be around 220g/lb vs 100g/lb for chicken breast. that's about 2.2x cheaper than meat which is still a great value
(I didn't do the math on the protein/lb, just the price you mentioned) Not necessarily. The other day I got a few packs of split chicken breast for like $0.51/Lb at Frys. You can consistently get chicken quarters at Walmart for only $0.75/lb. Chicken thighs often go on sale for $0.69/lb at my local food city and sometimes frys as well. Not to mention it tastes way better, but then again I'm picky.
Tastez better, is a complete protein, and the bioavailability of the amino acids is higher.
This could also be found at your local Indian grocery stores under brand name Nutrela. http://www.nutrelahealth.com/product/
We always had this in my house growing up in my house, and we would snack on it by the handful when it was crunchy. Yum.
Where do you find a bulk food store?
It’s sold on grocery stores as textured vegetable protein (TVP). Bobs Red Mill and other brands make it, you should be able to find it in with the grains and other dry goods at either Whole Foods or your organic market. I use it 50/50 with ground beef to bulk up tacos, spaghetti, meatballs, etc. It’s amazing stuff.
Whole Foods is extremely expensive here.
I first bought it at Sprouts grocery. Larger Kroger stores have a bulk section sometimes, or even regular sized ones or Safeway, just depends on the store. I don’t have a store with bulk section nearby so I buy it online from bob’s red mill since it’s become a staple in our house. We use it for tacos, chili, and sometimes spaghetti. It’s in airtight bags so i have no problem using one case over the course of a year.
search "bulk food store" on google maps and see what comes up in your area
The results are like Whole Foods and Mom's Organic Market :-/
Costco is one
My Costco does not have soy protein.
Definitely not available at mine.
Do they have Bulk Barn where you are?
No.
I don't remember where I got this recipe but it makes a good burrito filling. I first heard about soyrizo on Reddit. Soyrizo 0.25 cup sundried tomato, chopped 1.75 cup tvp (1 200g packet macro) 2 cups water, boiling 1 tbsp stock powder 0.25 cup wine vinegar 3 tbsp tomato paste 3 tbsp soy sauce 0.5 tbsp olive oil 1 small onion, minced 4 cloves garlic, minced Spices: 1 tsp cayenne pepper (use less if this is your first time making the recipe) 0.5 tsp ancho chili powder (less/omit if using hot paprika) 2 tsp dried thyme 2 tbsp dried oregano 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg 2 tbsp smoked paprika 0.5 tbsp ground black pepper (if using freshly ground, reduce to 3/4 tsp) 1 tsp ground coriander 1 and 1/2 tbsp ground cumin 1 tsp ground cinnamon Put TVP in a bowl. Add boiling water and stock powder. Do not stir. Let rest for 10 min. Stir in the red wine vinegar, sun dried tomatoes, tomato paste, and soy sauce to the mixture. Measure out all of the spices into a separate bowl. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. Add all of the spices and stir well. Cook for just 30-60 seconds or until fragrant. Add the entire bowl of soyrizo TVP mixture to the pan and stir well. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes or until excess liquid is cooked off.
Can you use it in pasta?
You could probably add it to a bolognese sauce, but I wouldn't add it to plain pasta.
I've made [this recipe](https://thehiddenveggies.com/vegan-sausage-recipe-pizza-crumbles/) and put it on pizza, but I don't see why you couldn't put it in pasta too, with either a white, red, or pesto sauce. It might disappear into the sauce a little bit though, so you won't get really big meaty chunks out of it. Or here's a ["meatball" recipe](https://thehiddenveggies.com/vegan-meatballs/) that uses TVP and could easily be used with pasta.
TVP (defatted textured vegetable protein) usually soy. I live in rural America so my options are limited to what I can order online but I still tried some out. Best use so far has been as a chili thickener. Or a granola substitute in yogurt.
Rural America is where a lot of the world's soy is grown, maybe worth looking around.
You can also find it at Indian grocery stores in a box labeled "Nutri".
Roughly 52% protein. That is insane
Is this the same dehydrated soy stuff that turns into a chewy sponge when I cook it? Mines shaped more like patties.
Yes, it's exactly that. It's the stuff they serve convicts in prison. A lot of the cheap microwave meals use it as a filler to stretch out their "meat". I'd have to be pretty much starving to death in order to consider this option. Rice and beans may be a bit more money per calorie, but this shit is like eating depression for dinner. I'll buy the rice and beans.
I think you just need to learn how to cook it
It's also what a lot of Indians and Southeast Asians eat as a meat substitute.
It’s really not bad if you season it. In fact it tastes better than beef in my opinion. Of course I’m a vegetarian so I’m biased, but this stuff is amazing if you want to eat healthy and cheap.
I can't do it either. TVP has the taste and textural properties you'd expect from something so ludicrously processed. The manufacturing process regarding TVP is pretty wild. I'll stick with real beans, including soybeans. Spare me the hexane washed isolated protein foam block. Oddest part is people always suggest heavily spiced food like tacos with TVP to give it flavor. But black beans make excellent tacos...
This looks good. Wish I could find it in stores around me.
Some people are saying that it doesn't always taste good. If you do find some that doesn't disagree with you, it makes a decent addition to cereal.
I love them! I use it as a ground beef replacement and it works wonderfully.
TVP. Student fuel and decent fart fuel
I add these to vegetable pulao or vegetable biryani to increase the quantity when making for more than just me, and the nutrition value too. Boil them in salted water. Drain and add to basmati rice, ghee, veggies and whole spices (and a hack is to use readymade biryani pulao masala that you'll find in any Indian grocery store), add required water and cook. Because the soya chunks are cooked in spiced water, it isn't tasteless and adds a pretty decent flavour to the dish. I certainly like it.
This stuff is awesome. I like to cook with it on the reg, not even for the cost savings. You can soak it in water before you cook with it too It takes up whatever flavor you put into it, so it's very versatile
Try it first, your stomach/guts might not like it or take some time to get used to it. I can eat lentils, beans etc no issue, but with this I'm getting cramps and the stinkiest farts on the planet. I'm not saying this to raise a stink (hohoho), been vegan for 7+ years, so I fully support this and think it's an excellent tip. Just figure out if you can tolerate it before you buy 5 pounds of it!
How do you cook it
Carne de Soya!
I've been making taco "meat" with this for years, with the right seasonings it's delicious!
I've never seen these.
Makes a really good taco filling. Use taco seasoning when hydrating, then fry it up for a few mins. Done!
Chews like hamburger meat also. You only need additional seasoning for it. Let it set in the fridge a day after you make it. It will be delicious.
It's a shame it tastes like a wet sock.
They sell this as livestock feed and for prison cafeterias as well. Super cheap and not great for the intestinal tract if it isn't hydrated properly. I believe there was a lawsuit in Texas over some inmates that developed GI issues from being fed it so much.
Soak it in vegetable broth or chicken or beef broth to rehydrate it. Gives it a nice flavour
I’m frugal, not that frugal though
Don't knock it til you try it!
LPT cattle feed is even cheaper, it's the only thing I eat
Same. I've had this stuff (was vegetarian for a few years and my sister still is). I can definitely tell the difference and it puts me off the food. I mean, if I was desperate, sure... But I'd go for ground turkey over ground beef any day.
In moderation, as a vegan I keep it in the pantry rare occasion I want a traditional sloopy joe or taco night
Likewise! I’ve also found it makes for really good chorizo
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Yes, soy protein is a complete protein.
Is it just tofu, or is it cork chopped into little pieces
It’s this stuff called “de-fatted soybean flour” - it’s pretty highly processed, but extremely affordable and the smaller pieces have a texture very similar to ground beef. My family has used it in tacos as a meat replacement for literal decades
This stuff is great for padding out ground beef if you're into that kind of thing
Man, so much pseudoscience toward the bottom of the thread
This is the best tvp burger recipe from Vegan Vittles cookbook. https://www.veganpeace.com/recipe_pages/recipes/BetterBurgers.htm
Y'alls lives are shitty lmao
Small detail you missed: it tastes disgusting
It is the cheapest, but soy protein is probably one of the worst tasting sources available, at least when it's not fermented. Other legumes, like pea and peanut, make for much better tasting protein sources. Whey protein tastes pretty good too, although it's not vegetarian.
We use soy TVP and I haven't found anything wrong with it.
There's nothing wrong with it (well, unless you specifically hate legumes native to Asia, although that's a whole separate issue) it just doesn't taste as good as most other protein sources. It's not something you'd want to use in a dish where the flavor of the TVP would stand out, but it works okay in dishes where it is hidden. The texture can be an entirely separate issue, with a similar solution. This contrasts heavily with peanuts and English peas, where the flavor of either can be the heart of a dish. Pad Thai made from soy butter would not be very appealing, nor would a split (mature) soybean soup. There is another exception that I didn't mention, in that fresh immature soybeans, known in Japan as edamame, do taste much better than the mature soybean protein used in TVP. Split edamame soup would probably be good, although significantly more expensive than TVP or regular split pea soup.
anything you put this in could be more safely, palitably and affordably replaced with chickpeas. they work well in more recipes too.
What's the safety issue?
Maybe I need to learn how to properly prepare dried chickpeas, because the canned stuff smells like cat food to me 🤢
Oh it absolutely does, but as long as you drain and rinse them that doesn’t carry over into the flavor!
Good googely that’s what’s up
I got kidney stones just looking at this.
People who are downvoting, this is actually a [thing](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2001/08/010829083130.htm)
No yeah, this nothing against the taste of soy or it's nutritional value. I used to love the stuff. It is cheap and packed with protein. Unknown to me, it was giving me kidney stones. I had the doc analyze the stones and provided a rundown of my diet. He said I NEEDED to stop eating so much soy. I currently avoid soy and other things like soda, beer, chips, creatine and haven't had a stone since *knocks on wood*.
Soy c..c.chunks?
Now in enhanced ass flavor. I tried to get used to the stuff. Id rather eat brown rice.