The L-Plate Vegetarian

Soya/TVP Products

Soya mince or TVP (textured vegetable protein) is a meat substitute made from soya beans. It might sound a bit unappetising (watch meat eaters turn their noses up even if they haven’t tasted anything made with soya!), but it can be made into all sorts of burgers, sausages, mince dishes, chicken-type dishes and meaty-tasting things. In most meals it is almost impossible to tell the difference.

Probably the most common form of soya is minced, like minced beef, and so is great for dishes such as shepherd’s pie, lasagne, chilli, burgers etc. You can buy it dried (just add water) or the much better frozen version – you use both of them just like minced beef. So if you have a favourite recipe for spaghetti bolognese or chilli etc just use the soya mince instead of the meat – it’s that easy!

We think both Realeat Vegemince or Linda McCartney are good, you’ll find them in most supermarket freezer sections. You can also find many brands of soya/TVP mince or chunks in any supermarket or health food shop.

Meat-style Soya Meals

There are now plenty of ready made meals using soya – try some of these:

• Linda McCartney: Deep Country Pies and Shepherds Pie.
• Asda: Meat Free Beef Style Cornish Pasties.
• Tesco: Vegetarian Cumberland Pie; Vegetarian Lasagne; Vegetarian Meatballs with Spaghetti.
• Batchelor’s Beanfeast: Savoury Mince; Mexican Chilli; Bolognese Style or Medium Curry flavours.

Batchelors or Sainsbury soya mince is easily improved by adding any of the following: tinned kidney beans, sweetcorn, fried mushrooms or onions etc and serve with rice or pasta and salad or jacket potatoes and vegetables.

Bangers & Burgers

All the supermarkets do their own brands of vegetarian sausages and burgers (usually in the freezer and refrigerator cabinets). Sausages are great for making into things like sausage rolls or toad in the hole (try Aunt Bessie’s frozen Vegetarian Sausage Toad-in-the-Hole if you can’t be bothered to cook! It’s available in most Tesco stores – just follow any recipe that uses sausage meat and replace with veggie sausages). Burgers are fab in a toasted bun with lots of salad, onion rings and relish, or on their own with chips and baked beans. Some burgers mimic meat and others are vegetable-based. Here are just a few you could try:

• Linda McCartney: Sausages (even meat eating sausage lovers are hard pushed to tell the difference!); Leek & Cheese Sausages; Burgers and Sausage Rolls.
• Tesco: Vegetarian Chargrilled Burger (already including onions and in a bun!); Mushroom Burgers.
• Tivall or Tesco: Frozen Vegetarian Sausages (these are just like frankfurters, so are great for hot dogs with fried onions and mustard).
• Sainsburys: Spicy Vegetable Beanburgers or Green Cuisine Vegetarian Quarter-pounders (rice, mushrooms, mozarella cheese and garlic coated in breadcrumbs)
• Vegetarian’s Choice: Vegetable Protein Sausages.
• Morning Star Farms: Spicy American Sausage Burger or Hard Rock Café Veggie Burger.
• Beanie’s: Hot Dog sausages and Golden Crumbed Schnitzels.
• Tivall and Bird’s Eye also make great vegeburgers.
• Wicken Fen: make a huge variety such as Tomato & Garlic Sausages, Mushroom & Tarragon Sausages, Potato Cakes and Mexican Burgers. They even do Gourmet Cajun & Red Pepper Kebabs!
• Asda: Good For You Vegetarian Sausage & Mash

Next Section: Potato and vegetable dishes