The Fake Stuff Is Actually The Good Stuff

One of the biggest complaint of any carnivore going vegan is "That fake soy meat tastes awful!" followed by "Yechh!".That may have been the case twenty five or thirty years ago.Not anymore.The fake stuff is really tasty and at times better than the real thing.Truly. One of the easiest paths into veganism is the veggie burger.It's becoming standard with even Burger King and Jake's Wayback Burgers selling them.They can be home made or store bought.Homemade ones may be tricky to create ,especially for the novice home chef.Most home made ones are usually made with black beans along with variety of spices like cumin and chile.Guy Fieri, the loud but skilled Food Channel Star, adds chick peas and rolled oAts to his.If this is too labor intensive then head to your local grocery store.Morningstar Farms has the best.Their varieties range from Asian veggie style which has water chestnuts and onions along with their take on a no meat turkey avocado burger.Morningstar Farm probably has the most extensive range of not just burgers but chicken patties and nuggets.All taste like the real deal.In fact if you present the nuggets with different sauces,from barbecue to homey mustard, no one, especially the kids would know the difference.Another tasty stand in are the chicken strips ,again, from Morning Star Farms.These are greate just sautéed in oil and margarine and flavored with garlic or lemon.You can also make a great curried chicken with them,and their flavor adds to the dish. One of my "fake" favorites is bacon.the ersatz stuff definitely tastes better than the real bacon plus it has a nicer crunch.I like the easiness of the Morningstar Brand kind. It just needs toe microwaved for two or three minutes on a paper towel.It's crispy and excellent with scrambled eggs.However for a real salty and almost identical taste, then try The Lightlife Smart Bacon.This calls for old fashioned frying in a hot pan.The strips require oil and are cooked in a big lump until cooking separates them into crispy, curly slices.It, too, has a nice crunch and is more reminiscent of Taylor ham.Vegan sausages can also pass for their meat filled cousins.Again SmartSausage is a favorite of mine.I love their Italian style with it's impact of added tomatoes and peppers?Cut the links into bite sized pieces ,add to any tomato sauce and you have a flavorful and healthy pasta sauce.Faux beef crumbles are another of my favorites.They are truly versatile and I've used them in everything from chile and tacos to sauces.They taste just like real chopped beef but without all the danger and fat. The fake stuff is actually the good stuff .Soy and bean meat substitutes are not only good for you but also tasty.The days of them being cringe worthy and yucky tasting are gone.Enjoy the ersatz stuff.It's just as flavorful and versatile as those real deals.