Matching Stand-Ins For Recipe Ingredients For A Vegetarian‏

By Mike Jones

Recipe ingredients can get tricky when you happen to be on a diet that not many share. While there are plenty of great vegetarian recipes available, sometimes you may want to adapt something that either a friend shared or you just happened across outside of vegan or vegetarian cooking sites. With a little insight into things like texture and flavor you should have no trouble getting going.

Tackling the problem head-on, meat is the first thing that needs to be considered. Whether you are talking about beef or chicken or seafood, meat has a variety of seemingly unique tastes and textures, not to mention nutritional content, that can be tricky to duplicate. You also have to consider what form it would have been in - whether it would have been ground or sliced etc.

In the case of meat that would have been ground or even finely chopped up, beans and cheeses can be your go-to solution. Each will offer a good whack of protein while also being able to impart flavors that are as subtle or direct as you like. In some cases the texture can be very similar as well.

If it calls for larger chunks or even whole pieces of meat normally, consider tofu or a meat substitute like seitan. Depending upon the preparation of these items you can achieve the texture and flavor of most chicken or even steak dishes. It may take a little time to learn how to handle them, but generally the results can be exceptional.

Soups can make your kitchen life tricky as well. Beef or chicken or even seafood stocks abound and you may worry about just how you are going to get around their seemingly unique flavors. Once again, do a bit of homework and let your palate by your guide by trying various vegetable combinations that will suit your purpose. You may choose to make your own stock or simply purchase one, but make sure it is what you need to pull the flavor profile off.

While some are unaware, gelatin can also be a bit of bother when it comes to deserts or specific dishes. It is an animal product, however, and so you may want to navigate around it depending upon how stringent your diet is. Things like guar or xantham gum are made from grains and can be fairly easily used instead. Remember that other options can behave a bit differently than you might expect so be ready to hit a learning curve.

Recipe ingredients for non-vegetarian dishes should not seem intimidating nor should they hold you back. Cooking can be just as enjoyable and taste just as great with a few quick vegetarian additions. Remember to aim for organic solutions when possible and enjoy the meal.

About the Author:

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