Have you ever wondered how to cut cost in the kitchen without compromising on nutrition? Or maybe you received a gift and are now wondering, “How do I cook with TVP?” Textured vegetable Protein is a meat substitute made from soy flour. There are so many reasons to start using TVP in your kitchen! Simply put, TVP is flat-out CHEAP compared to meat, and it’s healthier than meat too! TVP is also sometimes referred to as TSP (Textured Soy Protein.)
A 1-ounce serving of TVP, once rehydrated, is equivalent to approximately one 1/4Lb serving of meat – about one hamburger’s worth for comparison’s sake. This means that one 10-oz (average) bag of TVP can feed TEN people, or a family of four TWO to THREE times! A 10 to 11 serving bag of TVP sells for $4-6 in most US grocery stores (As of January 2011) and can be bought even cheaper online or in bulk. It has a texture like ground beef and it has almost no flavor of its own, taking on the flavor of whatever seasonings and meats you cook it with.
TVP is better for you and your family than meat. 1 serving of TVP versus 1 serving of 80% Lean ground beef contains 151 less calories, and NO fat! One serving of TVP also contains about 12g of protein! Additionally, TVP is rich in iron, magnesium, and phosphorus.
The greatest thing about TVP is that you don’t have to compromise on flavor in any of your favorite ground-meat dishes. TVP, when used as a meat-stretcher instead of a meat substitute, can save your family a lot of money and a lot of calories and fat in the kitchen. No one will even know the difference, not even the pickiest eatiers and most finicky children. Using reconstituted TVP in recipes half-and-half with meat, or even 2/3 TVP to 1/3 meat, will yield the same flavorful chili’s, spaghetti sauces, tacos, casseroles, soups, and stews that you already love.
To rehydrate TVP, mix the dry crumbles approximately 1-to-1 with hot water. 1 cup to 7/8ths of a cup of water is the generally accepted ratio. Let sit for 10 minutes to absorb, and toss it right into your meal! If you are making soup, you can put the dry TVP directly into the hot pot of soup, though you may need to add a bit more liquid. You can add buillon cubes while rehydrating to make your TVP taste more like meat (though these are pretty salty – less is more!) or you can use broth or stock instead of water.
Additionally, TVP is more environmentally friendly because if you use it to reduce your consumption of meat, you will be reducing your carbon footprint. TVP weighs less than meat is therefore easier to transport than meat, it is shelf-stable so it requires no refrigeration, and it requires less packaging. TVP is completely vegan and kosher too!
TVP will save your family time, money, calories, and fat without ruining your favorite meals!
