Cruelty-Free: New 2U? Tofu, Tempeh, and Seitan
Getting beyond the mock meats available on the market these days, many people including myself have discovered just how fabulicious the following sources of protein can be. I never had tofu until I was in college; having grown up in an Italian-cookin’ home, there was something mysterious about tofu to me, if not downright scary. But I was rewarded for keeping an open mind and giving it a try. Now, tofu — as well as tempeh and seitan — are part of my family’s food universe, and as a result we’ve shared countless scrumptious cruelty-free meals together.
- Tofu
Probably the best known, most mainstream of the veggie protein triumvirate. Many Asian restaurants will offer dishes with tofu as an alternative to chicken or beef. Tofu, which originated in China is a bean curd that’s made from soybeans; it’s low in calories, low in fat, and – more good news! – high in iron. (So much for the fallacy that giving up meat will make someone anemic.) Tofu pieces can have a soft consistency or a firm consistency. For home, you can add tofu to a variety of dishes. Because it has little taste of its own, it tends to pick up the flavors and spices of whatever you mix with it. I usually buy firm tofu, toss it up with some vegetables, and serve over some kind of grain, like basmati or brown rice. Roasted tofu squares can be a great addition to salads, too! Check out this recipe for Tofu Tacos. - Tempeh
Tempeh originated in Indonesia. Like tofu, it’s made from soybeans; unlike tofu, it’s made with the whole bean, which makes it higher in protein, fiber, and vitamins. The texture is also quite different from tofu. I use the organic tempeh made by Lightlife, which comes in a few varieties: three grain, wild rice, flax, garden veggie. My tempeh fave: Spicy tempeh rolls — the cruelty-free answer to sushi rolls. You can find the recipe in the Veganomicon cookbook. If you’ve never made your own rolls before, it’s really not as complicated as you might think. The spicy tempeh rolls recipe is quick, easy, and fun to prepare! - Seitan
This is the heartiest of the three, made from wheat-gluten. It’s look and texture is the most like meat — chewy. I like it cubed (try the West Soy brand, available at Whole Foods), and I usually will sauté it in a tablespoon of olive oil and fresh garlic before tossing it with vegetables in a stir-fry, or with pasta and vegetables (gotta get in my greens!). Because it has a more substantial consistency compared to tofu and tempeh, I think, out of the three of them, it holds up the best with pasta; but seitan and pasta is definitely a “heavier” meal, so save for evenings when everyone is pretty hungry. Check out some great recipes using seitan on tryveg.com. Also, the popular Tofurky deli slices (for lunchtime sandwiches) are seitan-based.
