I'm not a huge fan of the alternative meat simply because if I've chosen to not-to-eat meat, why should I eat fake meat instead? That's weird.
But the main issue a vegan meets in central-European country, far from the sea, often far from the sun, far from the healthy good environments which are dreams for us is that veggies and fruits are... what can I say without being offensive? Poor, bad, without taste, low in variety and I don't want to continue because I don't want to be offensive as here I always consider myself as a guest, although I work and pay contributes. I come from Italy and there the variety of veggies and fruit are higher (but it's still not the paradise for vegan..)
So, as I don't want to eat the same potatoes-zucchini-legumes-pasta-rice-cabbage-frozen spinach-cauliflower-apples-bananas-pear-peas, sometimes I eat fake meat, but what do I consider fake meat?
Probably you already know tofu, tempeh and seitan, the most famous "alternative protein": I don't like plain tofu, I prefer it with coconut milk and asian-style food. Seitan.. uhm... to much gluten for me I prefer to eat it once per month. I hate tempeh, it's disgusting. Then there is soia like soia steak, granulated or morsel: I like to prepare italian ragù with granulated but I absolutely hate the hamster-food taste of the steaks.
Funny as hell there is a product here in Czechoslovakia (I've found it in SK and CZ so let me use the old name of the Country) it's Goody Foody.
There are different varieties, I've tried them all
and believe me they taste like meat, also the "structure" of the product is very similar to meat. So let's take a look at the ingredients (this is the chicken flavored one):
seems not bad, but it's also not vegan at all! Unfortunately I discovered this right now (stupid me! that's why I consider myself still "Vegan in training") so this would be my last meal with Goody Foody, last Sunday.
Another product I've found only here in Czechoslovakia is Robi maso (Robi meat).
This is Vegan and really really healthy, look at the ingredients, this is the plain one:
Composition:
blend of vegetable protein, beetroot, water, salt,
natural coloring: HEM - 3595 - 30/04/04 - 11597th (Arpink red)
it's a very good product, hight in vegetables protein, low in calories
»Ener. value: 523 kJ / 127 kcal
»Protein: 20.8
grams» Carbohydrates: 10.76 g
»Fat: 0.03
g» Cholesterol: 0 mg»salt: 0.78 g
it has a big defect for me: I absolutely don't like it! It's chewy, chewier than seitan and it has no taste so to make it better you have to add other ingredients: you can fried it, add soia cream, add oil so the taste is better (there are also some ready to use different preparation here: Robi.cz , but I really don't like the "chewy effect".
Then there is Klaso, another Czechoslovakian product, which is a mixture of soia beans, wheat, flavors. But I never tried simply because it's not tempting for me: the smell (my husband ate it sometimes), the appearance... I don't like.
In all bio shops is possible to find also different preparation soia based or legumes based like hamburgers, nuggets, wurstel, steaks: they are quite fine the taste is good but sometimes I'm quite scared about the ingredients.
Just to summarize my point of view: normally I prefer not to eat processed food, but the place where I live and the few time that I often have to prepare healthy food don't allow me to eat how I would so I have to make a choice: sometimes I'll eat this kind of alternative meat in order to not going crazy.
Furthermore I really appreciate those companies as they are trying to give an alternative to meat to everybody (from today except Goody Foody!) and trying to save the planet (Please watch Cowspiracy).
Go Vegan!
But the main issue a vegan meets in central-European country, far from the sea, often far from the sun, far from the healthy good environments which are dreams for us is that veggies and fruits are... what can I say without being offensive? Poor, bad, without taste, low in variety and I don't want to continue because I don't want to be offensive as here I always consider myself as a guest, although I work and pay contributes. I come from Italy and there the variety of veggies and fruit are higher (but it's still not the paradise for vegan..)
So, as I don't want to eat the same potatoes-zucchini-legumes-pasta-rice-cabbage-frozen spinach-cauliflower-apples-bananas-pear-peas, sometimes I eat fake meat, but what do I consider fake meat?
Probably you already know tofu, tempeh and seitan, the most famous "alternative protein": I don't like plain tofu, I prefer it with coconut milk and asian-style food. Seitan.. uhm... to much gluten for me I prefer to eat it once per month. I hate tempeh, it's disgusting. Then there is soia like soia steak, granulated or morsel: I like to prepare italian ragù with granulated but I absolutely hate the hamster-food taste of the steaks.
Funny as hell there is a product here in Czechoslovakia (I've found it in SK and CZ so let me use the old name of the Country) it's Goody Foody.
There are different varieties, I've tried them all
- Good food steak with beef flavor
- Good Food SCHNITZEL with chicken flavor
- Good Food medallions with vegetables
- Good Food Gyros & Kebab with chicken flavor
- Good Food SMOKED with chicken flavor
and believe me they taste like meat, also the "structure" of the product is very similar to meat. So let's take a look at the ingredients (this is the chicken flavored one):
Ingredients:
vegetable protein (soy, wheat), rice flour, vegetable fibers, soy flour, wheat starch, egg white, whey powder, water, vegetable oil, lactose, salt, yeast extract, malt yield vinegar alcoholic beverage, flavor, garlic, dried , dried ginger, pepper
seems not bad, but it's also not vegan at all! Unfortunately I discovered this right now (stupid me! that's why I consider myself still "Vegan in training") so this would be my last meal with Goody Foody, last Sunday.
Another product I've found only here in Czechoslovakia is Robi maso (Robi meat).
This is Vegan and really really healthy, look at the ingredients, this is the plain one:
Composition:
blend of vegetable protein, beetroot, water, salt,
natural coloring: HEM - 3595 - 30/04/04 - 11597th (Arpink red)
it's a very good product, hight in vegetables protein, low in calories
»Ener. value: 523 kJ / 127 kcal
»Protein: 20.8
grams» Carbohydrates: 10.76 g
»Fat: 0.03
g» Cholesterol: 0 mg»salt: 0.78 g
it has a big defect for me: I absolutely don't like it! It's chewy, chewier than seitan and it has no taste so to make it better you have to add other ingredients: you can fried it, add soia cream, add oil so the taste is better (there are also some ready to use different preparation here: Robi.cz , but I really don't like the "chewy effect".
Then there is Klaso, another Czechoslovakian product, which is a mixture of soia beans, wheat, flavors. But I never tried simply because it's not tempting for me: the smell (my husband ate it sometimes), the appearance... I don't like.
In all bio shops is possible to find also different preparation soia based or legumes based like hamburgers, nuggets, wurstel, steaks: they are quite fine the taste is good but sometimes I'm quite scared about the ingredients.
Just to summarize my point of view: normally I prefer not to eat processed food, but the place where I live and the few time that I often have to prepare healthy food don't allow me to eat how I would so I have to make a choice: sometimes I'll eat this kind of alternative meat in order to not going crazy.
Furthermore I really appreciate those companies as they are trying to give an alternative to meat to everybody (from today except Goody Foody!) and trying to save the planet (Please watch Cowspiracy).
Go Vegan!
