TVP'izza

Zippylip

This is not for everyone, I've been playing around with textured vegetable protein (TVP) for a couple weeks trying to see if it deserves a place in the rotation.  TVP is basically pure dehydrated soy protein.  Like its cousin tofu you can flavor it any way you want by re-hydrating with stock or anything you want, I used chicken bouillon here.  So far I've made it into chili & tacos & both were good, it has the size & appearance of ground meat but I don't think of it as a substitute taste & texture-wise as that almost always leads to dissatisfaction.  Anyway today's experiment was on a white pizza along with a ton of raw onion & some sauteed mushrooms & roasted red pepper.  The stuff was pretty dry when it went on the pie (my fault due to a timing issue) & I was a little concerned about burning it so I yanked the pie a little early to be sure, just really wanted to taste the stuff to see what it would add.  A little disappointed as I really couldn't even taste it with all the other stuff on the pie; I'll try it again maybe by itself.  By the way TVP has about twice the protein of read meat pound for pound.

the TVP:



onto the pie with the other veggies:





by the way this really isn't impossible:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2DijMt9fek

a minute later sliding it onto the blackstone (by the way this was pretty stupid, I almost dropped the pizza twice trying to hold it & the iphone)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW0VA0QPMMc

few minutes later cooling on the chimney starter:

Dobie

I'm just curious, is there some health reason or something that led you down this dark path of fake meat.....

Zippylip

Dobie said:

I'm just curious, is there some health reason or something that led you down this dark path of fake meat.....

ha, no health or other reason, just rarely have the taste for meat anymore; not never just rarely.  As for 'fake meat' I don't see things like tofu, tempeh or tvp as meat or a substitute for meat (flavor/texture-wise), I just look at them as what they are and either enjoy them or not, just like any other vegetable.  If I want chicken I'll eat chicken, if I don't want chicken it follows that I don't want tofu tasting like chicken.  I feel for those that have health or ethical issues but still crave meat because I agree that trying to use these products to satisfy carnivorous cravings will not work.  Even when I regularly ate meat I preferred veggie pizza toppings, always found them far more diverse & enjoyable.

JustineCaseyFeldown

Oh. You have a taste for meat.

There's a map in your glove compartment with all the rest stops highlighted and rated.  

We saw it when you drove your van to the eggfest. 

I pointed it out to steven. I said "look, he gave that rest stop four thumbs up" and steven said "look closer, those aren't thumbs"

blasting

Pizza looks good, and I wish you luck with your experimentation.

I've decided to go completely off meat forever... once I can no longer fog a mirror.

Zippylip

JustineCaseyFeldown said:

Oh. You have a taste for meat.

Busted, haha.

I should clarify, the flavor is fine, particularly of pork and chicken, beef not so much.  What turned me away is more a combination of the texture, chew factor, blood, gristle, and the way it sits heavy in the gut.

Oddly too nothing smells better to me than steak or other red meat cooking over fire yet it's the last meat I'd actually eat.

Zippylip

blasting said:

Pizza looks good, and I wish you luck with your experimentation.

thanks, the experimentation referred to is with the TVP, the mostly meatless eating has been a couple years; I'm always looking for new/different things to try, some make the cut & some don't.  One that resoundingly didn't was tempeh (fermented soybeans smashed into a block).  When I first read about it & saw some pictures it sounded good, like it could have a lot of applications.  Then I tried it a few different ways & concluded it was plain foul. 

Just the thought of it makes me want to spew

Focker

Pie looks good from here Zippy.

But I'm with b.  
Maybe when I can no longer fog a polished turd. 

At least your bar isn't set high from the start. 

Little Steven

The pieces aren't as large as the stuff I've been having. Still haven't found the Bob's Red Mill here but haven't been to any hippy stores yet. Anxious to try a small bag. From what I've experienced I don't think I would use it on a pizza. Maybe in a steak and onion pie or somesuch.

Zippylip

Focker said:

Pie looks good from here Zippy.

But I'm with b.  
Maybe when I can no longer fog a polished turd. 

At least your bar isn't set high from the start. 

I've been questioned a lot over the past couple years about the meat aversion.  Some friends & family assume it's something that takes willpower, the kind people need when they're on a diet or trying to quit smoking.  All I can say is it's not like that at all.  Imagine something you flat out don't like, say for example liver or brussel sprouts, takes no effort whatsoever to turn it down right?  It's like that.  And from my standpoint it wasn't always like that.  Most of my life I quite enjoyed certain kinds of meat, in ever declining quantities but still enjoyed it.  Now I don't, so it can happen, it's not something I thought would happen or put any effort into accomplishing, just happened. 

Little Steven said:

The pieces aren't as large as the stuff I've been having. Still haven't found the Bob's Red Mill here but haven't been to any hippy stores yet. Anxious to try a small bag. From what I've experienced I don't think I would use it on a pizza. Maybe in a steak and onion pie or somesuch.

Steven if you can't find it I'm sure you can order it online?  I think you're right on the use on pizza, as said above it didn't really add or detract from it, was just sort of irrelevant.  I guess if a primary goal is to boost protein then it would be a good idea, but from a 'making the pizza more enjoyable' standpoint probably not. 

Little Steven

Zippylip said:

Focker said:

Pie looks good from here Zippy.

But I'm with b.  
Maybe when I can no longer fog a polished turd. 

At least your bar isn't set high from the start. 

I've been questioned a lot over the past couple years about the meat aversion.  Some friends & family assume it's something that takes willpower, the kind people need when they're on a diet or trying to quit smoking.  All I can say is it's not like that at all.  Imagine something you flat out don't like, say for example liver or brussel sprouts, takes no effort whatsoever to turn it down right?  It's like that.  And from my standpoint it wasn't always like that.  Most of my life I quite enjoyed certain kinds of meat, in ever declining quantities but still enjoyed it.  Now I don't, so it can happen, it's not something I thought would happen or put any effort into accomplishing, just happened. 

Little Steven said:

The pieces aren't as large as the stuff I've been having. Still haven't found the Bob's Red Mill here but haven't been to any hippy stores yet. Anxious to try a small bag. From what I've experienced I don't think I would use it on a pizza. Maybe in a steak and onion pie or somesuch.

Steven if you can't find it I'm sure you can order it online?  I think you're right on the use on pizza, as said above it didn't really add or detract from it, was just sort of irrelevant.  I guess if a primary goal is to boost protein then it would be a good idea, but from a 'making the pizza more enjoyable' standpoint probably not. 

I've looked at online but it seems to be sold by the ton.