Vegetarian Journal's Foodservice
Update
Healthy Tips and Recipes for Institutions
Volume XII, Number 2 and 3 Summer 2006
FoodService Hotline
Question: I am a school foodservice manager and am being asked to add vegetarian items to the menu. I'd like to be able to offer one entrée to all the students, since we've had a bad experience with separating out vegetarian entrées from traditional entrées. Of course, the more familiar a food looks, the better acceptance we have. Someone suggested I start using TVP instead of ground beef. What is TVP and how do I use it?Answer: TVP or
TSP, textured vegetable or soy protein, is the granddaddy of meat alternates.
It is lowfat and high in protein. TVP is processed as either a dry or moist
product, usually made with proteins isolated from soy flour. You can rehydrate
the dry TVP or use the moist TVP right from the package as a substitute for
some or all of the meat in recipes such as chili, lasagna, pasta sauce, taco
sauce, etc. Or, if you've purchased 'veggie ground round', it can just be
added straight to a recipe without rehydrating, as a substitute for ground
meat. TVP is an ingredient in many prepared vegetarian products, such as veggie
dogs, chilies, and sausage.
You can purchase TVP fine or crumbled, flavored, or plain. Use TVP where you
would use ground beef or ground turkey. For TVP that needs to be rehydrated,
a general rule of thumb is 1 cup of TVP to ¾ to 1 cup of boiling water,
allowing 10 minutes for rehydration. Once TVP is rehydrated, use the fine
texture in sauces, soups, casseroles, tacos, and chili. Use the crumble texture
to replace beef in stews, stir-frys, soups, pot pies, and hot entrées.
Dry TVP can be stored in dry storage for up to 6 months. Rehydrated TVP needs
to be refrigerated and used within 3 days. For more information on TVP, check
out <www.gnc.com/health_notes/Food_Guide/Texture_Veg_Protein.htm>
or <www.nomeat.com>
and click on "meat analogs."
Excerpts from the Summer 2006 Issue:
Adding Vegetarian Options into School Lunch Programs by Nancy Berkoff, EdD, RD, CCE
Food Service Hotline
Vegetarian and Vegan Foods in Schools by Amie Hamlin
School Foods 101 by Amie Hamlin
Vegetarian Quantity Recipes
Veggie Pita Delight
Chili "con soya" with Beans
Vegetable Chili
Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Apple Crisp with a Crunchy Granola Topping
Return to the main Food Service page (Vegetarian Journal's FoodService Update and Quantity Cooking Information with links to each issue).
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