Vegetarian Meat Alternatives

Eating less meat also costs less and helps the environment. Replacing meat with vegetarian alternatives, on a daily or weekly basis, is a way to improve your health. While browsing the “impossible” food selections at the local market, you’ll find plenty of processed foods, but if you value few-ingredient, less processed nutritious foods, consider the protein-packed nuts available here at Glenda’s Farmhouse.

Glenda’s Farmhouse Walnuts and Walnut Crumbles

With a food processor, pulse walnuts into a ground “meat” alternative that you can customize to suit a variety of cuisines and flavors by incorporating precise vegetables, herbs, and seasonings. 

We at Glenda’s also offer prepared Walnut Crumbles in three flavors: Savory, Asian-Inspired, and Mexican-Inspired. With a bit of water and 5 minutes, your meal will be ready!

Glenda’s Farmhouse Almond “Taco Meat”

Prep Time: 10 min; Total Time: 10 min

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Glenda’s Farmhouse almonds
• 1 can kidney beans
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ½ tsp cumin
• ½ tsp coriander
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
• ¼ tsp Glenda’s Farmhouse sea salt
• 1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Instructions:

1. Pulse the almonds in a food processor just until chopped.
2. Add all of the other ingredients and pulse a few more times to a ground texture (not a paste).
3. Heat on the stovetop. 
4. Make up tacos with the tortillas and fixings you prefer.

Glenda’s Farmhouse Pecan Bolognese Sauce

Prep Time: 10 min; Cook Time: 40 min; Total Time: 50 min

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Glenda’s Farmhouse pecans
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 cup basil, chopped
• 2 cans tomato paste
• 2 jars tomato sauce
• 3 TBSP olive oil
• 1 TBSP vegetarian butter substitute
• 2 TBSP parsley
• 2 TBSP sugar (or granulated sugar substitute)
• 1 ½ TBSP Glenda’s Farmhouse sea salt
• 1 ½ TBSP white pepper
• 1 TBSP chili powder

Instructions:

1. Prep your veggies and herbs, chop them up by hand or with a food processor, keeping them separated.
2. In a pot, heat the olive oil and butter substitute. 
3. Add the onion, celery, carrots, garlic, and sugar substitute.
4. Cook on low-medium heat for 4 minutes.
5. Add the pecans, tomato paste and sauce, basil, parsley, salt, pepper, and chili powder. 
6. Simmer for about 45 min, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching.
7. Prepare the pasta of your choice while the sauce cooks.
8. Serve together and enjoy!

Take on Tempeh

Missing bacon? Tempeh, made of fermented soybeans, is a tasty vegetarian “meat” that works for sandwiches, salads, and cooked as bacon. Since it has all nine essential amino acids and is fermented, tempeh provides plenty of nutrition and promotes the good bacteria you want in your gut. Tempeh also has loads of calcium, antioxidants, isoflavones, manganese, and fiber!

Jump in with Jackfruit

Jackfruit deserves a place on any list of vegetarian “meats.” Its texture is so similar to pulled pork that you won’t miss the original animal protein when you cook it with the right sauces. The wealth of fiber, magnesium, B6, and antioxidants Jackfruit offers is impressive. 

Bet on Black Beans

Black beans are another great protein-packed, vegetarian option that isn’t highly processed. A cup of black beans has 15 g of protein and fiber, and you can easily incorporate them into various dishes!

Pack your pantry with walnuts, almonds, and pecans from Glenda’s Farmhouse and other nutritious, tasty, and unprocessed foods to keep the flavor without animal protein. Vegetarian meat alternatives can bring plenty of satisfaction, something that’s vital as you begin to embrace a meat-free lifestyle.