FitSugar

Meat Alternatives Explained: Tofu, Tempeh, and Seitan

Jenny Sugar — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 01:46:16 PDT

I've been a vegetarian for over 20 years, so tofu, tempeh, and seitan are always stocked in my fridge. If you're new to the meat-free world, preparing and eating these new foods can be really intimidating. I'm here to break down the basics so you know how to choose the right one for your nutritional needs and what to expect from your first bite.

	Firm Tofu (1/2 cup)	Tempeh (1/2 cup)	Seitan (1/2 cup)
Calories	88	160	240
Fat (g)	5	9	3
Sodium (mg)	15	7.5	705
Carbs (g)	2	8	12
Fiber (g)	1	3.8	1.5
Protein (g)	10	15.5	36

Now that you know the nutritional stats, learn how these meat alternatives are made, what they taste like, and discover yummy recipes for preparing them after the break.

Soy by Any Other Name: A Nutritional Comparison

FitSugar — Fri, 20 May 2011 13:05:01 PDT

Soy is one of the most versatile ingredients; it can be eaten whole or ground, fermented, and formed into various ingredients for nutritious and healthy cooking. Not only that, but it's also high in protein and fiber and contains less fat than its animal counterparts, so it's a no-brainer for people who want to eat less meat. Want to know how different forms of soy compare in both taste and nutrition? Read on for four forms of soy and how they work in your diet!

Edamame: Edamame are baby soy beans that are harvested when ripe and sold either frozen, cooked, or shelled. The nutty-flavored beans are great for snacking or in anything from stir fries to soups. A 1/2 cup of edamame has 95 calories, 4 grams of fat, 8.5 grams of protein, and 4 grams of fiber. Try shelled edamame in a super easy side like this brown rice and edamame dish.
Soy milk: Soy milk is the liquid extracted from ground cooked soybeans. It also has a mild nutty flavor but can be sweetened with other flavors like vanilla as well as made into other dairy-like products like soy yogurt. A cup of plain soy milk has 100 calories, 4 grams of fat, 7 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fiber. Substitute soy milk for regular milk in anything from cereal to smoothies to pancakes (like these vegan pineapple pancakes with citrus cream).
Tofu: Tofu is made by curdling soy milk with a coagulant to form thick white blocks. There are four types of tofu to use in various dishes: silken, soft, firm, and extra firm. Since tofu has little flavor, it works with many different kinds of dishes (it'll just take on the flavor of your ingredients). A 1/2 cup of tofu has 97 calories, 5.3 grams of fat, 10.1 grams of protein, and 0.5 grams of fiber. Firm and extra firm tofus are great in stir fries, or even healthier baked, like in this spicy mango veggie rice bowl.
Tempeh: This form of soy is made by fermenting cooked soybeans with a mold. It is sold in dry, brown blocks and has a firm and chewy texture. A 1/2 cup of tempeh has 160 calories, 9 grams of fat, 15.4 grams of protein, and 3.5 grams of fiber. Many people think tempeh makes the perfect meat substitute, so try it out instead of bacon in a TLT - tempeh, lettuce, and tomato sandwich.

Source: Flickr User adactio

Reader Recipe: TLT With Walnut Butter Hummus

Fit Community — Sat, 09 Oct 2010 03:47:44 PDT

Doesn't this sandwich from FitSugar reader onthevedge look good? She shared her recipe for the sammie and a walnut butter hummus spread in the Healthy Recipe Group.

We had purchased two kinds of tempeh from Essene: our regular standby from Lightlife and the Organic Smoky Tempeh Strips. We had tried the latter at a local cafe, so we knew the strips were good. I refuse to call it "Fakin' Bacon" because it's really just tempeh with soy sauce and spices and doesn't taste like bacon at all. Time for TLTs . . . with some H.

See the walnut butter hummus recipe when you

Fast & Easy Dinner: Jamaican Curried Tempeh Tacos

partysugar — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 07:50:40 PDT

Just because a meal is meatless doesn't mean it can't be filled with flavor. This vegan recipe is jam-packed with tropical seasonings and varied textures. The onions and tempeh are slightly caramelized before being coated in cilantro, curry powder, and fresh ginger. Red pepper and mustard greens provide a necessary crunch that balances out the softness of the tempeh. The finishing touch, a sprinkling of peanuts, makes this dish subtly salty and oh-so-satisfying.

To look at the recipe,

Fast & Easy Dinner: Tempeh Reubens With Caramelized Onions

partysugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 07:50:45 PST

Traditionally, a Reuben sandwich is made with meat; however this vegetarian version removes the meat and uses tempeh instead. Similar to tofu, tempeh's made from soybeans. In this recipe the tempeh is cooked in a mixture of apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, black peppercorns, and caraway seeds. Then it's placed on a piece of bread and topped with the classic Reuben fixings: Russian dressing and sauerkraut. To check out the recipe,

Tempeh Reubens With Caramelized Onions
From Vegetarian Times
Ingredients
Russian Dressing: 4 Tbs. eggless mayonnaise 1 Tbs. tomato paste 1/4 cup minced dill pickle 2 Tbs. minced red onion 1 tsp. Dijon mustard Tempeh Reubens 1 8-oz. pkg. tempeh 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar 2 Tbs. tamari or low-sodium soy sauce 1 Tbs. black peppercorns, coarsely crushed 1 Tbs. caraway seeds 2 1/2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil 4 cups thinly sliced onions Salt to taste 1 1/2 cups sauerkraut, drained and rinsed 4 to 6 slices hearty whole grain bread 1 bunch arugula, stemmed, rinsed and dried
Directions
To make Russian Dressing: mix all ingredients in bowl until thoroughly combined. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to use.
To make Tempeh Reubens: using sharp knife, cut tempeh crosswise at 45-degree angle into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Combine 1 1/2 cups water, vinegar, tamari, peppercorns and caraway seeds in large saucepan. Add tempeh, spooning mixture over it. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat.
Meanwhile, heat 1 1/2 Tbs. oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt, and cook, stirring often, over medium-low heat about 10 minutes, or until juicy.
Increase heat to medium, and cook 5 minutes more, stirring often, until well browned. Remove pan from heat.
Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil in nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium, and add tempeh slices, in batches if necessary. Cook until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
Warm sauerkraut in saucepan over medium-low heat.
To assemble sandwiches, spread each bread slice with 1 heaping Tbs. of Russian dressing. Layer bread with arugula, tempeh, sauerkraut and onions. Serve warm, either open-faced or topped with another slice of bread.
Serves 6.

Print recipe with images | without images

3 Words to Know When You're Ordering Vegetarian

FitSugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:00:00 PST

Vegetarians pay particular attention to ensuring they're consuming enough protein because there's no meat centerpiece to take care of that important nutritional component. There are often choices like tempeh and seitan for building a veggie-friendly salad that goes beyond tofu, and quinoa is a go-to grain because it contains high levels of protein. When you're choosing a meatless meal out, don't skim over these selections because you're not sure how to pronounce them. Expand your vegetarian vocab by learning how to say these three words.

Tempeh: Pronounced tem-pay, 4 ounces of this soy-based meatless alternative contains 22 grams of protein.

Seitan: Made from wheat gluten, this veggie option is pronounced say-tan or see-tan. Just 3 ounces of it contains 19 grams of protein.

Quinoa: Often referred to as the mother grain, the options with this protein-rich grain are endless. Ask for keen-wa, and you'll get 6 grams of protein in just 1/4 cup.

Source

Yummy Link: Homemade Tempeh

YumSugar — Tue, 06 May 2008 14:15:41 PDT

When I was in college, one of my favorite professors - hi Manfred! - invited me to a dinner where he served homemade tempeh. I've had it many times since, but it's not as tasty as homemade. Maybe it's time I try to make tempeh. It requires special equipment, and patience, but looks like it could be worth it. - HomeMadeS

5 Things: Highest Sources of Vegan Protein

FitSugar — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:30:00 PDT

Whether you are cutting back on meat and dairy products for health or moral reasons, it's good to remind ourselves that there are other forms of protein out there besides cheeseburgers, steak, and chicken satay. Check out these vegan sources.

Tempeh: 4 ounces gives you 22g of protein

Tofu: 1/2 cup serving equals 19.9g of protein.

Seitan: If you eat 3 ounces, you'll have consumed 19g of protein.
Plain soy milk: 1 cup of soymilk has 11g of protein.

Edamame: You'll get 10g of protein by eating 1/2 a cup of these beans.

Incorporating these foods into your meals will not only give you cholesterol and saturated fat free sources of protein, but since many of them contain fiber as well, they're even healthier.

Fit's Tips: Not sure how much protein you should be getting in a day? Then check out this chart.

Source

Learn to Love: Tempeh

FitSugar — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 03:00:00 PST

If you're working on getting more protein in your diet, but are concerned about getting too much cholesterol and saturated fat from beef, then tempeh is a great alternative. It has a much firmer consistency than tofu, so many people think it looks and feels more like meat.

Why should you love tempeh? Take a look at the nutritional info:

Serving Size 4 ounces (half the package)

Calories 250

Total Fat 10g

Saturated Fat 1.5g

Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 60mg

Carbs 17g

Fiber 14g

Sugar 0g

Protein 22g

Check out all that protein and fiber! I'm amazed one serving has that much. Tempeh is great because you can flavor it anyway you want.

Not sure how to cook it? To check out my easy recipe for bell peppers and tempeh
read more.

What you need:

1 package of tempeh
3 peppers (1 red, 1 orange, 1 yellow)
tamari (soy sauce)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
cumin
thyme
honey
olive oil

What you do:

Cut the tempeh up in little cubes. Place them in a pan with 1 tbsp olive oil on low heat.

Pour on tamari, enough to turn each piece a dark brown color.

Drizzle a drop of honey on each piece of tempeh, then sprinkle with cumin and thyme.

Stir it all up and let it cook on low heat for about ten minutes.

While that's cooking, cut up all three peppers.

Add the sliced peppers and minced garlic to the pan and let them cook next to the tempeh for about five minutes.

Now mix the two together and let cook for another five minutes.

Serve hot and enjoy.

Print recipe with images | without images

Soy Wars: Tofu vs. Tempeh

FitSugar — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 03:00:00 PST

Whether you're a vegetarian or not, everyone can benefit from adding a little soy to their diet. Although there's some talk about a connection between soy and breast cancer, there's no evidence to back up the claim. Since soy products are a healthy source of protein they're a great alternative for people trying to cut back on meat and dairy products that are high in cholesterol.

Tofu and tempeh are both made from soybeans, but what's the difference between the two? Is one healthier than the other? To find out
read more Check out this chart comparing tofu and tempeh.

Tofu Tempeh

How it's made By curdling fresh hot soymilk with a coagulant. By fermenting cooked soybeans with a mold.

How it's sold It comes in five inch sized blocks, and you can buy it in four varieties: silken (used for creamy dishes), soft (great for soups), firm, and extra firm (the last two are great for stir fries). It's usually packaged in water to help it stay moist. It's sold in flat rectangular pieces about eight inches long.

Appearance White, smooth, and wet. Brownish in color and dry. You can see the whole soybeans.

Consistency Soft, smooth, and spongy. Firm and chewy.

Flavor Has hardly any taste on its own, but when added to recipes, takes on the flavor of whatever you're making. Has a slight earthy sweet taste.

Protein in 1/2 cup 10.1g 15.4g

Fiber in 1/2 cup .5g 3.5g

Calories in 1/2 cup 97 160

Since tempeh is less processed than tofu, it's healthier in general, so that's why it has more protein and fiber than tofu. If you've never tried tempeh, you can find it at most health food stores (it's refrigerated). Start to incorporate this soy product into your recipes by crumbling it up and adding it to soups, casseroles, and your pasta sauce. It'll add a chewy consistency and some extra protein and fiber.

	Tofu	Tempeh
How it's made	By curdling fresh hot soymilk with a coagulant.	By fermenting cooked soybeans with a mold.
How it's sold	It comes in five inch sized blocks, and you can buy it in four varieties: silken (used for creamy dishes), soft (great for soups), firm, and extra firm (the last two are great for stir fries). It's usually packaged in water to help it stay moist.	It's sold in flat rectangular pieces about eight inches long.
Appearance	White, smooth, and wet.	Brownish in color and dry. You can see the whole soybeans.
Consistency	Soft, smooth, and spongy.	Firm and chewy.
Flavor	Has hardly any taste on its own, but when added to recipes, takes on the flavor of whatever you're making.	Has a slight earthy sweet taste.
Protein in 1/2 cup	10.1g	15.4g
Fiber in 1/2 cup	.5g	3.5g
Calories in 1/2 cup	97	160