Taco Thursday > Vegetarian Style???

Okay, its Taco Thursday and my kids have been so good with eating my vegetarian food without complaints (not that they notice, we eat like this alot) that I made them beef tacos (i had it in the freezer, might as well use it)

In sticking with my weekday vegetarian diet...I made mine with TVP and black beans. figured maybe the spices will make the textured vegetable protein taste good and the beans, give it more body? I used black beans, which I pressure cooked.

I dehydrated the TVP according to the package using the boiling water (Bob's Red Mill brand). I then threw the TVP into a cast iron skillet with some oil, some black beans and some jalapeno..and my own taco seasoning that I am sorry I don't have to offer, its just a lot of spices I grab and throw in..cumin, chili powder, garlic etc.
I "snuck" a taste, it was sort of soggy? eww..so i cooked the heck out of it..until it got more like ground beef gets when ya brown it. Not bad....

The first one I ate, forgot to take a pic. I will make one later and take a pic...it was a hard shell taco...I am not sure why I both to make it like a taco and not just crush it up and make a salad lol..it always ends up being "unhand-able" and I need a fork anyways lol.

Here is my Taco on a soft shell..not too bad. Actually, I would have no problem eating it like this all of the time. Again, real cheese...lacto ova vegetarian. It looks just about the same as my meat tacos I have made myself in the past.

Here is the fixin set up..nothing fancy...just dress your taco and get outta my way!
(onion, lettuce, jalapeno, green sprouts, cheese and taco sauce)


The Meat Eater's taco meat.
My Vegetarian taco "meat".

I used Bob's Red Mill TVP http://www.bobsredmill.com/tvp-textured-veg._protein.html (no fat, read the nutritional info..almost no sodium, no cholesterol, 4 g fiber) no wonder vegetarians are so thin.

I don't know if you know this or not, but he (bob's red mill owner) gave his company to his employees. He said they helped him make it big and he knows if they own it, they will work hard...he decided that was the best choice, rather than sell it to someone who might send it overseas.

Nutritional Information

Nutrient Facts Serving Size: 1/4 cup (24g) Servings Per Container: 11.00 Amount Per Serving % Daily Value Calories 80 Calories from Fat 0 Total Fat 0.00 g 0 % Saturated Fat 0.00 g 0 % Trans Fat 0.00 g 0 % Cholesterol 0.00 mg 0 % Sodium 2.00 mg 0 % Total Carbohydrate 7.00 g 2 % Dietary Fiber 4.00 g 16 % Sugars 3.00 g 8 % Protein 12.00 g 24 % Vitamin A 0.00 % Vitamin C 0.00 % Calcium 8.00 % Iron 15.00 % * Percent Daily Values (DV) are based on a 2000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. Ingredients: Soy flour

One quick note for those who are thinking of giving up meat, but not sure they can do it.....I love the taste of sausage. I have subbed vegetarian sausage I found at the grocery store in a tube in the freezer section for sausage in my recipes and no one noticed! Its very good, tastes so much like sausage its unreal!

Here are a few links I happened upon today and enjoyed reading..sharing ...read or pan down.

Here is a great link from Huffington Post Green about the grossestpackaged food ever.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/02/25/the-grossest-packaged-foo_n_467656.html?fbwall

Here is a cute link to info about sesame seeds (healthy info)
http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch41.html

This is a blog that highlights Alicia Silverstone's diet. http://www.thekindlife.com/

Here are a few fun pics I found online....some food pyramids for vegetarians


Another food pyramid
Just for fun...figured I would throw in a hot chick for the men ( I need to find some sexy guy vegetarian pics wink)
Ah Chick fil a...my fav fast food chain ...anyone know if they treat the chickens well? I do not eat there often, but that will be one of my weekend indulgences at least once every few months.