TVP Recipes

TVP® stands for Textured Vegetable Protein and is a registered tradmark of Archer-Daniels-Midland Company. It is made by grinding soybeans, removing all the carbohydrates (starches and fiber) through a water removal process, and then adding a texture to it just before it dries. Where naturally occuring soy can have an effect on lowering your body's thyroid levels, the inhibitor is removed during the hydrolizing process, so those with thyroid problems or on Synthroid can use the soy protein with confidence.

TVP® does NOT have MSG added to it, but glutamic acid, one of the components of the gluten that is a vegetable protein, will be spun off and bond with sodium in the hydrolizing process, so that monosodium glutamate WILL be naturally formed. However, this is more an issue of hysterical reporting. You will find more naturally occuring MSG in other grain foods than you will in TVP®.

TVP® was originally used as a beef substitute and filler. I remember when the news first discovered that Jack in the Box was using this to extend and cut the cost of beef-- everyone was OUTRAGED!!! It was like some big espionage adventure, likened unto TREASON against the American Public by Food Manufacturers! I was about 10 years old, so right around the early 60's. Since that time it has become MUCH more widely accepted.

TVP® has always been used as a meat substitute, but a few months ago I started realizing that without flavoring, it would work well in other foods you were trying to boost the protein in, so came up with some novel recipes including using it in cookies, pancakes and waffles and finally fruit cobbler. It doesn't have the chemical taste of protein powders and has a greater volume per grams of protein, so it gives you a greater volume of food without the chemical taste.

You simply cannot do these recipes if you use the flavored TVP®. You can find the unflavored TVP®in some health food stores, and you can find it in granuals, chunks and strips so that it will add a variety of textures, depending on how you choose to flavor it. Because it is unflavored, you can send it over to the sweet of fruity categories of cooking, as well as the traditional meat replacement recipes. I prefer to add my own flavoring to the TVP® simply because I don't always LIKE other people's interpretation of what dead cow or dead chicken may taste like. But hey, that's just ME...

Okay EVERYONE: Get out your Karen's Kitchen Block Poster or order one today from me by calling 1-888-476-4525 (awaiting online store at this writing...) and write into the pink block under VEGETARIAN PROTEIN SOURCES:

Nutritional Info from package says: 3 Tbs. of TVP® = 17 grams with 10g P, 3g C, less 2g Dietary Fiber, 0g Fat

To rehydrate, use 1 2/3 TVP® plus 1 1/3 cup boiling water. Makes the COOKING equivalent of 1 pound of hamburger meat, but equals 89 grams of protein or 12.7 protein blocks.

Here are a few ways you can use TVP® in your cooking to boost protein:

Rehydrate and add Taco Seasoning Mix to make a delicious taco, enchilada, or taco salad. I like to use iceburg lettuce leaves as taco shells, which is REALLY refreshing-- and save my carbs for DESERT!
Make up a pot of soup and add TVP® to add protein. Add a little more flavoring to the bland TVP® after you hydrate it. I like to use either Watkins Onion Soup Base or any of the other delicious soup base mixes I keep on hand from Watkins or Cavender's Greek Seasoning which you can purchase from Karen's Kitchen Shop.
Make a stir fry, saute or stew with the TVP® Strips from Karen's Kitchen Shop, using the TVP® strips in place of beef chunks.
Something rediculously easy yet exotic? Find some Mexican Mole Sauce (say mo-LAY) in the Mexican food section. It comes in a glass jar that you can use for a juice-sized glass afterwards! Put it into a crock pot with 1 1/3 cups TVP® , 3-1/2 cups of water and stir to break up the hard sauce. It is an exotic mixture of cocoa, peanuts, chili and oil which goes magnificently over the top of steamed barley or steamed steel cut oats. Also good as a tortilla filler. Cook on high stirring every so often, until is makes a gravy, about 2 hours.

TVP® Like You've NEVER Had it Before!