TVP ruuuules!

Today I was finally able to cook my first pasta sauce with Textured Vegetale Proteins instead of beef, and let me say that, man... TVP is the greatest culinary invention EVER!

This has about the same texture than beef or pork (more like these european saucages) and yet it tastes even better than most of the beef you'll find on the market. There's 0% cholesterol and it's full of proteins, fibers, amino acids and potassium... 4 nutriments which are crucial for the muscles, skin, bones, and the digestive system. What more? TVP is available on the market in small dry chunks that can be conserved up a year easily on a tablet; it's very lightweight -a feature that is very useful for campers, cyclists and backpackers-; and it's finally at least 3 times cheaper than meat!

You can use it to make great chili, pasta sauces, saucages, hamburgers, BBQs and even (meatless) beef stews!

Infos on Textured Vegetable Proteins and how to make great meals with it.

I'm totally sold to that! I challenge any meat lover to try that and tell me if they still see a purpose to eat meat once after that!

I have to agree with you on this. Textured Vegetable Protein (TVP) really is pretty good. It's been around for quite a while, though. It certainly isn't anything new. I had it for the first time about ten years ago. I was invited to a gathering of pagans who were, for the most part vegetarians. The pot luck dinner served was chili. Bear in mind that I am a carnivore and I love chili. Well, let me tell you, I had two helpings of that chili. I ate with gusto and was dumbfounded when I was told that there was no meat in the chili at all. I really could not tell the difference. Even after I learned that there was no meat in the chili and that it had TVP, I still couldn't tell. For all intents and purposes, I found TVP, at least when used in chili, absolutely indistinguishable from chile made with ground beef. TVP is an excellent product -- one that I would recommend every meat eater to give a try .

I've eaten TVP and I've eaten real meat. I still prefer real meat. TVP is a good alternative when cooking for a range of people, some of which are vegetarians, though. However, meat protiens do still provide some necessary substances that TVP simply cannot provide.

I do agree though, that it is a decent meat substitute if you're trying to reduce the amount of meat in your diet, yet don't want to completely give up meaty goodness.