Dear Lesley: meat substitutes

Dear Lesley,

I have started to add more plant-based meals in my rotation. So far it hasn’t been that bad. The foods I get taste pretty decent, and the textures are good. That is very important. I am not crazy about tofu because I can’t do the texture. Even though I like the food, I don’t like the prices. Plant-based foods are expensive. I am willing to give up convenience so that I can save some money. What would you recommend I use to make my own meat substitutes? – KIA

Dear kia,

I have a few go-to items I use for making plant-based meat substitutes. If you’ve ever been on my Instagram page, then you should already know my first pick. Mushrooms. I make so many dishes using mushrooms as the meat. My other go-to items include chickpeas, beans, and lentils.  I use either of these items frequently to make burger patties, taco meat, meatloaf, meatballs, and more. The key is the seasoning. Season whatever plant-based item you use as the meat as you would season actual meat for a particular dish. Season well and build flavor. Fresh mushrooms and dry beans and legumes are generally affordable and should help with cost. Cooking in batches and freezing leftovers should help with the convenience factor. Regarding texture, read Something to Sink My Teeth Into.

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