McDonald’s is cleaning up their meat.
Jamie Oliver influenced McD’s to stop using beef treated with ammonia hydroxide – the stuff Oliver referred to as “pink slime” on his show Food Revolution.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=wshlnRWnf30
Mmmmm… makes you want a bowl of beefy chili, right?
Or maybe a meaty VEGAN bowl of chili?
One of my favorite things to do when I’m bored is wander around Whole Paycheck Foods. This can be a dangerous activity for my wallet, but it’s my guilty pleasure. 🙂 This week I happened upon TVP that was discounted by $1. Sold.
I’ve seen it used on a few blogs, but never tried it for myself. It was really easy – you just boil (read: microwave) 1 cup of water, stir the TVP in, and let it sit for 5 mins. Instant protein crumbles.
TVP is the perfect addition for vegan chili. It replaced the usual ground beef without losing the hearty feel and added protein. The addition of liquid smoke in this also lends to the traditional chili taste. Discovery of the year, no doubt.
With a little cilantro, lime, and nutritional yeast. Meaty vegan chili perfection.
If only I’d had a grilled cheese to go along with it…
Beefy TVP Chili
- 2 tsp olive oil
- 1 medium red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2-3 celery stalks, chopped
- 2 carrots, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 C San Marzano tomatoes (or any tomato-substance)
- 1-2 dried habanero
- 1 can beans
- 1 C TVP
- 6-7 drops liquid smoke
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground oregano
- 1 tsp cocoa powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- pinch of ground cloves
- 2 T apple cider vinegar
- 4 T cilantro, rough chopped
- 2 C spinach
Re-hydrate TVP by soaking in 1 C of boiling water. Set aside.
Heat oil in large pot. Sauté onion until turning translucent (5-6 mins). Add garlic and sauté another 1-2 mins, until fragrant. Add next 7 ingredients, stirring to combine. Mix in spices and vinegar, adjusting to taste.
Simmer for 30-45 mins, stirring occasionally. This allows the flavors to combine and vegetables to soften.
Mix in the spinach and cilantro. Cover pot and simmer ~10 mins, until spinach is wilted. Garnish with lime, cilantro, and nutritional yeast.
Makes 8 cups.
Note: Depending on the tomato substance you use, you may need to add liquid as the chili cooks. I added 1/2 C before I mixed in my spinach.
***
Discovering new (to me) products is so exciting. #dork
Does anyone else wander the grocery store as entertainment?
Have you cooked with TVP before? Please share other ideas for using it!
I love going to the grocery store. I don’t understand people who say they don’t like it! I’ve never used TVP before though. How was the taste compared to Boca meat crumbles or something like that?
I’ve never tried Boca crumbles, but it seems to take on whatever spices/flavors you add to it.
Are you kidding? Grocery shopping is moste definitely a legitimate form of entertainment and health food shops like Whole Foods are practically disneyland to me!
I literally JUST picked up some TVP last night to use in my maqloubeh (upside down rice casserole) and I was floored at how good it came out! I’m now stuck with a whole bag full of it though so will definitely make this soon as it sounds and looks delicious. What kind of beans did you use?
As for other uses I’m going to try maybe grinding it up and using it to make veggie burgers with mushrooms and seasonings, or maybe use it to make Spaghetti Bolognese? I’ll keep you updated!
That maqloubeh sounds amazing. For my chili, I used a blend of black beans and kidney beans.
I really want to try a veggie burger with it too!
i’ve yet to try tvp but it intrigues me. same with nutritional yeast. i gotta get brave 🙂
Yeah you do! It’s really not scary, I promise. 🙂
Too funny… I just made a vegan chili last night, with crumbled tofu and bulghur. 🙂 We love vegetarian chili, and I love that you can add whatever you have to chili and it’s always good. I was thinking of sharing our recipe this week, but maybe I’ll wait!
That a neat idea – how did the tofu hold up in it?
You photos of that chili look soooooo appetizing. I would definitely want some and it makes me want to whip some of this up (and to go Whole Foods—your editorial comment makes me laugh!)
I am a grocery store addict so I can completely condone grocery store perusals where random items are picked up…I mean how else will we find new stuff to try.
I love TVP and I think your chili looks very delicious.
If not to be had with a grilled cheese maybe on top of a black bean burger with some avocado.
I was wishing for avocado! It would have been perfect on this.
I love Jamie Oliver! I don’t really wander the grocery store that often because I’ll buy things without a purpose for them and then before I use them, they go bad 🙁 I’ve never even heard of TVP before… but I love chili!! Yours looks tasty!
Is that cocoa I see as an ingredient? Interesting recipe! I make my veggie chili with Morningstar Veggie Crumblers (sooooo good, and sooooo easy), but I’ve been looking for something less processed and more natural. Maybe TVP is my answer.
I always add cocoa and cinnamon to chili – it give it a cool dimension. Let me know how you like it if you try TVP – I’ve never used the crumbles.
My belly just doesn’t like TVP – but I’d love to try this with tempeh! 🙂
I hadn’t heard that about McDonald’s! I never go there anyways but at least that’s a step in the right direction for people who do eat there. I LOVE grocery shopping, it’s so fun!
ok i have no idea what TVP is….i feel silly for asking….
whats is it?
xoxo from Trinidad
It’s “texturized vegetable protein” – in English, it’s a soy protein. 🙂
I get ridiculously excited to go to Whole Foods. The nearest one is about a 30 minute drive so I don’t do it that often, but when I do, it is such a treat! I could spend a lot of time (and $) there. I call it my happy place.
Oooh that looks good. It’s like 30 degrees here so I could HAPPILY dig into a bowl of that!
I’ve been TOTALLY craving Chili – but never have time to make it! Does TVP have gluten in it?
Either way, the recipe sounds great, even if I have to leave protein out (or add more beans)!
From what I’ve read it can be gluten-free, but not all TVP is. You could definitely make this without the TVP though; you’d want to add more beans or even some quinoa to bulk it up.
I wouldn’t say I necessarily wonder the store for entertainment..but I do it for sure! Since I work for WIC, I have parents tell me all these crazy foods and drinks that they give their children that I have never heard of. So I just wonder around the store trying to find these things and read the food labels 🙂 People probably think I’m nuts. I don’t eat TVP…but I do like vension in my chili 😉
My uncle made venison chili over Christmas… it tasted good, but I have a hard time blocking out thoughts of Bambi!
I am not big on the fake meat crumbles (like yves or boca, they weird me out!) but TVP is so simple and makes a great sub for hamburger. I used to make a big batch of it then reheat with a little oil, worchestershire, and taco seasoning, and then load it up, taco style!
This chili looks awesome! You’ve put me on an official mission to bring liquid smoke into my life.
I love the taco idea! That may be dinner tonight, actually…
This looks super yummy! I love the idea of adding liquid smoke! I have yet to make something with it, but really want to.
On another note, I might be on another planet but what is TVP? Oh and so gross about McDonalds. I refuse to eat there.
TVP stands for texturized vegetable protein. It’s a soy protein with a similar texture to ground beef when you re-hydrate it.
I’m with you on McD’s. I don’t think I’ve been since middle school!
Um.. everytime I read one of your recipes I want to come to your house. Like come over right now to your house. 🙂 I have yet to experiment with nutritional yeast. This chili looks amazing! 🙂
You are welcome any time!
I cant believe you haven’t tried nutritional yeast! It’s really good, you just can’t expect it to be cheese.
I love roaming grocery store aisles! I always find a new to me ingredient. But I agree, roaming around at Whole Foods usually does quite a bit of damage to my wallet as well!
And I had never even heard of TVP before today. Love hearing about veggie protein though, so thanks for sharing!
I very much appreciate the type of thing Oliver is doing, especially in this case. It’s important to know where your food is coming from. However, I must say that it was a little messed up to bring in a living cow, spray paint it with it’s value, then use chucks of its cousin to show what a part of body looked like dead. Trust me….I’m a meat eating gluttonous fool, but heck even I felt bad for that cow.
Such a sensitive glutton, you are! That was rude of them. 🙂
I’ve never had TVP, but most other meat replacements. I’d try it for sure, and your chili looks yummmmmy!
Wonderful chili dish, hearty and filled with protein. I love wandering around the grocery, it’s a past time, hehe. Congrats on the Top 9, cool.
Thank you! Good to know I have some company in my grocery wandering. 🙂
Never cooked with TVP before. I need to try it out.
Yummy! This looks so good. Maybe next time you can make vegan meatball chili, so we can talk about balls again. Just putting it out there.
Haha! Italian Wedding Soup is on my list of things to try with it. Soup Balls for all!
I haven’t tried TVP, because one of my old co-workers who had studied at Ayurvedic culinary school told me it wasn’t the best source of protein for you. It sneaks into things I love though…like Morningstar burgers. She sent me a bunch of research on the stuff, and something about the way it’s processed seems to be the more offensive issue, rather than it’s actual ‘health’ factor. This looks darn good, and I think as long as you get non-GMO TVP you should be good…maybe?
I hadn’t heard that… I used a Bob’s Mill brand. Upon some Googling, I found that their is non-GMO: http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=15434.0
…I just had to google TVP. Pretty awesome vegan chili! Look delicious 🙂
I’ve been doing the TVP thing, replacing all meat with it… I don’t notice the difference in flavor. I’ve made sausage, tacos, stir fry, burgers (family loved them), and the only complaint I have is the wicked gas one gets with it… what to do? All the money I’m saving switching to TVP is going to be spent on Beano lol
LOL! Glad you are liking the TVP. I haven’t noticed the gas… but that Bean-o is good stuff! 🙂
Yes TVP rules! Excellent recipe Jamie.