Meat free mince without soya or Quorn

mmmsnow

I've decided to cut down on my spending on meat (and the calories too). A few years ago, I used to get meat free mince from Morrisons which was mainly made from grains. Unfortunately, they seem to have replaced it with a soya based product. I am allergic to soya so finding a non-tofu/Quorn/soya based product is my only option.

Does anyone know where I can get meat free mince that doesn't contain soya? Or a recipe to make my own?

Also, I batch cook moussaka and was thinking of using half lamb mince and half red lentils or another bulking agent. Any ideas?

jackyann

I personally dislike meat "substitutes" and would go for "proper food" like lentils, other pulses & vegetables.

I do a vegetable moussaka that always gets compliments. I roast onions, aubergines, peppers etc. and layer them with passata & potatoes.

Stuffed vegetables are always popular, using rice or bread, a little bacon or left-over gammon, and onion + herbs.

I will often cook lentils with stock, onions & garlic, a little bit of bacon or pork if I have any, and serve with jacket potatoes + other veg or salad.

mmmsnow

I make a lot of vegetarian dishes, including lasagne and cottage pie, but my husband will only eat so many vegetarian dishes in one week before asking where the meat is. He also won't eat salad. This is why I'm looking at bulking out the meat rather than getting rid of it.

jackyann

One of my favourites is gammon. First sliced hot, then cold with jacket potatoes & salad / cole-slaw.
Then all the little pieces go into "low meat" meals as they are so tasty: adding flavour to pulses, into omelettes & risottos etc.

I also do a sort of 3-way stew with sausages, meat & lots of veg. Everyone gets served plenty of their favourite bits.

I do this with a traditional beef stew, a sort of lamb tagine with meguez, pork & apple with herby sausages etc.

Mojisola

jackyann wrote: »

I personally dislike meat "substitutes" and would go for "proper food" like lentils, other pulses & vegetables.

mmmsnow wrote: »

my husband will only eat so many vegetarian dishes in one week before asking where the meat is.

This is why I'm looking at bulking out the meat rather than getting rid of it.

Pulses, root veggies and grains like pearl barley are very good at bulking out meat dishes.

nuatha

mmmsnow wrote: »

I've decided to cut down on my spending on meat (and the calories too). A few years ago, I used to get meat free mince from Morrisons which was mainly made from grains. Unfortunately, they seem to have replaced it with a soya based product. I am allergic to soya so finding a non-tofu/Quorn/soya based product is my only option.

Does anyone know where I can get meat free mince that doesn't contain soya? Or a recipe to make my own?

Also, I batch cook moussaka and was thinking of using half lamb mince and half red lentils or another bulking agent. Any ideas?

I'll often add red lentils and finely grated carrots to mince dishes to add bulk. If my other half isn't eating I'll add grated or sliced mushrooms.
I'm fond of Red Dragon Pie - a vegan version of shepherds pie, this link gives you Sarah Brown's recipe, the aduki bean and grain combination might just be the recipe you are looking for. (I've also used it as a base for bolognaise and chilli for vegan friends, the meat eaters also enjoy it).
HTH

theoretica

Mixing tomato puree and frozen spinach together makes a brown surprisingly meaty sauce to bulk a small amount of mince.

[Deleted User]

Seitan is made out of wheat gluten and is often used as a vegan friendly meat substitute. Other than that mushrooms, beans and lentils can all be used to bulk out mince containing meals or to use instead of mince.

MandM90

Another one which hasn't been mentioned yet is oats. A handful of oats, a couple of handfuls of lentils and a grated carrot or two will bulk things out with a range of nutritionally decent bits and bobs.