Homemade Veggie Goodness: My Ultimate Comfort Food

The weather outside is dark and overcast again, sign of impending rain and we all know better than to stay indoors and keep safe. So, what's a girl to do when she's given only the limited corners of a two-story condo unit to play in? Well, there really is a hundred and one you can come up with but in my case, I knew just the thing. Opening up the fridge and doing a double on my pantry, I check to see what I can find to come up with the  perfect partner that would compliment a good DVD. Lucky for me, I stock up well, compliments right there to my mom who taught me to always save for a rainy day, excuse the pun. Here's what I found and finally came up with: 

Pretty obvious now, isn't it? Yes, spaghetti is my ultimate comfort food. Just thinking about a plateful of this yummy slightly sweet, slightly tangy goodness brings a smile to my face. So I have the basics. But it needs a little more. Being part vegetarian, though, I realize I can't have meat. So, what do I pull out? This handy replacement that may not be as tasty as our farm-bred friends, but is a very good stand-in for what we may know to be as just veggies. 

I got this pack from monks I met in the past. They make these special veggie meat products to sustain their diet of pure vegetable and fruit and recently have introduced it to a very limited market. I was lucky enough to be one of the few to get some home. These tasty meat substitutes are bought already flavored so you get more than just vegetables in a bag. Saute them with a main dish or make them the star of your veggie creation. The possibilities are limitless. I made them the meat in my delectable treat

and I just can't wait to get it in my mouth.

Veggie meat isn't as scarce as it used to be. In fact, it can already be found in different specialty stores around the metro. Not only does it provide a healthy alternative to meat, it also discards that feeling of guilt whenever you take an extra bite or two of your favorite culinary work.

It's a weekend and rainy days may prove to be a party pooper but think about the party you can create if you will only look within your space. There's a downpour now outside and I'm sitting in front of the TV with a plateful of scrumptious meat-free spaghetti and  a bottle of iced tea on the side. Now who needs a party elsewhere? Definitely not me. Yum!

Rockin' Alternatives

I know they look like moon rocks. But trust me, they are as edible as the food inside  your fridge.

These unfriendly-looking things are actually one of the friendliest you can ever get into your body. These are balls of veggie meat and this is what they look like when they're raw. They were an unpopular household substitute for meat back in the '70s but have made a major comeback over the past years, offering more veggie meat variants to cater to even the most discerning taste bud.  Made from either soy or wheat gluten, these often misunderstood healthy replacements are, in fact, packed with high levels of protein, iron and calcium. They come in airtight bags and cost all of 70 bucks, a massive cutback from your regular meat budget. Soak them in tap water for around 20 minutes and use as an alternative to meat in whatever you wish to cook. I must say, though, for me, they taste especially great when used in tomato-based dishes like the Pochero and Kaldereta versions of veggie meat below.

Now this is my favorite. At first glance, would you really think this isn't meat?  

I wouldn't think so. Veggie meat in one of it's more pleasing forms, the Citrus Spareribs, I'd say, hits closest to home in the league of major meat fake-outs, appearance-wise and taste-wise, as compared to the rest of the other variants and there really are a lot to choose from. Slightly sweet with a hint of heat, it allows for easy labor and clean-up as well. All that needs to be done is to steam it together with your rice and you're set. No muss, no fuss. Now, if you're not one to slave over a hot stove to make an actual meal out of the raw veggie meat or steaming the pre-prepped sort just seems kind of a hassle, doing the rounds of mall food courts would be your next best option.The store to go to for all your veggie meat needs is Bodhi so you might want to just traipse over to their so many fastfood outlets and give them a whirl.

A lot can be said about this mean mock meat ball. And it may not really be for all. Many say they can still taste it's obvious difference from the real deal. But looking past all that, we all have to admit that veggie meat offers a fresh alternative and limitless options to the once limited list of vegetarian choices. I'm happy with that. 

  

**A FRIENDLY REMINDER: Veggie meat, though proven healthy for the body, is made up of either soy or wheat gluten, and people who are allergic to  these components might get a reaction upon ingestion. Please find out first if these are your kinds of allergens. It still, after all, is better to be safe than sorry.