Instructions: There are two basic types of prepared vegetarian ground "beef" available, both made from soy and both lowfat. One works best in recipes that start with raw ground beef, while the other substitutes for browned ground beef.

Gimme Lean is one example of the "raw" ground beef. This comes in an oblong tube, similar to many sausages. The texture is remarkably similar to raw ground beef. It freezes well, but defrost it thoroughly before using.

Gimme Lean can be substituted one-for-one with raw ground meat in things such as meatloaf, burgers, and meatballs. Ive also had good luck using it for tacos or sloppy joes. It can be pre-browned and added to casseroles, sauces, etc, but youll need to use some oil to keep it from sticking.

Gimme Lean comes in both a hamburger and a sausage flavor. Both are very good, but we dont care for the hamburger unless it is "doctored" up, as in a meatloaf. The sausage, simply sliced and dry-pan fried, makes great patties. Both make great meatballs. Look for these in the refrigerator section, often near tofu.

The pre-browned ground "beef" substitutes are often called "Crumbles". Morning Star and Green Giant, among others, have a "crumbles" product. These can be found in the freezer section of grocery stores.

Crumbles substitute beautifully for browned ground beef in any recipe. And you dont even need to pre-brown them; simply proceed with the recipe, adding the crumbles when the ground beef is called for. They are good additions to casseroles, sauces, soups, chilis, tacos, burritos, sloppy joes, stuffed vegetables, etc.

Of course, you can also make your own ground beef substitute by reconstituting dried TVP, preferably with a good flavored broth. Ive had good results using tvp in chili (no need to rehydrate), tacos, burritos, and sloppy joes. Dixie Diner makes a tvp meatloaf mix that we enjoy. To get the best results from TVP, be sure to let it sit for awhile after rehydrating. It can smell reminiscent of dog food at first. :-)

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