Meat eaters tell me that you cannot replace the mouth feel or texture or taste of meat. That, being a vegetarian, limits the great kinds of foods that you can eat. And while we can and should agree that tastes cannot be argued I do think there are some alternatives to meat that give one pause and could make us rethink how we can use “veggie” ingredients to give us much of what we love about meat. A few ideas worth trying

· Use Jackfruit instead of pork for a fantastic pulled “jack” sandwich

· Use cauliflower in place of boneless chicken on a bangin buffalo cauliflower pizza

· Use wild mushrooms with soy and lentils to create a meat like burger

· Try seitan (wheat gluten) to create an amazing Asian “beef” and broccoli entrée

The options and ideas are limitless and can make for some interesting meals. Eating vegetarian, even for a few extra meals each week, gives newness to food items and a bit of relief from the impact of meat on the environment and our lives.

Loving life, when eating some cool veggie items.