Do you have trouble eating veggies? What if your veggies look and taste like meat? You’ll probably start eating more of it.
Luckily, plant-based alternatives to meat have become more common now than ever. There was a time when you could only find them from specialty stores. But now, just go to the grocery and you’ll find plant-based burgers, sausages, and more, sitting together with their meat counterparts inside the chillers.
The taste and experience of these plant-based alternatives have also improved dramatically. It can now compete with other processed meats available in the market, and even beat them, too.
One of the brands that you might have seen and heard from your friends is unMEAT. You’ll find chillers full of these assortments of plant-based alternatives in the familiar black and green packaging in almost every supermarket. They have burger patties, Hungarian sausages, giniling, nuggets, corned beef, tapa, tocino, skinless longganisa, canned luncheon meat, and even ready-to-heat plant-based pizzas as well as dim sum like siomai, gyoza, and siopao. And you can use these ingredients to whip up creative plant-based dishes. You’re not limited to eating them on their own.
Here are some recipes you can try with unMEAT nuggets, canned luncheon meat, and giniling:
unMEAT Nuggets Soft Taco
In the mood for some Mexican cuisine? Well, you can also prepare fresh and filling soft tacos using unMEAT nuggets.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pack unMEAT Nuggets, thawed
1 cup oil
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1 tsp sugar
1 pack tortilla
1 piece cucumber, deseeded and sliced
1 cup greens, chopped
Cilantro-Lime Dressing
1 pc Lime, juiced and zested
½ cup chopped cilantro
2-3 tbsp corn syrup
2 tsp salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
Guacamole
1 pc ripe avocado, mashed
2 pcs tomato, deseeded and small diced
1 pc red onion, small diced
1 pc lime juice
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
Optional: lime wedges
PROCEDURE:
1. Fry the unMEAT Nuggets in oil. Let it drip on a paper towel to drain excess oil. Place in a bowl and while still warm toss with the taco seasoning and sugar.
2. Make the guacamole by mashing the avocado in a mortar and pestle. Place in a bowl and mix with the red tomatoes, red onion, lime juice, cilantro, salt, and pepper. Chill and set aside.
3. Make the cilantro lime dressing by whisking together the lime juice, lime zest, cilantro, corn syrup, salt and pepper. Adjust seasonings as needed. Toss the greens and cucumber in this
dressing.
4. Assemble the soft taco by spreading the guacamole at the bottom of the tortilla. Then top with the dressed greens and cucumber. Lastly, put about 2 pieces of the dressed unMEAT Nuggets. Fold over the sides and the bottom. Serve immediately, with lime wedges on the side.
Yield: 5 tacos
unMEAT Luncheon Si-log
Think classic breakfast si-log but meat-free. This is what the unMEAT Luncheon Si-log is all about. Enjoy your almusal without the guilt!
INGREDIENTS:
1 can unMEAT Luncheon meat-style 175g, sliced into 4 or 5 pieces
Drizzle of vegetable oil
2 cups garlic rice
2 medium eggs, cooked any style
Sliced tomatoes or any relish
PROCEDURE:
- Fry slices of unMEAT Luncheons in hot oil until evenly browned on both sides.
- Serve and enjoy at breakfast or any time of the day with garlic rice, eggs, tomato, or any of your favorite relish.
Yield: 2 pax
unMEAT Nuggets Kung Pao Pasta
Take a break from sweet-style spaghetti and carbonara and surprise the family with this unique unMEAT Nuggets Kung Pao Pasta.
INGREDIENTS:
1 pack unMEAT Nuggets, thawed
1 cup oil
2 tbsp oil
½ head garlic, minced
1-inch knob ginger, peeled, minced
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (Shaoxing)
1 tbsp soy sauce
½ cup vegetable broth
1 pc red bell pepper, sliced
3-4 pcs rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, sliced
4 tbsp peanuts, toasted
½ cup spring onions, cut into 2” long pieces
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
200g uncooked spaghetti, cook according to package directions
PROCEDURE:
1. Fry the unMEAT Nuggets in oil. Let it drip on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
2. In a large sauté pan, heat oil. Sauté garlic and ginger until aromatic. Add the shiitake mushrooms, hoisin, creamy peanut butter, rice vinegar, Chinese cooking wine, soy sauce, and vegetable broth. Simmer until well blended and the sauce a bit thickened.
3. Add the red bell pepper, spring onions, and peanuts. Toss until coated well.
4. Add the cooked spaghetti noodles, salt, and pepper. Toss until coated well. Lastly, finish with sesame oil, toss well.
5. Put on serving plates and top with the cooked crunchy unMEAT Nuggets.
Yield: 3-4 pax
unMEAT Luncheon Musubi
Craving for a simple dish with a twist? Make your own Luncheon musubi and take a trip to Japan with every bite.
INGREDIENTS:
2 cans unMEAT Luncheon Meat-style 175g, cut into strips
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp white sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 cups Japanese rice
Dash of togarashi
Sesame seeds
Nori strips
Teriyaki sauce
Cucumber
PROCEDURE:
- Slice unMEAT Luncheon Meat-Style into about 8-10 slices (depending on how thick you like it) and fry the slices on each side over medium heat until slightly crispy.
2. Mix rice vinegar, white sugar, salt, and cooked Japanese rice. Add a dash of Togarashi. Mix well.
3. Put sushi rice into the mold, pressing down firmly and evenly. Grab the little block of rice and pat in the sesame seeds. Place a strip of nori strip on a cutting board or clean surface (shiny side down). Add on top the teriyaki sauce, cucumber, and cooked unMEAT Luncheon Meat-Style slice. Wrap one side of the nori and stick it to the top, then wrap the other side. Best served while hot.
unMEAT Giniling Sisig
Have some meaty sisig but without the guilt. Try making another Pinoy favorite dish using plant-based giniling. Get ready with your steaming hot white rice!
INGREDIENTS:
1 pack unMEAT Giniling
½ cup unsweetened pineapple juice
1 pc dried bay leaf
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp liquid seasoning
1 tbsp oil
1 pc medium red onion
1 pc green sili, chopped
2-3 pcs rehydrated tenga ng daga (black fungus), sliced
1 pc tofu block, cubed then fried
1 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
½ cup vegan mayonnaise
1 tbsp liquid seasoning
1 pack vegan chicharron, crumbled
PROCEDURE:
1. In a sauté pan, boil together unMEAT Giniling, unsweetened pineapple juice, bay leaf, ground black pepper and 1 tsp. liquid seasoning. Simmer until almost dry.
2. Add oil to the pan and add the onion and sliced chilis. Sauté for 2 – 3 minutes. Add the tenga ng daga, and half the fried tofu cubes. Sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix together the vegan mayonnaise and liquid seasoning. Place in a squeeze bottle or ziplock bag.
4. On a clean serving plate, place the cooked unMEAT Giniling sisig. Top with the remaining tofu cubes, crushed vegan chicharron, and drizzle with the vegan mayo dressing. Serve with a side of calamansi.
Yield: 3-4 pax
Try these recipes out, or find even more delicious more plant-based recipes using unMEAT at https://meetunmeat.com/recipes/. Happy plant-based eating! – Rappler.com
