After attending the 4th annual Reducetarian Summit in Denver this last weekend, it has become more and more apparent that alternative meat, meat substitutes, fake or faux meats, whatever you want to call them, are here to stay. There is a tremendous amount of food technology happening in the meat replacement space to reduce factory farming with the end goal of improving the environment. Alternative meats are here to stay and there will be more and more coming our way.
In my vegan chef class, I learned how to make several types of seitan, but honestly, why knock myself out when there are amazing brands that are in the constant taste and texture improvement line of business, such as Franklin Farms? As one of the speakers stated, “We have to get it right from the first bite to the last….” or consumers won’t buy into the idea of eating less meat.
There are so many chicken alternatives on the market. Honestly, all are good, some are better than others and some are downright great! There are those that are better for specific culinary uses while others can be used right out of the package. And so it is with Franklin Farms Chicken Style Seitan. I found it in the refrigerator section at King Soopers/Krogers near the tofu but you might have to search a bit in your grocery store.
Faux-meat.com Evaluation
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Visual
The seitan pieces are vacuum packed in a rectangle so you do need to take a few minutes and separate out the pieces. The pieces look like torn pieces of chicken breast. They are white and just look like chicken, irregular and “stringy”.
Tactile
As you pull apart the pieces, you will feel like you are pulling apart slightly moist chicken breast pieces. Thanks to the gluten, they are a bit spongy like animal chicken.
Cooking – how did they hold up?
Per the packaging: These pieces can be eaten hot or cold. You can toss them right into a salad or heat up a skillet or saucepan and use them for stir-fries, soups, or more. For me, as much as I enjoy whole foods, I crave a nice crunchy baguette or toasty sourdough with chicken salad, tomatoes, and microgreens.
Taste and Texture
I have no doubt, as they are a seitan, they will do well in any style of cooking. The real question for this test was, how do they hold up to a taste test at room temperature? Are they really good if not great right out of the package?
The answer? YES! The pieces are perfectly seasoned and not too salty. I tasted them “naked” and they tasted like chicken – a bit chewier than chicken but definitely on the chicken side of yum, not the “weird” side of tasting some not-so-great alternative meats. No metallic or off-flavors at all.
I made a simple chicken salad with readymade vegan mayo, green onions, celery, and Herb de Provence blend (no lavender pleeeease). We toasted up some of my husband’s sourdough, piled on the vegan chicken salad with tomatoes and microgreens, and I went to heaven.
Ingredients and Nutritional Expectations:
Franklin Farms Chicken Style Seitan
Ingredients: Water, Textured Wheat Protein (Wheat Gluten, Wheat Flour, Phosphate, Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Autolyzed Yeast Extract, Salt, Sugar, Hydrolyzed Corn Protein, Carrot Powder, Natural Flavors, Onion Powder, Spices and Garlic Powder. Contains: Wheat.
These chicken-style pieces meet all my criteria for better-than-average if not awesome great faux meats.
Protein – 13 grams per 2 ounces serving (almost equal to animal chicken)
Fat – One gram of fat per serving!
Sodium – 320 mg of Sodium per serving
Fiber – One gram per serving – anything is better than none! :-)
OTHER THOUGHTS
Something I have not previously discussed is cost, cleanliness, waste, and time.
Currently, they are priced at around $6 for 8 ounces of pure protein. No work, no fuss. Ready to go for the busy single, parent, or caregiver.
When working with these alternatives or faux meats, remember there is very little to no contamination as you are not working with bones, blood, and sinew. It’s a GAMECHANGER in the kitchen.
There is no waste except for packaging. No skin, sinew, bones, etc.
As stated before, the glory of this product is that it is ready to eat cold, room temperature, warm, or hot. Buy a box. Take the taste test. You won’t be disappointed.
Want more cooking ideas for eating less meat? Want to eat more plants? Let’s do it!
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