I'm a hardcore eater of red meat who's trying to find some substitutes. Any ideas?

Question

Tofu and turkey burgers are out. I'm tired of seafood also. Not turning veggie but just looking to cut down. Pickles, carrots and cooked cheeses give me something to "bite" into. Any other suggestions for a "beefeater" like me?.

My background. I'm 40, 5'-10", 180 pounds. Fit and athletic. But eating meat wears me out these days. When I eat meat, I feel like 40 after, otherwise, I feel like a kid. I eat it less and less. And if I do, I make sure to have a workout planned for the next day. Lol....all of my friends are getting fat and tired in their 40's. And I don't want to go down the same path. I'm good at keeping a healthy and sportive life and feeling clean. Except for eating too much meat. Thanks for the advice all.

Answer 1

as a meat junkie who tries not to eat only meat, i'd say that large mushrooms are good, they're pretty meaty, and grilled with some cheese they're not bad at all. i like peppers a lot too, but more to go with stuff.

i know what you mean. it'd hard to get things that are "hearty" enough to make you not miss meat. my girlfriend likes that imitation crab meat stuff too. i dont really know what it is, but she's used it a few times and its not bad if its prepared right.

Answer 2

I am a recovering meat-eater. I have a suggestion... Use the organic meat only as a garnish in stir fry dishes. 2 ounces can help you to cut down. When you eat the meat, only eat 2 ounces once or twice a week. Eat chicken and fish on other days.

You will find yourself satisfied and not salivating everytime you see a steak.

The cold turkey method is hard and usually does not work. Just a note: Organiz is expensive so you will savor each bite like caviar (smile).

Answer 3

Give up supermarkets. Period. Do not buy meat that comes from factory farms. Which is all your standard supermarket buys.

If you're going to eat red meat, then go organic, range raised.

You'll find you immediately slim down. We're told America is obese. But I look around and I see a lot of folks suffering from steroid abuse. People who actually eat very little but are "bloatted."

They're getting the steroids from their meat.

Since these animals are kept in crates, unable to move at all, they are fed steroids to cause the muscle to grow artificially.

Also, factory farmed meat is raised on grain, which cows do not process well. So your meat is substandard, nutritionally speaking. It is missing key elements such as CLA - conjugated linoleic acid - which is an essential fat burner found only in beef from range raised (that means grass fed) cattle.

So you're being fed steroids and an essential fat burning element is missing. Go organic. Go Range Raised.

You'll feel better and you'll help stop global warming.

You'll find organic meat to be "gamey" for lack of a better term. Since it's "real meat" rather than steroid stuffed - it tastes better. At least, that's what my meat eating friends tell me after I've educated them about organics vs factory farmed meat.

And again, since it's "real meat" vs steroid stuffed, you'll eat less of it and feel full faster.

Read the following snippet. It should help you avoid factory farmed meats.

From an April 2001 Washington Post article, which describes typical slaughterplant conditions:
****************
The cattle were supposed to be dead before they got to Moreno. But too often they weren't.

"They blink. They make noises," he said softly. "The head moves, the eyes are wide and looking around." Still Moreno would cut. On bad days, he says, dozens of animals reached his station clearly alive and conscious. Some would survive as far as the tail cutter, the belly ripper, the hide puller. "They die, said Moreno, piece by piece..."

"In plants all over the United States, this happens on a daily basis," said Lester Friedlander, a veterinarian and formerly chief government inspector at a Pennsylvania hamburger plant. "I've seen it happen. And I've talked to other veterinarians. They feel it's out of control."
*****

Animals who die on small family farms are treated with compassion.

Answer 4

Tempeh is something you could try.
I know you said Tofu is out but have you tried some of the flavored and smoked tofus available at health food stores? There are also nut loafs...
But for a real beef eater it's hard to get the same texture...shark and swordfish both have a lot of body to them and they can be grilled and broiled much like steak.
Vegetarian mexican food, with the combo of beans and corn giving you your protein is another suggestion.

Answer 5

Seitan, which is wheat gluten. You can find it pre-made at wholefoods or large health food stores. It chews like meat. You can learn to make it yourself at home very cheaply. (try the cookbook "The Accidental Vegan") The veggie meal strips by Morningstar Farms (chicken or beef style) are pretty good. They have garlic and can make you pretty stinky though. If you can get to a healthfood store, Tofurkey Deli Slices are very good for a sandwich. They are better than any of Lightlife brand deli slices (I think, anyway...)

Answer 6

I know exactly what you mean - I love my red meat, and don't like "rabbit food". But my wife tries to get me to cut down by substituting other things (for snacks as well as meals proper) - here's what works for me (in no particular order):
- Ryvita, rice cakes
- Raw organic carrots, sugar snap peas, mange tout
- Swordfish or tuna steaks
- mixed beans and lentils (I find some of these surprisingly "meaty", in some sort of strange way)
- mixed nuts, sesame seeds

Good luck!

Answer 7

As of ten minutes ago, I didnt' know this. But DANG! I just tried a "Primal Strip".... it's a vegan jerky and WOW! TOTAL flavor of beef jerkey, TOTAL texture of jerky (REAL, homemade jerky, not the dried out stuff at the store)... SOOOOO freakin' good! (I've been veggie for 1 1/2 yrs so I still remember what real meat tastes like). This stuff is GOOD! I had two of the guys at work try it and they didn't know it wasn't meat till I told them.

You can get it online (www.veganessentials.com and some other online vegan stores) or I found it at my local food co-op. Online it was like 1.29/ea (it's a single serve strip, like the single serve jerky at the store) but the shipping kills... but the food co-op had it for 1.09. TRY IT!!! YUM!!!

Answer 8

Substitute ground turkey in any dish that you usually use ground beef. I use it in cassaroles, lasagna, chili and all sorts of things and you can't tell the difference.

Answer 9

check out the source link. they have great recipies!!!!! also, a lot of oriental recpies are red meat free but some do have meat.

Answer 10

if its the meaty texture u ccrave go for a dry cooked chicken breast or even duck