Low-Fat & Tasty – Quorn is not JUST for Vegetarians!
I am not a vegetarian, but my parents and sister are, and, I have dallied with vegetarianism in the past, insofar that I cut out meat when I was trying to lose weight several years ago. Nowadays I do enjoy meat, as well as fish, but I also enjoy my meat-free days as well and I often replace the meat in my recipes with suitable Quorn products. I have a strong brand loyalty to Quorn as I first discovered it over sixteen years ago when I was trying to embrace a low-fat and healthier lifestyle. Sixteen years ago there wasn’t as much choice in the range as we have now, but I discovered that I could STILL have my Cottage Pie, Spaghetti Bolognese, spicy and hearty Chilli Con Carne (minus the Carne of course!) as well as fragrant Curries when using Quorn Chicken Style Pieces and Quorn Mince as a substitute for meat, with both products have 85% less fat than most meat and poultry.
I STILL use Quorn products regularly, and I love the Chicken Style Pieces as well as the Mince, two of the original products that I discovered all those years ago, and the most versatile in my opinion for basics such as stews, casseroles, curries, pies, soups and stir-fry recipes. Looking forward to the warmer months when the Barbeque season arrives, I know that I can still have my barbecued sausages and burgers, as can my vegetarian parents, as Quorn produce Cumberland Sausages and Burgers, all meat free of course! The sausages are also very popular in the colder months, with Toad in the Hole, a family favourite, still being on the weekly menu, but a much lower fat version when using Quorn sausages. In fact the BBQ and Grill range of Quorn products offers an amazing and innovative choice now – from plain burgers and bangers to the more exciting Red Leicester & Onion Sausages, Beef style & Sweet Red Onion Burgers to the wonderful sounding Peppered Steaks, who says a veggie Barbie has to be boring!
If you are a vegetarian, Quorn products really add an extra string to you culinary bow, making meals more exciting and interesting; my parents are great cooks, both of them, and they cook fabulous “from scratch” meat free meals with vegetables, lentils, beans and pulses as well as cheese and eggs, but they find that Quorn helps to liven up their meals by offering exciting ingredients and products that can supplement their vegetarian diet, such as ready-made Quorn Pies and Pasties, mini Sausage Rolls and Savoury Eggs, and they can still enjoy a “bacon butty” on a Sunday morning with Quorn’s brilliant bacon style rashers!
Why use Quorn? Quorn makes a healthy substitute for meat if you are watching your weight and fat intake and it’s healthier too – it’s a cholesterol-free source of protein and fibre and essential amino acids. To the vegetarian it’s an important source of protein – without hurting a hair of any animal’s head. To the weight-watcher it’s a way of dramatically reducing fat and calorie intake without trying to survive on soup and salad, and finally, to the food-lover it’s a simple way to make all your favourite meals, healthier. I use it regularly as non-vegetarian and I love the diversity that if offers for exciting meals and as a meat alternative.
What is Quorn? The main constituent of Quorn, Mycoprotein, is a naturally occurring, high quality, healthy form of protein. Quorn is produced using a fermentation process very similar to brewing; only we harvest the solid as opposed to the liquid. This remarkable ingredient is then used as the base for more than 100 different food products ranging from mince to fillets, to ready-made meals and snacks. Unlike other non-meat protein sources, such as soya bean and its derivatives, Quorn has an ability to replicate the taste and texture of meat exceptionally well.
Recipes: Although I like to develop my own recipes, I have found the Quorn website a wonderful source of inspiration for recipes. Some of the recipes that I have made and tried are: QUORN COTTAGE PIE, THAI GREEN CURRY, SWEET & SOUR QUORN & VEGETABLE STIR FRY, QUORN ITALIAN MEATBALLS IN GORGONZOLA SAUCE and as featured on my blog last year, QUORN BALL STROGANOFF. You can find all of these recipes and many more exciting meals that use Quorn here: Quorn Recipe Inspiration. For more general information, visit the site here: Quorn UK. If you have any recipes and photos you would like to share, Quorn has a fabulous Facebook page where you can catch up with all the latest products and “Quorny” news! Click here to take you there: Quorn Facebook
I’ve eaten Quorn before and think it tastes fine as an alternative. It’s good to eat less meat.