p. 6 | Substitutes for Meat by Christina Manson

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Jun 2, 1910

Substitutes for Meat

By Christina Manson

CHRISTINA MANSON

The subject of a non-flesh dietary is becoming a world-wide one, and the query, What shall we eat in place of meat? is the first that the advocate of vegetarianism has to meet. Many persons think they will die of starvation if they give up meat. While this idea is erroneous, it must be remembered that in discarding meat as an article of food, something must be provided to take its place. The body requires three elements to supply nourishment and to keep it in repair,—starch, fats, and albumen. All of these are to be found in the vegetable kingdom in great abundance and in pleasing variety. We take meat to supply albumen, the tissue-building element; and if we suddenly leave it off without finding something equally as good to take its place, we naturally feel the want of that element. There is a certain amount of stimulating matter in meat, which the meat-eater misses when he first adopts a vegetarian diet; but in a very short time an intelligent cook can make the change for her family with satisfactory results.

We must bear in mind that Rome was not built in a day; likewise reforms must be made step by step.

Perhaps a list of some of the foods that can be used as substitutes for meat will be useful to the housekeeper, and will help her to know what to keep in stock for the household. Cereals, rice, macaroni, vermicelli, legumes, eggs, milk, nuts, etc., can be made up in a great variety of appetizing dishes. The prepared nut foods will be found useful in providing meat substitutes. We give also a few recipes which will supply all the nourishment required in place of meat:—

RICE OMELET.—One-half cup rice, one quart milk, one teaspoonful grated onion, one tablespoonful chopped parsley, one-quarter teaspoonful salt, five eggs. Wash the rice, and put it into a pie-dish. Add the milk, also salt, and place in the oven; cook slowly till the rice is quite soft; then remove the skin from the top, add the well-beaten eggs and the seasoning. Stand the dish in another baking-dish, and put into the oven till it is nicely browned on top. Serve with vegetables.

LENTILS BAKED IN TOMATO.—Two cups German lentils, one quart water, one quart tomato purée, and five onions. Soak the lentils overnight. Wash well, and cook in one quart of water. When soft, drain off the water, and pour the lentils into a baking-dish. Fry the onions a rich brown, and add to the lentils. Pour the purée over the lentils, place in the oven, and let simmer or bake one and one-half hours. Any kind of beans can be treated in this way.

SAVORY PATTIES.—Take some left-over food, such as stewed beans, rice, a little soup or gravy, and mix some granola or zwieback crumbs with it. Add seasoning, such as thyme, sage, or parsley, and one grated onion. Mix all well together, and add salt to taste. A little tomato purée is an improvement. Shape into patties, and bake in an oiled pan until a rich brown. Serve with tomato sauce.

MACARONI IN PEAS GRAVY.—One quart water, two cups macaroni, two cups split peas, and four cups water. Cook the macaroni in the water, which must be boiling before the macaroni is put in. When tender, drain off the water; and when the peas are cooked, strain through a fine gravy-strainer, and add to the macaroni. Salt to taste and serve.

RED LENTIL ROAST.—Two cups red lentils, one cup ground walnuts, one teaspoonful each of sage and thyme, two tablespoonfuls grated onion, one cup zwieback crumbs, and one cup tomato purée. Salt to taste. Cook the lentils till tender, rub through the sieve, add the other ingredients, and mix well together. Press into a pie-dish, and bake one hour. Serve with brown gravy or tomato sauce.

RICE-LENTIL ROAST.—One and one-half cups rice, one cup German lentils, two tablespoonfuls nut butter, three eggs, thyme, parsley, and onion to season. Salt to taste. Boil the rice and lentils separately, drain off the liquid, and mix together. Add the other ingredients, and shape into small rolls. Bake in olive-oil, and serve with brown sauce.

SCOTCH PEA LOAF.—Two and one-half cups split peas, one cup zwieback crumbs, one onion grated, three tablespoonfuls chopped parsley. Salt to taste. Soak peas overnight. Wash and boil till tender in just enough water to cover. Drain off all liquid, and rub through a sieve. Mix in the seasoning and crumbs, put into a brick-shaped tin, set in a dish of water, and bake one and one-half hours. Serve hot or cold with mint sauce.

MACARONI AND GRANOLA ROAST.—Two cups macaroni, one cup granola, one quart milk, two tablespoonfuls flour, two eggs, salt. Cook the macaroni in one quart of water. When tender, pour off the water and add the milk. Bring to a boil, and thicken with the flour. Add the eggs, well beaten, and salt to taste. Take some of the macaroni, put into a pie-dish, and sprinkle thickly with the dry granola; then add alternating layers of macaroni and granola till the dish is full. Granola should form the top layer. Bake for half an hour and serve.

Melbourne, Australia.