A large part of any diet is finding those staples that can be used in a number of different recipes that still taste good without costing too much money. Life can get busy, and sometimes the last thing you want to do when you come home is to drain your tofu and marinate your tempeh, so these pre-made meat alternatives are a big time saver (and sanity saver) and I now have a list of the products that I try to keep in my kitchen at all times for those moments when I want a quick but tasty meal.
I usually always have a frozen form of mince in the freezer for quick meals, but I decided I wanted something a little bit fresher. Vivera for me tends to be a safe bet, with the products being tasty and affordable, and pretty readily available in most supermarkets. The frozen mine out there is always cheaper, hence why I buy it more often, but the Vivera product just has a little bit extra to it which makes it quite a welcome treat sometimes.
The mince pieces themselves are relatively tasteless, so they take on whatever flavour you are adding them to – in my case this is usually a pasta sauce of some kind – which makes them really versatile. Texture wise, these slightly more ‘meaty’ in that they have an ever so slightly rubbery texture to them that makes them slightly chewy. The frozen mince (be it Linda McCartney or the Tesco own brand) can sometimes be quite crumbly, so doesn’t add much by way of texture to a meal, whereas the Vivera pieces do. It also makes it feel more like meat, which is likely going to be a personal preference at the end of it all. I personally don’t like my meat alternatives to be too much like meat, as I was never a fan of the texture that any meat had, but if you want a like for like replica, then the Vivera pieces are as close to mince that I have tried (so far!). I would recommend frying it as directed before adding any liquid to it though, as it does help to firm the mince up and helps it keep it’s shape a texture to be more meaty. If you add too much liquid too quickly I found it can get a little bit too mushy in texture, so just something to keep in mind whilst preparing this.
Price wise, a pack of the mince cost me £2.60 in my local Tesco, and this packet lasted me for the one meal, as I used the whole packet for a meal for my husband and I. I couldn’t see anywhere on the packet saying that it could be frozen, but in any event I have not tried so cannot say whether freezing this makes a difference to the texture or taste of it once defrosted and cooked. If anyone has, do let me know! The product does seem to have quite a long shelf life so it is an easy thing to keep in your fridge just in case you fancy a quick meal or want to add a little bit of extra protein to your meal. Once the packet has been opened, it is best to eat it within two days, at least according to the instructions on the packet.
Taylor Talks Vegan 