Golden Delicious – trying vegetarian on for size

Last year I tried a few methods to help me feel fuller for longer.

On my quest to find healthy alternative ingredients to fit in with our lifestyle, can sometimes prove difficult, as we all love meat in our diet.

Which is why, when I was offered the opportunity to sample Seba’s Golden Goodness Soya range, I jumped at the opportunity, whereas Sam was a little hesitant. But, thankfully, I’ve made dishes in the past, not told him the ingredients and no problems have been had.

To the unknown

Soya is high in protein and often used in vegetarian and vegan diets, as well as a lactose alternative for many foods. You’ll often find it in Asian recipes as soya transcended its Asian origins to become the most widely cultivated legume across the globe.

Often those who avoid animal products, use soya as a valuable source of nutrition. Enjoyed by people of all ages, and may even provide some with health benefits. The soya beans contain protein that is of a similar quality to the protein found in meat and dairy.

Unlike other varieties of plant milk, the quantity and quality of protein in soya milk is similar to cows’ milk. Young children, athletic individuals and people over 65 have higher protein needs, so it’s important that all their meals contain good sources. Including soya beans, soya milk and yoghurt, tofu and soya mince helps to ensure that a vegan diet is rich in high quality plant protein.

Other benefits of Soya:

Low fat – low in fat with zero cholesterol and an excellent source in fibre

Omega-3 fat acids – it contains essential omega-3 fats which assist in maintaining a healthy heart

Minerals– It provides our bodies with all the essential elements and minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, protein and selenium.

Ailments – helps reducing the risk of various ailments including cancer, heart disease and osteoporosis.

Protein – it’s the only vegetarian food that is complete protein and contains all essential amino acids.

Sampling Recipes

In this post, you’ll see two dishes I created. Admittedly it was a bit of a challenge, because unlike my usual recipes, I couldn’t exactly throw anything in. Fresh vegetables, herbs and spices, was fine, but creating a sauce using ingredients that didn’t involve my usual taste for stock cubes, was a little weird. But the overall experience has been fun. At least I tried it and I quite enjoyed it.

It was also a bonus that my friend and her son stayed for the weekend when I sampled them, as her toddler can’t eat diary and isn’t a fan of meat. If I can’t please his budding tastebuds and Sam’s or even trick Emily into a new meaty alternative, then my cooking days may very well be over.

Deciding what to make was the trickiest part. Creating a recipe with soya mince wasn’t a problem at all, but creating a recipe using soya pieces, now that was a challenge.

Golden Goodness Tasty Soya Mince Spaghetti Bolognese

I had originally decided to make meatballs, as I was making a back up pot of my own spaghetti & meatball, just in case, but soya mince is a difference consistency to that of meat mince. Because of this I made a spaghetti bolognese instead and to my surprise it was tastier than I expected.

Preparation: 5 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 135ml cold water
• 90g Golden Delicious Soya Mince
• 1/4 courgette, chopped into chunks

• 1 tsp garlic granules
• 1 whole tomato, chopped
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 1/4 red pepper, chopped
• 1/4 courgette, chopped
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 250g tomato & garlic passata

Method:

Gather all your ingredients together. The soya mince looks a little like oddly shaped cereal pieces.

Pour the soya mince into 135ml of water in a deep pot and stir. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Whilst the soya is cooking, blitz your veggies in a food processor.

After a few minutes, add a little oil and the ingredients with the pouch found inside the packet of mince and stir. You’ll see it start to thicken. Gently simmer for 5 minutes, then pour in the passata, season to taste and serve with spaghetti and a delicious fresh salad.

Sesame Soya Pieces

Last Tuesday was Chinese New Year. As millions the world over celebrated the year of the pig, we had our own mini toast to the Spring Festival, as I made a delicious quick and easy chicken stir fry and these Soya pieces.

Preparation: 2 minutes

Cooking: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 90g tasty soya pieces

• 1/4 courgette, diced
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1/4 red pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• Salt and pepper to season
• Sesame seeds

Method:

Pour the soya mince into 350ml of water in a deep pot and stir. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

Whilst the soya pieces are cooking, prepare your vegetables, add to the pot with a little sesame oil and the ingredients with the pouch found inside the packet. Stir until the mixture starts to thicken.

Gently simmer for 5 minutes, then pour in the sweet chilli sauce and stir. Serve with rice and your choice of sides. Season with sesame seeds.

Enjoy.

Would I eat Golden Goodness again?

I would definitely eat the Soya mince again. I’ve enjoyed it a few times this week for lunch. The Soya pieces with the Chinese inspired flavours worked well. It’s definitely a product I’ll experiment with again, adding new flavours and tastes. I’d like to try it with a few other cuisines too, keep an eye out on my blog for future recipes to come.

The Soya range has been better than I thought and works well if you’re short on time too. It has opened my mind to eating Soya and trying some other vegetarian or vegan alternative recipes.

This vegan range can be found in the World Food Aisle in selected Sainsbury’s stores across the U.K. for just £1.50, which is a bargain considering how expensive some soya prices can be.

Disclosure- I was sent these products for the purpose of this review. All words, opinions and pictures are my own.