UKC

My partner is vegetarian. This is normally no problem, but it does mean that when we go backpacking I can't use the classic easy option of bunging loads of chorizo into random meals to make them tastier and more calorific.

Can anyone suggest an alternative?

To be clear, I'm not after something to substitute directly in authentic Spanish dishes or serve up as part of a tapas selection - more something that's rich, intensely flavoured and more than 400 kcal per hundred grams that I can fry up and stick in a bowl of flavoured cous cous for a bit of added zing.

Thanks!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

You know there is quorn chorizo? Available form supermarkets.

You local vegan supermarket, will have other varieties. You can also get standard quorn sausages slice them and fry them in paprika and garlic for a similar effect.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

I'm veggie and am a big fan of walnuts and cashews to pimp food. Calories and umami to boot.

In reply to dread-i:

Yeah, I've seen Quorn versions, but they've all been annoyingly healthy. Part of the benefit of the real thing is the massive calorie density, and most veggie food brands don't seem to be interested in gratuitously pumping their chorizo-style-sausages full of fat for the benefit of backpackers. For some reason.

In reply to dread-i:


Tastes like crap though IMHO

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Cheese.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Halloumi?

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Calorie-wise, and in descending order:

Oil;
Nuts & seeds;
Nut butter;
Dark chocolate.

Not sure you'll find something which will do the same as chorizo in the sense of being highly calorific & really intensely flavoured in quite the same way.

Your partner might be better off getting calories from nut butter and/or nuts (my favourite is a to bung a load of hazelnut butter in porridge) in a different meal.

I guess you could try chocolate in cous-cous
: /

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Only ting to add into couscous is some fish if your partner eats it - tinned fish is ideal

Otherwise try providing calories etc by munching down on a load of nut or sweets afterwards - these for example

https://www.amazon.com/Haribo-Sugar-Free-Gummy-Bears/product-reviews/B008JE...

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Shitloads of extra virgin olive oil with whatever herbs or spices you want. Or ghee. Lots of ghee.

In reply to marsbar:

Casu marzu?













No, No, how can anyone eat it?!

In reply to subtle:

Sadly, fish is out too.

I think a big wedge of cheese is probably the answer.

In reply to Chive Talkin\':


I really like it (Quorn Chorizo), but then it's been 30 years since I've tasted meat sausages. Linda McCartney make the best veggie sausage IMHO, but also like Tivoli cocktail sausages - very easy to chuck in when cooking pasta.

In reply to subtle:

Just how are those sugar free sweets going to help "add" calories? Maybe your having a laugh just as your profile says?!

Reminds me of this yet again http://singletrackworld.com/2009/02/the-picolax-thread-returns/ !!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

or tubes of condensed milk for sweet after the main meal - adds calories and doesn't weigh that much

or nuts and cheese as you say

or two separate meals (wouldn't advise this)

In reply to Chris the Tall:


I eat quite a lot of vegetarian stuff (I'm not veggie) and used to eat loads of Quorn products , however I've really gone off the sausages. The price also puts me off nowadays.
I agree I also prefer Linda McCartney sausage.
Then again the Cauldron sausages aren't to bad quite a dense texture and filling.

I was going to suggest these to the OP.

In reply to Chive Talkin\':

A few years ago Cauldron did something to their sausages and I can't stand them now. Never been keen on Quorn sausages, but I do quite like the chorizo.

My problem with Quorn is that they try to hard to make it meat-like - part of reason I went veggie is that I don't like the texture of meat !

(Sorry to the OP for hijacking the thread)

In reply to Chris the Tall:


I've not tried them for a few years .
I'll have to give them ago again and see whats changed.

In reply to Chive Talkin\':


Veggie sausages are fine as far as they go - we sometimes carry them for breakfasts - but even the best ones tend to be big wodges of bland-ish relatively low-calorie stodge, whereas I'm ideally after something rich, intensely flavoured and calorie-dense.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Of the veggie sausages mentioned the Linda McCarthy ones seemed to me to be the most full of fat, after cooking them there was always more fat lying around in the frying pan, under the grill etc. Might want to check the packaging for the fat content though, personally we eat either the quorn or cauldron ones as i think they taste nicer. Cheese wise paneer and halloumi fry well, keep their shape and taste nice.

In reply to RX-78:
I think they're a bit more calorific than Quorn or Cauldron, but still in the general category of heavy stodge.

To answer my own thread a bit, other things that we've tried carrying are sundried tomatoes - the Merchant Gourmet ones in resealable packs, I think - which aren't that calorific but are quite a good way of adding a bit of flavour to stuff, and pine nuts, which you can toast on a pan lid and then stir in for a bit of texture and little extra hit of calories.

Pre-packed croutons aren't bad, either.

In reply to Lusk:

Ewwwwwwww

In reply to marsbar:

On the plus side, it can probably carry itself, which helps to keep the pack weight down.

(My little sister had it a couple of times when she was living in Sardinia. I'm not sure that I'd dare myself...)

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Paprika

In reply to Ramblin dave:

I've never tried it but honey and chilly coated nuts could go in with something hot and add some flavour and texture.
I checked some cashews and they claim 545 Kcal/100g so meets your criteria.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Mexicana (brand) cheese is pretty good.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Chili and some smoked paprika powder

In reply to Ramblin dave:


Surely the beauty of using Chorizo in this manner is that you can continue to add chorizo to your portion and your partner can add the vegetarian alternative of their choice tpo their portion?

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Ask and you shall receive:

http://www.animalaidshop.org.uk/chocolate/confectionery/spacebar-chorizo-sa...

I haven't tried it (can't do wheat and its made of seitan) but might do the job? Doesn't need to be kept in the fridge.

In reply to Ramblin dave:


I know what you're saying.

What about the nut option as mentioned earlier.
Pine nuts perhaps?
Should be calorie dense and a good texture.

TWS

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Peperami, is veggie isn't it?

In reply to felt:

Not really calorie dense though.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Look no further than Taifun Beechwood-smoked Tofu. Nothing like the standard stuff and answers all your demands to a T, exc the calorie/gram one (just eat a bit more, or add calorie-rich cashews).
https://www.goodnessdirect.co.uk/cgi-local/frameset/detail/419177_Taifun_Be...

In reply to marsbar:

Sorry, I realised that before your reply, deleted and amended it.

In reply to felt:

No problem.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Have you tried sosmix? also all the Tival products are great although they probably need to be frozen or eaten on day 1

In reply to Ramblin dave:

This ticks all boxes (helped by dollops of vegetable shortening), but is an afternoon in the kitchen. http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2015/02/vegan-chorizo-food-lab-recipe.ht...

All Serious Eats' recipes have been winners for me.

In reply to Ramblin dave:

Parmesan works well. Good level of taste and calories

In reply to Ramblin dave:
Get a load of plain cashews, roast in the oven for 20 minutes and then take them out and toss them in tamari (or soy sauce) and a dash of chilli .....once cooled down they keep well and taste great.

In reply to MonkeyPuzzle:


I love the Serious Eats recipes, and the scientific approach they take. They have a book out in case you didn't know - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Food-Lab-Cooking-Through-Science/dp/0393081087

In reply to Ramblin dave:

This stuff's amazing - http://www.veganoo.net/2013/01/review-tofu-king-spicy-tofu.html

Not at all like the watery blocks you get in the supermarkets. VERY spicy though.

In reply to MonkeyPuzzle:

Is ghee vegetarian....?

In reply to Phil Anderson:

That does look pretty fantastic, despite the missed opportunity to call it "Tofu King Hot". I'll look out for it next time I'm in a Chinese supermarket.

It looks suspiciously healthy, though - more like home food than backpacking food. What's the magic calories-per-hundred-grams number?

In reply to GrahamD:



But generally not vegetarian... Sainsbury's "Italian Hard Cheese" is however. I think for it to be actual parmesan it ain't veggie.

In reply to stubbed:


It's clarified butter - so yes

In reply to krikoman:


They explicitly state that It's a Bit of an Animal. But are suspiciously coy about which bit.

In reply to Ramblin dave:


Gold!!

In reply to Ramblin dave:

The tofurky andouille sausages are very strongly flavoured and would make a good chorizo substitute. 270 calories per sausage, not sure if that's high enough?

In reply to Ramblin dave:


Not great I'm afraid... You'll need to add calories another way - I use cashew nuts and plenty of them. In terms of textural contrast and flavour though it really does the job.

In reply to psaunders:


It is if you have four.