KILLING OFF QUORNS INSTEAD OF COWS (Quorn Mince)

Name: thingywhatsit

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Product:	Quorn Mince
Date:	09.09.07 (248 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good protein value for vegetarians.

Disadvantages: Tasteless unless spiced up.

In an effort to find products which contain more protein for a member of the family who is vegetarian, I have been trying different Quorn products, and giving the concept of quorn a second look since the modernisation of ideas and presentation to the public in supermarkets, rather than being a specialised kind of food that can only be bought in health food shops. The quorn range is quite amazing, though for this review, the product in question is Quorn mince.

It comes in a frozen pack, and here it's quite useful that you can re-cover the pack and put back in the freezer, since the quantity of 350 grams is rather a lot of product for one solitary dish. I have to admit to having been skeptical about using this on past experience of quorn, though times change and things get better, and the presentation was promising, as I opened the pack and found something that actually resembled mince in texture and color, instead of the old fashioned quorn which lacked color.

The advantages of using quorn of this nature are not only from the protein point of view, as these products can be used by people who wish to cut down on fats. Mince is usually quite heavy in fat content, so it seemed logical that it would not only do my husband good, but would benefit me as well.

When thawed, the quorn can be used in many ways. Here, I found that binding it together to make burgers was a little tedious and unecessary, since Quorn also have burgers in their food range which actually taste better than home made ones (or at least the ones I make). For those dishes where spices are used, this quorn mince excels though I have my doubts as to whether it is the quorn product that gives the dishes made the taste factor, since without adding spices and flavors, the mince is very bland.

For shepherds pies, I found that by mixing with a tomato puree with a little chilli added, the effect was quite good, and taste factor improved, though on it's own, the taste is disappointing. The texture of the quorn is that of dry mince, and a little gritty if anything, although if it helps up the protein for a vegetarian, can be made into worthwhile dishes.

Being fair and honest, I am more keen on other products produced by the same company, because what they seem to have recognised is that just because a person is vegetarian, it doesn't mean that they don't want taste and the chicken style products are much more delicious than this mince, although it's handy for spontaneous cooking.

The carbohydrate levels of the product are low, though there is a good quantity of fiber which may be lacking from the vegetarian diet. It is important to balance out vegetarian diet, and the price of not doing so is that the body lacks all those vital proteins that help to make the bones stronger. Here, speaking from experience, we found that by upping the levels of protein, many of the signs and symptoms of osteoporosis that are common in vegetarians after a certain age were aided, when coupled with good walking exercise, and what vegetarians often forget is that even if they do not need meat, their bodies do need regular protein.

The quorn does make a decent pasty. Here, using vegetables and a little sauce to add taste, I was able to produce some fairly respectable pasties.

I wasn't that impressed with the mince. I have to be honest that unless you spice it up, it's chewy and tasteless, though spiced up, it makes a good substitute for meals where protein would normally be provided and the pack that costs around £2.50 (here in France, though I suspect much less in the UK), makes about 3 individual meals, which isn't bad value when you consider the price of meat.

Taste : 2/10
Ease of use : 8/10
Cost per meal : 8/10

Summary: A product to fall back on for spontaneous vegetarian cooking.