Meatless "Chicken" Strips

Although these are quite expensive, I do keep some on hand because they are so convenient. The Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Veggie Chicken Strips are regularly priced over $11 a pound, but Safeway often has them on sale for $3.50, which brings them in at a more tolerable $7 a pound.

Trader Joe's Chicken-Less Strips are 2.99 for a half pound package. They taste remarkably like the Morningstar Farms chicken strips. And there's a reason: both products are made by Gardein.

I haven't personally used Quorn products, but they were recommended in recipes from the late, great vegetarian restaurant Tipu's Tiger in Missoula, Montana. Tipu's Tiger was a wonderful restaurant, and if Quorn is good enough for them, that's all the recommendation I need. Originally sold in health food stores, it was slow to show up in grocery stores, but is now available at QFC (Kroger), Albertsons and Fred Meyer stores.

I use these faux chicken strips not only in recipes calling for chicken, but in any recipe calling for white meat, including pork and white-fleshed fish.

If you prefer not to use meat substitutes, garbanzo beans can be used instead.