The Gourmet-O-Matic tm Protein Substitutions Guide
Protein is the centerpiece of Gourmet-O-Matic tm entrees.In particular, complete proteins are used.
Complete proteins contain the essential amino acids.
Essential amino acids are necessary, i.e., essential, for life and health.
However, they cannot be synthesized by the human body. Therefore, they must be supplied in the diet.
For standard protein portion sizes see The FitnessMed tm Guide To Healthy Eating.
Please note that for the avian sources of protein, breast meat is suggested. It has fewer Calories than "dark" meat. When possible, choose or make the breasts boneless and skinless to save even more Calories.
Even if you are attempting to gain weight, additional Calories from fat, of which there is a fair amount in the skin of poultry, may not be the best way to go.
The Gourmet-O-Matic tm approach is to create interesting meals that are as healthy as possible. This is consistent with the philosophy of The FitnessMed tm Guide To Healthy Eating. Keeping the number of Calories consumed lower is in concert with that, for most people.
As with all Gourmet-O-Matic tm Substitution Guides, the following list is non-exhaustive.
Here is a list of the more common proteins (note, e.g., no emu, ostrich, octopus, etc.) that can be used for main dishes:
Soy:
Tempeh
Textured vegetable protein (TVP)
Tofu
Avian Sources:
Chicken breast
Turkey breast
Eggs
Aquatic Sources:
Finfish and Shellfish:
Crab
Flounder
Grouper
Haddock
Halibut
Lobster
Mackerel
Pike
Salmon
Scallop
Shrimp
Snapper
Sole
Trout
Tuna
4-legged Animals:
Beef
Lamb
Pork
No examples of substitutions are provided since protein entrees are not combinations of food items.
The FitnessMed tm Guide To Healthy Eating explains cooking methods for entrees, standard serving sizes for proteins and how to calculate your caloric needs based on your current and desired weights.
The strategies used by The Gourmet-O-Matic tm can be found in Dr. Applebaum's meal strategy guide, The FitnessMed tm Guide To Healthy Eating. That book contains recipes for over 1 trillion (yes, with a "T") meal combinations.
All of Dr. Applebaum's books can be found here.