I would like a recipe for a meat-substitute for toddlers (15-18 months
old - they don't have molars yet).  I'm looking for foods I can
prepare and then store (pantry, fridge or freezer) and then heat and
serve as I would meat (for instance to serve in place of fish fingers
or hamburger rissoles) as part of their main meal.

It should be tasty, healthy, plant-based, and non-wheat; made from
ingredients readily available in Australian metropolitan areas; and
able to be made at home with ordinary household equipment.  (Aussie
cities sell about the same sort of thing all cities sell, I'm
guessing).

An example of a great answer would be a recipe for tasty, textured
cutlets or rissoles that feature a combination of vegetables, seeds,
legumes and nuts that are high in iron, protein, calcium, vitamin B12
and so on, and not too high in fibre (ie that mimicks or approximates
the nutritional qualities of meat)

What I'm not looking for: 
-  general info on balanced diet for vegetarian toddlers and the need
for use of high-protein meat substitutes (eggs, dairy, beans etc).
- suggestions for vege (cooked or raw) or fruit pieces, recipes for
crackerbreads with, rusks and so on.  I'm not looking for simple
finger food options like this, but the recipe for a main meal meat
substitute (high in protein, iron, vitamin B12 etc - ideally all of
those things)
- I'm not looking for recipes for muffins, cakes, or other snack foods
- The recipe should not feature eggs or dairy items, nor wheat
products such as bread, pasta, breadcrumbs, wheatflour.
- It should not feature large pieces of nut or other hard pieces that
present a choking hazard to young toddlers.
- I'm not looking for vegetable purees or mashes or cereals.  I'm
looking for something that they can hold  (or hold small pieces of) in
their chubby little fingers to eat.

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Clarification of Question by chocolatehardhat-ga on 15 Feb 2005 01:12 PST

While the recipe should not *feature* wheat, dairy or eggs, it can
include *small* amounts of these eg for binding.  So for instance a
recipe that includes tablespoons or fractions of a cup (or one to two
eggs) of these ingredients for a make and freeze quantity would be
fine.  What I'm trying to avoid is recipes where these constitute a
main ingredient (eg nut cutlets that include 1 cup nuts, 1 cup
breadcrumbs, 1/2 cup cheese).

Also, I'm not necessarily looking to make the whole thing from
wholefoods.   I can easily buy things like tofu, TVP alternatives, nut
butters and so on.  I don't need to start with the soybeans.  I'm also
happy to buy as a main ingredient a commercial meat-substitute
"Sanitarium soy schnitzel" or "not pepperoni" type stuff.  - I'm just
having a hard time finding one (in Sydney, Australia) that isn't
wheat-based.

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Request for Question Clarification by librariankt-ga on 17 Feb 2005 06:31 PST

Hi there!

I have a few questions for you:

- Do you want only finger-food type things?  I.e., no chilis, etc?
- I've found several recipes that include "meat substitute" as an
ingredient.  Is that acceptable, or do you need more details?


Librariankt

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Clarification of Question by chocolatehardhat-ga on 17 Feb 2005 20:23 PST

Hi there,
I'm looking only for finger food at this stage.  Something that they
can hold onto and munch (and that I don't have to stand there and
spoon in).

"Meat substitute" needs to be a bit more specific (eg TVP, tofu etc) 
1) so that I know what to buy (and can check it is available in Sydney)
2) so the recipe as a whole can meet the nutritional criteria
mentioned in the question.

That's a tough one.  Most meat substitutes are produced in large
factories, and do not really lend themselves to DIY.

I have a few resources I can turn to, though, so I'll see what I can uncover.

-Chromedome

Have you considered using recipes the would normally use breadcrumbs
as a binding agent (for burgers or the like) and substituting
gluten-free bread? Might be a bit expensive though.

Another thought is to substitute the bread component with a bean mash
of some sort - might work? Or blending dry TVP down to a smaller more
bread-crumb like consitency.