At considerable expense (a truckload of birdseed) we have engaged the services of a preeminent vegan food taster. With years of experience developing a discriminating gullet and a keen ability to peck out the best as well as the worst, our VeggieTaster will warble brutal honesty in evaluating vegan food products.
The tastings of this renowned authority are compiled in the VeggieTaster Report, an ongoing feature of Vegetarians in Paradise. Check back frequently to keep up to date on the latest tastings.
The VeggieTaster's Newest Ratings
EAT MEATI CLASSIC CUTLETS
VITALITE DAIRY FREE PLANT BASED CHEDDAR STYLE SLICES
NATURE'S FYND DAIRY-FREE CREAM CHEESE CHIVE & ONION
OMNI PLANT-BASED MEAT-STYLE LUNCHEON
GOOD CATCH PLANT-BASED CRAB CAKES NEW ENGLAND STYLE
CHI ORGANIC PLANT-BASED GROUND PORK ORIGINAL!
COMPARING IMPOSSIBLE, BEYOND, AND FRESH SAUSAGES
FRESH PLANT-BASED SAUSAGES BRATWURST
GOOD CATCH PLANT-BASED SALMON BURGERS CLASSIC STYLE
The VeggieTaster rating system is strictly for the birds with five birds for the highest and one for the lowest. Ratings appear at the end of each item.
Soaring with the Eagles
Chirping in Close Harmony
Winging It
Cruising at Low Altitude
Fell Out of the Nest
Chicken and Turkey Substitutes
Cookies, Pies, Cakes, and Candy
Got a couple of friends coming over so went prowling the freezer case for a fun and easy appetizer. Spotted the perfect thing--an 8.8-ounce package of Gardein Mini Crispy Crabless Cakes that contained 10 little round cakes. It was a great choice. Perfect finger food, couldn't be easier to heat them up, looked tempting, and tasted yum and a half! They were crispy on the outside, melt-in-the mouth moist and tender inside, and flavorful. It was no big deal to stir up some tartar sauce. In record time, we polished them off and licked our fingers--that's how good they were. Here's the data for 3 pieces: calories 130, total fat 6g, sodium 300 mg, protein 9g. Just wish the ingredient list were shorter and all the ingredients were more familiar.
Oooh! Lucky me! I am basking in a sea of Monterey Farms ArtiHearts and lovin' it like crazy! They come in Grilled, Buffalo, Herbal, and Natural flavors and are cut into bite-size chunks. Each package holds 6-ounces of ready-to-eat flavored artichoke hearts that are to-die-for. Honest! I'm even licking my fingers to take advantage of every tidbit. The package suggests ways to cook them and use your favorite dip or dressing, but why spoil a good thing? They're perfect just they way they are. On second thought, they'd be great in a salad or on a vegan pizza -- yum!
Searching for something vegan and gourmet for a small party, I lucked out with Canaan Foods-Elianni, a brand that makes the coolest Veggie Pate I've ever met. How about organic, vegan, kosher, and gluten-free, too! Ordered the Mushroom, Vegetable, Red Pepper-Olive, Peppercorn, and Vegetable flavors and man! Were they a hit! Needed plenty of crackers! These are the creamiest, smoothest pates with most alive flavors you can imagine. That first bite was Nirvana. So was the second and third. Licked my fingers and so did everyone else! Small cans 4.4 ounces but they go a long way. You can love it, too online at http://www.toeatwell.com
Was on a hunt in my favorite natural food market looking for something to give my morning oatmeal a little more zing and came across Califia Farms Almond Milk Creamer in the fridge case. Hmmm, it had coconut and vanilla in it and sounded like a great possibility. Tried it as a topping next morning and absolutely loved, loved. loved it from the first bite of oatmeal to the last!!!! It was quite sweet, yet has only 2g sugar. It's made from a base of almond milk and coconut cream, so it's really rich tasting, yet has only 1g total fat. The 1-quart carton says dairy, soy, gluten, GMO, cholesterol, and carrageenan free and only 15 calories per serving. It's even kosher! Not bad, I would say, and it gives the cereal a nice, creamy boost. It even tasted great over a little bowl of chopped fruit. Now I'll give it a try in my coffee! It's gotta be great!
Ho, Ho, Ho! 'tis the season for a 1-quart carton of So Delicious Coconut Milk Holiday Nog! And what a treat it is! I love it so much I could drink a ton of it! Couldn't resist pouring some of it into my morning coffee and it was yum! Then, after dinner I had a cup of half coffee, half Holiday Nog, and a little shot of rum. Now that's some real holiday celebrating! This stuff is invigorating!!! And straight from the carton is pretty awesome, too. The nog is made from coconut milk, coconut cream, cane sugar, nutmeg (of course), and thickeners made from guar gum and xanthan gum. A 1/2-cup contains 90 calories, 2g total fat, 2g saturated fat, and 15g sugar. Time to celebrate a great year!
I love kombucha and love, love, love tasting the terrific varieties that find their way into the markets where I shop. Today it was the 14-ounce bottle of Humm Lemon Ginger Kombucha that caught my eye. The bottle said it was raw and organic with live cultures--sounded great and tasted zesty and alive!! I was surprised to see organic green tea and organic black tea in the ingredient list, and the flavors blended perfectly with the kombucha culture, organic lemon juice and organic ginger juice. It was a great choice. Those happy little bubbles of live cultures are full of life and gave me a happy lift. It's GMO free, USDA organic, and gluten-free and tasty to the max!
One of the neatest thirst quenchers I've ever laid my hands on might be a surprise to practically everyone--would you believe there is such a thing as a 12-ounce bottle of Drink Maple Water, a pure liquid that comes right from the maple tree with nothing else added--how cool is that! It's certified organic, non-GMO, and kosher. Best thing is it's delicious, light, and really refreshing and only had 30 calories. This could be a regular thing on my shopping list! It's water, so it's fat-free and sodium-free and even has 4% of your daily calcium requirement.
I rarely buy fruit or vegetable juices, but I was curious about the straw-colored Sol-ti Gingermade in a tall 12.5-ounce bottle. It's a winner! Great flavor and that punchy wallop of ginger really made my day--no kidding. I didn't even chill it--it was room temp by the time I got to it, and it was still terrific. It's got apple, ginger, and lemon--that's all! How could anyone go wrong? Ginger is great for the digestion, they say. 100 calories, 304mg potassium, 31mg carbs, but note it has 22g sugar.
I love kombucha--can't get enough of the stuff, especially Brew Dr. Kombucha by Townshend's Tea Company. And what's not to love about it? It comes in a 14-ounce bottle that's colored dark brown to protect the probiotics inside. Even more impressive are the ingredients listed on the bottle--they're non-GMO, gluten-free, and USDA certified organic. The raw, organic ingredients include oolong tea, cane sugar, currants, elderberries, hibiscus, rose hips, and live cultures. It's got plenty of fizzy life in it, and it's very delicious and refreshing. In my book, it's a winner!
Been out all day doing errands and discovered some totally neat liquid refreshment in a 10-ounce bottle of pretty green Matchabar Apple Ginger Matcha. The matcha part is real green tea with the addition of fuji apple juice, organic lemon juice, organic cane sugar, organic ginger extract, and organic flavors. All non-GMO and gluten-free, the matcha treat gave me the perfect pick-me-up with 180 mg of caffeine and none of the usual jangling punch of caffeine from coffee. I would definitely put this on my shopping list and buy it again.
It was mid-day, and I was prepared for a little thirst quencher with my fridge-cooled 14.5-ounce bottle of Good Farms Cold-Pressed Organic Strawberry Juice. What a treat and what a great refresher! It's also pretty darned cooling on a warm day--it's non-GMO, has no preservatives, and I could actually taste the real strawberries. The only other ingredients include water, agave, and lemon juice, so no long list of unpronounceable additives here. The whole bottle has only 80 calories and 0 fat. It went down fast and happy and gave me the perfect afternoon lift with its 70 mg potassium and delicious strawberry richness. Here's some neat facts that don't appear on the bottle: It's Fair-Trade Certified, Responsibly Grown Farmworker Assured (EFI-info.org), and the company pays the farm workers a share of the profits above and beyond their normal wages. Here's another gem: The company uses strawberries that would be considered ugly fruit and often tossed away--so it's a win-win, no-waste product.
I'm always game to try alternatives when it comes to what sort of non-milk product to pour on my oatmeal and found a great choice--Veggemo Veggiemilk Vanilla flavor. It was lavishly thick and creamy--possibly the creamiest of the brands I've ever tasted. Loved it, and how can you miss--it's made from pea protein, tapioca starch and potato starch so it's lactose-free, gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO, cholesterol-free, and totally vegan. It's even kosher! Nutrition-wise, 1 cup has 6g protein, 2g fiber, and 2g total fat.
Discovered the perfect thirst-quencher in a 12-ounce bottle of WTRMLN WTR! That's "watermelon water" plus a touch of lemon that's rockin' refreshing when you need to gulp down something wet that's actually 100% juice made from watermelon flesh, watermelon rind, and organic lemon. All the company took out was the tough skin that I would have thrown out anyway if I cut up a fresh watermelon. Trust me--downing a bottle of this is sweet in many ways and much easier than chopping up the darned thing yourself. It's the best after a workout and great after a long hike--two things I really like to do. Best part is the natural electrolytes and 740 mg of potassium in every bottle. You don't have to look hard to find it--it's all over the place!
After attending too many meetups, parties, and foodie gatherings, I felt the need for a detox. I hunted down Leap Smoothies and chose three flavors--Green Revive, Red Power, and Blue Zeal so I could take one a day for 3 days. Directions were simple "Shake it in 12 ounces of water or nut milk." First day I drank a Red Power smoothie made from several organic berries. Tasted great, but it would be better to label these "beverages" rather than "smoothies." The Blue Zeal was disappointing, but the Green Revive is terrific. Here's the deal: these "smoothies" are not the usual ultra-sweet, thick and creamy dessert smoothies you would find in a vegan cafe. Instead, they're simply made of pure, certified organic, non-GMO raw fruits and vegetables that were dried and powdered and put into pouches weighing about 2 ounces. There's not a preservative in sight and there's no sugar or sweetener of any sort--they're very cool and really really healthy. It was just what I needed, but I must add--these beverages might not be everyone's favorite list because they're not a "dessert." One more cool thing--1% of every sale goes to a global non-profit to protect the planet.
You're Never in a Pickle with This Pickle Juice
Almost too cool for words, a shot of Extra Strength Pickle Juice from The Pickle Juice Company had me wanting to gulp down more of this stuff! It's so goooood! Guess it's a blast for athletes, too. The 2.5-ounce bottle said it gives those pumping-iron dudes neural inhibitors and 10X more electrolytes! Good, yes? Here's what the company suggests: "Drink prior to or during exercise to prevent muscle cramps. Drink at onset of muscular discomfort to stop muscle cramps." That's great to know! I just dug the taste of it. Imagine taking those sour pickles, juicing them up, and then straining off the juice. Well, that's what it seemed like, but you sure get that unmistakable taste of pickles. The good part--no calories and no fat. Not so good is that those 2 ounces hit you with 470 grams of sodium. Maybe I'll just make it a once-in-a-while treat.
A warm day and a dry thirsty throat led me to buy GoodBelly Probiotics Sparkling Drink Lemon Ginger flavor. This 16-ounce bottle is a pretty clean drink made from water, organic pear juice, lemon juice, ginger and an awesome 20 billion probiotic cultures. It's perfect for a health nut like me. Loved its bubbly nature and especially the zesty and refreshing lemony-ginger flavor. And those probiotic cultures are terrific for everyone's digestive system--what's not to like?
Was planning to make a hot spiced punch for the holidays and spotted a package of Melissa's Dried Mulling Spices in the market. I knew I had hit the jackpot! This was a divine mixture of spices that included cinnamon, cloves, orange peel, and allspice--far better than the 2 sticks of cinnamon I would have done. This little 2-ounce package made my hot fruity punch practically sing "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas!" Dropped it into about a quart of boiling water and let it simmer about 10 minutes. Then added the liquid, spices and all, to the fruit and juice mixture and voila! I served my guests a fabulous spiced punch and we all had a Merry Little Christmas, thanks to Melissa's!
This impressive high protein True Solution Nutrition Shake makes a tasty base for a morning smoothie. Tossed it into the blender and added a banana and a couple of handfuls of frozen blueberries and gave it a whirl. Went down smooth and easy--couldn't be more convenient, and would you believe it's got 17 grams of protein in only 11 ounces? This high-protein shake is great for my friend who just had jaw surgery and is wired shut for a whole month. All he can eat is liquid. This is just what he needs--and it's made from pea protein--not dairy or soy and is gluten-free. Come to think of it, this is perfect nourishment for anyone who has chewing issues.
Who would believe a beverage labeled Oat Works could possibly taste good? It didn't sound good, but the delicious Peach-Mango oat-powered fruit smoothie worked like magic to win me over. Actually it's a savvy fruit smoothie that has soluble fiber from oats to hit you with a dose of something actually healthy. The smoothie is 100% juice that's gluten-free, vegan, non-GMO, and kosher. It contains no added sugar and nothing artificial, just the well-hidden oats that you wouldn't even know were there. Tucked the 12-ounce bottle in the fridge and loved it totally--great refresher and energy booster with only 170 calories and not a drop of fat. Way cool!
Never been a coffee drinker, but I found Vanilla Nut Herbal Coffee, one heckofa cup of "tea" made by Teeccino. Really cool thing is it comes in tea bags so I didn't need a coffer maker, which I don't have anyway. Loved the flavor--it wasn't bitter like real coffee, but had a hint of sweetness hidden behind the assertive roasted barley taste that jumps right out in front. That's what was so yummy, and the ingredients knocked me over--it's mostly grains, nuts, and fruit. Cool, right? The tea bags come in a ton of flavors I have on my list to try.
Oatmeal with So Delicious Almond Plus Almondmilk Vanilla Flavor sounded so good I had to try it. Honestly, it really IS So Delicious and made that same old bowl of oatmeal come alive with flavor that actually zings! It's got a little touch of sweetness, but not too much, and the vanilla flavor is great. The best part is that it really tasted like almonds. Yeah, man, never enjoyed oatmeal so much! I'm keeping this stuff on my regular shopping list. It's pretty healthy, too, with only 8 grams of sugar, 2 grams total fat, and 5 grams of protein for an 8-ounce serving. Didn't use it all on the cereal and loved drinking the rest!
Combining coconut water with aloe vera isn't my idea of a delicious and refreshing drink--doesn't aloe go on sunburns?--but Coco Exposed coconut water with aloe vera, passion fruit, and pineapple is a game changer. The combo of the subtle coconut flavor with the just barely sweet tropical fruits feels like an indulgence, but it's only 60 calories for nearly 12 ounces. Also, the aloe vera pulp adds an inviting mouth feel, sort of like drinking bubble or boba tea, except that it's healthy for you and, the texture is more like really soft, small lychees. Even more of a turn-on are all the flavors to try--mango and mangosteen, pomegranate and cranberry, pink grapefruit and lemon, and some that sound really weird, like wheatgrass and goji berry and lychee.
"Nature is smarter than science," is what the neat little 11-ounce carton of ZICO Pure Coconut Water says. And they're not kidding. Drinking this coconut water is just like opening one of those conical-shaped young coconuts and drinking right from the source. And it's so refreshing to read the ingredients list and find only 100% natural coconut water. Gotta admit it's really good chilled. Decided it keep a few on hand for car travel. Beside the pure taste, it's jammin' with 670 mg of potassium, 40 mg of calcium, and 25 mg of magnesium. And that's all natural!
Silk Live! Smoothie made by White Wave Foods cranks with great fruity flavors, but I really dug their cool, tangy peach. These smoothies are thick and creamy to the limit, and hey! they even have live cultures. Cooler still, they're dairy-free and kosher. You can use them as a pick-me-up, but I scarfed mine down for lunch and finished with a piece of fruit--felt so healthy and energized I buzzed through the afternoon without a hunger pang. Of course, with 7 g protein, 3 g fiber, and 220 calories for a 10-ounce bottle that lists between 10 and 35 percent DV for Vitamin C, Iron, Vitamin E, Niacin, Folate, Biotin, Phosphorous, Magnesium, and Manganese, why would I need a snack?
If I could sing like a pop star I'd belt out words like rich, thick and luxurious in five-part harmony. But hey, forget my voice--it stinks. On the other hand, Living Harvest Hempmilk Original flavor, absolutely sings its own song. It's soooo creamy, not overly sweet, kosher, and herbicide and pesticide free. Topping that, it's loaded with omega 3 and 6 and a list of natural vitamins and minerals that would keep you reading for at least five minutes. If it weren't so pricey, I'd take a bath in it, but instead I'm drinking it one delicious sip at a time. Don't know if they've made ice cream with it yet, but they ought to.
Galaxy Nutritional Foods promises "great nutrition anytime" but does not deliver with its new
Ultra Smoothie. In this yogurt-like container one will find a complete serving of protein, 100% vitamin C, low fat, cholesterol and lactose free. If only it tasted good. Even though it contains Tropicana fruit concentrate, it had a yucky artificial and chemical taste. You can do much better flinging some fruit and soy milk into a home blender.
Recently while shopping, I spotted Seven Sundays Classic Bircher Mix Muesli on the shelf next to the granolas and thought I might like to try it some time. Boy am I glad I finally did! I'm totally sold and have been chowing down on the 12-ounce package all week. The gluten-free oat-based cereal is loaded with protein and fiber. Flavor-wise it's delish. I couldn't ask for more in a morning meal. The Classic Bircher Mix is loaded with apples, cinnamon, and almonds. It makes breakfast easy, quick, and super yum and a half! Here come the details: a 1/2-cup serving has 250 calories, 8g total fat largely from the almonds, coconut-pumpkin-sunflower-and flax seeds, 6g fiber and 9g protein. There's also about 15% iron in each serving. Best of all, it's damned delicious!
Like me, a ton of vegans feel tickled to have the 4-ounce package of Follow Your Heart Vegan Egg sitting in the pantry, raring to go when the mood strikes to bake or cook up something that relies on eggs to make it rise or hold together. The thing I noticed about this powdered product is that it works every darned time with everything I've tried. I'm really hyped on muffins, grain and bean patties, and vegan main-dish tortes, and I'm willing to experiment with different products for experiment's sake, but, honestly, in my book, nothing beats this stuff. It even makes great scrambled eggs! Even when I add onions and peppers, the scrambled eggs are awesome! This vegan egg is the best thing to come to natural food stores in ages! And it's even kosher! Each package comes in a cardboard egg carton, pretty cool, huh, and contains enough to replace about a dozen eggs. It's gluten-free, non-GMO, and soy-free, and has 4g fiber for 2 tablespoons. It's just the best and I'm stuck on it!
A 2.11-ounce container of Modern Oats Vermont Maple Premium Oatmeal makes a darned good start to anybody's day--it sure gave my day a delicious and healthy beginning. I happen to like oatmeal and usually cook my own rolled oats. But sometimes time is short. So I picked up this attractive carton for those moments when convenience is king. It couldn't be easier--open the top, pour in boiling water, cover, and wait 3 minutes--done! It was perfect and had the just-right sweetness of maple sugar spiced with cinnamon and cardamom--YUM! Tiny bits of pumpkin, sunflower, and chia seeds were in the mix, too. Can't beat gluten-free whole grains, 6g of fiber, 8g of protein, and only 240 calories for breakfast! Not a bad way to watch the calories and still enjoy something nutritious!
I know, I know-- Omega 3s are important, but who on earth can remember what foods have it! I was totally in the dark until I came across a smart, really, really smart product --Power of 3 Seed Blends. This company has it all figured out for us dummies and put the perfect blend of pumpkin, hemp, chia, and flax seeds into 8-ounce packages. And all those seeds have Omega-3s--the good stuff. Very cool! Then it comes down to flavors--so, for sprinkling on my oatmeal topped with tons of fresh fruit, the seed flavors didn't actually matter. What I really dug, though was the little hint of crunch that added so much to a rather mundane breakfast. Where flavor matters more is sprinkling the mixture on salad. That's when it would have been great to have the India Spice or Sea Salt and Garlic flavors. By the way, these itty bitty seeds pack quite a healthy punch with 3 tablespoons delivering 9g of protein, 7g of fiber, and 2800 mg of Omega 3s--impressive--huh!
Passionate about muffins, I find it hard to not love them all, but then, there are exceptions. Though the 2.8 ounce Cranberry Orange muffins from Our Daily Muffin were light and not overly sweet, they were so bloomin' dry my mouth thought it was wandering the Sahara dessert in search of an oasis. The 2.5 ounce Chocolate ones were even more of a parched-mouth experience. I will not crave these, yet they have merit. With only 0.5 grams of total fat for the Chocolate and zero fat for the Cranberry Orange, they might be just right for those on a very low fat diet. Another plus-they're loaded with fiber-4 grams for the Chocolate and 8 grams for the Cranberry Orange. Best way to enjoy them is to either pile on the fruit jam or dunk them into your coffee.
One spoonful of Stark Sisters Granola by Debra's Natural Gourmet, Inc., and I was totally mapleized. The Maple Raspberry Blueberry flavor is deliciously fruity with maple syrup as the only sweetener. A touch of molasses, a ton of pumpkin seeds, walnuts, and pecans, and the hint of maple syrup give the Nutty Maple Molasses its great nutty, chewy character. Top of the list is the Maple Almond--it's maple to the max, full of almonds, and sports a few added grains like rye and barley in addition to the oats. None of the 3 flavors are disgustingly sweet like so many granolas, and none have those giant clumps typical of commercial brands. All have organic grains and 4 or 5 grams of fiber for a 1/2 cup serving--that's cool! They're pricey at $4.95 for a 12-ounce container but totally worth it!
Doing breakfast on the run? You can't beat Amy's Tofu Scramble in a Pocket Sandwich! Two minutes in the microwave plus another two in the toaster oven to crisp up the crust and you're chomping away on Amy's grandma's favorite breakfast. Hold on, now--give it a minute or two to cool slightly, then pick it up and bite into this tasty, tofu-filled, dough-wrapped delicacy. Inside are teeny bits of chopped shiitake mushrooms, onions, red bell pepper, broccoli, and tomatoes to jump the flavor up a bit. It's organic, it's vegan. It's great! On this taster's wish-list is that Amy's had thought to make the dough from organic whole wheat instead of white flour.
Starting the day with a really healthy hot cereal that's got plenty of fiber was Mom's idea of a good breakfast. This taster discovered that The Right Stuff by Bob's Red Mill is exactly what Mom ordered. Yes, it means cooking, but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to put some water in a pot, pour in some ground-up grains, and turn the stove on! A bowl of this organically grown combination of whole grain wheat, rye, corn, oats, spelt, kamut, and flaxseeds cooks up in about 5 minutes and keeps me chuggin' all the way to lunch. Of course, I top it off with some raisins, nuts, fruit, and soymilk to make breakfast a fun and yummy meal.
There are veggie burgers, and then there are exceptional veggie burgers. Gardein Chipotle Black Bean Burger turned out to be one of the very exceptionally delicious burgers! Found it in my local market in the freezer section and it practically jumped into my hands, as if it were begging to come home with me. I sure am glad I caught it! Heating it up was easy peasy in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes, though the stovetop or microwave would have been just as convenient. I went bunless to get a really good taste of the burger itself and am glad I did. I was prepared with a variety of sauces to dunk it in, but honestly, it was so flavorful it needed nothing to enhance it. It's got a little chipotle heat, but only a little. What makes this burger special is its pleasing texture with bits of onion, corn, bell peppers, rice, and black beans. Interesting texture paired with great flavor makes this single burger a delicious joy. Even better, this burger feast has only 140 calories, 6 grams total fat, 5g fiber, and 6g protein. If you're watching sodium intake, don't go for seconds. One burger has 410 mg sodium. Here's some good news. They're kosher and gluten-free.
On a shopping trip to Sprouts Market I spotted an 8-ounce package of burgers in the frozen meat section and was pumped to give it a shout out. The label read The Butcher Shop at Sprouts. Below that it said in prominent letters "Plant Based Burger Patties." How cool is that? Also on the front of the 2-burger package it said "Made with freshly chopped mushrooms." I cooked the patties in a skillet on the stovetop over medium-high heat with a little oil. It was easy and they cooked up to perfection, had a mouth-watering meaty aroma, and only took about 3 minutes on each side. Flavorwise, they're awesome, well-seasoned, and absolutely a joy to eat! And, to be honest, they're also better for the planet because they're made from portabella mushrooms, pea protein, onion puree, and beets. Good thing is there's less saturated fat and calories than other well-known vegan burgers. Wisely, Sprouts market placed the vegan frozen patties right in the section along with other frozen meat products. Here's the important stuff: each patty has 205 calories, 4g fiber, 17g protein, and only 11g total fat, 1.5g saturated fat, 590mg sodium, 7g carbs. Each patty also has 2mg iron and 199mg potassium.
Gotta check out the newest additions to the vegan meat scene and ran into Before the Butcher Uncut Plant-based Savory Chicken Burger. The package contained two 4-ounce patties that were about 1/2-inch thick and 5 inches in diameter. The package proudly advertised "Meaty but Meatless" along with the Non-GMO Certified label, and a certified plant based label right on the front. What also jumped out was the 19g of plant protein per serving in white lettering on a black background. Followed the cooking direction on the back and loved the yummy dinner I had that night. One patty was just right and was so tasty I was sorry I didn't invite a friend for dinner to enjoy the other patty. Oh, and it's also gluten-free--another plus. Each patty has 260 calories and a total of 15g fat, 7g saturated fat, 350 mg sodium, 6g fiber in addition to the 19g of protein. Rarely seen on packages of vegan meat substitutes are the mineral contents. Uncut has 121mg calcium, 3mg iron, and 620mg potassium. A note of caution for those allergic to soy, the protein source in this patty is from soy.
I love Trader Joe's for many reasons, but especially because it's a specialty market that's tuned in to carrying a good variety of vegan products. One of the newest items in the freezer case is the Trader Joe's Hi-Protein Veggie Burger that's so delicious I actually ate it without any saucy toppings and didn't even put it in a bun! It's so rich it literally melts in the mouth! Each box comes with two 4-ounce burgers made with pea protein, black beans, and brown rice flour and loaded with sensational seasonings. Loved it so much I went back and bought two more packages, and they're so easy to fix. Could have microwaved them right from the freezer, but instead I baked them in the oven for 10 minutes on each side. How hard can that be? Here's the heads-up, though--each patty has 260 calories, 13g fat, one gram of saturated fat, and 480g of sodium. On the good side, you'll be whomping down 26g of protein for each patty. That's a WOW!
I heard the Beyond Meat Burger is now available in the supermarket meat department and went a-hunting. Yep, there they were, two 1/4-pound patties per package, at my local Ralph's Market lined up on the top shelf with the ground beef--the last place I would have imagined them to be! Brought a package home and tossed it into the fridge to cook for dinner. Put the skillet on medium-high, added a tiny amount of vegetable oil, and cooked the patties for 3 minutes on each side, following the package instructions. By the time it was done I had a bun already covered in mayo, mustard, and ketchup and slices of tomato, onion, and lettuce all ready. It was picture perfect and so was the awesome taste! I was lovin' every bite and actually took small bites to make the crazy-good taste last longer. Honestly, I'd bet my bottom dollar that even my carnivore buddies would love this burger, especially knowing it has 20g of protein, 3 grams of fiber, and 30% of your iron requirements. It's soy and gluten-free because the main ingredient is pea protein--very cool! Part of what makes this burger so delicious is the scary 20g of fat, 5g saturated fat--yep, unfortunately, it's the fat that makes so many things taste great! That won't stop me from enjoying it--just not every day!
I love veggie patties and found an exceptional one that deserves a shout-out. Sitting on the freezer shelf was a good-looking package of Chez Marie Hearty Hemp Seed Veggie Patty. The 4-patty 10-ounce package said hearty hemp seed, vegan, gluten-free, corn-free & soy-free right on the front. It also boasted verified Non-GMO. At home I warmed them in the oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. and really liked the nice crisp exterior. Delicious veggie flavors came through with the first bite and stayed this yummy 'til the last crumb was gone. Made mainly of brown rice, oats, onions, and mushrooms, the patties were rockin' with winning flavor. Nutritionally, they're outstanding with 5g protein, 3g fiber, 18g carbs, and 3.5g total fat. Love, love, love them!
Casing the new veg options at my natural food market, I noticed Qrunch Organics Spicy Italian Quinoa Burgers in the freezer section. Curious as always, I bought it and decided to tuck it into a pita sandwich. How could I lose? The 4 patties in the 10-ounce package are gluten-free, non GMO, organic, soy-free and nut-free, and made of quinoa, millet, and veggies. Loved that it's so free of processed ingredients and has only wholesome veggies, grains, and seasonings. The oven was hot and within 15 minutes, the golden quinoa patty was perfectly warmed. Poked it into a pita half, gave it some ketchup and mustard love, and tossed in some leftover salad. Looked good, smelled great, but fell flat on taste and wasn't spicy. Added some tahini salad dressing and it perked up, but then, there was the mushy texture. Reality check--it's a grain patty of very wholesome ingredients, so it's not going to be chewy like a soy burger. It's a little high in fat, so don't indulge often. Total fat 4g, saturated fat 2.5g, sodium 230 mg, fiber 4g, protein 4g.
Been hearing so much about Beyond Meat tasty burgers, I had to give them a taste. Bought a frozen package of their Beastly Sliders and followed their stovetop heating directions. Within minutes, a little bit of magic took form. Little drips of juice began to bubble and ooze around the six, small 2-inch diameter patties and pretty soon the kitchen was practically blooming with awesome, irresistible, and such enticing aromas I could barely wait for these little babies to warm through. Sharing these with a special friend, we bit into the first patty and I almost jumped out of my seat with excitement! These are sooooo delicious I was licking not only my fingers but also the plate, too. Not great manners, I know, but heck, these are amazing! A serving of 3 patties has 23g of protein--imagine that! And that serving delivers 4g of fiber. They're a bit high in fat (3 patties had 16g total fat), so make them a special treat and enjoy to the max!
Been searching for the perfect prepared burger? Eureka! I found it--and it's delicious! Chipotle Chili Lime with Black Beans made by Giv Foods practically jumped off the freezer shelf and begged me to give it a try. Am I glad I did! This little burger comes three to a package and has outrageous flavor, great texture, and the perfect level of smoky-flavored chipotle spice. And it's damn healthy, too. Made from brown rice, black beans, red quinoa, and veggies, each patty has only 120 calories, 2g fat, 3g fiber, and 8g protein. It was so tasty I didn't even put a sauce or salsa on it. Here's the bonus--the company will donate 50% to your favorite cause--that's a plus for social consciousness!
Black Bean South West Sunshine Burger really did bring a little sunshine to my dinner. Preheated my conventional oven to 375 and tucked the burger in for about 5 minutes--and out came a yummy dinner sandwich patty. Piled it onto a bun and loaded it with lettuce, tomato, and a nice slice of purple onion and couldn't ask for a better burger. It's got plenty of flavor, fiber, and protein. And guess what--it's organic, soy-free, and gluten-free because it's made with brown rice and black beans. The fat's a little high because sunflower seeds are listed as the first ingredient--really healthy fat from a whole food--can't beat that to brighten your day!!!
The box of Carla Lee's Nut Burgers looked and sounded great and came 4 to a package. So I got ready for a yummy dinner. Followed the stovetop heating suggestion and honestly loved the taste--it was really really rich because it had cashews, pistachios, sunflower seeds, carrot juice, brown rice, and soy protein--all good stuff, but wait! There were a few downsides, some minor and some not.
Looking for something different in a frozen burger, I discovered a package of Gardenburger Black Bean Chipotle Veggie Burger that practically jumped into my hands. It sounded good. Turns out it was very, very good. I ignored the heating directions for stovetop, microwave, and grill, and popped them into the oven at 400 degrees for about 9 minutes. Perfect. Loved it. It rocks, too, with kernels of corn, black beans, bits of red and green bell pepper. And it comes with my flavor fave--a lively hit of chipotle! It's really delicious on its own and was even better as a filling for my pita. The bonus is it's low-cal, a mere 100 calories, 5g protein, and 5g fiber. Watch the fat, though--3g in each patty.
Searching for a soy-free burger I made a yummy discovery in the freezer section at the natural food market-- Bahama Rice Burger, Jerkin' Spicy flavor. It was a refreshing find--burgers made from a blend of brown rice, black rice, and wild rice and beans and totally soy free, wheat free, and gluten free--a real bonus for the soy and gluten-intolerant. Tasted them with and without the bun and loved the way they spiced up the whole meal. Great flavor and plenty of punch and hey, only 140 calories a burger, 5 grams of fat, and 5 grams of fiber in the deal. The only downside--they lack the chewy texture one might expect from a burger--the somewhat mushy consistency might not please everybody, but those burgers and I got along just fine.
Tofu Goes Wild in the Wood
Those tasty little Tofu-Veggie Burgers Original made by WildWood Organics come two-to-a-package and just wrapped me around their yummy little bits of carrot, onion, and kale. After warming a burger, I poked it into a pita. Within three bites I was wowed half way to nirvana! These babies are unique because they don't try to be immitation meat--they stand on their own delicious tofu character with perfect seasoning and even have 1 gram of fiber. Don't worry about protein--one great burger is loaded with 13g, but with 61% fat you might not want to slam too many down on your plate at once.
Browsing the freezer section of my local natural foods market, I spotted The Original Maui Taro Burger made by the Hawaii Taro Co. Inc. Little impulses of curiosity told me I had to try it. Followed the directions and pan-fried it 4 minutes on each side, then tucked it into a whole wheat bun with the usual stuff--lettuce, tomatoes, onions, veg mayo. Man! This is one seductive burger! It's got all the good stuff--brown rice, veggies, sunflower seeds, oats, and taro. To top it off, this baby zings with great flavor and only has 130 calories in its nearly 3.5-ounce patty. Other pluses--low fat, low sodium, and 3 grams of fiber. On the side of caution, this vegan Hawaiian specialty set me back a little over 4 bucks for the package of two patties.
Riding the waves in top form, these giant Maui Taro Burger patties by the Hawaii Taro Company crave a supersize bun to keep them from going over the edge. I was totally stoked after tasting this burger that's crispy on the outside and creamy in the middle. They come frozen, two to a package, and are ready to eat in about 8 minutes. You can't go wrong--3 grams of fiber from a combo of taro, brown rice, vegetables, oats, canola oil, sunflower seeds, and some spices--no add-ins you can't pronounce and only 2 grams of fat besides.
Curious about the new Burger King Veggie Burger with its 140 calories, 4 grams of total fat, 0.5 grams saturated fat, and 9 grams of protein, this vegan bird ordered it without the bun, and without the mayonnaise, and asked that it be microwaved rather than cooked on the meat-tempered grill. The side salad with French dressing completed the order. First impression--it's rather small with a few shreds of carrots and something green finely minced and embedded into an unappetizing, unidentifiable mixture of mashed something-or-other with a layer of glistening fat on the top. Second impression‹it tasted OK, but just OK. It had the mouthfeel of its 4 grams of fat and left one unsatisfied. The salad was mostly iceberg lettuce, a few shreds of carrots, a small wedge of tomato, and a floret of broccoli. Save your money and wait for another fast food chain to play one-upsmanship.
Barbecue up an all vegan Amy's Texas Burger with yeeee-haw confidence. It's got great barbecue flavor along with a hint of veggies like onions, mushrooms, and bell peppers! Soy protein and wheat gluten-based for a good hit of protein, (12 grams worth) these burgers, packaged 4 to a box, have a chewy meaty texture characteristic of the real thing. For a frozen item, they're quick to fix, too. I heated mine in the oven, and while it was heating, I put together stuff like sliced tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. Even with all the fixin's, that down-home barbecue flavor got a thumbs-up from my taste buds. It was the perfect burger.
The most succulent burger to cross these discerning taste buds is the Hempnut Hempeh Veggieburger that comes wrapped with two patties in a package for sharing with a dining buddy. This tasty burger made from soybeans, brown rice, and hempseeds is all organic and all vegan. It rocks with a zesty smoke flavor and even has a nutty, chewy texture that gives your choppers something to gnaw on. Best of all, each patty provides 10 grams of protein and a whopping 765 mg of that hard-to-get Omega 3.
Natural Touch, the shining light of the Morningstar Farms line, makes a Vegan Burger that really hits the top of the charts with its earthy, savory flavor, toothy texture, and not too much of the junk additives. By itself, it's a little dry, but that's because it contains zero fat to make it juicy. In a bun with all the fixin's it goes down real easy. Easy to fix, too. All it needs is a little warming in the oven, microwave, or stove-top. If you're foraging for protein, look no further. One "pattie" in this 4-burger package contains 11 grams of protein and 3 grams of dietary fiber.
Guess Morningstar Farms thinks it takes 30 ingredients, many of them unpronounceable, to make a meatless burger with their Better 'n Burgers line. The back of the package carries the 100% vegan seal, and all of those 30 items listed are vegan, but wait! Does your body have a nutritional requirement for flavor enhancers, namely, disodium guanylate, disodium inosinate, aspartic acid, tartaric acid, lactic acid, or succinic acid? Do these patties taste good? Yes, but who needs the chemicals? Pass on this one and choose a burger that's got "real" ingredients.
This Cheese Is Bitchin'!
Discovered a teriffic vegan cheddar while shopping at the grocery. This eye-appealing package of Vitalite Dairy Free Plant Based Cheddar Style Slices, decked out in warm yellow and green colors caught my attention while browsing the vegan cheese section. Couldn't resist, so into my shopping basket it went. Once home, my curiosity urged me to give the cheese the taste trial. I lifted out one slice, broke it in half and munched it down. It was soooo tasty I grabbed the other half and gobbled it down, too. As I was eating, I thought this was one of the tastiest vegan cheeses I've had in a long time. It had exceptional flavor, leaving me wanting another piece. Then, I took a slice of whole wheat bread, spread it with vegan cream cheese, and topped it with a slice of the Vitalite cheese. Tucked it into a preheated oven and let it melt. The taste was awesome! It was so rich and creamy and the flavor just reinforced my desire to have another delicious cheese-melt. Whether right out of the package or melted, this cheese is bitchin'!'
My suggestion is to buy two packages because I'm positive you're going to want to devour one piece after another 'til it's gone. Then you'll be glad you have a second package to enjoy. This cheese is made in the UK and distributed at major markets here in the U.S. Here's the scoop on the nutritional details: Each slice has 60 calories, similar to many other vegan cheeses. One slice contains 5g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 120 mg sodium, 4g total carbs, 0g protein, 2% calcium. As you can see, it's not a nutrition powerhouse. It's really delicious to eat, but go easy on second and third helpings.
Checking the refrigerated vegan section of my local grocery I spotted an attractive package labeled Nature's Fynd Dairy-Free Cream Cheese. In smaller letters it read Chive & Onion. That was enough of a hook for me! Popped it into my cart and off I went to finish my shopping. Next morning, I opened the carton and was met by the enticing aroma chives and onion and started to pop a couple pieces of bread into the toaster. I was really pumped about this oniony topping and quickly topped my bread with a generous coating. Two bites and I yelled "Wow!" The texture is quite firm and the flavor is thumbs up awesome! Honestly, it had been a long time since I got so excited about a new vegan product. Fynd is truly a great dairy-free find! I even thought it would be fabulous on baked potatoes, and it was! Here are even more plusses: it's nut-free and soy-free, also certified Kosher. The main ingredient is Fy, a nutritional fungi protein, along with coconut oil, cane sugar, mushroom extract, salt, dried onions, dried chives, lactic acid, guar gum, and cultures. A serving size is 2 tablespoons delivering 80 calories. Total fat per serving 7g, saturated fat 7g, sodium 105g, total carbs 2g, fiber 1g, sugar 1g, protein 1g, calcium 3g. While it's a little high in fat and sat fat, it's a yummy once-in-a-while treat! Tomorrow, I'm buying a couple of bialys for my Fynd Onion and Chive spread and really looking forward to breakfast.
I'm so tickled! Discovered something new in the world of veggie cheese and couldn't wait to bring it home for some serious tasting. Sitting in the refrigerated section at the grocery where all the vegan cheeses live, was this cute little round wheel in a blue and white package. Good PLANeT Foods Original Plant-based Cheese Wedges stoked my curiosity. Of course, I opened the package and took out one of the 6 wedges that were each wrapped in foil. The first bite was really good--the second bite was hands-down awesome. I enjoyed it so much I wanted to make the tasting last longer. I did by taking tiny bites and savored each one thoroughly before taking the next bite. The texture is firm but not hard, ultra-smooth and creamy and the flavor delivers a pleasing umami satisfaction with just enough saltiness to hit the palate with zing! I almost reached for a second cheese wedge but decided to save that for tomorrow. But I'm still thinking about it--it keeps tugging at me and simply won't let me go. Maybe I'll have a second wedge as an afternoon snack--if I can wait that long! The 4-ounce package says it's allergen-free, non-GMO, dairy, soy, lactose, and gluten-free, keto, and vegan. Each wedge is 60 calories, has 6g total fat and 4g saturated fat. There are 240mg sodium, 3g carbs, and 4g saturated fat. Fiber, sugar, and protein 0g. I totally enjoyed this treat, but the smarter side of my brain made me promise to make this yummy cheese an occasional treat.
Good Cheese from Another PLANeT
Because I'm a cheese magnet, I always have a few kinds of vegan cheese on hand. On the last grocery run I discovered GOOD PLANeT Real Smoked Gouda Plant Based Cheese. It was simply packaged in clear plastic but what attracted me was the appealing 9-ounce round wheel, reminiscent of the dairy-based, wheels of gouda. Couldn't wait to taste it and dug into it soon as I got home. Thumbs up! It's nice and firm, smooth as can be, and hands-down delicious. Discovered that it goes really well with apples. Cheese slices in one hand and apple wedges in the other make the perfect lunch! Impressive is the short ingredient list including chickpea protein and potato protein. It's free from common allergens so that's good. One ounce has 80 calories, 7g fat, 6g saturated fat, 320g sodium, total carbs 5g, 0 fiber, 0 sugar, and less than 1g protein. Though it's really tasty, it's not highly nutritious. Makes a great now-and-then treat!
How magical it was to discover a delicious treasure while hunting for something entirely different! That's how I encountered Follow Your Heart Dairy-Free Cheese Feta Crumbles. And that fortunate moment has from now on brought zing to a ton of stuff I like to make. Take a simple Greek salad that wakes up and sings the moment the feta is sprinkled on top. I added the feta to a tabbouli salad--it was awesome! I even mashed it into baked potatoes and loved it to pieces! It's great in a tofu scramble, too! You name it--it's even bettah with feta! Made from coconut oil and potato starch base, the crumbles come in a convenient 6-ounce container I keep in the fridge. That makes it it super-convenient to sprinkle it on everything from salad to pasta! I love this part--1 ounce has only 80 calories! It has 6g total fat and 6g saturated fat, 270g sodium, 4g carbs, and 68mg of calcium. It's soy-free, vegan, and non-GMO. I'm lovin' it!
I confess, I'm a bread lover! And my favorite thing to do is slather that bread with something delicious and savor it slowly bite by bite. I was perfectly happy with a hummus spread on top of anything bread-like until I met up with Miyoko's Roadhouse Cheddah. Lights flashed and bells rang out when a butter knife introduced my whole wheat toast to this awesome golden spread. It was hands-down delicious! It was creamy, divinely savory, soft, wonderfully spreadable, and had that rich, old-fashioned sharp cheddar vibe! I almost wanted to curl up and take it to bed with me--it was sooooo goooood! And here's the best part, it's great on baked potatoes, too, and pasta, even celery sticks, and steamed cauliflower. As for convenience, you couldn't ask for a more perfect container to hold the 8 ounces of nirvana! It's totally vegan, organic, and kosher. A 1-ounce servings has 100 calories, total fat 9g, saturated fat 6g, 140 mg sodium, and 2g protein. Important info for those with nut allergies: contains cashews, is lactose-free, palm oil free, soy free, and GMO free.
Very recently Violife vegan cheeses are showing up in natural food markets and I couldn't be happier. That stuff rocks! Well, there was a 7.05-ounce package of Violife Just Like Smoked Provolone Slices. The label said it was free from dairy, soy, gluten, lactose, nuts, and preservatives, so that's great for people needing to avoid those ingredients. This cheese is made from coconut oil, too. It's been a really long time since I dug into real dairy-based cheese, so I might have forgotten the taste, but this provolone is without a doubt a real winner. When one slice isn't enough and the flavor is so good you just want another slice, well, that's gotta be one heckofa good cheese. It's great in sandwiches and perfect to liven up a salad, too. The neat thing is that recently cheese slices come in reclosable packages, and the cheeses are kosher. This cheese also comes with a caution note: Every slice contains 60 calories, 4.5g total fat and 4g saturated fat, so don't pig out too much!
A brand new Whole Foods Market recently opened near me and my curiosity dragged me there to see what I could find in the tasty vegan cheeses I totally crave. I sure hit the jackpot!!!! Looking bright and impossible to resist was a 7.05-ounce package of Violife Just Like Feta 100% Vegan Cheese. Being vegan for so many years, I thought I would never have the opportunity to taste the joyous, salty goodness of feta cheese ever again. So, I nearly yelled Yee-haw good and loud when I spotted this package. Of course, that package came home with me! I crumbled bits of it on salads, added bits of it on top of hummus spread on whole wheat bread, and did my version of the traditional tomato feta thing by combining some with sweet cherry tomatoes cut in half--all great combos that really let the feta shine. Ohhhhhhh Wow! This is great!!!! Thank you, Violife! Thank You Whole Foods! Life is perfect! Violife really captured the flavor and it's kosher, too! Man! That's such good stuff! But here's a note of caution: The package says a serving is 1-ounce and each ounce contains 90 calories with 8g total fat and 7g saturated fat, so better go easy. The second item listed on the ingredient list is coconut oil.
On a recent visit to a giant-size natural food market, I was checking out the vegan cheese section and discovered a 7-ounce package of Field Roast Vegan Chao Slices in Tomato Cayenne Flavor with Spicy Peppers. As soon as I got home, I broke off a piece and popped it into my mouth. Mmmmm. Yummmm! It had a comforting savory flavor, a pleasantly smooth, creamy texture, and even left a lingering warmth of just-right spice on my tongue. I spread some hummus on a slice of whole wheat bread, laid a slice on the cheese on top, and popped it into the oven heated to 425 degrees F. In about 3 minutes the cheese was melted, though it didn't spread. Tasted even better heated, and I was loving it! It's bright orange color sets this cheese apart from all the packages of creamy white varieties and owes its orange hue to tomato juice, paprika extract, and beta carotene color. Here are the details: 1 slice has 60 calories, 4.5g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 180 mg sodium, and 0 protein. The main ingredients are coconut oil, modified corn and potato starch, and fermented Chao tofu.
Honest truth is I was feelin' a little splurge comin' on and just wanted to give myself a little treat. So, I reached for Miyoko's Vegan Cream Cheese-comes in a neat little, square, dark brown and white box in the refrigerated case. On the top of the box it says, "Un-lox your dreams." Did Miyoko put vegan lox in there? I had my bagel ready and was about to find out just what was inside this pricy 8-ounce box. No, it wasn't pinkish orange like real lox, but it sure smelled like lox and cream cheese! The color is odd, but I'm pretty daring when it comes to tasting different stuff. I spread it on my bagel rather generously and truly loved that first bite. Really enjoyed this trip down memory lane all the way down to the last bite. I remember the real thing fondly and sure ate my share of the stuff. Now I can reminisce all I want in a more ethical say, thanks to Miyoko. Just so you know, that little 8-ounce box is $5.99 and the stuff is a bit high in fat, but honestly, it's worth it--rich tasting and creamy to the max. Here are the details: a 1-ounce serving is 90 calories, 7g total fat, saturated fat 2g, 110 mg sodium, only 4g carbs, has 2g fiber, and 3g protein.
I love vegan cheese like crazy and can't get enough of the stuff, so I'm really jazzed about GoVeggie brand new vegan cheese bars in two yummy flavors: White Cheddar & Meatless Bacon and White American Cheese Bars . Love them both and discovered they're the perfect size for a little snack. They're a great little pick-me-up, yummy in a sandwich, or chopped up into a salad. These little 3/4-ounce bars are so tasty, even my non-veg friends like them--and they rarely like the vegan cheeses they've tasted. Now that's a darned good testimonial! Here's the good stuff--each 6-ounce package has 8 individually wrapped bars. That's cool from the start. They're totally vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO, so there's no cholesterol. Each bar has only 60 calories, 4.5g total fat, and 4g saturated fat. Fat-wise, they're on par with other vegan cheese, but these GoVeggie bars rock with flavor!!!!!!
What a total blast! Follow Your Heart is really kicking it up with vegan cheese, cheese, and more cheese! Bought a 7-ounce package of their Provolone Slices and couldn't wait to taste it. At home I ripped off a slice and made all-gone in a flash--great flavor and great mouthfeel. Then I made an open-face tempeh bacon sandwich with a thin layer of Vegenaise on top, put a Provolone slice over the mayo, and tossed it under the broiler. About 1 1/2 minutes later I was chowing down on a taste of heaven and loved that the cheese melted perfectly. Cool thing is the cheese is gluten-free, soy-free, and non-GMO. This company rocks and I'm a devoted fan!!!! Go easy, though. Each slice has 4.5g of total fat.
Was planning a little gathering of friends. Needed some snack stuff and came across the perfect thing. Treeline Treenut Cheese makes some positively yummy, totally vegan cheese spreads that come in these cute little 6-ounce tubs. I bought all three flavors--scallion, green peppercorn, and herb-garlic and we had a ball schmearing them on crackers and sourdough bread. I even got to enjoy a tiny bit of leftovers next day. Some plusses--they're non-GMO, made from cashews, gluten-free, and probiotic. What's not to like?
I found my cheese in San Francisco, in Los Angeles, and even in San Diego, and discovered it's practically everywhere! It's such a kick to make totally vegan, soy-free pizza at home with Daiya Style Shreds in the Mozzarella flavor, a totally vegan cheese that actually melts! This cool company also has a to-die-for wedge of Havarti Jalapeno Garlic flavor. I can't stop spreading it on my whole wheat pita and nearly downed the whole 7.1-ounce package in one meal. Curious little me went to the company's website and discovered they make their cheeses in slices, wedges, shreds, and spreads and even have gluten-free pizza. How cool is that? Gotta put the brakes on gorging, though--these cheeses are not exactly low fat with 1/4 cup of the shredded mozzarella totaling 90 calories, 6g total fat, and 2g saturated. But they are soooo yum!
I'm confessing--I'm a committed Parmesan addict. Because I love the stuff so much I keep hoping someone will create a REALLY great vegan Parmesan. I literally prayed for the stuff, and guess what--my prayers were answered at last! I brought home this really attractive little pot-belly jar called Parmela Parmesan Cheese Replacer and it's AMAZING! It really tastes like Parmesan, but it's totally vegan. Some of the ingredients, like nuts and nutritional yeast, are similar to other imitations, but these guys ferment the stuff--seems to make all the difference. To do a quick test, I made some pizza toast and sprinkled the stuff on the top. Honest, it's the real thing. Not cheap, but worth the $6 price for the 2.5-ounce jar. The best thing is you don't need much to do the job. It goes further than you might think.
A wicked cheese craving led me to Teese Cheese by Chicago Soydairy for a Mozzarella treat that melts fabulously on a pizza without a hitch--just kick up the oven temp to 450 degrees like the label on the plump little 5 1/2-inch 1-pound chub recommends. It's creamy white and even smells Italian like the real mozzarella. The Cheddar Style is like very mild cheddar and is also a great melter. It works like a dream on open-faced sandwiches under the broiler. I even sliced it and put it over some roasted veggies that I plopped onto some Ezekiel bread. Then I shoved it in the oven for melting. I turned this mess into a real sandwich with a couple of slices of vegan deli turkey and topped it with another slice of bread. Man! What a good eating sandwich! Gotta be careful, though, every ounce has 70 calories and 7 grams of fat, 2 grams saturated. Nice thing is these little chubs will
last for 3 weeks in the fridge.
At long last Sheese, a great tasting vegan cheese made in Scotland, has landed at my doorstep, well, not literally. The Strong Cheddar Style flavor is awesome for just plain eating with a chunk of bread or layered in a sandwich. Its texture is so outrageously good and similar to the real thing. I found it unexpectedly firm for a vegan cheese but still pleasantly creamy, and the flavor has such an edgy feel, sort of crusty--really out there. It's got that sharp, salty bite with a hard-to-describe tang that says, "Hey, this is cheddar!" The cheese comes in 4-inch rounds about 1-inch thick and it's kind of white, so I thought it was mislabeled. It was the real thing, and I could hardly control myself from eating the entire 1/2-pound package in one meal. Good thing I didn't, though. There's 8 grams of fat, 5 of them saturated in every ounce. The Mozzarella strays off course from its name and actually tastes more like a yummy medium cheddar with that same firm texture and cheddar tang. Neither flavor melts terribly well, even when shredded. But I have a better idea. I'm going to save both flavors for shredding into a salad, or to top a tostada--yum! Hey, it might even work as a flavor-booster soup garnish! Like any fancy important cheese, though, it's kind of pricey.
The juices really started flowing when I took a look at the label that read Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Cream Cheese Alternative. Snapped it up and hauled a whole-wheat bagel out of the freezer, popped it into the toaster oven, then plunged into the cream cheese and gave the bagel a schmeer. I swear, it's killer stuff! It was thick, creamy smooth, and rich tasting, just like I remembered. Wow! A stunning moment of delicious nostalgia! At last I found my bagel's new best friend! But, hey! If I didn't care about the 8 grams of fat for the 2 tablespoons I spread on, I'd have eaten the whole 8-ounce container right then!
An unassuming little package of Soy Feta Mediterranean Herb by Sunergia Soyfoods pretty near jumped off the shelf of the deli case and into my shopping basket. It read "low fat, vegan, organic, dairy-free, and gluten free." How could I lose? Brought it home and had to make a Greek salad that just lives for feta. Before chowing down, I crumbled some of the "feta" on the top. Man! Was it good! The real feta is just a faint memory now. Been years since it slid down my gullet. Though this version is a bit drier and less salty than I remember, it's a pretty cool stand-in. And would you believe, it even delivers 120 mg of ALA omega 3 per serving.
Play Food came up with an out-of-this-world Whip Cheeze that's easy to love. Kinda reminds me of yummy cream cheese--the real thing, that is. But it's totally vegan and raw. The darned thing comes in a squeeze bottle and the stuff oozes out in soft, puffy, squiggles that you can spread on a bagel like I did. You shouldn't love it too much, though, because one ounce has 45 calories with 30 calories from fat--that's two-thirds fat--ouch! Cashews, water, and agave nectar are the main ingredients along with a few enhancers with names I don't recognize.
Craving a grilled cheese sandwich, I grabbed a package of Galaxy Pepper Jack Flavor Rice Slices, and laid two slices of the totally vegan cheese between my whole wheat bread. Poured a touch of oil into a skillet, flipped on the high heat, and plunked the sandwich down. I put a dish on top of the bread, then pressed on it with my hand for about two minutes. Flipped it over to finish the job and loved the cheesy result. The cheese didn't ooze, but it did melt nicely and sported the perfect spice. This faux cheese is a bonus for allergy sufferers--made only from rice, it's soy and gluten free with 2.5 grams of fat for each 45 calorie slice.
Soymage Vegan Parmesan Alternative is an amazing imitation Parmesan cheese that looks, tastes, and even smells like the real thing. Completely dairy-free and made from soy, this item is a winner. All it takes is a little sprinkle over that pasta, ravioli, or lasagne to make it so Italian even Mama Mia would love it. And it's lower in fat and minus the 4 mg of cholesterol in the real stuff. Convenient, too. It comes in a 4-ounce cylindrical container with a lid that lets you shake or pour.
A three-ingredient wonder, Parma! Non-Dairy Parmesan Seasoning made by Eat in the Raw, Inc., falls short of its goal. The first step is the sniff test--nope, doesn't smell like Parmesan. Then comes the taste test--nope, doesn't taste like Parmesan either. However, it does have some positives. It's all raw, totally vegan, and pure as all get-out with nothing more than organic walnuts, nutritional yeast, and sea salt. Enjoy it as a seasoning--just don't expect Parmesan! One tablespoon even offers 4 grams of protein.
For vegans, Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Cheese Alternative is the best thing to come along since the discovery of the wheel! The four flavors: cheddar, nacho, Jack, and mozzarella are so exceptional they stand in for the real thing. The best part is this cheese really melts under the broiler and oozes like the real stuff. Totally vegan and made from non-GMO soy, this is a power product that even offers 2 grams of dietary fiber for each 1-ounce serving. You can't get that from the real thing! Try it on pizza, open-faced sandwiches, and salads or shred it into soups for a sensational topping.
Soy cheeses without casein (a dairy protein) can be quite dismal. They just don't have that stretchy texture that makes pizza so enticing. Tofutti has some vegan cheeses that are a slice above the others. Their Tofutti Good and Healthy Soy-Cheese Slices are dairy-free and melt on a piece of bread rather than slide off when you take a bite. The slices come in Mozarella and Cheddar flavors, but the Roasted Garlic is the one we like for dressing up a sandwich. They taste great and they're cholesterol free BUT BEWARE! They have partially hydrogenated soybean oil loaded with trans fat. Each 70-calorie slice is 64% calories from fat.
Finding a vegan (casein-free) cheese that measures up to dairy cheese in taste, texture, and meltability is pretty close to impossible. However, this determined vegan found one that passed the test. It's the only Rella variety without casein. Vegan Rella, packaged in an 8-ounce brick, comes in cheddar and mozzarella flavors. Slice off a 1/4-inch strip, lay it on bread, and tuck it under the broiler. Though it doesn't ooze into a melted state like real cheese, it softens to a creamy texture and stays that way until you take the last bite. Flavorwise, it tops the list! Cheddar lovers will say it falls somewhere between mild and medium cheddar, while the mozzarella fans will compare it to a mild mozzarella.
On a vegan cheese tasting binge, this taster found the comparison clear.
Soymage Vegan (A Natural Alternative to Cheese) falls a little short. Available in 12-ounce bricks in cheddar and mozzarella flavors as well as in an 8-ounce package of individually wrapped singles, this pseudo-cheese doesn't taste bad. Where it misses is in the melting process. Under the broiler, the top "skin" burns while the middle oozes off the bread and makes a messy clean-up, or, with more careful timing, it doesn't ooze, but it doesn't do much of anything else either. The real disappointment is that it doesn't stay soft and melted. Moments after it comes out of the broiler it hardens up to its original state. What a bummer!
I just feasted on some yummy veggie patties that tasted so much like lightly breaded chicken I thought I was eating the real stuff. My dining buddy dashed into the kitchen to look at the 7.05-ounce package of Omni Plant-Based Meat-Style Luncheon to see if it were really vegan. The flavor was rich and so right-on I didn't even need to add salt or pepper, and had no desire to douse it in any sauces either. It's a rare experience when a vegan imitation meat or chicken patty is so perfectly seasoned that even my dining buddy agreed. Made from a base of soy and wheat gluten, it was absolutely delicious and needed no enhancements. My only regret is that I bought just one package. We each had 2 patties and shared the extra one. Enjoyed every bite down to the last crumb. Here's the cool data: Each piece is considered 1 serving, but I'm willing to bet that 2 pieces is more realistic. Each piece has 4g total fat, no sat fat, so that's a plus. That 1 piece has 180 mg sodium, 3g carbs, 1g fiber, and 5g protein. There's even 143 mg potassium and 20 mg calcium. Gotta buy 2 packages next trip to the market.
With so many new vegan meat-like products available today, shopping for a hearty dinner product is a blast. That's what I felt when I met up with a 10-ounce package of frozen 365 Chicken-Style Plant-Based Breaded Patties. There were four 2.5-ounce patties that were perfect for the small gathering I was planning. The package stated "Not recommended for microwave ovens," so I followed directions and popped them into a 375-degree oven and baked them for 9 minutes. My handy spatula helped me turn them over and bake them for 9 minutes longer. They were beautiful, golden, a little crispy, and perfect for the sourdough bread and coleslaw sandwich I had ready. You can bet there were happy faces and lots of positive comments around the table. They totally nailed the flavor and that made my informal dinner party a complete success. Calorie-wise this is a great choice--only 130 calories per patty along with 11g of protein, 5g total fat, only .5g saturated fat, 2g dietary fiber, and 380mg sodium.
While grocery shopping I decided to browse around and see what's new for the vegan table and noticed something I hadn't seen before. There in the freezer was a 12.3-ounce package of 4 Gardein Plant Based Lightly Breaded Turk'y Cutlets calling out "buy me." I did and followed the easy oven heating direction. Other heating instructions suggested microwave for 2 minutes, then transfer to a baking sheet and finish heating in the the oven for 20 minutes. I dug right in and found the light crispy breading rockin' perfect and not too thick and heavy. The "turk'y" cutlet itself is pleasingly chewy and ultra-flavorful. I can't say it tasted like turkey. It was sort of chickenish, but most importantly, it was hands-down delicious, moist, and full of umami flavor. The cutlets had a toothy texture that made it seem as if I were eating something quite substantial--felt good! The package came with a small plastic packet of gravy, but I just wanted the patty by itself. Along with a salad, it made a terrific meal! The serving size was 2 cutlets that totaled only 270 calories, 13g total fat, and only 1g saturated fat. It's a bit high in sodium at 630 mg but really shines in protein at 18g for half the package. Here's some more good stuff: it's non GMO, Kosher, totally vegan, and the plastic packaging is recyclable.
I gotta admit Beyond Meat knows how to make darned tasty meat substitutes! Browsing the freezer section, I spotted Beyond Meat Beyond Chicken Plant-Based Breaded Tenders. Man! These are awesome and I'll definitely want to keep an 8-ounce package in my freezer at all times. They were delicious to the max without even dipping them into any kind of sauce. Loved the texture that felt just-right chewy, yet tender and moist. The delightfully crispy breading is perfection--these guys really know how to make a vegan happy! Not only are they kosher, they're also halal--that's going the extra mile! Two pieces made a perfect serving, delivering only 210 calories, 11g protein, and 3g fiber. Don't love it every day, though--those 2 pieces delivered 12g total fat and 450mg sodium. For informal dining, they make perfect finger food, they'd be great in a sandwich, or even served on the side with a veggie stir-fry.
Always on the hunt for great finds at the grocery store I honed in on a 10-ounce package of Field Roast Buffalo Wings in the freezer section. Buffalo Wings sounded great! The real appeal was the Buffalo Sauce included in the package. Brought the package home and followed the 350-degree F oven heating directions for the wings and heated the sauce on the stovetop. Knowing the exceptional products from Field Roast, I was really looking forward to a delicious and wholesome treat. But, dang, it was a total crash. These Buffalo Wings consisted of a small, thin oval piece of wheat meat a bit more than an inch long and encased in a gummy breading loaded with fat and sodium. Eaten without dipping into the sauce, it was unappealing. The Buffalo Sauce was great with a nice level of spice and great flavor, but what an overall disappointment! This product did not live up to Field Roast standards!
Here are the numbers: 7 wings add up to 270 calories, 15g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 430g sodium, 1g dietary fiber, 6g total sugar, and 11g protein.
Because the market's freezer section has more vegan offerings than ever before, it really pays to take a stroll down the that aisle, which is where I discovered The Alpha Plant-Based Crispy Chick'n Patties It's an awesome chicken-flavored vegan patty that's breaded and bakes up nice and crispy, just like the package says. The 9-ounce package has 3 patties which was just right for me and the friend that joined me for dinner. Didn't tuck it into a bun--just ate it like a side dish, but I did sprinkle a little hot sauce over the top. My friend liked it with a few dollops of BBQ sauce. This little patty is friendly to anything you might want to sprinkle on top. It's even damn delicious with nothing added and I love the wheat-based breading that bakes up with a yummy crunch. The best part is the heat and eat convenience! The patty is made from soy protein and textured vegetable protein and seasoned to taste awesome! Even the nutrition facts are awesome. Here goes: Each patty has 170 calories, total fat 6g, no saturated fat, sodium 200mg, carbs 20g, fiber 2g, sugar 1g, protein 10g.
Hunting for something sort of chicken-ish to stuff into my whole-wheat pita for a quick meal, I spotted Lightlife Smart Tenders Meatless Savory Chick'n. The stunning photo on the package flaunted the golden strips with those natural-looking grill marks--they looked so good I started salivating. They literally reached out to me and said, "Take me home--you'll love me." Well, I did and I do. Love it, that is. Made a great sandwich with 2 strips of chicken tenders, lettuce, tomato slices, and a thick slice of red onion. And there's enough in the package for another couple sandwiches I'll take to work with me during the week. Great stuff with good flavor and a nice chewy texture. Nice thing is it's not too high in fat with 3 strips delivering 1.5g total fat and 0 saturated fat. Impressive, but a bit high in sodium at 470mg. On the good side, those 3 strips have 3g dietary fiber, 15g protein, 8% calcium, and 8% iron. It put a smile on my face!!!!
Searching the refrigerated deli section of my cool little natural food market, I thought it might be fun to try the 8-ounce package of Tofurky Slow Roasted Chick'n for a stir-fry to serve my buds. Cooked it up with some peppers, onions, garlic, green olives, and just a hint of soy sauce. Tossed in a few cherry tomatoes at the end and came up with a lovable pan of tasty stuff everyone chowed down in a blink. Nice thing is the chick'n is barely seasoned so it picks up what ever you or I want to throw in for flavor. It's vegan, of course, non-GMO, and kosher, too. Important point, 8 ounces of this stuff goes a really long way! It's made from gluten and tofu as a base, and for every 3.2 ounce serving you'll get 27g protein, 2g fiber, 9g total fat, and 7g saturated fat.
I wanted to impress a friend that's in love with chicken--the real stuff--so brought home a 10.5-ounce package of vegan frozen Gardein Teriyaki Chick'n Strips and defrosted it. The teriyaki sauce comes in a separate packet so I set it aside for another time. I cut the chick'n strips into bite-size chunks and added them to a really well-seasoned garbanzo bean and veggie stew I was making. No surprise-- the meal was a total hit and friend was convinced the soy and gluten chick'n was the real stuff--no kidding. Well, it was tender and it really soaked up the good flavors. The soy is non-GMO and the product has a kosher label. The package lists 3 servings, 120 calories for each serving, 14g protein, 2g fiber, and 5g total fat. Even tough guy meat eaters would be impressed with this stuff!
Surprised out of my gourd to find vegan food in the freezer case at Target, especially four frozen entrees packaged with their own Simply Balanced brand. I chose Mushroom Miso Turkey that boasted 13g of protein and "natural ingredients" on the front of the package. Threw the sauce packets in a bowl to defrost while I heated the chunks of fake turkey in a skillet. What a disappointment! The strips were way too soft and tasteless and totally missed on the texture to be labeled "turkey." I wondered who did the final taste test of the sauce. It was a flavorless goop. If Target wants to compete in the meatless arena, they'll have to do better than this.
Discovered a neat little package of frozen dinner eats in Gardein Chipotle Lime Crispy Fingers. It was easy to wrap MY fingers around these yummy 4-inch long veggie chicken pieces for a whole lot of reasons--namely, the outrageous spicy chipotle flavor and the super-crispy and very well seasoned breading that coats them. Loved that they're so easy to pop in the oven, ignore for 25 minutes, and then gobble up. They were so delicious I could have eaten the whole package, but then, a touch of wisdom stopped me. The nutritional label on the back said that 2 pieces had 16g of protein. I figured that was enough considering it was not the only thing I ate for dinner. I was also surprised to see 2g of fiber in those two pieces--that's good news. The package has 3 servings, so I've got 2 more dinner eats to look forward to. A little heads-up about the fat content--these are definitely not low-fat goodies with 6g total fat per serving.
Garden Protein International is one hot company! Their Gardein Garden Protein Classic Style Buffalo Wings literally sizzled once they hit home plate--my tongue, that is! Spice lovers like me loved the punched-up heat level of the chile seasoning, and the flavor's not too shabby either. The 9-ounce package holds approximately 10 brazenly sauced ovals reminiscent of real chicken wings, but these boldly delicious soy, gluten-free, and grain-based tidbits went down light and easy. I'm hooked! They even look cool. The package says 2 1/2 servings, but the whole package could easily make a meal if you're a big chowhound on the hunt for lots of protein. I shared and decided these buffalo wings would make a great appetizer to put on skewers with chunks of pineapple. That way they would even go farther--yeah, I'm a cheapskate!
Made a great frozen discovery that's the ultimate convenience meal for hip vegheads who don't have time to cook! Vegan Kung Pao Chicken by VegeUSA marketed with the brand name Vegetarian Plus: A Meatless World is a royal feast! Defrosted it, chopped up some bell peppers and onions and cooked them up with the yummy looking fake chicken chunks and WOW what a meal! Actually it made 3 meals, although the package says 4 servings. It's got spice, it's got flavor, and it knocks me over with 13 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber. Not bad for a few chunks of non-GMO soy! Go easy though, these treats are a little high in fat and sodium.
Follow Your Heart Country Smoked Chicken-Free Chicken scores really really big time in the realm of fake chicken. Wrapped in a funky chicken-shaped 10-ounce package, this chickie comes to market to bring joy to the table. One bite and I was hooked--what flavor! Great chewy texture! Its fab aroma knocked me over. Couldn't stop at one bite--had to have more of this incredible flavor. Simply put, it's the best tasting imitation chicken on the planet. Soy protein and gluten form the base. Nutrition-wise, 2 ounces delivers 11 grams of protein, 2 grams total fat, and a low 245 mg of sodium.
On the way to the supermarket freezer case, Boca Spicy Meatless Chik'n Patties decided to put on a heavy overcoat -- of breading -- almost half of each patty. Although the label said 6 grams of fat, compared to 13 grams in a real breaded chicken patty, each greasy bite made me feel like a dumb cluck for making this purchase. Spicy, YES. Flavorful, NO. The Boca people need to sample the competition to learn how real fake chicken should taste.
The folks at Health Is Wealth really know how to capture that chicken flavor. These stone-ground whole-wheat breaded Chicken-Free Patties have to be the best things since the chicken crossed the road. Why did he anyway? It's not the 14 grams of protein or the 1.5 grams of fat that brings me back to the freezer case for more, it's the over-the-top flavor that makes this the best breaded chicken patty I've ever tasted. It's a pure vegan delight without MSG, preservatives, artificial additives, colors, or flavors.
Lightlife's Smart Cutlets sure are dumb. I should have known better! Anything
spelled "Chick'n" can't be good. These fake breaded chicken cutlets are just
about the most rubbery things I've ever eaten, and they aren't that flavorful,
either. I made the mistake of sauteeing them, slicing them into strips, and putting them into a Caesar salad. We didn't even finish them. If you can get
beyond the icky texture and lack of taste, they aren't so bad. Nutritionally,
they are only 140 calories a piece, with no cholesterol and only half a gram
of fat.
I wasn't looking for cookies or dessert bars, but these cute little cookies called Rickaroons Dessert Fuel caught my eye and somehow ended up in my shopping basket. The challenge was choosing which flavor to buy. Solved the problem by buying the 1-dozen variety pack that had all the flavors, including Pumpkin Spice, Chocolate Blonde, Megaroon, Mint to Be, Peanut Butter Protein, Mocha. Must admit they're irresistible and I love them all! These babies are made with a base of coconut, almond butter, and chocolate chips and are soy and gluten free, totally vegan, paleo friendly, and non-GMO and made with organic ingredients. Admittedly, they're a little high in fat, about 19g total fat, so I wouldn't gobble them all in one sitting.
In an instant, I was in mini heaven with just one bite of Justin's Mini Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups! That divine moment lasted only for about 2 minutes, but what an incomparable 2 minutes it was! This pixie-size truffle is a miniature of Justin's regular 1.4-ounce size peanut butter cup and is just as killer delicious! Hey, it's organic, gluten-free, and has no trans fat. A friend gave me one of these little babies I could have downed in one bite. But I wanted to stretch out the utter bliss and opted for tiny nibbles to make nirvana last much longer. I'm heading out to buy a 6-pack of these little wonders--can't get enough of that yummy dark chocolate covered peanut butter truffle inside. It's all I can think about--buy it--you'll like it! Warning! Not ideal for weight loss with naughty levels of sugar and fat, but OMG what can a sweets lover do?
The Piping Gourmets must have had a ball creating frozen Whoopie Pies Chocolate Cake with Mint Frosting! The packaging is eye appealing and through the clear cellophane wrapping it's easy to see the two, round and puffy chocolate cakes with white frosting between the layers. They're even gluten free and free of wheat, soy, egg, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, trans fat, hydrogenated oil, and artificial junk--and they're pareve, too. That's the good news. I do enjoy an occasional all-out sweet treat, but this one tumbled into the sugar bowl. One has to have a really, really, really sweet tooth to enjoy them. They're so disgustingly sweet I couldn't even finish one little 210-calorie whoopee pie that's about 2 1/2 inches in diameter and 1-inch thick!
I was the fortunate recipient of two 3-ounce bars of Theo Organic Fair Trade Dark Chocolate bars--lucky me! One was Orange, the other Mint flavored. Yummy and a half! These were probably the smoothest and richest chocolate bars I ever tasted. Why? Well, simply because they're made from 70% cacao (that's what they call the natural chocolate bean), sugar, cocoa butter, orange oil, orange zest, and ground vanilla beans. What a treat it was! I was good, though, and only downed half the bar that first day--that added up to 200 calories and 10g of saturated fat, so it's good I didn't swallow up the whole bar at once! The company makes a ton of other yummy flavors for those special people on your gift list.
My very thoughtful neighbor brought me the awesome gift of two totally vegan ChocoVivo chocolate bars for my birthday from www.chocovivo.com. One was Fig and Almond with Cinnamon, the other was Cherry and Almond with Peppercorns. I wasted no time in tasting them, though I did wait 'til dessert time. What amazing flavors! These are crazy-delicious and made me want more. Lucky thing is the all-vegan chocolate store and factory is in Los Angeles, but they also have an online store. This is so cool --it's 100% whole bean chocolate with no fillers, colors, flavorings, soy lecithin, milk powder, or anything--it's the real thing and is to die for!
Coco-Roons Lemon Pie flavor by Wonderfully Raw are the cutest little coconut macaroons I've ever seen--a perfect dessert to serve my friend who's an unabashed cookie addict. We both gobbled them down like they'd be gone tomorrow--actually, they were. Packed into this little 6-ounce bag were 8 creamy white, little mounds about 1 1/2 inches in diameter and about 1-inch high. Made of unsweetened coconut and raw almond flour, they were ultra moist and damn delicious! Here's some neat stuff about them: they're all raw, certified organic, gluten-free, and kosher. Just don't eat them all in one sitting--one cookie has 78 calories, 6g total fat, and 4g saturated fat.
I don't know about you, but I need a sweet little nibble in my daily life. Discovered Maxine's Heavenly Vegan Cookies in Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Cinnamon Oatmeal Raisin flavors and boy! Are they ever heavenly! Just like you wish your mom could make. Coconut sugar gives them the perfect sweetness without being over the top and the big fat chunks of chocolate in the peanut butter flavor were to-die for. Some vegan cookies are kind of mushy--not these! They're crisp, yet moist, and chewy at the same time! Listen up--they're organic, gluten-free, soy-free and non-GMO. I love 'em--gotta try the other flavors! Watch out, though, they do have a few calories--140 for each cookie!
Remember marshmallows? Those puffy little cloud-like sweet nothings we used to put on a stick and roast over a campfire or poke into our cups of hot chocolate? They're back and come in a 10-ounce package of Dandies Minis by Chicago Vegan Foods. Well, they've shrunken a bit and are teeny tiny little air-puffed wonders that taste just like I remember them! And I can tell you these pixie puffs still work great on hot chocolate! Love them! They're also totally vegan, gluten-free, non-GMO, and gelatin-free. These minis are also a zero-fat delight--seriously--there's no fat in the ingredients.
Chocolate lover that I am, I spotted Fudge Indulgence Cookie on the store shelf, and did it ever shout my name! The message was loud and clear--I simply had to have that chocolaty treat from the Alternative Baking Company. This cookie is to dream about--so, so soft, chewy, and perfectly moist and OMG it's so rich tasting I'm craving another one. Yeah, of course, it's got calories, 230 of them, and it does have a bit of fat, 7g total with 3.5g saturated fat, but I don't go chocolate dipping every day--it's a very naughty once-in-a-while treat, but it's deliriously delicious. And, guess what--it's gluten-free. Would you believe that little 2 1/4-ounce cookie has 3g of fiber?
A couple of friends came over for some eats, and brought a frozen Wholly-Wholesome Truly Natural Blueberry Pie that was totally vegan. Turned on the oven and stuck it in for the 55 minutes recommended on the package. It smelled good, but I didn't think much about it, since most frozen pies are pretty yucky. Still, that blueberry aroma was pretty compelling. Dessert time came and we all dug in without hesitation. Admittedly, it rocked us all and transported us to gourmet nirvana! Neat thing is, it's not sickeningly sweet--the sweetness is perfect and the flavor of the wild blueberries is awesome! The wheat and rice crust has a great mouth-feel, too. The package says 6 servings, but we polished it off in a blink! Great stuff! So instead of 310 calories had there been 6 of us, we each downed 465 calories!
Sweet & Sara did it right! She filled a niche this vegan has been craving forever--a totally vegan marshmallow that really tastes like a marshmallow should. She calls them Marshmallow Meltaways and I went and melted away half a package of the Toasted Coconut ones before I could put on the brakes! Don't come near these if you're planning to diet--they won't help a bit, but they will provide you with at least 5 minutes of pure ecstasy if you chomp 'em down fast. But the best way to enjoy them is to slow down and take tiny bites. That way you can stretch out the dreamy sweet, airy delight and make it last lots longer. Two heads up, though. They're cool dudes--you gotta keep them refrigerated. You gotta earn big bucks to buy these often.
Vegan Delights Chocolate Treasures are little, unassuming, all-chocolate cookies as slender as a vegan but capable of unleashing a dizzying spin of chocolate rapture that hits the taste buds with a thwack of rich, melt-in-the mouth flavor. Deep chocolate to the core and moist like a typical brownie, these cookies even have a couple of weeks of staying power at room temperature as well. They may not be considered a national treasure, but vegans won't hesitate to adopt them as a vegan treasure!
Cookie! Cookie! I need more Cookie! Those were the words I felt like shouting after gorging on my half of the giant 4 1/2-inch vegan Chocolate Cappuccino Cookie by Frankly Natural Bakers. I almost regretted sharing the cookie with my friend. This baby packed a wallop of decadent chocolate flavor, delivered rich texture with whole chocolate chips, and sent me into deep cappuccino ecstasy! Putting it mildly, it's a sensational treat.
It's hard to imagine that one innocent little 2 1/2-inch Chocolate Chip Cookie could send me into a frenzy of delight, but it did! Not too crispy and not too chewy, this divine vegan cookie, made of mostly organic ingredients, by Vegan Delights has got it right with a texture that's halfway between. This tiny treat looks undistinguished, but, ohhhh! one bite tells a different story! This diminutive, sweet, chocolaty, and walnutty baby eased my insatiable cookie cravings in an instant. Hmmm, makes me wonder about the other cookies in their cupboard!
One Bite Is Never Enough
Chocolate, oh soy-milk chocolate, how you charge up my spirits and make me smile! What absolutely made my day is popping one of those little foil-wrapped half-balls of ChocoSoy Soy-Milk Chocolate into my mouth and experiencing pure heaven. It's just-right sweet and it's all vegan with non-refined sugar and non-GMO soymilk. Life is good! And good for the environment, too. There are 5 one-inch "balls" of chocolate in each attractively packaged ecologically-friendly brown paper carton that's tied with buriti palm fiber from Brazil. And, as you might expect, one piece of chocolate leads to another--but, fortunately, my indulgence was limited to the 5 pieces in the package!
You Can't Crab About These Cakes
Choked Up Over Artihearts
Taste Treasures from the Land of Canaan
Califia's Creamy Creamer Is Your Morning Indulgence
Make a Holiday Splash with This Nog
Humm Kombucha Had Me Humming
Tap the Maple Tree for Some Delicious Water
This Ginger Will Make You Zoom
Dr. Kombucha Offers The Right Prescription
Betcha You Can't Matcha This Drink
Hard-Pressed to Beat This Cold-Pressed Drink
No Moo in This Milk
WTRMLN WTR, a Thirst Quencher Without the Vowels
Take a Leap Before You Drink
Treat Your Belly Like a Pro
Mull This One Over
This True Solution Will Shake You Up
Oat Works Really Works
This Herbal Coffee Suits Me to a "Tea"
Squeeze a Nut and See What Happens
There's Passion in This Coconut Water
Easier Than Cracking a Coconut
Smoothie As Silk
Reap the Harvest One Sip at a Time
This Smoothie Is From Another Galaxy
Sunday Is My Day
Look What Just Hatched!
Enjoy Breakfast in a Cup
There's Power in Those Seeds
Muffins for Dunkin' and Jammin'
Maple Mornings Brighten the Day
Hand-held Breakfast
Bob Has the Right Stuff
Black Beans Never Tasted So Good
A Burger with Pizazz"
Before the Butcher Delivers "Meaty but Meatless"
Trader Joe's Burgers Excite My Taste Buds
Way Beyond Other Burgers
Hilary's Has It All Except for…
Shout Out for Marie's Veggie Patty
What to Do in a Qrunch!
These Sliders Are Beyond Belief
Give Yourself a Spicy Treat
This Sunshine Burger Really Shines
Go Nuts over Carla Lee's Nut Burgers
That's pretty darned heavy duty for one little patty!
Ole! Chipotle!
Oh, Bahama, It's Jerkin' Good
Maui Zowie! Hawaiian Soul Food
Surf's Up for This Burger
The Veggie Burger That Ain't
Ride the Texas Range for Dinner
Hurray for Hempnut!
Thumbs up, Morningstar!
Thumbs down, Morningstar!
What a Great Fynd!
Good PLANeT Wedges into a Savor Sensation
It's Bettah with Feta
Meet You at the Roadhouse for Some Cheddah
This Provolone Really Smokes
Winning the Feta Jackpot
Yum Good Cheese to Chao On
Miyoko Knows How to "un-lox Your Dreams"
Best Cheese Bars, Bar None
Provolone--a Slice of the Good Life
The Schmear That Spreads Joy
A caution: they're a bit caloric because they're made from nuts.
Hooray-ah for Daiya
The Parmesan Gods Heard My Prayers
Please Teese This Cheese
Have Your Own Highland Sheese Fling
Those Bagels Crave This Dream Cream Cheese
Feta Wheta the Appetite
It's O.K. to Play with Your Food
Rice Is Nice in the Galaxy
Italian to the Roots!
Non Capisce Parmigiano
Melt in Your Mouth Pizza Cheese
And It Melts, Too
A Cheese That's Rella-tively Great
Soymage Oozes Out of Contention
Omni Tastes Like the "Real Stuff"
Time to Have a Party Patty
Gobble Up These Turk'y Cutlets
Beyond Chicken Scores with Plant-based Breaded Tenders
Buffaloed When I Tried to Wing It
This Chik'n Is Patty Good
My Tender Experience with Lightlife
Tofurky Stirs Up Some Chick'n
No Fowl in These Savory Strips
Simply Too Unbalanced for Me
Wrap Your Fingers Around These Crispy Fingers
There's a Buffalo in the Kitchen!
Hooray for V-USA!
King of the Chicken Coop
Boca Chik'n Patties Lay Giant Egg
Clucking over Chicken-Free Patties
Cutlets Get Smart
Find Your Sweet Spot with Rickaroons
Justin in--a Chocolate Peanut Butter Truffle Too Good to Be True
Piping Gourmets Whoopie Pies Chocolate Cake with Mint Frosting
Chocolate Nirvana, Bar None
Viva La ChocoVivo!
Cuckoo for Coco-Roons
Maxine Fills the Bag with Heavenly Bites
Dandies Love Chocolate--and We Love Them Too
Oh Fudge, I'm Indulging
Wholly Moly, What a Wild Blueberry Pie!
At Last, a Real Vegan Marshmallow
Thwack Your Taste Buds with Delights
Too Good to be True!
Stranded in Chocolate Chip Paradise!