VEGGIE BITS
Beast Burger
These juicy burgers taste just like the real thing. Throw them on the grill or cook them on the stove; you won't be able to tell they are made from non-GMO pea protein (soy and gluten free). This is a veggie burger unlike any other on the market because of its uncanny resemblance to meat. It uses ingredients from sustainable sources. The quarter-pound patties are hearty and filling (one patty has about half of its 260 calories coming from fat), but if you are looking for something lighter, they make sliders too! I put my burger on a toasted ciabatta roll topped with fresh kale, white onion, and ripe avocado. I bit into a quality burger with a beefy flavor and a taste straight from the grill. Beast Burgers are available for purchase nationwide at most natural food stores.
Written by Anne Custer, VRG intern.
Jackfruit Shreds
Jackfruit is the hot new meat substitute, and Upton's Naturals' new Jackfruit Shreds don't disappoint. They come in two flavors: Bar-B-Que Jackfruit and Chili Lime Carnitas. When heated for a few minutes and then pulled apart, the shreds prove that you can have all the taste and texture of hometown grilled pulled pork, 100% cruelty-free. The flavors maintain a steady balance between sweet, savory, and spice, stealthily tapping into different taste buds. They're perfect between buns, stir-fried in a wok, wrapped up, or even topping a salad. Added bonus: the shreds are easy to prepare as they only need to be warmed (add last to any recipe), which makes them a piece of egg-less cake to be prepared for vegans and non-vegans alike. Next time you have a barbecue, don't settle for just preparing veggie burgers — shred up some of Upton's Jackfruit too! Visit http://www.uptonsnaturals.com to locate Upton's Naturals' jackfruit in a store near you.
Written by Autumn Burton, VRG intern.
Daiya Pizza
No need to take the hike across town to the few pizzerias that offer Daiya cheese; Daiya has crafted pizzas themselves that you can enjoy in the comfort of your own home. Featuring a crispy gluten-free crust, these pizzas are drenched in vegan cheese and covered with a generous amount of toppings. If you want the most cheese from a frozen pizza, no other will do. Six different varieties include Cheeze Lover's, Margherita, Fire-Roasted Vegetable, Mushroom and Garlic, Bianca, and Supreme, each with its own take on a classic pizza. Perfect for heating up right before a big game or for movie night, these pizzas are big enough to share between two to three people, but small enough that you can be stuffed if you decide to indulge by yourself. Convenience is key to these pizzas, which are ready to savor after baking for only 10 minutes. You can search for the nearest location to pick up a Daiya Pizza on daiyafoods.com by selecting Pizzas from the menu.
Written by Ivy Grob, VRG intern.
Creamy Kite Hill Cheeses
I used to be very skeptical of vegan cheese. I didn't think it was possible to get the texture and the taste just right, and so far, every vegan cheese I've tried has proved my theory, until I tried Kite Hill cheeses. Their artisanal vegan soft ripened, ricotta and cream cheeses are made from cultured almond milk and delicately crafted to resemble the real thing. They use traditional cheese-making techniques to make their products as natural as possible. My favorite was the ricotta! I crumbled it in between layers of pasta, tomato sauce, and steamed vegetables to make veggie lasagna. It added the perfect creamy texture! With every bite, I was shocked that it wasn't dairy-based. I kept asking myself, "How did they do this?" The cream cheese was another office favorite, smooth and creamy like the real thing. You can experience this by purchasing Kite Hill (www.kite-hill.com) products at your local Whole Foods.
Written by Anne Custer, VRG intern.
Beyond Meatballs
Beyond Beef's Swedish and Italian Meatballs are soon to become a regular addition to spaghetti night and beyond at your home. Made from pea protein, these meatballs are vegan, and free of soy, gluten, and GMOs, making them more accessible to every crowd. The texture is smooth and friendly to those vegans who may not be fans of meat substitutes, although still hearty for those wishing to recreate traditional recipes. The Swedish Meatballs are smaller and more round, making them perfect for meatball subs and plant-based gravy dishes. The Italian Meatballs feature a hint of flavorful Mediterranean spices, just asking to be added to spaghetti and your favorite pasta sauces. Stick toothpicks in either variety and arrange on a platter full of dipping sauces for fun hors d'oeuvres at a party or family dinner. The best part about these meatballs is they are pre-made and completely ready to be added to recipes in just minutes. However, please note while this product is lower in fat than traditional meatballs, more than half of its calories come from fat. You can find Beyond Meat's Swedish and Italian Meatballs in the frozen section at natural food stores and retailers near you by using the store locator at www.beyondmeat.com.
Written by Ivy Grob, VRG intern.
Go Nuts for Forager
Forager has created a line of drinks including green juices, nut milks, and creative combinations of both. The all-organic ingredients are packed into a 16-ounce bottle ready to be taken anywhere you go. I tried the Nuts & Coffee drink made from cashew milk, cold brew coffee, almond milk, dates, oat milk, vanilla bean, and sea salt. It was creamy and smooth and provided a hint of coffee flavor. The slight coffee taste is perfect for those who are trying to slowly kick their caffeine habit or trying to enjoy coffee for the first time. "Think before you drink" and buy Forager products nationwide at some natural foods stores and Safeway.
Written by Anne Custer, VRG intern.
Bright Vegan Colors
Seeing definitely is believing when it comes to ColorKitchen's all-natural food coloring packets. I could hardly believe the rich, vibrant colors that were being made in front of my eyes! ColorKitchen's pigments are plant-sourced, non-artificial, and made in a powder form, making them totally vegan with maximum color concentration. All you need are the three primaries — Bright Blue, Beet Red, and Yellow — and you will be on your way to coloring every shade of the rainbow. Discovering the vivid colors you can make could be a fun art lesson for little kids, especially if it's mixing up a yummy treat. You can use ColorKitchen's color packets in frosting, icing, glazes, and even cake batter for an eye-popping surprise. You can make cupcakes with your favorite sport team's colors for the big game, your school's colors for a graduation, and ColorKitchen even makes a special holiday coloring pack for festive and wintery delicacies. I highly suggest experimenting and letting your imagination run wild with these dyes; as you never know where the fun could take you. You can order ColorKitchen's color packets at www.colorkitchenfoods.com.
Written by Ivy Grob, VRG intern.
Benevolent Bacon
Benevolent is not typically a word you hear used to describe bacon, but in the case of Sweet Earth Natural Foods 100% plant-based Hickory and Sage Smoked Seitan bacon, it's the perfect adjective. Flavored with only organic, non-GMO ingredients like nutritional yeast, hickory smoke, apple cider vinegar, cane juice, and cumin, this treat offers a lot of taste without animal cruelty or unnecessary environmental waste. Try having Benevolent Bacon as a side with your tofu scramble, but you don't have to wait until breakfast to dig in. It would be great on a vegan BLT, on top of a salad, or in a wrap with avocado and other veggies. You can purchase Sweet Earth's Benevolent Bacon from Wegmans, Whole Foods, and many health foods stores throughout the country for around $4.50.
Written by Autumn Burton, VRG intern.
