Veggie Bits
High Peaks Vegan Sausage
Hearty and tempting, High Peaks Vegan Sausages are minimally processed and packed
with real food ingredients like fruit, grains, spices, and veggies. Starting with a
base of wheat gluten and white beans, High Peaks stands out from other vegan
sausages because of their rich flavor profiles. Try Italian-Style, Sunrise Trail
Mix, Sweet Apple, or Wild Mushroom. Perfect on a sausage sandwich, as a pizza
topping, chopped over a salad, or in pasta, High Peaks are versatile and hold up to
baking, frying, and grilling. The Sunrise Trail Mix variety is an ideal breakfast
sausage and testers thought the Italian-Style was seasoned just right with a balance
of spicy and depth. Non-GMO. Available at Earth Faire, Fairway, Lassen's Natural
Foods, Lazy Acres Market, Lucky's, Raley's, and other natural markets. www.highpeaks.life
Rissa Miller, Senior Editor
MooCho Cheesecakes
Moocho Cheesecakes come in three flavors but tantalize the most important taste
receptor: sweet. At the base is an unconventional cookie-style crust made from brown
rice flour. A rich and decadent filling made from organic tofu rests on top.
Textures are balanced between the slight crunch of the crust and the creaminess of
the filling. These baby cakes are so easy: eat them plain or add berries and
chocolate sauce! Moocho will be a crowd-pleaser for non-vegans because they hit
close to home with dense, rich texture. Chocolate had me going back for seconds, but
lemon berry swirl was the top choice among testers because of its flavorful tang and
fruity sweetness. Grab a Chocolate, Lemon Berry Swirl, or New York Style to satisfy
your sweet tooth or get a variety pack to try them all. Gluten-free. www.moochofoods.com/moocho-cheesecakes
Emily Carter, VRG Intern
Fresh Gourmet Crispy Peppers
Add crunch to almost any savory dish with Fresh Gourmet Crispy Peppers. Crispy
Peppers, made from fresh peppers, add a burst of color and snappy flavor to an array
of meals. A pinch right out of the bag is even a yummy treat! Red Peppers are mild
with hints of sweet and salt; Jalapeño has a zesty, spicy bite. Testers loved
both varieties as a topping on baked potatoes, casseroles, nachos, salads,
sandwiches, soups, tacos, and more. Available at Aldi, Publix, Walmart, or online at
www.freshgourmet.com/crispy-veggies
Rissa Miller, Senior Editor
Bright Bars
With eight vivid flavors, Bright Bars are an easy-to-devour snack. Real food is
chopped and combined using a cold-pressure process, and then chilled, making the
bars free from preservatives, stabilizers, and gums. Testers raved about the smooth
texture of these bars. The Clean Protein line, available in Almond Butter, Dark
Chocolate Sea Salt, Peanut Butter, and Peanut Butter-Dark Chocolate, practically
melt in your mouth with a creamy, sumptuous finish. Both chocolate flavors were
popular with testers.
For those with families, the Whole Veggie and Fruit bars are a slam-dunk win, offering just enough sweetness to be refreshing. Varieties include Carrot Blueberry, Carrot Pineapple, Kale Apple, and Sweet Potato Blueberry, and they all have seven grams of fiber with no added sugar. Bright Bars are good at room temperature for 24 hours. Pack them on the go for errands, hikes, or work. All varieties are gluten-free, non-GMO, and soy-free. Available at Sprouts and some Whole Foods stores, or purchase online. www.brightfoods.com
Rissa Miller, Senior Editor
