As a Washingtonian, I am disappoint. This election, the whole country was watching and rooting for us to pass I-522, which would have made labeling of GM foods mandatory in our state. We would have been the first, and could have set an example -- but as of right now, it looks like the initiative has been defeated by a margin of about 10%, with only about 25% voter turnout. Monsanto and all their biotech friends spent millions to bombard us with TV commercials (seriously, I saw at least one No on 522 ad during every commercial break on the major networks) and mailers full of lies and scare tactics to convince us to vote no. As if that weren't enough, the Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA) illegally laundered donations from various big food companies for the No campaign, bringing about a lawsuit from the state Attorney General -- and still these slimeballs won. I am normally proud to live in such a progressive state, which is why I am flabbergasted and, quite honestly, disgusted that we let this happen. While I know the fight for labeling is still far from over, this is a very disheartening setback.
As of this month, I've been eating vegetarian for five years and GMO-free for almost 10 months. Along the way, I have inspired a few people to try following in my footsteps, but most of them have found it too difficult to maintain such a diet and returned to "conventional" foods. I'm not gonna lie; it's been really difficult for me too at times. There have been days I've craved a bag of Cheetos and a Coke -- but when I remember all the reasons why I've chosen this path, I find that I can overcome those cravings. And now, having been so long since I've tasted either of those things, I don't really miss them much at all. Besides, there are organic and GMO-free products to help fill the void that giving up junk food left in my life -- things like Blue Sky organic sodas, Annie's Homegrown organic snack crackers and cookies, Newman's Organic peanut butter cups (better than Reese's if you ask me), and Garden of Eatin' organic snack chips. I don't eat these things all the time because they're more expensive than conventional snacks and they're still not exactly "health food" -- but everyone needs some comfort food once in a while.
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Imagine Organic No-Chicken Broth
I use it to add flavor to lentils, beans, rice, potatoes, seitan, tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables. I mix it with some organic soy sauce and onion and garlic powders to make a delicious stir fry sauce. I like heating up a small bowl of it to dip a grilled cheese sandwich in. And of course, I've used it to make soups -- noodle soups, egg drop soups, vegetable soups. Basically, I use this stuff in practically every dinner I cook these days.
Imagine Organic No-Chicken Broth comes in regular and low-sodium varieties, though it can be difficult to find in stores where they don't carry a lot of vegetarian "alternative" or organic products. Around here, I've seen it in Fred Meyer and Whole Foods.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Trader Joe's Contemplates Inner Peas (pea flavored crisps)
If you've ever tried Snapea Crisps, these are very similar. Which is fine, because Snapea Crisps are pretty damn tasty. The main difference is that these, having been made for the Trader Joe's label, do not contain GMOs.*
Inner Peas are a crunchy snack made from dried peas, rice flour, and cornmeal, in an elongated shape resembling a pea pod. As far as the texture, they're somewhere between crunchy and puffy Cheetos. Great for dipping, and they go well with hummus. Or, like me, you can just munch on them by the handful, straight out of the bag. They're good for satisfying a craving for an salty, slightly oily snack and are a fun alternative to potato chips.
For a snack food, they're not bad nutrition-wise. 130 calories per generous serving (about 24 crisps) and 6 grams of fat (only 1 gram is saturated fat). You'll have to look elsewhere for your daily fiber and protein, though, because these have only one gram of each.
I paid $1.29 for a 3.3 oz package, which is about three servings.
Oddly, the package is not marked as vegan, although I don't see any animal ingredients. There's also a kosher dairy symbol on the front. Strange...
Protein source: Peas
Allergens: Corn, peas
* ETA 11/2013: I am no longer confident that Trader Joe's private label brand is GMO-free as their website would have you believe -- as a result, I choose to no longer eat their non-organic products. Do your own research, decide for yourself, vote with your grocery shopping dollars, and eat at your own risk.
Inner Peas are a crunchy snack made from dried peas, rice flour, and cornmeal, in an elongated shape resembling a pea pod. As far as the texture, they're somewhere between crunchy and puffy Cheetos. Great for dipping, and they go well with hummus. Or, like me, you can just munch on them by the handful, straight out of the bag. They're good for satisfying a craving for an salty, slightly oily snack and are a fun alternative to potato chips.
For a snack food, they're not bad nutrition-wise. 130 calories per generous serving (about 24 crisps) and 6 grams of fat (only 1 gram is saturated fat). You'll have to look elsewhere for your daily fiber and protein, though, because these have only one gram of each.
I paid $1.29 for a 3.3 oz package, which is about three servings.
Oddly, the package is not marked as vegan, although I don't see any animal ingredients. There's also a kosher dairy symbol on the front. Strange...
Protein source: Peas
Allergens: Corn, peas
* ETA 11/2013: I am no longer confident that Trader Joe's private label brand is GMO-free as their website would have you believe -- as a result, I choose to no longer eat their non-organic products. Do your own research, decide for yourself, vote with your grocery shopping dollars, and eat at your own risk.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
FUD IZ SRS BSNS.
My dear fellow food adventurers,
I've already stated that I'm in the process of changing my diet to exclude GMOs and the food additives that are derived from them. I'd just like to take a moment to explain why, and what all this means.
I was super excited when I saw my number of page views roll over to 10,000 -- that's something I never imagined would happen when I first started this blog. Back then, my only readers were my two vegetarian sisters. I can't help now feeling a sense of responsibility to everyone who visits Vegetablog to be as honest and helpful as possible.
Most of us don't even realize it, but the average grocery store is becoming a scary and confusing place. I've heard differing statistics, but they say that somewhere around 70-80% of the processed foods on the store shelves contain genetically modified ingredients. That's huge. Pick up any packaging for a non-organic food and you are likely to find a long list of chemicals and stuff you don't recognize or understand the purpose of. A lot of it comes from genetically engineered corn and soy. Over 80% of the corn and soy grown in the US are GMOs. Many other countries have banned or restricted GMO production and imports, and have mandatory GMO labeling on foods. Our country does not.
You might be thinking, Why should I be concerned? If they sell it as food, it must be safe, right?
For most of my life, I believed that too. But no, not necessarily. A lot of chemicals and even "natural" ingredients have been introduced into foods in the past and later deemed to be unsafe.
Genetically modified crops have had part of their DNA replaced with DNA from another organism (bacteria, viruses, animals, or other plants) in order to produce a desired effect (drought tolerance, pesticide resistance, herbicide resistance, pesticide production, tolerance to crowding, etc.). It is not equivalent to the techniques farmers and gardeners have used for centuries to cross-breed plants. These plants are things that would never occur in nature. And often, there are unintended consequences.
The "studies" conducted on animals to determine the safety of genetically engineered foods are funded by the companies who engineered the food, and they use any means necessary to manipulate the data in their favor. There are no long term human studies. And if that weren't enough, there are employees of these huge, multinational companies in the FDA and USDA, making our food safety decisions for us!
If you do a little googling or follow some of the links I posted in my previous entry, you'll find some scary, real, independent studies done on these foods, and news articles about farmers and their livestock getting sick. These foods may be slowly poisoning us, contributing to higher rates of cancer, diabetes, obesity, food allergies, infertility, and general illness.
Now I'm getting a little worried. But what can I do if most foods contain GMOs? How do I even know if the products I just bought are safe?
There are things you can do. First, buy organic if you can. Any food that is labeled certified organic cannot be produced through genetic engineering. Second, some companies are also now voluntarily labeling their products as "Non-GMO Project Verified", "Contains no genetically engineered soy", or similar. Third, read the ingredients list. Some ingredients that are red flags: high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, corn starch, food starch, any soy that is not listed as organic or non-GMO, aspartame, canola/rapeseed, cottonseed, and many more. Buy whole foods: vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, and herbs, or grown your own. You can tell your grocery store manager and the companies who make your favorite products that you don't want to eat franken-foods. You can get involved in anti-GMO activism and work toward getting all foods labeled.
This is a lot to take in. I don't know if I can let go of some of the processed foods I know and love. I don't have time to cook and bake. Organic food is expensive.
I hear you. It is a lot to take in, and it's a really big change. Organic food can be a lot more expensive -- sometimes two or three times as much as conventional food -- but organic farming is not subsidized nearly as much as non-organic farming. And without all the added flavorings, sweeteners, and preservatives, it can taste quite different than what we're used to, so it takes some adjustment. If it makes it easier for you, introduce organics and non-GMO foods into your diet gradually. Even substituting some of your regular food purchases with organic will be better for you, your family, organic farmers, and the planet.
I would never have known about any of this had I not been forced to watch the documentary "Food Inc" in my nutrition class and consequently been inspired to start researching the matter myself. I knew there was some shady business going on in the food industry, but I was blissfully unaware of the nature and extent of it. I knew just enough to be convinced a little over four years ago to stop eating meat products, but I completely took for granted that everything else was fine to eat.
What does this mean for Vegetablog? Are you just gonna preach at us from now on? If so, I'm not interested.
Nah. From now on, I'll try to keep the preaching to a minimum. I just wanted to get this all off my chest, and provide a new foundation for the blog and where it's going. I want to start reviewing organic foods and vegetarian products, report on my from-scratch cooking and baking experiments that are soon to come, as well as tackle the immense and complicated topic of eating at restaurants. I hope that you'll still find Vegetablog worth reading as it moves on to even bigger food adventures.
Your friend in food,
jazzhands
I've already stated that I'm in the process of changing my diet to exclude GMOs and the food additives that are derived from them. I'd just like to take a moment to explain why, and what all this means.
I was super excited when I saw my number of page views roll over to 10,000 -- that's something I never imagined would happen when I first started this blog. Back then, my only readers were my two vegetarian sisters. I can't help now feeling a sense of responsibility to everyone who visits Vegetablog to be as honest and helpful as possible.
Most of us don't even realize it, but the average grocery store is becoming a scary and confusing place. I've heard differing statistics, but they say that somewhere around 70-80% of the processed foods on the store shelves contain genetically modified ingredients. That's huge. Pick up any packaging for a non-organic food and you are likely to find a long list of chemicals and stuff you don't recognize or understand the purpose of. A lot of it comes from genetically engineered corn and soy. Over 80% of the corn and soy grown in the US are GMOs. Many other countries have banned or restricted GMO production and imports, and have mandatory GMO labeling on foods. Our country does not.
You might be thinking, Why should I be concerned? If they sell it as food, it must be safe, right?
For most of my life, I believed that too. But no, not necessarily. A lot of chemicals and even "natural" ingredients have been introduced into foods in the past and later deemed to be unsafe.
Genetically modified crops have had part of their DNA replaced with DNA from another organism (bacteria, viruses, animals, or other plants) in order to produce a desired effect (drought tolerance, pesticide resistance, herbicide resistance, pesticide production, tolerance to crowding, etc.). It is not equivalent to the techniques farmers and gardeners have used for centuries to cross-breed plants. These plants are things that would never occur in nature. And often, there are unintended consequences.
The "studies" conducted on animals to determine the safety of genetically engineered foods are funded by the companies who engineered the food, and they use any means necessary to manipulate the data in their favor. There are no long term human studies. And if that weren't enough, there are employees of these huge, multinational companies in the FDA and USDA, making our food safety decisions for us!
If you do a little googling or follow some of the links I posted in my previous entry, you'll find some scary, real, independent studies done on these foods, and news articles about farmers and their livestock getting sick. These foods may be slowly poisoning us, contributing to higher rates of cancer, diabetes, obesity, food allergies, infertility, and general illness.
Now I'm getting a little worried. But what can I do if most foods contain GMOs? How do I even know if the products I just bought are safe?
There are things you can do. First, buy organic if you can. Any food that is labeled certified organic cannot be produced through genetic engineering. Second, some companies are also now voluntarily labeling their products as "Non-GMO Project Verified", "Contains no genetically engineered soy", or similar. Third, read the ingredients list. Some ingredients that are red flags: high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, corn starch, food starch, any soy that is not listed as organic or non-GMO, aspartame, canola/rapeseed, cottonseed, and many more. Buy whole foods: vegetables, fruits, mushrooms, and herbs, or grown your own. You can tell your grocery store manager and the companies who make your favorite products that you don't want to eat franken-foods. You can get involved in anti-GMO activism and work toward getting all foods labeled.
This is a lot to take in. I don't know if I can let go of some of the processed foods I know and love. I don't have time to cook and bake. Organic food is expensive.
I hear you. It is a lot to take in, and it's a really big change. Organic food can be a lot more expensive -- sometimes two or three times as much as conventional food -- but organic farming is not subsidized nearly as much as non-organic farming. And without all the added flavorings, sweeteners, and preservatives, it can taste quite different than what we're used to, so it takes some adjustment. If it makes it easier for you, introduce organics and non-GMO foods into your diet gradually. Even substituting some of your regular food purchases with organic will be better for you, your family, organic farmers, and the planet.
I would never have known about any of this had I not been forced to watch the documentary "Food Inc" in my nutrition class and consequently been inspired to start researching the matter myself. I knew there was some shady business going on in the food industry, but I was blissfully unaware of the nature and extent of it. I knew just enough to be convinced a little over four years ago to stop eating meat products, but I completely took for granted that everything else was fine to eat.
What does this mean for Vegetablog? Are you just gonna preach at us from now on? If so, I'm not interested.
Nah. From now on, I'll try to keep the preaching to a minimum. I just wanted to get this all off my chest, and provide a new foundation for the blog and where it's going. I want to start reviewing organic foods and vegetarian products, report on my from-scratch cooking and baking experiments that are soon to come, as well as tackle the immense and complicated topic of eating at restaurants. I hope that you'll still find Vegetablog worth reading as it moves on to even bigger food adventures.
Your friend in food,
jazzhands
Saturday, January 26, 2013
Changes
Over the past couple weeks, I've been doing a lot of research about what's in our food and where it comes from. Because of the very disturbing information I'm learning, I've been making a lot of changes in my diet. Specifically, I'm working toward eliminating genetically modified foods and their derivatives from my diet, and I would strongly urge others to do their own research on the subject.
And because I've been making a lot of dietary changes, the nature and content of this blog will be changing somewhat. I promise I'll try not to get too preachy, but I do feel very strongly about all of this, and am deeply concerned.
If you are interested -- and I really feel that food safety and quality is something everyone should be interested in because it affects us all -- here are a few links to get you started in your research:
Institute for Responsible Technology
The Non-GMO Project
Organic Consumers: Monsanto
Organic Consumers
Say No to GMOs
The Very Real Danger of Genetically Modified Foods (The Atlantic)
Top 10 Dangers of Genetically Modified Food
Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup (Huffington Post)
Good luck out there.
Your friend in food,
jazzhands
And because I've been making a lot of dietary changes, the nature and content of this blog will be changing somewhat. I promise I'll try not to get too preachy, but I do feel very strongly about all of this, and am deeply concerned.
If you are interested -- and I really feel that food safety and quality is something everyone should be interested in because it affects us all -- here are a few links to get you started in your research:
Institute for Responsible Technology
The Non-GMO Project
Organic Consumers: Monsanto
Organic Consumers
Say No to GMOs
The Very Real Danger of Genetically Modified Foods (The Atlantic)
Top 10 Dangers of Genetically Modified Food
Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup (Huffington Post)
Good luck out there.
Your friend in food,
jazzhands
Saturday, January 19, 2013
TJ's Vanilla-flavored Coconut Milk Non-Dairy Beverage
Appearance: It's really bright white - whiter than dairy milk. As you pour, it seems like a similar consistency to dairy milk.
Taste: Wow. This stuff is weird. The flavors are really strong and really separate. I was hoping for a harmoniously blended, creamy vanilla-coconut flavor. Instead, I got: Vanilla. Sugar. Coconut. Chalk. I tried it on my corn-based cereal this morning, which has a pretty distinct flavor, but the coconut milk's flavor was so overpowering that I couldn't taste the cereal. I had to dilute it with some dairy milk just to be able to finish it. If the weird flavors hadn't been so strong, it might have been tolerable.
Mouth-feel: This was just as weird and disconcerting as the flavor. It was simultaneously watery and creamy.
Nutrition: 90 calories, 5 g saturated fat, 1 g protein, 7 g sugar, and 100 mg (about 10% RDA) calcium per 8 ounce serving. I'm not super impressed by those numbers. They've also added vitamins A, D, & B-12; folic acid; magnesium; selenium; iron; and zinc -- all of which are nice.
Overall: Really disappointing. I've tried a few frozen coconut milk desserts and vanilla coconut yogurt and really liked them, so I am very surprised by this. I really don't like giving bad reviews to any vegetarian product, but I don't recommend this one. I thought it was pretty awful. Maybe there's a better brand out there? I hope...?
Allergens: Coconut, "natural flavors"
Ingredients of concern: Carrageenan, "natural flavors"
Vegan
Trader Joe's adventure
I enjoy shopping at Trader Joe's -- there's such an interesting selection of natural, organic, and vegetarian/vegan foods that you can't find elsewhere, and always so many new things I want to try. Unfortunately though, the nearest store is about a half hour from where I live, so I don't get to go there too often. I really wish they'd build a Trader Joe's or Whole Foods in my town instead of a third Wal*Mart (and I really wish I was joking about that third Wal*Mart).
I happened to be in the next city yesterday and needed to pick up a few groceries, so I decided to drive a few extra miles out and hit the TJ's. My approach to grocery shopping depends on my mood and need. Sometimes I'll walk into a store with a list in hand and try to be out ASAP; other times, like yesterday, I'll wander aimlessly, slowly surveying the shelves, waiting for interesting new things to jump out at me. I had a few vague ideas about what I wanted to find: some fake meat staples, some healthy snacks, actual fresh fruit or veg, a new milk alternative to try, and whatever else struck my fancy. I walked out of the store with a lot more than I'd planned, yet had to leave a lot of things on the shelves that were really calling to me.
Some of the things I picked up:
* TJ's Vanilla flavored coconut milk beverage
* TJ's Meatless Meatballs
* TJ's Chickenless Crispy Tenders (which appear to be Gardein in disguise)
* TJ's Contemplates Inner Peas (a "Snapea Crisps"-like crunchy pea snack)
* TJ's organic vegetarian chili
* TJ's Short Stack Syrup (a butter-pecan flavored pancake syrup without high fructose corn syrup)
* TJ's organic sprouted tofu twin pack
* Some red pears and yellow potatoes
I've already had a chance to try a couple of these, and will write up the reviews in separate posts. The rest I'll try to comment on as I get around to them.
I happened to be in the next city yesterday and needed to pick up a few groceries, so I decided to drive a few extra miles out and hit the TJ's. My approach to grocery shopping depends on my mood and need. Sometimes I'll walk into a store with a list in hand and try to be out ASAP; other times, like yesterday, I'll wander aimlessly, slowly surveying the shelves, waiting for interesting new things to jump out at me. I had a few vague ideas about what I wanted to find: some fake meat staples, some healthy snacks, actual fresh fruit or veg, a new milk alternative to try, and whatever else struck my fancy. I walked out of the store with a lot more than I'd planned, yet had to leave a lot of things on the shelves that were really calling to me.
Some of the things I picked up:
* TJ's Vanilla flavored coconut milk beverage
* TJ's Meatless Meatballs
* TJ's Chickenless Crispy Tenders (which appear to be Gardein in disguise)
* TJ's Contemplates Inner Peas (a "Snapea Crisps"-like crunchy pea snack)
* TJ's organic vegetarian chili
* TJ's Short Stack Syrup (a butter-pecan flavored pancake syrup without high fructose corn syrup)
* TJ's organic sprouted tofu twin pack
* Some red pears and yellow potatoes
I've already had a chance to try a couple of these, and will write up the reviews in separate posts. The rest I'll try to comment on as I get around to them.
Wednesday, January 16, 2013
Hello again, fellow food adventurers!
Sorry I've been away so long, but life keeps getting in the way...
I've started paying a lot more attention to my diet over the past year or so. With so many people around me developing various food intolerances and digestive disorders, wanting to get healthier and in better shape, and starting a nutrition class last week, I find myself looking at food in a very different way than I used to. I scrutinize food labels and ingredient lists even more than before. I think about whether the food I'm about to eat is going to be beneficial to me in any way or if I just want it for comfort or pleasure, and whether I could make a better choice.
I still continue to try new vegetarian products as I find them (and there have been a lot of new ones in the past couple years, yay!). I like to think that by doing so, it helps encourage the companies to keep putting out these new products. I'm especially pleased to find so many new products from Gardein, my current favorite meat replacement. All of their products are vegan, use non-GMO soy, and are addictively delicious! While I've tried a number of their frozen offerings, my favorite continues to be their Seven Grain Crispy Tenders.
I would like to get back to reviewing products, making restaurant suggestions, and just trying to blog more often over the next few months. If there's a topic or product you'd like me to cover, feel free to leave a comment here!
I've started paying a lot more attention to my diet over the past year or so. With so many people around me developing various food intolerances and digestive disorders, wanting to get healthier and in better shape, and starting a nutrition class last week, I find myself looking at food in a very different way than I used to. I scrutinize food labels and ingredient lists even more than before. I think about whether the food I'm about to eat is going to be beneficial to me in any way or if I just want it for comfort or pleasure, and whether I could make a better choice.
I still continue to try new vegetarian products as I find them (and there have been a lot of new ones in the past couple years, yay!). I like to think that by doing so, it helps encourage the companies to keep putting out these new products. I'm especially pleased to find so many new products from Gardein, my current favorite meat replacement. All of their products are vegan, use non-GMO soy, and are addictively delicious! While I've tried a number of their frozen offerings, my favorite continues to be their Seven Grain Crispy Tenders.
I would like to get back to reviewing products, making restaurant suggestions, and just trying to blog more often over the next few months. If there's a topic or product you'd like me to cover, feel free to leave a comment here!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
My 4th Vegetarian Thanksgiving!
I'm very excited to be celebrating my fourth Thanksgiving as a vegetarian this week!
I don't have any new dishes planned, just my popular meatless Loaf, and some roasted veggies that went over well last year. I like how, more and more the past few years, everyone in my family brings something to the table for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Instead of the same stuff every year, there's always something new to try along with our favorites.
I'm really bummed that I haven't been able to locate Gardein's seasonal "Savory Stuffed Turk'y". I've become a HUGE fan of Gardein, and a Gardein turk'y sounds amazing... but according to their Facebook page, it is only available at Whole Foods and "smaller independent health food stores". If anyone out there tries Gardein turk'y for Thanksgiving, please let us know where you found it and how it was!
I don't have any new dishes planned, just my popular meatless Loaf, and some roasted veggies that went over well last year. I like how, more and more the past few years, everyone in my family brings something to the table for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Instead of the same stuff every year, there's always something new to try along with our favorites.
I'm really bummed that I haven't been able to locate Gardein's seasonal "Savory Stuffed Turk'y". I've become a HUGE fan of Gardein, and a Gardein turk'y sounds amazing... but according to their Facebook page, it is only available at Whole Foods and "smaller independent health food stores". If anyone out there tries Gardein turk'y for Thanksgiving, please let us know where you found it and how it was!
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Yves Veggie Seafood - Veggie Shrimp
Holy %$#@! This stuff smells, tastes, looks, and chews so much like seafood it's eerie! I swear, as I was first trying it, I had to check the ingredients list about 10 times to make sure it was truly meat-free because it was so disconcertingly fishy.
I found it at Safeway a few weeks ago next to other Yves and Gardein veggie products in the refrigerated section. It was expensive compared to any other veggie product I've ever bought -- about $7 for a 6 ounce package (about 2 servings). I'd never been a fan of shrimp, but the fact that I'd never seen vegetarian seafood before, plus curiosity, plus the fact that I haven't tasted seafood in years all meant that I had to buy it.
The package sat in the fridge for a few weeks simply because I had absolutely no idea what to do with them -- until finally my boyfriend said, "Why don't you just cook them with pasta?" Duh! :) So I did, adding fresh peppers from my garden and a little alfredo sauce. It was a bit of an experiment all around, since it was my first (and possibly only) pepper harvest of the year, and both the sauce and the veggie shrimp were new to me. I'd say it turned out pretty well, though. I had to eat several shrimp before I could get past the weirdness of eating something fishy-tasting, but they did grow on me.
The package mentions two other Yves Veggie Seafood products -- a veggie shrimp scampi and a veggie tuna steak in sesame ginger sauce. I would really like to try the veggie tuna steak, but wish it was available plain -- just because versatility is nice in a meat substitute.
I tried looking this product up on the Yves website to borrow a picture for this post, but I couldn't find it. In fact, there is no mention of any veggie seafood at all. I can't help wondering whether this means the seafood line has already been discontinued (which would make me sad) or if they just haven't updated their website in a while. I may have to contact them directly to find out...
Protein source: Whey
Allergens: Milk, potato
Vegetarian
Allergens: Milk, potato
Vegetarian
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Gardein Chick'n Scallopini: My new favorite "chick'n"!
As you may already know, when I'm in any grocery store for any reason, I can't help peeking at their vegetarian frozen food section to see if there's anything new and interesting. A couple weeks ago I was doing just that, and stumbled upon a brand that was completely new to me: Gardein (= garden + protein). They only had 3 products on the shelf -- buffalo wings, beefless tips, and chick'n scallopini. I don't really know what "scallopini" is, but the picture on the package appealed to me the most at the time, and I was not about to leave the store without any Gardein to try!
I followed the preparation recommendation on the package -- just saute in olive oil over med/med high heat until lightly browned (2-3 minutes each side). I don't remember what I ate along with it -- perhaps Annie's Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese (very yummy, by the way)? But I do remember my first impressions of the Chick'n Scallopini -- Mmmmm! :D So tender, so juicy! Two things that most other chick'n products lack. And the flavor? Delicious! It is a tiny bit wheaty, but that's something I've grown to like quite a bit.
There are four cutlets per resealable plastic package, and I just ate the third one for dinner. The second one was with a veggie and noodle stir fry, and it went perfectly with the Chinese-style flavors. The other I ate with cheese ravioli and tomato sauce, and it was great with that too! Definitely a very versatile product, and I can't wait to find other dishes to use it in. I think it would be amazing in Chick'n Alfredo! I also can't wait to try the other varieties I found. :)
Protein source: Soy, wheat gluten
Allergens: Soy, wheat, gluten, amaranth, quinoa, millet, Kamut, pea, yeast, beetroot, carrot
Vegan
I followed the preparation recommendation on the package -- just saute in olive oil over med/med high heat until lightly browned (2-3 minutes each side). I don't remember what I ate along with it -- perhaps Annie's Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese (very yummy, by the way)? But I do remember my first impressions of the Chick'n Scallopini -- Mmmmm! :D So tender, so juicy! Two things that most other chick'n products lack. And the flavor? Delicious! It is a tiny bit wheaty, but that's something I've grown to like quite a bit.
There are four cutlets per resealable plastic package, and I just ate the third one for dinner. The second one was with a veggie and noodle stir fry, and it went perfectly with the Chinese-style flavors. The other I ate with cheese ravioli and tomato sauce, and it was great with that too! Definitely a very versatile product, and I can't wait to find other dishes to use it in. I think it would be amazing in Chick'n Alfredo! I also can't wait to try the other varieties I found. :)
Protein source: Soy, wheat gluten
Allergens: Soy, wheat, gluten, amaranth, quinoa, millet, Kamut, pea, yeast, beetroot, carrot
Vegan
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Marshmallows! Real, delicious, vegetarian marshmallows!
For me, I think the saddest realization about going vegetarian was that marshmallows, containing gelatin, were now off-limits. I could deal with never eating lime Jell-o again, but marshmallow Peeps? S'mores? So sad.
I'd heard about people making their own squishy, sugary puffs of yumminess at home, but the recipes always contained gelatin. I found some vegan marshmallows you could order online or buy in select grocery stores, but they were expensive. I did find some vegan marshmallow recipes, but the reviews were disheartening. Finally, on the verge of giving up, I stumbled across a blog which referenced the marshmallow recipe in this cookbook (page 65). It uses xanthan gum rather than gelatin -- but vegans beware: it also uses egg whites to give it the firm, fluffy texture.
Upon seeing the picture of the homemade vegetarian "Peep", I felt renewed hope. But excited as I was, I also felt intimidated, as chocolate fudge was the whole of my previous candy-making experience. Plus, xanthan gum is expensive. And I don't have a stand mixer. Basically, I made a lot of excuses. But months later, as Christmas approached, I knew I had to try it. Assuming I succeeded, homemade vegetarian marshmallows would make the ultimate addition to the holiday treat line-up.
With the help of a friend (and her stand mixer), we set about making marshmallows. Turns out that it wasn't so hard after all! It was, however, extremely messy! By the end of the night, I was covered in marshmallow, corn starch, and sugar.
But...
...it was totally worth it!
They're not exact "Peep" clones, but according to a few taste-testers, they were even better! They have a wonderful soft texture and sweet, lightly vanilla taste.
A few notes for anyone who wants to make some of their own:
Allergens: Egg, corn
Vegetarian
I'd heard about people making their own squishy, sugary puffs of yumminess at home, but the recipes always contained gelatin. I found some vegan marshmallows you could order online or buy in select grocery stores, but they were expensive. I did find some vegan marshmallow recipes, but the reviews were disheartening. Finally, on the verge of giving up, I stumbled across a blog which referenced the marshmallow recipe in this cookbook (page 65). It uses xanthan gum rather than gelatin -- but vegans beware: it also uses egg whites to give it the firm, fluffy texture.
Upon seeing the picture of the homemade vegetarian "Peep", I felt renewed hope. But excited as I was, I also felt intimidated, as chocolate fudge was the whole of my previous candy-making experience. Plus, xanthan gum is expensive. And I don't have a stand mixer. Basically, I made a lot of excuses. But months later, as Christmas approached, I knew I had to try it. Assuming I succeeded, homemade vegetarian marshmallows would make the ultimate addition to the holiday treat line-up.
With the help of a friend (and her stand mixer), we set about making marshmallows. Turns out that it wasn't so hard after all! It was, however, extremely messy! By the end of the night, I was covered in marshmallow, corn starch, and sugar.
But...
...it was totally worth it!
They're not exact "Peep" clones, but according to a few taste-testers, they were even better! They have a wonderful soft texture and sweet, lightly vanilla taste.
A few notes for anyone who wants to make some of their own:
- The ingredients in the recipe are measured by weight. While this is more precise (important for delicate recipes such as this), most casual cooks and bakers probably don't have a kitchen scale. I went to the trouble of looking up conversions for all the ingredients listed into cups, tablespoons, fluid ounces, etc. If you need this information, let me know and I can email you my notes. There is also this nifty website I wish I'd known about before. Either way, my marshmallows turned out well by my conversions.
- MARSHMALLOW IS STICKY! Use more corn starch or powdered sugar than you think you will need to control the stickiness, then use some more. Cover the pan with it, the cutting board, the utensils, your hands, the newly cut marshmallows, your face, your dog, your kids...
- If you want to try shaping with cookie cutters, use simple shapes. If the cutter has a lot of points or details, they'll get distorted as you try to push the sticky mass out of the little corners.
- I've found that the best way to store them is spread apart on covered plates or storage container in the refrigerator. I had put some of them in a plastic bag, and within a couple days they had kind of melded together into one giant, gooey blob that was difficult to remove from the bag. :(
Allergens: Egg, corn
Vegetarian
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Cranberry Sauce Recipe
Here is a really simple recipe for cranberry sauce that I've been making for several Thanksgivings now. It's the only cranberry sauce recipe I've tried, because it was so easy and well-received that I didn't need to try any others. :) It's one of those traditional dishes that is enjoyed by vegans and omnivores alike -- so much better than the stuff out of the can. I recommend making this a little ahead of time -- though it cooks up really fast, it can take a while to cool and thicken.
It's a slightly altered version of a recipe I found somewhere on the internet... I wish I could remember where so I could give credit!
Yummy Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 12-ounce package of whole cranberries, rinsed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
Directions:
Combine sugar and orange juice in a sauce pan over medium heat. When sugar is dissolved, add cranberries and cinnamon stick. Stirring frequently, cook until cranberries pop, then remove from heat and remove cinnamon stick. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
It's a slightly altered version of a recipe I found somewhere on the internet... I wish I could remember where so I could give credit!
Yummy Cranberry Sauce
Ingredients:
1 12-ounce package of whole cranberries, rinsed
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
Directions:
Combine sugar and orange juice in a sauce pan over medium heat. When sugar is dissolved, add cranberries and cinnamon stick. Stirring frequently, cook until cranberries pop, then remove from heat and remove cinnamon stick. Sauce will thicken as it cools.
Monday, November 9, 2009
It's November again!
It has been one year since I went vegetarian full-time! I am as happy about my choice as ever, and really can't imagine ever going back.
And you know what else this means -- my second vegetarian Thanksgiving is approaching! Time to start planning the menu!
Many new vegetarians (and non-vegetarian guests at a meatless holiday table) may feel like they will miss having a turkey, that it just won't be Thanksgiving without one. I say, what's so special about it, anyway? Most of my memories of Thanksgiving turkey weren't so great -- it was usually really dry and chewy, no matter how it was cooked (sorry, Mom!). I suspect lots of other people secretly feel that way about their experiences of Thanksgiving turkey, too -- but it's such a deeply ingrained American tradition that it's hard to let go of. But just think of all the poor turkeys! :(
Well, there are other options! Of course, there are various turkey substitutes available from Quorn (their meatless turkey roast -- a log-shaped, very tasty substitute which has a firm, meat-like bite -- I highly recommend it), Tofurkey (a meatless roast complete with stuffing -- not bad, but a little rubbery in texture), and Field Roast Grain Meat Co. (I have yet to try their stuffed Celebration Roast). Or you can decide to move away from the turkey tradition altogether and make another main dish -- my meatless "meatloaves" have been a big hit at the past two Thanksgiving dinners! Or take it a step further and have a completely untraditional meal -- whatever you want! Try a new hearty vegetable soup recipe with garlic toast or sandwiches, make a smorgasbord of your favorite breakfast foods, barbecue up some veggie burgers and tofu dogs, bake a vegetable lasagna or some meatless burritos with all the fixin's... or just get some take-out! Don't be afraid to think outside the box. The world will not come to an end if you don't have turkey and green bean casserole on the fourth Thursday in November. ;)
Over the next two weeks, I intend to share a few recipes and review a few Thanksgiving-related veggie foods. Stay tuned!
<3 jazzhands
And you know what else this means -- my second vegetarian Thanksgiving is approaching! Time to start planning the menu!
Many new vegetarians (and non-vegetarian guests at a meatless holiday table) may feel like they will miss having a turkey, that it just won't be Thanksgiving without one. I say, what's so special about it, anyway? Most of my memories of Thanksgiving turkey weren't so great -- it was usually really dry and chewy, no matter how it was cooked (sorry, Mom!). I suspect lots of other people secretly feel that way about their experiences of Thanksgiving turkey, too -- but it's such a deeply ingrained American tradition that it's hard to let go of. But just think of all the poor turkeys! :(
Well, there are other options! Of course, there are various turkey substitutes available from Quorn (their meatless turkey roast -- a log-shaped, very tasty substitute which has a firm, meat-like bite -- I highly recommend it), Tofurkey (a meatless roast complete with stuffing -- not bad, but a little rubbery in texture), and Field Roast Grain Meat Co. (I have yet to try their stuffed Celebration Roast). Or you can decide to move away from the turkey tradition altogether and make another main dish -- my meatless "meatloaves" have been a big hit at the past two Thanksgiving dinners! Or take it a step further and have a completely untraditional meal -- whatever you want! Try a new hearty vegetable soup recipe with garlic toast or sandwiches, make a smorgasbord of your favorite breakfast foods, barbecue up some veggie burgers and tofu dogs, bake a vegetable lasagna or some meatless burritos with all the fixin's... or just get some take-out! Don't be afraid to think outside the box. The world will not come to an end if you don't have turkey and green bean casserole on the fourth Thursday in November. ;)
Over the next two weeks, I intend to share a few recipes and review a few Thanksgiving-related veggie foods. Stay tuned!
<3 jazzhands
Friday, September 4, 2009
Living Harvest/Tempt Hempmilk, Chocolate flavor
I first tried Living Harvest Hempmilk about a year ago. It was the sweetened vanilla flavor, and I really wanted to like it. It tasted sweet and creamy and good at first, but left an unpleasant bitter aftertaste that I just couldn't look past.
Since then, Living Harvest Hempseed products got a makeover when they merged with the Tempt brand. While the new packaging looks very boring and generic (they call it "modern"), the taste does seem to have improved. They claim it now has more omega fatty acids, less sugar, and a smoother taste.
Of course, I can't really compare apples to apples here. I hadn't tried the chocolate flavor before, and I haven't tried the new, improved vanilla -- but there does seem to be a difference in texture between the old vanilla and new chocolate and, most importantly, there is no detectable bitter aftertaste!
It has a sweet, cocoa-y, nutty flavor, and the creamy texture you'd expect from chocolate milk. It's dairy- and soy-free and has lots of omega fatty acids, but is higher in calories and fat than other milk substitutes while only having 1g of protein per serving. It is also a bit pricier than other milk alternatives.
While it doesn't rate quite as high for me as chocolate Almond Breeze for flavor, it is a close second. It makes another great alternative to dairy and soy. The company also makes other hempseed food products, including a frozen dessert (which comes in several flavors), hemp protein powder, and hemp oil.
Oh, and one last thing: Sorry to break it to you, but this is HEMPMILK, not POTMILK. It has no THC and won't get you high. ;)
Living Harvest/Tempt Official website
Protein Source: Hemp seed
Allergens: Cocoa?
Vegan
Since then, Living Harvest Hempseed products got a makeover when they merged with the Tempt brand. While the new packaging looks very boring and generic (they call it "modern"), the taste does seem to have improved. They claim it now has more omega fatty acids, less sugar, and a smoother taste.
Of course, I can't really compare apples to apples here. I hadn't tried the chocolate flavor before, and I haven't tried the new, improved vanilla -- but there does seem to be a difference in texture between the old vanilla and new chocolate and, most importantly, there is no detectable bitter aftertaste!
It has a sweet, cocoa-y, nutty flavor, and the creamy texture you'd expect from chocolate milk. It's dairy- and soy-free and has lots of omega fatty acids, but is higher in calories and fat than other milk substitutes while only having 1g of protein per serving. It is also a bit pricier than other milk alternatives.
While it doesn't rate quite as high for me as chocolate Almond Breeze for flavor, it is a close second. It makes another great alternative to dairy and soy. The company also makes other hempseed food products, including a frozen dessert (which comes in several flavors), hemp protein powder, and hemp oil.
Oh, and one last thing: Sorry to break it to you, but this is HEMPMILK, not POTMILK. It has no THC and won't get you high. ;)
Living Harvest/Tempt Official website
Protein Source: Hemp seed
Allergens: Cocoa?
Vegan
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Hello again, interwebs
That's right, I just couldn't stay away from you, my fellow food adventurers. :) I keep finding myself trying new foods and wanting to blog about them!
I don't expect that I will update as often as I once did, but I would like to at least update once in a while. I'm not sure what that means yet, but we'll figure it out.
Your friend,
jazzhands
I don't expect that I will update as often as I once did, but I would like to at least update once in a while. I'm not sure what that means yet, but we'll figure it out.
Your friend,
jazzhands
Sunday, June 28, 2009
TTFN
It's been 6 months since I started this blog. Since interest seems to have tapered off (assuming there was some to begin with) and I have a lot of other things going on, I'm putting Vegetablog on hold indefinitely. Perhaps someday if the mood strikes me or if I receive a petition full of signatures, I will come back to it. If not, hopefully the posts in the archive will be of use to somebody, somewhere.
your friend in food,
jazzhands
your friend in food,
jazzhands
Saturday, May 30, 2009
The Stir-fry
One of the easiest and yummiest dishes I like to cook for myself is a stir-fry. It doesn't take too much time or preparation or skill, doesn't require a recipe, is full of flavor and nutrition, and can be easily tailored to your taste, mood, diet requirements, or what you've got lying around.
Often I decide to make a stir-fry just as an excuse to experiment with cooking tofu. :) Tonight was just such an occasion. I wanted to try marinating tofu for the first time. Previously, I had only ever attempted to add flavor to the tofu during the cooking process, but it never worked very well. So anyway, I searched the pantry and fridge and decided to whip up a concoction consisting of barbecue sauce (diluted about 1:1 with water), a bit of "beef" bouillon, and a few shakes of hot sauce. I cubed up a third of a block of drained extra-firm tofu and let it marinate in a zip-top bag for about an hour. During this time, I raided the fridge for veggies to add: fresh bell pepper, onion, green beans, and mushrooms, and frozen corn. I cooked the tofu first as I prepped the fresh veggies, then set the tofu aside on a plate while I cooked the veggies using the same pan. I've found that cooking the tofu and veggies separately has these benefits: tofu seems to take longer to cook to my liking than veggies, so cooking it separately first I can make sure it's right; plus, mixing uncooked tofu in with veggies tends to lead to crumbled tofu... not that there's anything wrong with that...
So, I seasoned the veggies as they were cooking with salt, pepper, and cayenne, and toward the end I threw the tofu back in to reheat it a bit. It looked and smelled pretty good, but I felt like it was missing something -- something crunchy. My first thought was chow mein noodles, but I don't usually keep those on hand. I considered crushing up some multi-grain chips, but finally decided on tossing in some sunflower seed kernels.
The final result: yumminess!
The tofu marination (if that's a word) worked pretty well. It added a lot of flavor, and probably would have worked even better if I had been patient enough to let it go longer.
Also, this dish wasn't just a tofu experiment: it was the first time I cooked/ate green beans that didn't come from a can or in a soup. I always thought canned green beans were pretty gross, but fresh green beans are completely different. They're actually kind of sweet-tasting, and way better than canned.
Protein source: soy, sunflower seed kernels
Allergens: soy, sunflower seed kernels
Vegan
Often I decide to make a stir-fry just as an excuse to experiment with cooking tofu. :) Tonight was just such an occasion. I wanted to try marinating tofu for the first time. Previously, I had only ever attempted to add flavor to the tofu during the cooking process, but it never worked very well. So anyway, I searched the pantry and fridge and decided to whip up a concoction consisting of barbecue sauce (diluted about 1:1 with water), a bit of "beef" bouillon, and a few shakes of hot sauce. I cubed up a third of a block of drained extra-firm tofu and let it marinate in a zip-top bag for about an hour. During this time, I raided the fridge for veggies to add: fresh bell pepper, onion, green beans, and mushrooms, and frozen corn. I cooked the tofu first as I prepped the fresh veggies, then set the tofu aside on a plate while I cooked the veggies using the same pan. I've found that cooking the tofu and veggies separately has these benefits: tofu seems to take longer to cook to my liking than veggies, so cooking it separately first I can make sure it's right; plus, mixing uncooked tofu in with veggies tends to lead to crumbled tofu... not that there's anything wrong with that...
So, I seasoned the veggies as they were cooking with salt, pepper, and cayenne, and toward the end I threw the tofu back in to reheat it a bit. It looked and smelled pretty good, but I felt like it was missing something -- something crunchy. My first thought was chow mein noodles, but I don't usually keep those on hand. I considered crushing up some multi-grain chips, but finally decided on tossing in some sunflower seed kernels.
The final result: yumminess!
The tofu marination (if that's a word) worked pretty well. It added a lot of flavor, and probably would have worked even better if I had been patient enough to let it go longer.
Also, this dish wasn't just a tofu experiment: it was the first time I cooked/ate green beans that didn't come from a can or in a soup. I always thought canned green beans were pretty gross, but fresh green beans are completely different. They're actually kind of sweet-tasting, and way better than canned.
Protein source: soy, sunflower seed kernels
Allergens: soy, sunflower seed kernels
Vegan
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Don't worry, I'm coming back
Hello again, fellow food adventurers. Sorry about the month-long hiatus... things have been a little busy and I've been trying to decide on certain blog-related things -- namely, whether or not to write about certain topics -- and for the meantime, have decided not to. Thus, no new posts for a month. But I promise I'll get back to it soon! Really!
-jazzhands
-jazzhands
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Thai Kitchen Instant Rice Noodle Soup
Thai Kitchen Instant Rice Noodle Soup, available in two vegetarian and two vegan flavors (the Lemongrass and Chili flavor contains shrimp), is a delicious, flavorful ramen-like noodle soup. The rice noodles, if you haven't had them before, are softer and more absorbent than ramen noodles. Because these soups cook in only 1 cup of liquid instead of 2 like most ramen, the noodles will absorb most of the liquid in the bowl within minutes after you cook it. I actually really like that about this soup. And the little bit of liquid that is usually left in the bowl is really yummy for dipping a toasted sandwich into. :)
The packages contain a block of rice noodles, a packet of powdered seasoning and a packet of flavor oil. It cooks up really fast -- sometimes too fast. The packets can be tricky to open unless you have scissors handy (especially the oil packet, which can get messy if you don't tear it open just right), which means the noodles might be cooked before you can get the seasoning and oil in -- which means the noodles absorb less flavor.
I have tried three of the vegetarian flavors -- Spring Onion, Garlic and Vegetable, and Bangkok Curry -- and all of them are great. Thai Ginger is also vegetarian. The price is higher than some other instant noodle soups (especially since the portion size is smaller), but I think it's worth it. You'll find it in the ethnic/Asian foods section of the grocery store, probably between $.80 to $1.20 per package.
Thai Kitchen offers lots of other food products, many of them vegetarian or vegan. This page is a good reference for figuring out what contains what.
Allergens: See package or website
Veg*n: See package or website
The packages contain a block of rice noodles, a packet of powdered seasoning and a packet of flavor oil. It cooks up really fast -- sometimes too fast. The packets can be tricky to open unless you have scissors handy (especially the oil packet, which can get messy if you don't tear it open just right), which means the noodles might be cooked before you can get the seasoning and oil in -- which means the noodles absorb less flavor.
I have tried three of the vegetarian flavors -- Spring Onion, Garlic and Vegetable, and Bangkok Curry -- and all of them are great. Thai Ginger is also vegetarian. The price is higher than some other instant noodle soups (especially since the portion size is smaller), but I think it's worth it. You'll find it in the ethnic/Asian foods section of the grocery store, probably between $.80 to $1.20 per package.
Thai Kitchen offers lots of other food products, many of them vegetarian or vegan. This page is a good reference for figuring out what contains what.
Allergens: See package or website
Veg*n: See package or website
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