Gardenburger Black Bean Chipotle Burgers

My first thought when trying this new veggie burger was, "Mmm, this would be really good in a taco!" The tasty chipotle peppers and spices give it a Mexican sort of flavor. I immediately wished I had bought some lettuce along with these burgers so I could try out a Black Bean Chipotle taco!

I was worried that it would be too spicy, but it's really pretty mild. The texture is similar to other vegetable-y veggie burgers, like Gardenburger's Veggie Medley patties (another one of my favorites). Color-wise, it doesn't look much like the burger on the package -- it's a lighter, more orangey brown. Cooking it on the stove (or a grill, I assume) darkens it a bit, but not as much as on the package. It's not that the color bothers me, just that the photo is sort of misleading...

Another funny thought I had while trying this product: As I was enjoying the aromas filling the kitchen as the burger cooked on the stove, I started thinking about all the yummy nutritious things so many meat-eaters are missing out on! There are really only so many things you can do with a ground beef burger. I mean, look at the menu at a fast food restaurant. For the most part, all their "different" hamburgers aren't -- they're just different combinations of the same old meat, cheese, lettuce, onions, pickles, tomatoes, ketchup/mayo/mustard/sauce. But think of how much more variety you can get when you throw in a completely different kind of protein! And sadly, most meat-eaters will never give meat alternatives a chance, and will never know what they are missing. And restaurants won't, either. But that's another rant for another day.

So... overall, I really enjoyed this product and would recommend it if you like Mexican-type flavors. I can see it being another type of versatile veggie burger/meat replacement.

Protein source: Soy
Allergens: Soy, wheat
Vegan

Morningstar Farms Grillers Prime Burger

This has been one of my favorite veggie products since I started sampling vegetarian foods. Of all the beef burger substitutes I've tried (Boca, Gardenburger, Amy's, and MSF), this has the most burger-like flavor. It doesn't taste like vegetables or have visible vegetable particles like other burger substitutes, and it has a good texture. It's definitely my first choice when I'm craving a big, juicy cheeseburger. Yum. :)

Obviously, if you're a vegetarian because you don't like the taste of meat, this would not be a good sandwich patty for you. But if you do sometimes miss hamburgers, I absolutely recommend this product.

Protein source: Soy, wheat
Allergens: Soy, wheat, milk, egg
Vegetarian

Nature's Burger Mix, Take 2

So yesterday I gave the Nature's Burger Mix a second try. I incorporated some of the ideas I got from the first experiment. I threw some frozen veggies in my food processor (carrots, green beans, corn, peas, bell peppers), then mixed that with some vegetarian vegetable broth. I used that instead of water to make the dough. I also added some ground black pepper, garlic powder, and onion powder. From both experiences with this product, I've found that mixing exactly equal parts of liquid and powder mix results in a dough that is too wet; I had to add extra mix a little at a time to get a firm, moldable dough.

The result: definitely better flavor. The sesame flavor was still very strong, but not quite so overpowering. As I suspected, the patty didn't hold together quite as well with the extra ingredients, but it wasn't a huge problem. I think some more experimentation is in order, but it looks promising.

Nature's Burger Mix

Today I tried Nature's Burger Mix by Fantastic Foods, purchased from the bulk foods section of my local grocery store.

It was extremely easy to make -- mix equal parts burger mix and hot water, form into patty, fry in pan, serve on bread with cheese/condiments. I had no idea how much to use, so I guessed and used about 1/3 cup water and mix, which made one patty with a small bit left over. 1/4 cup would probably be about right.

I thought the dough smelled really bland so I added a few things -- a little fresh ground black pepper, garlic powder, celery salt -- but it didn't seem to help much. I thought about mixing in some diced veggies for more flavor, but wasn't sure if the mix would hold together with extra wet ingredients. Plus, I wanted to get an idea of how the product was (more or less) on its own.

The "burger" tastes strongly of sesame to me (not surprising since it does have a lot of sesame seeds in it...). For others, this could be a good thing or bad thing. For me, I thought it was a bit much.

The texture is good. It held together well while cooking and eating.

Overall, I'm not too impressed with the product as is, but I think it has a lot of potential -- especially since it is so quick and easy to make. I think with a little experimenting, some veggies or other ingredients could be added for more flavor, or veggie broth could be used instead of water. Also, I could see this mix being used to make "meat"-balls or perhaps other things...

Allergens: Wheat, soy, sesame
Vegan