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
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Boca Original Meatless Chik'n Nuggets
This was a surprise -- in more ways than one. I was in a Target today to pick up a few things and not even planning on grocery shopping (except to pick up a loaf of bread), but I decided to peek at the little vegetarian section of the frozen foods to see if there was anything new or interesting. I scanned it from the bottom up (meh, I'm short), not seeing anything I needed, knowing I had still had some burgers, sausage, and bacon at home... I was just about to walk away when the bag of Boca Chik'n Nuggets on the top shelf caught my eye. I have never seen this product since discovering my love of Boca Chik'n Patties, so I just had to try it. I figured it's got to be at least as good as the patties, right?
Um... well... insert confused face and head scratching here.
I was eager to have some of these for dinner, so I cooked up one serving (four nuggets) with some nummy MSF broccoli and cheese bites on the side, piled on a plate with a dollop of barbecue sauce. I wanted to get a pure sampling of the new nuggets, so I tried one first without sauce. It was... weird. I chewed on it, trying to figure out what it tasted like, and couldn't put my finger on it. So I took another bite, and it hit me: it tastes like... FISH? Now you see why I was confused!
As an omnivore, I loved eating fish. The smell, the flavor, the texture... It is still the only meat that I miss (except for the whole used-to-be-a-living-creature part). But there isn't any meatless faux fish that I'm aware of... so finding a vegan product that has a sort-of fish-like flavor -- even if it was supposed to be chicken-like -- is an interesting discovery. I'm still scratching my head over it, though.
Protein source: Soy, wheat
Allergens: Soy, wheat
Vegan
Um... well... insert confused face and head scratching here.
I was eager to have some of these for dinner, so I cooked up one serving (four nuggets) with some nummy MSF broccoli and cheese bites on the side, piled on a plate with a dollop of barbecue sauce. I wanted to get a pure sampling of the new nuggets, so I tried one first without sauce. It was... weird. I chewed on it, trying to figure out what it tasted like, and couldn't put my finger on it. So I took another bite, and it hit me: it tastes like... FISH? Now you see why I was confused!
As an omnivore, I loved eating fish. The smell, the flavor, the texture... It is still the only meat that I miss (except for the whole used-to-be-a-living-creature part). But there isn't any meatless faux fish that I'm aware of... so finding a vegan product that has a sort-of fish-like flavor -- even if it was supposed to be chicken-like -- is an interesting discovery. I'm still scratching my head over it, though.
Protein source: Soy, wheat
Allergens: Soy, wheat
Vegan
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Lightlife Smart Ground Mexican Style
I've been on a Mexican food kick lately -- after making my spinach enchiladas three times in the space of about a week, I picked up some flour tortillas and made some "chicken" quesadillas (one using Boca chicken patty, another using Quorn -- and the Boca one was better!). And after that, I have made several variations of a veggie super-taco. The first super-taco, made with Morningstar Farms Grillers burger strips cooked with taco seasoning, was super-yummy. Then, for something different, I decided to try a new fake ground beef product: Lightlife Smart Ground Mexican Style. It comes pre-seasoned with Mexican seasoning, and all you have to do is heat it up and throw it in your taco, burrito, or whatever.
It has a real ground beef-like appearance and texture, more than the Morningstar Farms crumbles I'm used to. The flavor is very wheat-gluteny, but I'm starting to get used to that, so it didn't bother me much. My only real complaint is that I wish it had just a little more seasoning added, but I can always mix in a little extra when I'm cooking it for myself.
The price (in the store where I usually shop) is about the same as a package of Morningstar Farms Grillers Crumbles, but you actually get 12 oz. of the Smart Ground, while MSF's deceptively larger package only has 8 oz... but either one is plenty for several servings.
Lightlife has many other fake meat products, including plain ground beef and ground sausage. Since I was fairly pleased with this one, I'm looking forward to trying more in the future.
Oh, and it's got 9 grams of vegan protein per serving.
**Edited to add: According to the Morningstar Farms website, the MSF Grillers Recipe Crumbles comes in a 12 oz. package. Even though I distinctly remember comparing the two products in the store and deciding to try the Lightlife product because it had more in it, I thought I should mention this in case the MSF product comes in different sizes... or in the unlikely even that I was wrong. ;) Because I don't have any MSF Crumbles in my freezer at this moment, I cannot say for sure.
Protein Source: Soy, wheat
Allergens: Soy, wheat
Vegan
It has a real ground beef-like appearance and texture, more than the Morningstar Farms crumbles I'm used to. The flavor is very wheat-gluteny, but I'm starting to get used to that, so it didn't bother me much. My only real complaint is that I wish it had just a little more seasoning added, but I can always mix in a little extra when I'm cooking it for myself.
The price (in the store where I usually shop) is about the same as a package of Morningstar Farms Grillers Crumbles, but you actually get 12 oz. of the Smart Ground, while MSF's deceptively larger package only has 8 oz... but either one is plenty for several servings.
Lightlife has many other fake meat products, including plain ground beef and ground sausage. Since I was fairly pleased with this one, I'm looking forward to trying more in the future.
Oh, and it's got 9 grams of vegan protein per serving.
**Edited to add: According to the Morningstar Farms website, the MSF Grillers Recipe Crumbles comes in a 12 oz. package. Even though I distinctly remember comparing the two products in the store and deciding to try the Lightlife product because it had more in it, I thought I should mention this in case the MSF product comes in different sizes... or in the unlikely even that I was wrong. ;) Because I don't have any MSF Crumbles in my freezer at this moment, I cannot say for sure.
Protein Source: Soy, wheat
Allergens: Soy, wheat
Vegan
Saturday, March 28, 2009
What can a veggie eat?: Taco Bell
***11/6/2013 Edited to add the following: ***
Ever since I went GMO-free and organic in January 2013, I have been debating with myself about whether or not to delete this post and the others regarding fast food restaurants. My dilemma is that this post brings in more readers than all my other posts combined, and I don't want to lose that if even just a few of you stay around to read more than this post -- yet I also don't want it to seem as if I am promoting or condoning eating at these restaurants. Even the menu items which appear to be free of animal ingredients or which are marketed as "healthy" options are still crammed full of unnecessary filler ingredients, chemicals, and preservatives. Yes, even the fruit.
If this post brought you to my blog, I strongly encourage you to read my more recent posts starting with this one.
Surprisingly (to me, anyway), even though Taco Bell is probably best known for their meaty dishes, they actually have quite a few meatless options, thanks to good ol' beans.
These menu items appear to be ok for ovo-lacto-vegetarians:
Cinnamon twists
Bean burrito
7-layer burrito
Pintos 'n cheese
Mexican rice
Cheese quesadilla
Cheese roll-up
These items are iffy because of their mysterious "natural flavors" in the nacho cheese sauce and the empanada:
Caramel apple empanada
1/2 Pound cheesy bean & rice burrito
Nachos
Cheesy fiesta potatoes
Triple layer nachos
I'd also call the Fiesta Potatoes iffy for now, just because I don't know if they're fried with any meat items. Maybe someone else knows?
Disclaimer: This list is a guide, but isn't absolute. This list only pertains to what does or does not contain animal ingredients, but items on it may contain other ingredients you might find unsuitable (soy, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, etc). Or, you may find items on this list or at this restaurant unsuitable for other reasons not listed here. So: Don't just take my word for it. Do your own research. Ask questions. Make sure they don't cook your food in animal fat. Etc, etc. If you see any errors in my list or if you have additional information, please notify me kindly, but no flames please. :)
Ever since I went GMO-free and organic in January 2013, I have been debating with myself about whether or not to delete this post and the others regarding fast food restaurants. My dilemma is that this post brings in more readers than all my other posts combined, and I don't want to lose that if even just a few of you stay around to read more than this post -- yet I also don't want it to seem as if I am promoting or condoning eating at these restaurants. Even the menu items which appear to be free of animal ingredients or which are marketed as "healthy" options are still crammed full of unnecessary filler ingredients, chemicals, and preservatives. Yes, even the fruit.
If this post brought you to my blog, I strongly encourage you to read my more recent posts starting with this one.
Surprisingly (to me, anyway), even though Taco Bell is probably best known for their meaty dishes, they actually have quite a few meatless options, thanks to good ol' beans.
These menu items appear to be ok for ovo-lacto-vegetarians:
Cinnamon twists
Bean burrito
7-layer burrito
Pintos 'n cheese
Mexican rice
Cheese quesadilla
Cheese roll-up
These items are iffy because of their mysterious "natural flavors" in the nacho cheese sauce and the empanada:
Caramel apple empanada
1/2 Pound cheesy bean & rice burrito
Nachos
Cheesy fiesta potatoes
Triple layer nachos
I'd also call the Fiesta Potatoes iffy for now, just because I don't know if they're fried with any meat items. Maybe someone else knows?
Disclaimer: This list is a guide, but isn't absolute. This list only pertains to what does or does not contain animal ingredients, but items on it may contain other ingredients you might find unsuitable (soy, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, etc). Or, you may find items on this list or at this restaurant unsuitable for other reasons not listed here. So: Don't just take my word for it. Do your own research. Ask questions. Make sure they don't cook your food in animal fat. Etc, etc. If you see any errors in my list or if you have additional information, please notify me kindly, but no flames please. :)
What can a veggie eat?: Burger King
***11/6/2013 Edited to add the following: ***
Ever since I went GMO-free and organic in January 2013, I have been debating with myself about whether or not to delete this post and the others regarding fast food restaurants. My dilemma is that these posts bring in more readers than all my other posts combined, and I don't want to lose that if even just a few of you stay around to read more than this post -- yet I also don't want it to seem as if I am promoting or condoning eating at these restaurants. Even the menu items which appear to be free of animal ingredients or which are marketed as "healthy" options are still crammed full of unnecessary filler ingredients, chemicals, and preservatives. Yes, even the fruit.
If this post brought you to my blog, I strongly encourage you to read my more recent posts starting with this one.
Here is my latest installment of trying-to-be-helpful tips for vegetarians caught in a fast food restaurant. I sincerely hope I am being helpful with this information and not insulting or offensive to other vegetarians! For more on that, please read my disclaimer at the bottom.
Burger King: not a lot of options here. But! At least they have a veggie burger! A yummy Morningstar Farms one, even. Just make sure they microwave it, not cook it on the grill with the meat!
These items appear to be okay for ovo-lacto-vegetarians (again, items marked with a "V" appear to be vegan):
BK veggie burger
French fries - V (website claims that these are always cooked in a separate, dedicated fryer)
Dutch apple pie - V
Apple fries - V
Kraft mac & cheese (kids' meal)
Cini-minis
Shakes
Hershey's sundae pie
Side garden salad - V
Tendercrisp/Tendergrill garden salad w/o chicken
Ketchup
Mustard
I've classified these items as "iffy", because the website warns that they may be cooked in the same fryer as meat products:
Onion rings
Cheesy tots
French toast sticks
Hash browns
I could not find any info on their website for ingredients in their salad dressings, so be careful. Read the packet first.
Disclaimer: This list is a guide, but isn't absolute. This list only pertains to what does or does not contain animal ingredients, but items on it may contain other ingredients you might find unsuitable (soy, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, etc). Or, you may find items on this list or at this restaurant unsuitable for other reasons not listed here. So: Don't just take my word for it. Do your own research. Ask questions. Make sure they don't cook your food in animal fat. Etc, etc. If you see any errors in my list or if you have additional information, please notify me kindly, but no flames please. :)
Ever since I went GMO-free and organic in January 2013, I have been debating with myself about whether or not to delete this post and the others regarding fast food restaurants. My dilemma is that these posts bring in more readers than all my other posts combined, and I don't want to lose that if even just a few of you stay around to read more than this post -- yet I also don't want it to seem as if I am promoting or condoning eating at these restaurants. Even the menu items which appear to be free of animal ingredients or which are marketed as "healthy" options are still crammed full of unnecessary filler ingredients, chemicals, and preservatives. Yes, even the fruit.
If this post brought you to my blog, I strongly encourage you to read my more recent posts starting with this one.
Here is my latest installment of trying-to-be-helpful tips for vegetarians caught in a fast food restaurant. I sincerely hope I am being helpful with this information and not insulting or offensive to other vegetarians! For more on that, please read my disclaimer at the bottom.
Burger King: not a lot of options here. But! At least they have a veggie burger! A yummy Morningstar Farms one, even. Just make sure they microwave it, not cook it on the grill with the meat!
These items appear to be okay for ovo-lacto-vegetarians (again, items marked with a "V" appear to be vegan):
BK veggie burger
French fries - V (website claims that these are always cooked in a separate, dedicated fryer)
Dutch apple pie - V
Apple fries - V
Kraft mac & cheese (kids' meal)
Cini-minis
Shakes
Hershey's sundae pie
Side garden salad - V
Tendercrisp/Tendergrill garden salad w/o chicken
Ketchup
Mustard
I've classified these items as "iffy", because the website warns that they may be cooked in the same fryer as meat products:
Onion rings
Cheesy tots
French toast sticks
Hash browns
I could not find any info on their website for ingredients in their salad dressings, so be careful. Read the packet first.
Disclaimer: This list is a guide, but isn't absolute. This list only pertains to what does or does not contain animal ingredients, but items on it may contain other ingredients you might find unsuitable (soy, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, etc). Or, you may find items on this list or at this restaurant unsuitable for other reasons not listed here. So: Don't just take my word for it. Do your own research. Ask questions. Make sure they don't cook your food in animal fat. Etc, etc. If you see any errors in my list or if you have additional information, please notify me kindly, but no flames please. :)
Friday, March 27, 2009
What can a veggie eat?: McDonald's
***11/6/2013 Edited to add: ***
Ever since I went GMO-free and organic in January 2013, I have been debating with myself about whether or not to delete this post and the others regarding fast food restaurants. My dilemma is that this post brings in more readers than all my other posts combined, and I don't want to lose that if even just a few of you stay around to read more than this post -- yet I also don't want it to seem as if I am promoting or condoning eating at these restaurants. Even the menu items which appear to be free of animal ingredients or which are marketed as "healthy" options are still crammed full of unnecessary filler ingredients, chemicals, GMOs, and preservatives. Yes, even the fruit.
If this post brought you to my blog, I strongly encourage you to read my more recent posts starting with this one. Thank you.
Fast food restaurants aren't generally known for being very veggie-friendly (or health-friendly, or animal-friendly, or earth-friendly, or ...), though some are better than others. But sometimes circumstances beyond our control place us in a fast food restaurant reeking of beef, with a growling stomach and few options. What can you do? Well, you can give them the finger and go hungry, or you can try to make the best of it. And if you should choose the latter, your friend Jazzhands is here to help.
Today I'm here to help you find something you can eat at McDonald's. Yes, I know you're groaning right now, possibly gagging, maybe even cursing my name -- but hear me out. We veggies may not choose to ever eat there, but you do have to give them a little credit: at least their website gives pretty thorough ingredient lists for all of their menu items (even demystifying those sketchy "natural flavors" by specifying whether they come from vegetable, dairy, or animal sources). And I have gone through the trouble of combing through the ingredient lists for you to find things you might not have known you could eat -- and some things you might have thought were safe, but aren't. There are even a few items that appear to be vegan -- nothing very substantial, but food nonetheless!
These appear OK for veg*ns (items marked with a "V" appear to be vegan):
southwest salad w/o chicken (has cheese; dressing is on the side)
caesar salad w/o chicken (has cheese; dressing is on the side)
side salad - V
vinaigrette dressing - V
english muffin - V
biscuit
hot cakes
apple dippers (but they have the flavor and peel removed -- bleh) - V
ice cream sundae
shakes
apple pie - V
cinnamon melts
mcdonaldland cookies
chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and sugar cookies
ice cream cone
These are definitely not OK:
caesar dressing (contains anchovy)
italian dressing (contains anchovy)
ranch dressing (natural flavors from animal source)
southwest dressing (natural flavors from animal source)
french fries (natural beef flavor)
hashbrowns (natural beef flavor)
These items are iffy:
fruit and walnut salad/fruit and yogurt parfait (contains gelatin)
mcgriddles, mcmuffin (these have meat by default, but you might be able to order them w/o. The griddle cakes and biscuits themselves are ok)
bacon ranch salad w/o chicken (you could possibly order this w/o the bacon, unless they are pre-made)
Disclaimer: This list is a guide, but isn't absolute. This list only pertains to what does or does not contain animal ingredients, but items on it may contain other ingredients you might find unsuitable (soy, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, etc). Or, you may find items on this list or at this restaurant unsuitable for other reasons not listed here. So: Don't just take my word for it. Do your own research. Ask questions. Make sure they don't cook your food in animal fat. Etc, etc. If you see any errors in my list or if you have additional information, please notify me kindly, but no flames please. :)
More restaurants to come!
Ever since I went GMO-free and organic in January 2013, I have been debating with myself about whether or not to delete this post and the others regarding fast food restaurants. My dilemma is that this post brings in more readers than all my other posts combined, and I don't want to lose that if even just a few of you stay around to read more than this post -- yet I also don't want it to seem as if I am promoting or condoning eating at these restaurants. Even the menu items which appear to be free of animal ingredients or which are marketed as "healthy" options are still crammed full of unnecessary filler ingredients, chemicals, GMOs, and preservatives. Yes, even the fruit.
If this post brought you to my blog, I strongly encourage you to read my more recent posts starting with this one. Thank you.
Fast food restaurants aren't generally known for being very veggie-friendly (or health-friendly, or animal-friendly, or earth-friendly, or ...), though some are better than others. But sometimes circumstances beyond our control place us in a fast food restaurant reeking of beef, with a growling stomach and few options. What can you do? Well, you can give them the finger and go hungry, or you can try to make the best of it. And if you should choose the latter, your friend Jazzhands is here to help.
Today I'm here to help you find something you can eat at McDonald's. Yes, I know you're groaning right now, possibly gagging, maybe even cursing my name -- but hear me out. We veggies may not choose to ever eat there, but you do have to give them a little credit: at least their website gives pretty thorough ingredient lists for all of their menu items (even demystifying those sketchy "natural flavors" by specifying whether they come from vegetable, dairy, or animal sources). And I have gone through the trouble of combing through the ingredient lists for you to find things you might not have known you could eat -- and some things you might have thought were safe, but aren't. There are even a few items that appear to be vegan -- nothing very substantial, but food nonetheless!
These appear OK for veg*ns (items marked with a "V" appear to be vegan):
southwest salad w/o chicken (has cheese; dressing is on the side)
caesar salad w/o chicken (has cheese; dressing is on the side)
side salad - V
vinaigrette dressing - V
english muffin - V
biscuit
hot cakes
apple dippers (but they have the flavor and peel removed -- bleh) - V
ice cream sundae
shakes
apple pie - V
cinnamon melts
mcdonaldland cookies
chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and sugar cookies
ice cream cone
These are definitely not OK:
caesar dressing (contains anchovy)
italian dressing (contains anchovy)
ranch dressing (natural flavors from animal source)
southwest dressing (natural flavors from animal source)
french fries (natural beef flavor)
hashbrowns (natural beef flavor)
These items are iffy:
fruit and walnut salad/fruit and yogurt parfait (contains gelatin)
mcgriddles, mcmuffin (these have meat by default, but you might be able to order them w/o. The griddle cakes and biscuits themselves are ok)
bacon ranch salad w/o chicken (you could possibly order this w/o the bacon, unless they are pre-made)
Disclaimer: This list is a guide, but isn't absolute. This list only pertains to what does or does not contain animal ingredients, but items on it may contain other ingredients you might find unsuitable (soy, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, etc). Or, you may find items on this list or at this restaurant unsuitable for other reasons not listed here. So: Don't just take my word for it. Do your own research. Ask questions. Make sure they don't cook your food in animal fat. Etc, etc. If you see any errors in my list or if you have additional information, please notify me kindly, but no flames please. :)
More restaurants to come!
Monday, March 23, 2009
Recipe: Spinach Enchiladas
This is my version of Enchiladas Espinacas, inspired by a vegetarian dish of the same name from a local Mexican restaurant called El Gitano. When I eat it there, I always mix the beans in with the enchiladas, so for my own version I decided to just put the beans inside to begin with. ;) The bottled salsa verde I have used with this recipe isn't nearly as good as the green veggie sauce they use at the restaurant, but if I ever find a good recipe for that, I'll share it here too.
My version of ENCHILADAS ESPINACAS
(spinach enchiladas)
Serves 2-3
Amounts of filler ingredients are guesstimates. Adjust amounts to suit your own taste.
- 6 Corn tortillas (larger size)
- About 4 Baby Bella mushrooms (or equivalent), diced
- About 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
- About 1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
- About 1/3 of a large bell pepper (or equivalent of other pepper), diced
- About 1/3 cup diced onion
- 1/2 tomato, diced, seeds removed
- 1/2 can of red beans, rinsed and drained
- 16 fl oz of salsa verde or green enchilada sauce
- About 1/2 to 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (or as desired)
- Salt, pepper, and Mexican spices to taste
Preheat oven to 375F.
Saute mushrooms, pepper, onion, corn, and spices until onion starts to look translucent. Add spinach and cook for another minute or two. Move cooked veggies to a bowl and mix together with tomato and beans. Heat tortillas in microwave according to directions on package to soften them. Place a tortilla in baking pan, fill with veggie mixture, and roll up. Repeat with other tortillas, laying them close to each other in pan. Top liberally with sauce and grated cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes or until hot inside.
My version of ENCHILADAS ESPINACAS
(spinach enchiladas)
Serves 2-3
Amounts of filler ingredients are guesstimates. Adjust amounts to suit your own taste.
- 6 Corn tortillas (larger size)
- About 4 Baby Bella mushrooms (or equivalent), diced
- About 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed
- About 1/4 cup frozen corn, thawed
- About 1/3 of a large bell pepper (or equivalent of other pepper), diced
- About 1/3 cup diced onion
- 1/2 tomato, diced, seeds removed
- 1/2 can of red beans, rinsed and drained
- 16 fl oz of salsa verde or green enchilada sauce
- About 1/2 to 1 cup grated Monterey Jack cheese (or as desired)
- Salt, pepper, and Mexican spices to taste
Preheat oven to 375F.
Saute mushrooms, pepper, onion, corn, and spices until onion starts to look translucent. Add spinach and cook for another minute or two. Move cooked veggies to a bowl and mix together with tomato and beans. Heat tortillas in microwave according to directions on package to soften them. Place a tortilla in baking pan, fill with veggie mixture, and roll up. Repeat with other tortillas, laying them close to each other in pan. Top liberally with sauce and grated cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes or until hot inside.
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