Meatless Alternative

If you likeVeggie Burgers or have been thinking of trying them, you might go for the new Quorn Classic Burgers with or wirthout Cheese.  Quorn has been giving food lovers around the world great tasting non-meat, soy-free choices for more than 25 years. Their delicios varieties include Chik'n Nuggets, Meatless Meatballs, Cranberry and Goat Cheese Chik'n Cutlets, Southwestern Chik'n Wings, to name a few.

The copany started in England and each year about 200 million Quorn meals are enjoyed worldwide. They could be a way to ease out of the meat habit.

Very Smart, Very Tasty

With all the food recalls over the years, (months, weeks, days) it is smart to know from where your food originates. “You are what you eat” is not just a catchy phrase; it happens to be accurate. Sure, there are some tastes and flavors that are hard to do without and so began our search for the perfect hot dog that happened to be vegetarian. We have tried several over time but they always fell short of genuine “hot-doggness”.  We are pleased to announce that Smart Dogs by LightLife Foods are so close to the genuine article —without the fat, by-products and mystery ingredients of other meat hot dogs that you will be pleased.  Very pleased. We prepared them as the package directs—cooked for only a few minutes in water that has just boiled.  The taste and texture were excellent and we recommend them highly. This Massachusetts-based company also makes vegetarian Italian Sausages and other ingredients for healthy and tasty dishes such as ground  “beef” and deli-style lunch “meats.”

As they say on their website—you can do veggie deliciously.

http://www.lightlife.com/index.jsp

Trompez la palette

Thinking about cutting down your meat consumption but aren’t quite ready to go the straight tofu route yet? Have the best of both worlds with some new vegetarian entrees that  will fool your taste buds. New and very tasty Morningstar Farms® offerings include Veggie Sweet & Sour Chik’n—vegan so it can be enjoyed by almost anyone—that features tempura-style veggie chik’n, pineapple, and red and green bell peppers on a bed of whole-grain rice – a delicious, microwaveable, meatless meal with 35% less fat. 

Another satisfying delight is Lasagna with Veggie Sausage-- Layers of tender lasagna noodles, light ricotta cheese, savory marinara sauce and veggie sausage crumbles – a delicious, microwaveable, meatless meal with 42% less fat.  

Hot and Spicy Veggie Sausage patties are a tasty caliente twist on their versatile veggie sausages and will make a perfect addition to any meal time. These savory sausage patties have 78% less fat and a great blend of peppers and spices that gives them a bit of a bite.

The absolute star of the new offerings—and they are all very good, indeed—is the  Grillers® Turk’y Burger. These are Juicy, California-style veggie turk'y burger with 37% less fat, and a great blend of avocados and tomatoes.

Whether you are a confirmed vegetarian (for whatever reason) or just want to explore a bit of the veggie experience, try a few of these—you will not be disappointed.

http://www.morningstarfarms.com/

Compliments for Couscous

Couscous is a classic Mediterranean dish and offers an appetizing change from other starches and now Near East has come out with a some new versions to please the palate.

Near East's Pearled Couscous with Roasted Garlic and Olive Oil has a bold yet delicate taste and smooth pearly texture and is certified Kosher. (It is also available in Basil and Herb.)

Easy to prepare, Near East Gourmet Meal Kits in Mediterranean Herb and Chicken Provencal provide the base for a nutritious and tasty meal—just add chicken or vegetarian alternatives (tofu or veggie “meats”) olive oil and water and prepare and you have the entrée for your meal. Add some vegetables and you have the dinner.

Near East offers 30 different flavors and varieties of rice pilaf, couscous and other grain dishes and there products are available in most grocery and specialty grocery stores.

These new couscous varieties nicely and deliciously complement many entrees—or serve as a base for the main course.

And look for a coupon at: http://neareast.com/#home

The Secret is More than the Sauce

Morningstar Farms, introduced by Worthington Foods in the 1970s, has been around long enough to be very, very good at what they do. Now a division of Kellogg’s, Morningstar is currently the largest vegetarian food producer in the U.S.

They have just introduced three noteworthy additions to the menu: BBQ Riblets, Italian Sausages and Maple sausage patties. While all are delicious, the star is unquestionably the BBQ Riblettes.

There is nothing like the mouth-watering taste and texture of BBQ ribs dripping with Hickory sauce and so tender they just about melt in your mouth. BBQ ribs, however, no matter how much you may try to fool yourself—are not so good for you. And what if – for any number of reasons—you don’t eat meat or would rather not consume so much of it? Nothing like BBQ ribs? Until Now.

The Secret is not so much in the Sauce, although the sauce is mouth-wateringly good. The Secret is that there is no meat in these come-hither ribs. Packed two to a box—2 servings—they are best wrapped in aluminum foil and heated up in the oven (or perhaps the grill?) . In a pinch they can be microwaved in their package-pouches after making a few steam release openings. For the best texture and flavor though, use the oven. You will not believe you are eating vegetarian ribs. A ground-breaking vegetarian product.

The Maple Veggie Sausages also hit the mark—they taste like the real thing. The maple infusion adds an extra bite to the flavor and gives them a "country breakfast" vibe. Even a person who absolutely hated "veggie/soy" products, would like these sausages! Make your own healthy fast-food type breakfast sandwich at home with these patties. Save money and cholesterol!

The Italian Sausages are very tasty and versatile. Use them in sauces and pasta dishes or cook them on the grill. They can stand up to any recipe. Again—a healthy “trompe les tasebuds” alternative to artery-clogging, detrimental entrées.

Morningstar Farms products are available in the frozen food section of most grocery outlets. Try them for yourself. At the very least you will be very pleasantly surprised.

Wrap it Up

In a hurry in the morning but don’t want to skip (you know you shouldn’t) breakfast? And maybe you’d like something interesting and portable that you can bite into on the way out the door?

Give Amy’s new Breakfast Scramble Wrap a try. You’ll find these in the grocery frozen foods section. Just heat it, let it cool, maybe add a seasoning-- ketchup, hot sauce or, nothing. This delicious hand-held breakfast is an appetizing blend of Organic Tofu, Vegetables, and Cheese and will satisfy your breaking –the- fast hunger and your taste buds.

You will make it a point to make time for this in the morning.

Have Your Cake

Amy’s Organic Cakes, in Orange or Chocolate. Either way, both are fabulous Vegan, non-dairy, 11 ounces of pure sweet delight. No trans fats, No preservatives-- These cakes taste homemade. The texture, taste and fragrance all add up to a heavenly dessert. There is no aftertaste and no regret. Try both with non dairy topping or fruit or maybe ice cream.

The Orange is delicate and moist, a perfect summertime, anytime treat. The chocolate may not taste like an ultra-rich decadent chocolate cake—the flavor is more subtle and at the same time very pleasing to the palate.

Amy's Orhanic cakes are available frozen and thaw in the refrigerator in about 2 hours. They can be served warmed but taste just wonderful nice and cool right from the fridge.

It is true, like it says on the box, no one will believe it’s not homemade!

Macaroni Grill at Home

If you like some of the entrees available at casual restaurants like, Macaroni Grill, for instance, but would rather prepare them at home and in the least possible amount of time, you might try the Romano’s Macaroni Grill Restaurant Favorites from General Mills. It cooks quickly, just as the directions, state—about 20 minutes—and you can add fresh veggies or veggie meat in addition to or in place of some of the other called for additions.

There are four varieties so far: Creamy Basil, Parmesan Chicken and Pasta; Chicken Alfredo with Linguine; Garlic and Herb Chicken Penne; Chicken Marsala with Linguine

One of our respondents had this to say about the Parmesan Chicken and Pasta: “ I liked this meal because it cooks quickly and tastes like it came from a restaurant. It lived up to my taste expectations.”

Another told us “It really was easy to make. I added some of those frozen steamed vegetables to the Garlic and Herb Chicken Penne and had a great tasting and pretty healthy meal. I really wish there were more servings per box, though.”

Another way to serve this is as a side dish, adding a touch of restaurant taste to the rest of the meal.

Vegetarian Steps

We asked several lifelong meat eaters who had always steered clear of anything “veggie” for most of their lives, to try the Boca Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan Patties. Here are a few comments:

Said one young woman from PA: “I’ve got to tell you they taste undeniably good. They certainly did not taste like chewing on cardboard, which I partly expected it to before I popped one in a frying pan and cooked it with a bit of olive oil.”

Another respondent from NY commented: “I didn’t check the fat/calorie content on the back of the box simply because I rarely do, but after I micro-waved and ate the Boca Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan “burger,” I checked. I was surprised to find that the pattie I had just consumed had a measly 70 calories and 1.5 grams of fat. Truth is, the pattie tasted so good I certainly expected it to have much more fat/calories. And now, I have begun taking an interest in these vegetarian “meat” products. So, have I been “converted” to Boca? Surprisingly, yes.”

Said a now-veggie convert from CT: “I am hooked. From now on I will be sure to have a more open mind when it comes to trying vegetarian alternatives. If they all are as good as the Boca Bruschetta Tomato Basil Parmesan burger, then I was missing something.”

Don't miss out. Give them a try yourself.

Once in Love with Amy…

...always in love with Amy's Kitchen, produced by Amy’s Kitchen, founded in 1987 by Rachel and Andy Berliner,--and yes, there really an Amy—their daughter, who was born around the same time as the company. Amy’s still retains the culture of a family business, even though it has grown over the years.

Amy’s Kitchen offers a wide selection of vegetarian meals and snacks. Focusing on pizza this time around, we tried several varieties: Margherita Pizza, Cheese & Pesto Pizza with Whole Wheat Crust, Spinach Pizza and regular Cheese Pizza.
(Some other varieties include Soy Cheeze Pizza, Rice Crust Spinach Pizza). Bought frozen at most grocery chains, they are best cooked in the oven for about 25 minutes.

Everyone loved them--the varieties, the freshness, the portion size, the ingredients. Some had thought that the pizzas would less caloric than they are. But, they were happy to just eat a little less and balance it out with a salad and/or soup.

These are not “diet foods.” They are foods for a healthy diet.