Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n = Good

Aaaaahhhh another few months of craziness, another lapse in reviews. But believe me, those months have had me try all sorts of exciting veg*n products, many of which you'll get to read about here! Are you as pumped as I am?! Bah, whatever - let's get into it.

As you may have noticed, Gardein has been quietly coming to the forefront of the faux-meat product scene. And that makes me super-happy. They're not sticking with the same old veggie-dog/veggie-burger/veggie-slice formula at all (I'm looking at you again, Yves!). Gardein is offering veg*ns a variety of amazing, quasi-gourmet options, and they should be commended for their creativity at the very least. No, they're not always entirely successful (I tried a truly bizarre faux-beef/rice combo of theirs a few months ago, and let's just say it wasn't pretty), but they are clearly putting in an effort for their customers - and I, for one, appreciate it.

So. One of their newest products is the Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n. I can't even tell you how happy I was when I saw this in the frozen foods section at my local grocery store. Right away I thought of this crappy chain Chinese restaurant that I used to always go to (before my veggie days) at a mall near my hometown. Okay wait - that doesn't sound like any reason to be happy, does it. Be patient and let me explain! So yeah - crappy Chinese restaurant. When I was an omnivore, I used to lovelovelove to get this combo plate of fried rice, mixed vegetables, and orange chicken. It was so freaking good. Every time I go to that mall and pass that stupid place, I think, "Oh jeebus, what I wouldn't give for some nasty-delicious orange chicken right now." And then I gather up my strength and walk on by and get a (kinda dissatisfying) falafel or something. I've been doing this for like nine years now. But falafel no more! I've got my own orange chick'n now, b*tches!

The mandarin chick'n comes in a pouch with the faux-meat pre-breaded and a separate sauce packet enclosed. I should note that the size of the pouch of chick'n is misleading in the way a bag of chips is - it looks huge on the shelf, and then you get home and open it up and it's half empty. But anyway. So you fry up however much chick'n you want (I cooked the whole bag even though I was eating alone. Be quiet! My stomach was crying, "Ohhhhhh ooooorange chiiiiiicken, I've miiiissed you baaaby," and I had to appease it) - then you stir in the sauce and you're ready to eat.

The breaded chick'n itself was awesome. It had a great flavour and texture, the way most of Gardein's products do. I probably could have eaten the faux-meat by itself, sans sauce, and I would have been satisfied. With the sauce, it was still pretty good. I found it a little watery, and it had this sort of stanky edge to it (almost like balsamic vinegar or something), but not in a totally offensive way. According to the ingredients list on the package, there are a couple of different types of vinegar in it, so that's probably why. I would have preferred it if the sauce was thicker and sweeter and less stanky, but overall I'm a happy camper - and I will buy this product again!

I paid $4.99 Cdn for the pouch, but I think prices vary a little bit from store to store. This is a vegan product, so pretty much everyone can try it. Let me know if you do!

Product and nutritional info: http://www.gardein.com/products.php?t=frozen&p=32

Cheese = Ugly

Aaaaaaugh this review has been a long time coming. And it's an ugly one - so ugly. Ladies and gentlemen, let me introduce you to Galaxy Nutritional Foods' Veggie Slices. They are thick. They are orange. They are jiggly. And they are nasty. They are also part of the reason why I am now a vegetarian rather than a vegan.

Let me take you back eight years or so, when I was a fledgling, newly-hatched little veggie warrior. When I stopped eating meat, I went balls-out and became a full-on vegan, rather than easing my way into vegetarianism. No milk products, no egg products, nothing. And I was woefully underprepared. I started having crazy cravings for cheese, any kind of cheese, even those Kraft singles that I never liked to begin with. Having found soy milk and other soy products to be tolerable, I thought soy cheese would be okay too. And I noticed that pretty much every grocery store across Ontario - even crappy ones that didn't have so much as a veggie dog in their coolers - carried some of Galaxy's products.

Giving their cheese a quick once-over, it seemed innocuous enough. At the time of my first purchase (side note - 12 slices usually cost $4 0r $5 Canadian), I unfortunately didn't know as much about hidden animal ingredients as I do now, and had no clue that this soy cheese contains casein, a non-vegan milk protein. To be honest, I always thought to myself, "Why the hell would anyone who doesn't object to the use of milk want to buy soy cheese? And why would a company manufacturing non-milk cheese use a milk ingredient in it?" I realize now that non-veg*ns who are lactose intolerant might want to buy soy cheese, but I'm still not completely sure why Galaxy puts casein in this stuff. And apparently they do make a true vegan cheese now, but it's nowhere near as widely available as this one... I've actually never seen it at any grocery store, only online. Weird.

Aaaanyway - in addition to the cheese having questionable ingredients, it tastes really freaking gross. The slices admittedly look much like Kraft cheese slices, all woobly and orange and stuff (which is nasty in and of itself), but the similarities end there. Not that Kraft slices are awesome or anything, but at least they melt and taste moderately cheesy. The Galaxy slices never really melt. I found this strange, given that the package says something about them having a "gourmet melt". What does that even mean?! Maybe it's a euphemism for, "Yes, you can get them warm, but that's about it." Don't bother trying to make a grilled cheese with them... you'll be hard-pressed to get the bread to stick together, seriously. And if you do what I did, which is to throw down your spatula and say, "Screw it, I'm eating this toasted bread with weird orange sh*t loosely placed in the middle anyway," do yourself a favour and have a trash can nearby. You do not want to punish yourself by taking more than one experimental bite. Hell, I'm writing this to tell you not to even take that first bite! Just say no.

Since I've typically had no other soy cheese options available, I will admit I bought this crap more than once - always motivated by cheese-craving-induced insanity. Then I found out it wasn't vegan anyway, and got kind of angry. And thennnn I thought, "Why am I making myself so unhappy?" I know there are a lot of people out there who won't necessarily agree with me on this, and your opinion is valid, but over time I came to decide that I don't really object morally to the consumption of animal milk anyway; when created responsibly, no one has to suffer or die for it. So I chucked Galaxy's slices out the window and haven't looked back.

Product and nutritional info: http://www.galaxyfoods.com/galaxy-products/soy-cheese/veggie-2/veggie-slices/

Bacon = (Sorta) Good

Wow, it's been a long time since the last review. Let's just say this has been an interesting year filled with job changes, a few cross-continental moves, and more. But it's time to get back down to business, kids! And by business, I mean bacon business. Yes, I may have found a decent bacon-replacement product in Morningstar Farms' Bacon Strips! Well... they're better than Yves's anyway.

I actually only bought the bacon after I was foiled (yet again) in my attempt to purchase the Morningstar Farms corn dogs. WTF, man?! Are they really so good that people everywhere are buying them up before I can? Or have they - horrifyingly - been discontinued? I need to do some further investigation. So yeah, I was staring forlornly into the veggie frozen goods section at Target, hoping that the corn dogs would just magically appear from the great unknown, when I saw the bacon strips amid the stacks of boxes of faux-ribs (which are also not bad and should be reviewed some time), burgers, etc. I was reeeeeally not expecting much, since my past experiences with faux-bacon have tended toward the rubbery and overly smoky, but picked them up anyway and hoped for the best.

As with the corn dogs, there's not a whole lot of nutritional value to the bacon. I think Morningstar Farms could help themselves (and their customers) by injecting a vitamin or two here and there into their products, no? Althooooough, maybe the vitamins are what is making Yves's products a little lacklustre. Hmm. Maybe I should just take vapid deliciousness for what it is, and quit expecting to get my daily intake of iron and B12 in one little strip of faux-meat? Probably. It just irks me to see a company plastering promises of healthiness on all of their packaging, when by healthiness they only mean that their products have a lower fat content than the animal-filled alternatives. Meh.

So onto the actual food experience. The strips are comparable to Yves's strips in that they look truly, hilariously artificial. They are cut into perfect rectangles, roughly the length and width of a standard bookmark. They are mostly a translucent cream colour with swirls of red painted on them. Where they really differ from the Yves strips, however, is in their thickness. They are cut very thin, which does give them a slightly more realistic and less bologna-esque consistency.

You can microwave or fry them, but I chose to fry them (in a buttload of oil) in an attempt to bring out a more authentic bacon-ness. I think this was a good idea, though I'm pretty sure I overcooked a few pieces, making them a little too dry and crunchy, with the overall palatal impression making them comparable to those Munchos chips. You know? Sort of airy and bland and crunchy, but in an inoffensive way. The strips that I didn't overcook still had some crunch, but a little chewiness too. So fairly balanced. Aaaand they weren't crazily smoky, which made me happy. Overall, they made a pretty satisfying addition to my breakfast, and I think I will buy them again!

They cost about $4 US (which, for you Canadians out there, is a steal given our strong dollar at the moment - yaaay), and I think they are actually only available in the States right now, like the rest of the Morningstar product line. Seriously, somebody get this stuff across the border! (Especially the corn dogs though. I'm dying here.)

Product and nutritional info: http://www.morningstarfarms.com/products_veggie-bacon-strips.aspx

T-Shirt = Good

I was looking at my old posts and realized it has been a long time since I did a clothing review. And I actually do have a lot to work with (being the fashion-loving lady that I am), soooo I decided to pick one of my favourites and go for it! And today we're looking at the Herbivore Clothing Cow Hugger tee.

I really do love this top, and I get a lot of comments/compliments on it. What better (non-confrontational) way to show your veggie pride than with a cute message tee? The design is by Jen Corace for Herbivore, printed on a 100% cotton American Apparel shirt (as many of their designs are). I own the sky blue tee pictured above, but they also have offered the design on hoodies, long-sleeved shirts and more.

The fit is nice (not too tight or short, but not sloppy-big either) aaaaand I'm happy to report that whatever they printed the picture with seems to hold up well - No signs of peeling or fading! (I had a Sailor Moon t-shirt in high school that sadly was not so durable. I kept trying to wear it long after Tuxedo Mask's face had peeled off but finally had to admit that it needed to be chucked. I'm sorry Darien!)

I paid $25 US for the shirt, plus about $5 in shipping. It arrived pretty quickly, along with a complimentary Herbivore sticker (very nice!). Now, it looks like they no longer offer the blue tee directly on the Herbivore website, but they do have it in a purple v-neck, and I believe you can still get this one at other online veg*n clothing stores (see below). Plus Herbivore has a ton of other really great stuff - I definitely recommend checking them out!

http://www.herbivoreclothing.com

http://www.veganessentials.com/catalog/cow-hugger-womens-fitted-short-sleeve-by-herbivore-clothing.htm

Body Wash = Good

Alright, I have another brand-spankin' new review for all of you, and it's a good one. Yippee! Also, just to shake things up a bit, we're looking at a bath/beauty product. It's been awhile, no? I think we've tended to have bad (or ugly) luck with these, but luckily the Nature's Gate Pomegranate Sunflower Body Wash is awesome.

The backstory to my purchase: A few weeks ago, my sister and I decided to make a little trip across the border with the intention of buying a caseload of those wiiiiiicked veggie corn dogs I reviewed awhile ago (what, you thought I was joking?! I have been dreaming about those bad boys ever since then. I TOLD you they were fantastic). So we hit up the nearest Target and booted it to the frozen goods section. But, woe betide me, they were sold out. Sold out! Was it one of my readers, acting upon a hungry impulse brought about by my enthusiastic review? Is there someone out there slumped in their computer chair, tummy swollen and eyes glazed, surrounded by dozens of empty Morningstar Farms boxes, cackling to him-or-herself at my misfortune?! Arrrrrrrgh - Vengeance will be miiiine!

Uhhh... Sorry about that. Moving on. Needless to say, I was disappointed not to have found the corn dogs, but I consoled myself by checking out the other veg*n products available in-store. And to my surprise, there were plenty! I actually needed to pick up some shampoo, conditioner, and soap, and out of curiosity decided to pick up Nature's Gate's stuff.

The body wash was $6-ish US (though their website lists it at $7.49) for a 532 mL bottle, which pretty much fit into my (almost non-existent) budget. The scent was really nice, and the bottle said that the product contains no animal byproducts and involved no animal testing - Wooo! After taking it home and testing it out, I can say with all sincerity that I will be buying this again. It lathers well, still smells great (fruity and zesty but not overpoweringly so), and leaves my skin clean but well-moisturized.

The company's website info indicates that their products are indeed certified vegan and cruelty-free, which we can all feel happy about! It looks like they also have a tonnnnn of other products that I'd love to try - And you should too! Just save me a box or bottle or two this time, okay?

Product info: http://www.natures-gate.com/shop/showitem.asp?ProductId=43100005&menuId=223&withLinks=1

Crispy Tenders = Bad

Todaaaay we're going to take a look at Gardein's Seven Grain Crispy Tenders. Yes, unfortunately, they are kind of bad. This will undoubtedly surprise those of you who have tried their other products, but I promise to explain.

Overall, I love Gardein. They are a wonderful company and offer some fabulous animal-free foods (for instance, their Chick'n Filets are delectable and approximate the taste and texture of real chicken better than any other faux-meat I've ever eaten. And you know I've tried more than my share!). The president/founder of Gardein was actually the creator of Yves Veggie Cuisine, which he sold several years ago, and apparently also marketed North America's very first veggie dog more than 20 years ago - Amazing! He also has contributed to PC's Blue Menu product line (which will prove ironic in a moment or two, if you'll bear with me). So Gardein has emerged from a long history of pro-veggie entrepreneurship, which I admire and appreciate.

But it just happens to be the case that they got things wrong with the Crispy Tenders (vegan chicken nuggets/strips). I had very high hopes for them, given Gardein's super-duper track record, but they were just dry and pretty flavourless. I cooked them using different methods (baking, microwaving, and even frying), and they came out marginally more moist when I shortened the cooking time, but that didn't make up for their blandness. Pluuuuus they're a little expensive (typically around $7 Canadian, though I got them on sale for $4-something at an organic grocery store one day), and their nutritional value (other than being low-fat) is unremarkable.

I wouldn't say the tenders are full-on ugly, since I do respect the company's history and the work they do, and it's great that the product is certified vegan and the taste isn't completely vomitous, just plain. But when there are better options out there, plain don't cut it!

Speaking of better options, here comes the irony! (No, it's not that exciting, but anyway.) Another one of the reasons why I had hoped that the tenders would be yummy was because the PC Blue Menu ones are INCREDIBLE. I might even like them better than I used to like real chicken strips. So what's up, Mr. Gardein Man?! If you worked on the Blue Menu stuff, why aren't the Gardein strips just as good (especially since they are more expensive)? Well, maybe I'll never get the answer to that, but I guess I'll just continue to buy the PC strips (and give them the full review they deserve) rather than these ones.

Product and nutritional info: http://www.gardein.com/products.php?t=frozen&p=4

Back in Canada!

Crazy, isn't it? But I am back again, raring to go, looking for a (paying) job, and getting settled back into normalcy. So back to our reviews! A delicious new post will be up soon. Also - I'll be launching a book review site in the near future. Stay tuned...

Vida e Saúde = Good

Maybe it's kind of a snooze to have two good reviews in a row, and two restaurant reviews in a row, but whatever, people! I have been dying to review Vida e Saúde (that's "Life and Health" in Portuguese), a veg*n buffet restaurant here in Porto Alegre.

First of all, before I talk about all the specifics of the place, I have to give a huge, gigantic, hearty thumbs-up to the PRICE factor. Guess how much you pay for an unlimited lunch buffet, including unlimited drinks and dessert? $11 Brazilian reais, which is equal to about $6 Canadian (and also about $6 US, seeing as the Canadian dollar is pretty much at par with the American one right now, muhaha). Six freaking dollars! Amazing. My North American mind has no concept of this.

Well, maybe I could understand the price being so low if the food was crappy or of poor quality. But it's so good! I know I rated the Green Door's food as excellent, but Vida e Saúde's is even better. Really. You get a lot of traditional Brazilian fare (beans, rice, polenta, pasteis, etc.), in addition to fabulous fresh fruit and veggies, all kinds of fried patties, faux-meat, pasta dishes, and more. (All of these are vegetarian and many are vegan.) They have a wonderful selection of fresh fruit juices. Aaaaand some of the desserts are to die for. These again are mostly of the Brazil-specific variety, made with doce de leite (dulce de leche) and sweetened condensed milk and the like. Lately I've been wondering how I went my whole life without these little bits of heaven! One not-so-heavenly little nugget of information I just came across though: For some reason, the jell-o they serve is animal-based. Why?! I'm just glad I didn't eat it before I found out, *eep*. Consider yourselves warned.

The restaurant is located in downtown Porto Alegre, which is a bustling, hot, crowded place, composed of old historic buildings interspersed with government offices, large businesses, and little shops in varying states of repair. Walking into Vida e Saúde serves as a breath of fresh air and a refuge from the chaos around it. It's spacious, cool, clean, and has a simple but cheery decor. The staff is friendly and efficient. And like I said, the food is so good and so delightfully affordable!

Vida e Saúde is open for lunch every weekday. So I think I might need to campaign somehow for them to extend their hours - and to switch to animal-friendly jell-o! I'll let you know if I'm successful.

Business hours and other info: http://www.guiavegano.com.br/vegan/restaurantes-com-opcao-vegetariana-em-porto-alegre/vida-e-saude

Green Door = Good

Good day, dear readers! Today will be a Canadian review rather than a Brazilian one, just for kicks. (Aaand also because I haven't been in Brazil all that long but spent my whole life in Canada, so I have a little more experience with Canada's veggie products and services. You get it.) And, for something new, today will be our very first restaurant review! Woo! Are you as excited as I am? I can tell you are. Let's go.

The restaurant in question is Ottawa's The Green Door. Ahhhh Green Door, how I miss thee! It's probably Ottawa's number one veg*n restaurant and rightfully so. They work with a buffet format (like the once-mentioned Commensal), and you pay by the weight of your food (other than the bread and soup, which are flat-rate options). You know, I love buffets (good buffets, that is). You get to pick exactly what you want, in exactly the quantity that you want. So if I want to have three quarters of my plate covered in mashed potatoes (by the way, the Green Door's mashed potatoes are excellent), then I will! Or if I want to mix some broccoli-and-tofu stir fry with lasagna, spanikopita, and avocado salad (again, these are all wicked choices on their daily menu), then I can! You see my point.

The Green Door knows their stuff. They've been in business for more than 20 years, have a devoted clientele, and are pretty much always working with a full house. They have vegan and vegetarian dishes (always clearly marked), organic and soy-based drinks, a great selection of fair trade tea and coffee, offer take-out, and have a catering service as well. I believe they also have some t-shirts for sale and even published a cookbook (which I really wish I had purchased before I moved to Brazil, *sigh*). They also showcase and sell a rotation of local artists' works. Overall they are just a really cool place to hang out and eat and feel at home in downtown Ottawa.

My only real beef (tofu?) with them is that they're a bit pricey. Not ridiculously so, but be prepared to spend about $15 or more if you have a good-sized plate and a drink. Oh, also, they are closed on Mondays. On more than one occasion, Boy and I forgot this and trudged over in the snow, only to be left hungry and (literally) in the cold! Picture our wistful, frost-bitten little faces pressed against the window, staring longingly at the empty buffet trays and unfilled coffee pots. (Cue violins.) Okaaay, so it wasn't that dramatic - shush. But it's a testament to how much I like this restaurant that I wish they were open every day. So if you're ever in the Ottawa area and need a nice, cozy place to get your veggie eat on, head over to the Green Door. You'll be glad you did!

Website: www.thegreendoor.ca

Cordon Verde = Ugly

As I mentioned in the earlier programming note, I recently relocated to Brazil. And not just anywhere in Brazil, but the southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul, which is renowned for its churrasco (Brazilian barbecue). Sooo I am really out of my element here in the state capital of Porto Alegre, deep in cow-land, and am often looked at a little funny when I ask for things sem carne (without meat). But I am managing! Surprisingly, wonderfully, there is a small veggie scene here with a few great restaurants and some soy products at the grocery stores.

So far, unfortunately, the availability of said soy products has been sporadic at best. I once found veggie dogs at one grocery store, but haven't seen them there since. Sometimes the stores stock veggie burgers, sometimes they don't. But one company that always seems to have at least a veg*n product or two available at every grocery store is Perdigão.

Perdigão doesn't just make vegetarian products; they also make a range of meat products and frozen entrées, which I believe are more popular here than are their veggie options. But no matter - I am glad they offer animal-free options at all! So I was passing by their rather large section of frozen goods one day when the words proteína de soja (soy protein) jumped out at me. They were on a box of a product called Cordon Verde Vegetal ("Vegetable Cordon Green" instead of "Cordon Bleu" - cute).

The ingredients listed included no animal products whatsoever - nice! - and a decent amount of protein/etc., so I grabbed the box and headed on my merry way. Once home, I followed the microwave instructions for preparing an individual portion. The listed cooking time seemed kind of lengthy for one small filet, but I figured Perdigão knew their stuff better than I would, so I did exactly as told.

Aaaand the cordon verde came out terrible. Oh so very terrible. The crumbly breaded exterior had now hardened into firm little pebbles. It took a good steak knife and a few Portuguese curse words to cut through the filet, and when I finally managed it, the gooey, creamy interior that I had expected turned out to have dried out completely. (Remember that scene in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, where they cut open in the turkey and a sort of dry cough of smoke puffs out? It was like that.) The sauce apparently disappeared and became part of one grey sandy mass. But I was not to be defeated! I sawed through my little cordon verde and ground my teeth through at least five or six bites. (And then I gave up.)

The most reasonable conclusion would be that I simply overcooked the product, no? It would seem that I simply had to adjust my cooking time! After all, from what I could taste of it, there was nothing overtly offensive about the flavouring. So I later grabbed another one, microwaved for about half the listed time, and hoped for the best. No dice. The cordon verde was admittedly much more moist this time, but the texture was still very strange, the sauce was generally indistinguishable from the veggie-meat, and the flavour was salty-bland at best.

So... Will I buy this again? I wish I could say no, but given my quasi-limited options at the moment, I might not have a choice! At least it was vegan, affordable, and mostly nutritious. Maybe if I cover it in some ketchup it'll be more bearable. I'll let you know.

Product and nutrition info: http://www.perdigao.com.br/comidadeverdade/_produtosDetalhes.cfm?produto=120

A Programming Note

Helloooo everyone (if you're still out there)! You will undoubtedly have noted that posts tapered off a few months ago. I swear I have a valid excuse though; I have moved to Brazil! (Seriously, I did. Brazil is Boy's homeland and we have relocated here for the time being.) Sooo with all the adjusting and job-changing and whatnot, it's been a little difficult to make time for reviews. But as of today we are back up and running. I will continue to review North American products but I will have to review the Brazilian products as well... Let's just say it's a wee bit more difficult to be a veg*n here (but not impossible by any means). Look for a new review later today! xo

Cleaning Wipes = Bad

Since I've made a habit of confessing my vices to the world through VTT, I may as well fill you in on another one, gentle reader. I am naturally a very messy girl. I really am. I was never one to be dirtydirty per se, but certainly disorganized! It has only been through living with a very tidy roomie or two that I have learned to keep my apartment in a presentable state. And so I will take whatever shortcuts I can find to fulfil my quest for order on the home front.

Keeping that in mind, I have come to love cleaning wipes. With a quick pull and a swipe, pretty much any surface can go from dusty/cat-hairy to neat and fresh. But you have to be careful with your cleaning products, kids. Sometimes bits of animals are hiding in there, not to mention all kinds of other things that aren't so nice for Mother Earth.

So of course Method's Pink Grapefruit All-Surface Wipes seemed like a perfect addition to my quasi-lazy cleaning routine. All of Method's products are vegan (wow!), are not tested on animals, and are earth-friendly. I have purchased some other products from them (including a truly amazing orange/mango spray cleaner, which I will review some other day) and was very pleased. I like grapefruits. I like supporting small companies with a cause. And I like a good price (I paid $4-something Canadian for a canister of 30 wipes at Shopper's Drug Mart. The Method website lists them at $4 US).

The wipes came home with me, and the time came to test them out. Sadly, very sadly, they smelled really gross. They smelled like someone ate a grapefruit and promptly barfed it up on a moist towelette. And they didn't have a whole lot of cleaning power... It was more like smearing power. I still kept the whole canister and used up all of the wipes, but every time I cleaned with them, all I could smell was barf (I know that's unpleasant but I gots to be honest).

Sooo I definitely have not purchased them again since, but I have kept an open mind about all of Method's other offerings and urge you to do the same. Let's buy a buttload of everything else they make, and hopefully over time pukefruit will be forced out of the product line!

Product info: http://www.methodhome.com/product.aspx?page=17200

Curry = Good

Guess what, everyone? We finally have our first good TV dinner review! (As in the dinner was good, not just the review. The reviews are always good, right? RIGHT.) Yup, Helen's Kitchen managed it with their Thai Yellow Curry. I am actually looking at the empty container for it right now and marvelling at how good it was.

Today's lunch break involved yet another meander through grocery store aisles with my wonderfully patient co-worker friend. Seriously, these trips can be major ordeals. I had a drink, bun, and yogurt in my basket but could not decide on a main course. Salad? Soup? Or did I dare venture back into that crap-riddled freezer that is home to so much grossness? I was feeling brave so I decided to go for it.

I'd been eyeing Helen's Kitchen's dinners for awhile, because they offer quite a range of veg*n organic products (and because I love the company name, *teehee*), but I always shied away because of the price ($6.99 Canadian - *gulp*). But today I threw caution to the wind (I did pick up a second job recently; maybe I can splurge here and there on a TV dinner or two) and grabbed the yellow curry, if only because its package was the most colourful.

And back to the office we went. I microwaved dutifully, stirred everything up, and took a bite. It was good! Yes! And not just passable, either - It was actual, honest-to-goodness good. Sweet, spicy, tangy, and filling. It was some kind of mix of vegetables and tofu on a bed of rice, so it's actually a nice balanced meal with lots of protein and nutrients. It is vegan, so no worries about searching for strange little remnants of animals! It kind of has a lot of saturated fat (5 grams, which is apparently 25% of your maximum daily recommended intake?), but no trans-fat (whatever that means).

So because I don't care tooooo too much about fat, I will probably buy this again, when I have a little extra pocket change. $7 really is a lot for one little TV dinner. Given the fact that I see my co-workers with Michelina's that they paid like $1 for, I'm a bit scandalized. Well, a girl's gotta pay for the good stuff, I guess!

Product and nutrition info: http://www.helensfoods.com/meals.shtml (scroll down to Thai Yellow Curry)

Facial Cleanser = Bad

Good morning all! Today we are going to talk about skin care. I don't know if any of you are anything like me, but sometimes I think my skin just hates me. No, I never really suffered the wrath of excessive acne or eczema or anything like that, but I still get breakouts and patches of dry skin and redness - often in the same damn place. How does that even happen? Ack. I've been told that my skin is actually sensitive and that's why I sometimes encounter a combination of issues. And going along with my whole veg*n lifestyle, I have been searching for a product that will address my "sensitive" needs and leave animals out of it.

So say hello to JĀSÖN (I don't know why they opted for the diacritics)'s Fragrance-Free Twice Daily Facial Cleanser. I went into this purchase with a very positive attitude. It wasn't tootoo expensive (about $11 Canadian), is free of animal products, and is not tested on animals. It also says it is soap-free (is soap a problem?), will be gentle on your skin, and will reduce redness, etc. That all sounds great, right?

It wasn't. Number one: This stuff is NOT fragrance-free. Well, let me revise that... It does seem to be perfume-free, but it still smells. I would have taken any kind of flowery aroma over the odour it has as an apparent result of its fragrance-free-ness. It smells a little musty or something. Number two: Maybe this was the inherent nature of it being "soap-free", but it didn't even seem like this was a cleanser. No matter how vigorously I rubbed it, it never had any sort of lather to it. It seemed like I was just rubbing a creamy lotion on my face during my shower. I was actually worried that I had accidentally purchased a bottle of their moisturizer rather than their cleanser. But the label did indeed say "cleanser", and on the sly I compared it to the contents of other bottles at the drug store, and they all seemed to contain the same thing.

And I am now seeing the effects of that creamy lotiony business. I am breaking out and my skin just doesn't feel all that clean, you know? I think I'm going to have to try yet another product. I was totally pumped about this being animal-friendly and fitting into my budget, but it was mostly a disappointment. Maybe I need to try one of their cleansers for a different skin type? I don't know... I'm not expecting much other than stink. Diacritics be damned!

Product info: http://www.jasoncosmetics.com/jason-fragrance-free-facial-products.html

Sandwich = Good

I have a confession to make, my dears. I used to lovelovelove KFC. And what's more, it is the animal food that I miss the most. This may be due in part to the fact that it was the last meat that I consumed before becoming a vegetarian? Je ne sais pas. But yes, I have missed all of that greasy, fried, breaded goodness. And so, when I heard that KFC was coming out with a vegetarian sandwich, I damn near pooped my pants in joy. I waited and waited for the sandwich to make its way to my local KFC. And when it finally arrived, I booted my ass over to buy a combo meal.

Man oh man, is this thing good. I probably devoured it in under a minute. And I am a notoriously slow eater. I had wished that the breading was more like their crispy chicken, but whatever. The texture was awesome, the taste was satisfying, and they dressed the sandwich exactly like their regular chicken sandwiches (soft white bun, mayo, iceberg lettuce). I am kind of drooling just thinking about it.

The vegetarian sandwich costs about the same as their classic sandwich. It is cooked in vegetable oil, which makes me very happy. Now, the only thing is, I cannot find nutritional information for this bad boy anywhere. From the articles I've read, it seems that it is vegetarian and not vegan (despite people describing it as vegan, I'm sure eggs and/or milk are in the sauce and probably the bun), but I've found little else. KFC did work with PETA on it, however, so I am trusting that much - especially since PETA has been so vocally anti-KFC in the past.

In many ways I feel bad purchasing anything at KFC at all, as I feel about most fast food restaurants, since I don't really want to support an establishment that is responsible for so much use of dead animals. But I have come to think that it's a good thing to buy the vegetarian options at such restaurants. I think that the more people buy, the more that these places will view vegetarian items as viable, profitable foods to have on their menus. And maybe eventually the more vegetarian items they sell, the fewer meat items they will sell, which could be a nice big step toward a more animal-friendly world.

So. I know the lack of info = bad and KFC = kinda sketch, but deliciousness = good and animal-friendliness = good too! To my American friends: I don't think the sandwich is available in the US (yet), so you're going to have to stop by one of our KFCs up here while you're shopping for végépâté and Yves' products and stuff. You won't be disappointed!

Related articles:
http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-1515295681.html
http://blog.peta.org/archives/2008/07/tastes_like_chi_1.php

Shepherd's Pie = Bad

I love Le Commensal, a chain of vegetarian restaurants that has several locations across the province of Québec (and which I believe has recently spread to Ontario as well, with one restaurant in Toronto). They offer a diverse range of delicious veg*n dishes, served up buffet-style, in a cozy and inviting environment. My first experience with Commensal was in Québec City, right in Old Québec, and I was delighted from my first step in the door. They have salads and hot dishes and desserts and more! You pay by the weight of your food! Aaaaand they let you bring your own wine! Wicked.

Aside from their restaurants and offering catering services, Commensal has also branched out into the world of frozen entrées. Yes, we all know that I haven't had much luck with TV dinners in the past (see: ugly manicotti), but loving the Commensal restaurants as I do, I had highhigh hopes. And a couple of the entrées ended up not being too bad at all (I will try to review these at a later date). Sadly this was not the case with their Veggie Shepherd's Pie.

People, I am a sucker for comfort food. I love mashed potatoes, I love corn, and I used to love meat. (I have grown fond of faux-meat in its place. You know how it is.) Given this, and the fact that Commensal rocks in general, you would thiiiink that the shepherd's pie would be a sure-fire hit, no? Well, actually, no. I don't know if it was the particular soy-mix and seasoning they used, or perhaps the flavourless-ness of the mashed potatoes, or the general frozen nature of everything altogether, but it tasted pretty darn bad... Sort of blandly dog food-esque (not that I have eaten dog food, but I can imagine). Plus, this poop was expensive! It was $6-something Canadian (another mid-workday purchase for lunch) for a relatively small serving. I have willingly paid this on more than one occasion for Commensal's other entrées, but since this was crappy, it was kind of a kick in the face.

The shepherd's pie is at least good for you in many ways, with lots of protein and iron and calcium, though it seems to have more fat and sodium than other pre-packaged veg*n products. Also, I should note that it is vegetarian and not vegan. Overall, this ended up being a disappointing product from a company that I know can do better. Maybe if I had brought my own wine to work to drink with it, it would have gone down better? Something tells me that wouldn't go over well with management.

Product and nutrition info: http://www.commensal.com/en/produits/epicerie/repas_indiv_surgel/product41

Cookbook = Good

Well, mes amis, I know I have mentioned before that I have a dear friend who was one of my inspirations for becoming a vegetarian. The other two main influences were my mom (who is not a veg*n but is health-conscious and open-minded when it comes to food), and a little cookbook she once bought called How it all Vegan. And this year actually marks the 10th anniversary of the book, so what better time than now to review it?

I was pretty impressed when my mom bought the book. The cover features the co-authors (Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard), decked out in tattoos and piercings, proudly displaying an array of delectable-looking foods. My first thought when I saw the book: Those girls are bad-ass! My second thought: When did my mom get cool enough to buy a book with such bad-ass people on the cover? Aaaaand then the other thoughts poured in: Is that cake they're holding really vegan? Can vegan food actually taste as good as that looks? Should I try it? If my mom thought this book was a good purchase, does that mean she approves of piercings and tattoos? Can I get pierced and tattooed?

No, I didn't get tattooed, but I did end up going veg*n and turning to the recipes in this book. And hey, it turns out vegan food really can be that good! (And yes, that cake is of course vegan - Mmmm.) How it all Vegan doesn't just feature recipes either. The girls provided thoughtful introductions to the book, as well as a measurement conversion chart, a list of veg*n no-no ingredients (gelatin, castoreum, etc.), and much more. The whole thing is styled really nicely too. It has sort of a retro vibe to it, with lots of pictures and a fun colour scheme.

How it all Vegan spawned a few sequels, all of which I have loved. Tanya departed after the second book (The Garden of Vegan), leaving Sarah as the sole author of La Dolce Vegan and the latest Vegan A Go-Go, but the writing and recipes have in no way suffered in her absence. I actually had the pleasure of meeting Sarah at Toronto's Veggie Food Fair in 2007, and she was lovely - very funny and gracious. She even agreed to take a picture with little old me and signed my book.

The 10th anniversary special edition of How it all Vegan will be released in September, and if you don't own the book yet, I highly recommend buying it. There's a reason they call it the "vegan bible". So get ye to your kitchen and pray! Er - cook. You know what I mean.

Sarah Kramer's website: http://govegan.net/

Sans-poulet hachée = Good

This is actually a product that Boy suggested I review (thank you honey), because he likes it just as much as I do! Amazing. And yes, I chose to title this with the French name for Yves' Veggie Ground Chicken... Not because I'm a snooty-pants or anything, but because I think "sans-poulet" is kind of a better description for something that does not contain a chicken, no? I had actually thought they called it "chick'n", but I guess that was a different company or product. Meh! On to the review.

For a long time I used to buy plain dehydrated TVP (textured vegetable protein) flakes to use as a ground meat substitute. TVP is cheap (you can buy it in bulk) and doesn't taste like anything... You just soak it and stir it into other stuff that tastes like something and hope for the best. But when you've got options like Yves' "chicken", why settle for bland?

Yves' other ground products aren't bad either, but this stuff is definitely the best of what they offer. You don't even really need to add seasoning to it. I could fry this stuff up plain with some veggies and serve it over rice and it would still be delicious. I usually use it in spaghetti sauces and casseroles though, and it makes for a perfect protein-y component of a full meal. It has a super moist/meaty texture (eep - that sounds a little gross but I swear I meant it as a good thing) and I think you could probably roll some sans-poulet balls out of it, or even mash it into patties... It holds together well, though I prefer to keep it crumbled.

Other plusses beyond the obvious yummy ones: It's really good for you (woooo vitamins), contains no saturated or trans fats, is vegan, and is totally affordable ($4-something Canadian for a 340g package). And when you've got a meat-eating boy who not only tolerates it, but actually likes it, how can you go wrong?

Product and nutrition info: http://www.yvesveggie.ca/index.php/products/product/veggie_ground_round_chicken/

Delays = Bad

Hello dear readers! I am so sorry for the lack of posts over the past couple of weeks - Things have been a little hectic in the world of my real job. I'll get something up later today. Smoochies!

Burger = Ugly

So this is the first of what I expect will be several veggie burger reviews. I say this because the standard veg*n option at most restaurants is a burger. (And if they don't have veggie burgers, you end up with a salad, right? Although at one restaurant all they were able to offer me was a plate of boiled cauliflower and carrots. I'm not even joking.) How A&W managed to screw up a simple burger so badly with their Swiss Veggie Deluxe is beyond me, but they did it!

I think the key to a good veggie burger is to keep it simple. Just because I'm a vegetarian doesn't mean that I have completely different taste buds from an omnivore! If A&W had just dressed the patty with a piece of cheddar cheese, and put it on a normal freaking bun, I wouldn't have had much of a problem. No, the portobello and soy patty isn't fantastic, but it isn't all that different from what you usually get.

The real issue is everything they do after cooking the patty. They put it on a dense whole wheat bun (I'm eating at A&W, people! Don't bother trying to health me up. Give me that soft white bun and leave me alone), splooge a thin/runny ranch sauce alllllll over the patty (why ranch??), add a pungent slice of swiss cheese, and top it off with pickles for an added (gross) bonus.

The end result is really quite revolting. The ranch sauce was so plentiful that it soaked through the bun and made the patty fall apart. I'm not great with condiments as it is, and ended up gagging and throwing most of the burger away and eating too many fries to compensate.

There actually came a later day when the only food option nearby was A&W, so with a sigh I decided to order the burger again. This time, I told the cashier that I only wanted the veggie patty with a piece of cheddar cheese on a white bun. She looked at me like I was crazy and said, "I don't understand, that's not what the burger is." I very slowly repeated myself and explained as nicely as possible that I find the dressing/etc. gross. She said, "Well, you're not getting the actual swiss deluxe then." I said that this was fine. When my food was ready, I unwrapped the burger and found that it was still on a whole wheat bun, and still had the swiss cheese, but at least the sauce wasn't there. So it was still quasi-nasty, but at least it held together while I ate it.

In terms of how good/bad this is for you nutritionally... it appears that there is a buttload of sodium in it, but it also has a fair amount of protein and iron, so that's nice. Keep in mind that, even without the cheese (good luck getting the cashier/cook to leave it off!), the burger is vegetarian and not vegan. As a sidenote - I tried but for the life of me could not find a picture of this piece of crap. Maybe the marketing people know just how ugly it really is.

Product and nutrition info: http://www.aw.ca/foodfacts.nsf/listbyref_new/Burgers-15