Review: Trader Joe's Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto

As usual, Trader Joe's does not disappoint with their vegan options. This vegan pesto sauce might be new. I love that that it's right next to the non-vegan pesto along with the other sauces, and not in a separate vegan section. It also happens to be next to the Zhoug Sauce that I love. 

Traditional pesto has parmesan cheese, and this has cashew butter instead. It changes the texture a bit and makes it more creamy. It's also not as oily as other pestos. 

Trader Joe's Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto ingredients: 

Kale, olive oil blend (olive oil, extra virgin olive oil), water, basil, cashew butter (dry roasted cashews, safflower oil or sunflower oil), garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, black pepper.

I made this with pasta and like how it turned out. It smelled so good when I stirred it into the pasta. 

You could also use it as a dip or as a spread on sandwiches or pizza. 

I thought it was not quite as good as traditional pesto, but that could be because of the kale. It's good enough that I would eat it again, but not my new favorite.  I'd like to try another vegan pesto with more basil (or try making my own).

Review: Trader Joe's Vegan Kale, Cashew & Basil Pesto

First impressions: Looks creamier than I expected. Lighter in color and less oily than other pestos. 

Taste: A slightly blander version of traditional pesto. 

Texture: Thick and creamy. 

Can you tell it's vegan? Maybe

Worth buying again? Yes, but I want to try other kinds of vegan pesto too. 

Overall: 4/5

Review: Rising Moon Vegan Ravioli

I love ravioli (all pasta, really). But usually ravioli contains eggs and cheese. I was pleasantly surprised to find not just one but TWO vegan raviolis from Rising Moon at Sprouts: butternut squash and roasted garlic & veggie.

I liked both, but the roasted veggie was my favorite. The butternut squash was a little sweet for me. The roasted veggie had a hint of sweetness but it wasn't overpowering. 

I didn't miss having cheese. The filling was creamy and not dry. It also held together fine without using egg wash to hold the sides together. I actually had less of these fall apart than some vegetarian versions I've had before. 

I like having some ravioli on hand in the freezer for nights when I don't feel like cooking. Now that I've found this vegan ravioli, I won't need to get the vegetarian ravioli with cheese that I used to eat. 

I'm all about finding vegan replacements for my favorite foods that are just as satisfying and delicious. I can check another food off my list with this one!

Rising Moon Vegan Garlic & Roasted Veggie Ravioli ingredients:

Pasta: Organic wheat flour, water, organic turmeric oil. Filling: Organic soy milk (filtered water, organic whole soybeans, calcium carbonate, organic fair trade vanilla flavor, salt, vitamin a palmitate, gellan gum, riboflavin [b2], vitamin d2, vitamin b12), organic butternut squash, organic spinach, organic garlic, organic carrots, organic potato flakes, water, sea salt, organic onion powder, organic tomato, organic black pepper. 

Rising Moon Vegan Butternut Squash Ravioli ingredients:

Pasta: Organic wheat flour, water, organic turmeric oil. Filling: Organic butternut squash puree, organic potato flakes, organic evaporated cane juice, sea salt, organic garlic, organic onion powder, organic black pepper, organic nutmeg powder. 

Review Rising Moon Vegan Ravioli:

First impressions: Oooh this is good.

Taste: Good balance of flavors, savory with a hint of sweetness

Texture: No difference from non-vegan ravioli, smooth filling but not mushy

Can you tell it's vegan? No

Worth buying again? Yes, I'll probably always have some in my freezer

Overall: 5/5