Review: NUGGS Spicy Plant-Based Nuggets

If you're new to plant-based protein, vegan chicken nuggets are a less-intimidating option to start with. It seems like nuggets are easier to replicate because chicken nuggets are so processed anyway.

I tried Boca's chik'n nuggets a few years and they were pretty good. I heard some buzz about NUGGS and wondered how they would stack up.

The NUGGS website calls their plant-based nuggets, "The Tesla of Chicken" that are "engineered with the world's most advanced nugget technology." (It must be fun to work on their marketing team!)

I have to say these were even better than other vegan nuggets I've tried. They really nailed the outside crispy coating. I also love that the spicy version is actually spicy. About twice as spicy as Boca's spicy chik'n patties.

I went in skeptical and ended up craving these. The same thing happened to me with Tofurky plant-based deli slices.

Another unique thing about NUGGS is they're always improving the recipe and post the updates like a tech product's release notes. It's kind of cool to read through the releases and see what changes they've made over time. This review is for NUGGS 2.0.

NUGGS Spicy Plant-Based Nuggets ingredients: 

Water, Soybean Oil, Textured Wheat Protein, Soy Protein Concentrate, Breadcrumbs, Wheat Flour, Corn Flour, Wheat Protein Isolate, Yeast Extract, 2% or less of: Modified Food Starch, Corn Starch, Tapioca Dextrin, Sunflower Oil, Potato Starch, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Methylcellulose, Sea Salt, Sodium Acid Pyrophosphate, Baking Soda, Calcium Chloride, Black Pepper, Red Pepper, Paprika, Dextrose, Natural Flavors

Review: NUGGS Spicy Plant-Based Nuggets

First impressions: Smells good

Taste: Spicy, chicken-y flavor. Reminds me of Wendy's spicy chicken nuggets, although I haven't had those in a long time. 

Texture: Very crispy

Can you tell it's vegan? Maybe
Better than other vegan options? Yes

Worth buying again? Yes

Overall: 5/5

Review: JUST Egg

I had been craving an egg sandwich for about 6 years, and finally satisfied that craving when I found JUST Egg.

It's surprisingly made from mung beans (full ingredient list below), and looks and tastes a lot like eggs.

As a liquid, it looks exactly like the scrambled egg liquid my school used that comes in big cartons.

This stuck to the pan A LOT when cooking, more than eggs do. (Although the pan wasn't as hard to clean as I expected.) It didn't brown the same way as eggs when they're cooked well done. Otherwise it looked just like scrambled eggs. You might not be able to tell it's vegan.

UPDATE: I saw some other videos using JUST egg where it did not stick to the pan and browned perfectly (vegan version of viral egg sandwich video and vegan ramen). According to some comments on the egg sandwich video, my pan could be the problem and it helps to use extra vegan butter.

I tried JUST Egg a few different ways: as scrambled eggs by themselves, as a vegan "egg mcmuffin" with Tofurky plant-based deli slices, and in French toast. They all tasted great and had the same texture as the non-vegan version. The French toast was a little messy because it stuck to the pan, so I recommend using extra oil or cooking spray.

I would totally pay to eat these at a restaurant.

JUST Egg ingredients:

Water, mung bean protein isolate, expeller-pressed canola oil, containes less than 2% of dehydrated onion, gellan gum, natural carrot extractives (color), natural flavors, natural turmeric extractives (color), potassium citrate, salt, soy lecithin, sugar, tapioca syrup, tetrasodium pyrophosphate, transglutaminase, nisin (preservative).

Review: JUST Egg

First impressions: Reminded me of the scrambled eggs that came in a carton at my school

Taste: Tastes like eggs but a little plain, doesn't have a strong flavor

Texture: Almost identical to scrambled eggs

Can you tell it's vegan? Maybe

Worth buying again? Yes

Overall: 5/5

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

How to Make Vegan BBQ "Pulled Pork" Style Jackfruit

Have you tried jackfruit yet? It's the ultimate vegan substitute for shredded pork. I was so surprised by how similar the texture is to pork. And even though it's a fruit, it doesn't have a strong flavor by itself and will take on the flavor of the sauce or seasoning you use.

I love finding fruits or vegetables like this that make perfect vegan alternatives for meat. (Oyster mushrooms is another example worth checking out.) While I love the Beyond Burger and how popular faux meats are becoming, it's nice to have less processed options too.

I'll walk you through how to make bbq "pulled pork" style jackfruit. It's also great in tacos or other recipes that would use shredded pork or chicken. I want to try tamales or enchiladas next.

You can buy the whole fruit at some grocery stores, but it's easier to buy it canned. You can find it at Trader Joe's. One can made four sandwiches for me.

Drain and rinse the jackfruit and pat it dry with a towel. It will look like triangles.

Shred the jackfruit pieces. It's easiest to use your hands. You can also use a fork or knife. Now it should look more like shredded pork.

Saute the jackfruit with a little bit of oil, salt, and pepper. You can also add garlic and onions or other seasoning at this stage if you want. Cook it on medium-high heat until it starts to brown a little bit, about 10 minutes.

Add your favorite barbecue sauce. If you're cooking for other people who are vegan, check that the barbecue sauce is vegan because not all of them are. Lower the heat and cover. Simmer for about 20 minutes (15 is ok if you're really hungry).

Now it's time to build your sandwich. This is good by itself or you can also top with vegan coleslaw.
It's good leftover too, just reheat in the microwave.

Review: Annie's Organic Vegan Mac - Pumpkin and Sweet Potato

I was skeptical about the pumpkin and sweet potato, but had heard good things about Annie's Vegan Mac. Note that it doesn't say "mac and cheese." So it's not necessarily trying to imitate cheese, just providing a vegan comfort food alternative.

This is one of the first vegan products I've tried where the texture was spot on but the flavor was not for me. Usually texture is the more difficult part so this was surprising.

The taste was not bad, but would take some getting used to. If you're vegan and craving mac and cheese, this would do the trick. And it was better than some restaurant vegan macs I've tried. But for people who still eat cheese, this will probably not be good enough to replace your favorite cheesy mac.

I also liked that the ingredient list is pretty simple and recognizable, especially considering it's a processed food that comes in a box.

Annie's Vegan Mac Pumpkin and Sweet Potato ingredients: Organic Pasta (Organic Wheat Flower), Organic Pumpkin Powder (Organic Pumpkin, [Organic Maltodextrin, Organic Sunflower Oil, Sunflower Lecithin]), Organic Sweet Potato Powder (Organic Sweet Potato, [Organic Maltodextrin, Organic Corn Starch, Organic Sunflower Oil, Sunflower Lecithin]), Organic Corn Starch, Organic Tapioca Starch, Sea Salt, Natural Flavor, Organic Paprika, Organic Onion Powder, Organic Garlic Powder.

Review: Annie's Vegan Mac - Pumpkin and Sweet Potato
First impressions: When I was making it, it seemed identical to non-vegan boxed mac and cheese. Kids would have fun making this. 
Taste: Not too sweet or pumpkin-y. It had a surprisingly cheesy flavor, especially given that there's no nutritional yeast. But after eating several bites, it felt like something was missing and wasn't quite as satisfying as cheese. 
Texture: Creamy and very similar to traditional boxed mac and cheese. 
Can you tell it's vegan? Yes
Better than other vegan versions? Yes, better than some vegan macs I've tried at restaurants. 
Worth buying again? I probably won't buy this again but some people might like to eat it regularly. 
Overall: 3/5

Review: Beyond Sausage

I love the Beyond Burger, so I was excited when I heard that Beyond Meat came out with Beyond Sausage.

You can find this plant-based sausage at Whole Foods and it's also served at some restaurants. Beyond Sausage is available in 3 varieties: Brat, Sweet Italian, and Hot Italian. I tried the Sweet Italian.

Like the Beyond Burger, it's soy and gluten-free. The main ingredient is pea protein and the casing is made from algae.

I didn't like these quite as much as the Beyond Burger. They are really big, and that draws more attention to anything that gives away that they're vegan. The texture is a little soft, so I grilled them and then cut them in half and grilled the insides too. That helped to keep the texture crispy. I don't know if I would like it hot-dog style though.

Review: Beyond Sausage - Sweet Italian
Taste: It tastes like pork sausage but is missing something I can't put my finger on. 
Texture: It was nice and crispy on the outside when I grilled it. But I think the inside would be too soft if I hadn't cut it in half. I don't know if I would like it whole in a bun. 
Can you tell it's vegan? Yes, but I might be tricked if it was prepared differently. It would be good to try with a sauce. 
Better than other vegan versions? I haven't tried any others. 
Worth buying again? I'm not a big sausage eater, but if I was craving sausage I would buy this again. 
Overall: 4 out of 5.

Review: Impossible Burger vs Beyond Burger

Impossible Burger

Beyond Burger

You might have heard a lot of buzz about the latest wave of veggie burgers - the Beyond Burger and the Impossible Burger. But do they live up to the hype? 

Absolutely. 

These aren't your average veggie burgers. They manage to go beyond that and somehow impossibly taste like real beef. (Has that already been done by every blogger who's written about this?)

I've seen both of these popping up all over at different restaurants lately. Find locations for the Impossible Burger here, and Beyond Burger here. You can also get the Beyond Burger at Whole Foods. The Impossible Burger is not currently available by retail. 

So what are these actually made out of? 

The main ingredients of the Impossible Burger are textured wheat protein, coconut oil, potato protein, and heme. The heme is made from soy and is the secret ingredient to making this burger taste like real beef. Heme is a molecule found in animals (hemoglobin) and plants (leghemoglobin). It naturally occurs in much higher concentrations in animals than plants, and is what makes meat taste like meat. 

[UPDATE: The new version of the Impossible Burger, Impossible 2.0,  does not contain gluten]

The protein source in the Beyond Burger is pea protein. Unlike the Impossible Burger, the Beyond Burger is gluten free. It also has beet juice which give it a red color that looks like beef. It's made by Beyond Meat, a company that makes a variety of vegan meat products available in stores. But in my opinion the Beyond Burger tastes much better than their Beyond Meat Crumbles.

Impossible Burger Cut in Half

Beyond Burger Cut in Half

If I had to choose, I would say the Impossible Burger has a better flavor and the Beyond Burger has a better texture. But they're both delicious and I would eat them both again. In fact, I haven't had or craved a beef burger since I first tried the Impossible Burger (although it helps that I have easy access to both). These even beat my previous favorite meat substitute, Boka Spicy Chik'n Patties.

Also worth noting is that how the burger is cooked makes a difference. If it's overcooked it can be too dry. But it also needs to be cooked enough to give it the caramelized grill flavors. If you try it once and don't like it, that could be why. 

Have you tried either or both of these? Which is your favorite? 

Impossible Burger Review

First impressions: "Woah it looks like a real burger and not a veggie burger!"
Taste: To me, the Impossible burger does a better job tasting like actual meat because of the heme. It has a fuller umami flavor. 
Texture: When you look closely it doesn't look as much like real meat compared to the Beyond Burger. It also falls a part a little bit when you eat it. 
Can you tell it's vegan? Yes, but only when you look closely. I was surprised how much it tastes like beef. 
Worth buying again? Definitely! I'm going to try it at other restaurants and see who prepares it the best. (Photo above at Bruski Burgers & Brew)
Overall: 5 out of 5

Beyond Burger Review

First impressions: "Is this the Beyond Burger or did I accidentally get a beef patty?"
Taste: It does taste more like beef than I expected, but when comparing directly to the Impossible Burger, it's missing that extra flavor from the heme. 
Texture: Before you cut it open, it looks just like a beef burger. The beet juice makes it look red like beef. The texture is also closer to beef than the Impossible burger. 
Can you tell it's vegan? Like the Impossible burger, I was surprised that it really does taste and look like beef. 
Worth buying again? Yes, I've been getting this for lunch about once a week. (Photo above at my work's cafeteria)
Overall: 5 out of 5

Roasted Gold Potatoes

I love just about any kind of potatoes, but there's something special about the Yukon Gold variety. They're golden in color, hence the name, and they also have an almost buttery flavor to them. 

For this recipe I cooked the potatoes twice - first in the microwave and then in the oven. This makes them soft and fluffy on the inside, but crunchy on the outside. 

I got this recipe from one of my college friends. Her mom made them one night and I was instantly hooked. Whenever I make them I always make extra to have as leftovers, but still end up eating them all right away.

Roasted Gold Potatoes

Ingredients:

• Yukon Gold potatoes
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Oregano

Directions:

1. Place washed, unpeeled potatoes on microwave safe plate. Poke holes in the potatoes and microwave on high for 20 minutes.
2. Peel the potatoes. I used a fork, but they are easy to peel by hand if you can wait for them to cool.
3. Place peeled potatoes in an oven safe dish and add seasonings and olive oil. Stir until the potatoes are evenly covered with oil. 
4. Bake 20-30 minutes, stirring half way in between. The potatoes are already cooked, so you are just getting them crispy in the oven. If it is taking too long, you can use the broiler. If you do use the broiler, be very careful to set a timer or keep an eye on them - it is really easy to accidentally burn food under the broiler!

Easy Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti is a classic comfort food, it's always been one of my favorite meals. It was the first dinner I ever made when I first started cooking in middle school. For a while, I used pre-made sauce. My old roommate and unofficial big sister, Maria encouraged me to try making my own. This is her recipe, and it's been a stand by in my repertoire ever since. 

Before I made my own sauce, I wasn't sure if it was worth the time. Let me tell you, it definitely is. Like most food made from scratch, making your own sauce tastes better than store bought. Plus, you have control over what goes in it. 

It takes at least an hour to make, but you can make it ahead of time and freeze or can it. Sometimes I buy the giant can of tomatoes at Costco to make a big batch. Then I freeze it and have sauce for months! 

This is a versatile recipe, feel free to adjust the spices or add different vegetables. If you're a mushroom fan, those would work well here. I use this recipe as a base for other sauces like my red pepper sauce. You can also use it to hide vegetables from picky eaters. Carrots are a great addition, especially if you are blending the sauce. 

Ingredients

• medium yellow or sweet onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes
• salt, pepper, italian seasoning (or fresh herbs like basil if you have them)
• 1 tbsp sugar to taste (optional)
• 1 pound of spaghetti

Directions

1. Saute the onions and garlic with salt in olive oil until the onions are clear, about 10 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes and seasoning. If you are blending for a smoother sauce, this is a good time to do that.
3. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, stir occasionally. Be careful because the sauce will splatter.
4. Taste test and add more seasoning or sugar if necessary. When adding sugar use 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stir thoroughly, and taste again before adding more. 
5. Serve over spaghetti or your favorite pasta. 
6. Great leftover!

Red Pepper Sauce

I got this recipe from my roommate a few years ago, before I even thought about vegan cooking. I tried it with chicken or other add-ins and discovered it really doesn't need anything, it's delicious and filling on its own. This is my go-to example of a full meal that doesn't need meat.

This is one of my favorite foods because it combines two ingredients I absolutely love: pasta and red bell peppers. It's a variation of classic marinara sauce. The intense red pepper flavor comes from using two types of peppers. Fresh red peppers add texture and canned roasted red peppers add depth to the flavor.

My boyfriend likes a smooth sauce, so I use an immersion blender. Because I'm blending the sauce, I chop the vegetables in large, uneven pieces. If you are not blending, you can chop them for your desired texture. I recommend thin, julienne slices. Saute until the peppers are soft and the onions start to caramelize. It's ok if there is excess liquid.

Next, add the tomatoes and roasted red peppers. If you are not blending, chop the roasted red peppers as finely as possible. At this point I blend the sauce because I don't like the idea of putting my immersion blender in boiling liquid.

Simmer for at least a half hour, I usually do around 45 minutes. The longer the better, because the flavors develop and get sweeter the longer they are cooked. This is especially important if you are using cheap canned tomatoes like me. Stir occasionally, and be careful because it will be very splattery.

You can use whatever spices or herbs you like for Italian food. I used garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper because I put that on almost everything. I don't know where that came from, but it works for me as an all purpose seasoning mix. I also used red pepper flakes here because I like this dish spicy.

The sauce will be very thick, if you want to thin it out you can add some water from the pasta.

Serve with your favorite pasta shape. Shapes with lines are best because they will hold onto more of the  thick sauce. I used to use Barilla Cellentani, but then this happened so I don't want to buy Barilla anymore. I haven't found a replacement yet, so I used penne.

Ingredients

• 2 red bell peppers
• 1 yellow or sweet onion
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 28 oz can of crushed tomatoes (whole tomatoes would also work if blending)
• 1/2 jar roasted red peppers
• salt and pepper
• Italian seasoning (I used oregano, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Your favorite Italian seasoning or fresh herbs would also work)
• Red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

1. Add chopped peppers, onions, and garlic to pot with enough oil to cover the bottom. Add salt. Saute until the onions being to caramelize, about 10 minutes. 
2. Add tomatoes and roasted red peppers. If you want a smooth sauce, you can blend it now. 
3. Add seasonings and simmer for at least 30 minutes, the longer the better. Stir occassionally.
4. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.
5. Serve over pasta.