Product Review: Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Mac & Cheese

Earth Balance has come out with a new product that tastes similar to Kraft's non-vegan macaroni and cheese. While it's not gourmet, those who miss the bowl of soft noodles and buttery-cheesy flavor of their youth will enjoy this product. There's also a vegan white cheddar version that I have yet to try -- it's the blue box peaking out from under the orange box in the picture. 

(Find me on Instagram at @stay_at_home_vegan)

If you are going to compare this vegan mac and cheese to Kraft's Macaroni and Cheese, Earth Balance's product produces the same texture and mouth feel. You feel the tender, melt-in-your-mouth noodles that are oozing with a buttery, cheesy sauce from their middles, as well as from all around them. 

Your mind will instantly tell you that this isn't Kraft's mac and cheese because the flavor is slightly different, but then your mind starts telling you: "Yum, this is good, keep shoveling this in your mouth!"

It's been a while since I've had Kraft's Mac and Cheese, but this vegan version tastes pretty darn close to what I can remember, especially if you can let the cooked mac and cheese sit for 3 to 5 minutes (I noticed a stronger "cheese/cheddar" flavor after the product sat for a while as opposed to when I first took a bite and it tasted more like the vegan buttery spread). 

Allow the mac and cheese to sit for a few minutes so the "cheesy/cheddar" flavor can develop. 

When people make their own homemade mac and cheese, it usually never tastes anything like Kraft's Mac and Cheese. This product kind of markets itself to be a vegan version of Kraft's, and I think it does an excellent job. I don't eat much vegan mac and cheese in general but this was tasty, filling, and a nice treat.

If you're a new vegan or someone who misses flavors from your youth, definitely give this product a try. Home cooks who love to cook from scratch and/or use more fresh fruits and veggies in their recipes may only like to try this once. This isn't a gourmet product, but it also doesn't make any claims to be fancy.

You should be able to find this product at Whole Foods starting this month. I bought this product at Rabbit Food Grocery ($3.25 per box; rabbitfoodgrocery.com). It's also available at veganstore.com and foodfightgrocery.com.

I added a little Phoney Baloney Coconut Bacon for punches of salty goodness and a little crunch.

Review: Chipotle Vegenaise, Roasted Garlic Vegenaise, Just Mayo, and Earth Balance Original Mayo (all #soy-free, #non-gmo)

The new Just Mayo: very tangy, but still tasty.

I’ve always loved mayonnaise. 

I wanted it on every sandwich I ate when I was a kid. When I was in high school, my friends would remark at how gross mayonnaise was, and I would tell them how one day I was going to open a restaurant called “Just Mayo.” When pressed for further details, I would explain that people would come to my eatery and order a sandwich and milkshake, for example. When the order was delivered, it would be a plate of mayonnaise and a glass of mayonnaise, at which point the customer might ask, “What the heck is this?” The waiter would reply, “Just mayo!”

Similar to the scene where Dr. Evil from “Austin Powers” would be laughing for several minutes around his cronies, I and my peeps would laugh at this great business idea. Mwah haha…mwah haha…

Now that I don’t eat animals or things that come from them, I buy vegan mayo. I’ve tried making my own mayonnaise with a cashew base or tofu base or whatever base, and it wasn't that tasty. I’ve gone without mayonnaise at times, but I like a nice dollop of mayo with my vinegary dal and when I make my coconut bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwiches.

I’ve had the pleasure of trying different vegan mayos, and this is how I rank them:

• First Place – Follow Your Heart Original Vegenaise (non-gmo; there's a soy-free version): Thick, creamy, slightly sweet, yet tangy. Perfect in my sandwiches that have sprouts, pineapple, and spinach. (Sorry, I didn't have a jar around; so I don't have images of the front and back)

• Second Place – Just Mayo (soy-free, non-gmo): When I opened the lid, I was greeted with the familiar scent of non-vegan mayo – a vinegary, eggy smell. I’m sure the parts of my brain that handle scents and memories went nuts. Just Mayo was runnier than Follow Your Heart’s Vegenaise. It’s tangy and salty, with a sweet aftertaste; you want another bite after you swallow.

• Third Place – Follow Your Heart Chipotle Vegenaise (soy-free, non-gmo): Yowsa, this sucker packs a punch! It’s a lovely smoky orange color, and it’s very thick and creamy with specks of chili throughout. When you first taste it, you’re hit with a tang, then a little sweetness, then a lot of heat. This is perfect as a condiment to dip baked potato wedges into. It is more like a spread and less like mayo. 

• Fourth Place – Follow Your Heart Roasted Garlic Vegenaise (soy-free, non-gmo): This mayo has a consistency similar to the chipotle one, but is more mayo-like. Upon eating it, all you taste is roasted garlic and lemon; the garlicky flavor is almost like the taste of burnt garlic, but not in a disgusting way. The aftertaste is a sweet note. This would be nice on fake chicken sandwiches or even as a base in salad dressings with olive oil.

• Fifth Place – Earth Balance’s Original Mayo (soy-free, non-gmo): The flavor is one-note (tangy, then just dull), but it’s creamy, thick, and perfectly suitable to spread on a sandwich or make an entrée creamier. 

Vegans, fortunately, have tasty mayo options on the market. You don't have to slather your meals with mayonnaise, but once in a while a small spoonful can add a pleasant tang and creaminess to a dish.