Review: Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Kettle Chips and The Daily Crave Veggie Chips

Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Kettle Chips are delicious and bursting with a tangy, cheesy flavor.

The Daily Crave's Veggie Chips are crispy and have a melt-in-your-mouth quality that a lot of veggie chips have. 

My Vegan Cuts Snack Box for February contained a lot of wonderful goodies -- as shown below:

The Vegan Cuts Snack Box is a subscription service that costs $19.95 a month. 

Today, I'm reviewing two chip products from my February Snack Box: Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Kettle Chips and The Daily Crave Veggie Chips. Both products have wonderful flavors and textures. 

Here's the breakdown on each:

The Daily Crave Veggie Chips taste like the generic veggie chips from Whole Foods, so it might be hard for this brand to distinguish itself on the market. That said, it's nice to know the product has no artificial ingredients, flavors, or colorings. It's also non-GMO and free of hydrogenated fats. I have never heard of this brand prior to my snack box arriving, so I'll keep an eye for it when I go to Whole Foods.

Earth Balance Vegan Cheddar Kettle Chips have been highly anticipated by plant-based foodies on social media. These chips definitely live up to the hype. The chips are sturdy and crunchy, as you would expect a kettle chip to be. Each bite brings on a burst of tangy, cheesy goodness, so it's very difficult to have the suggested serving size of 13 chips. I plan to savor this bag as long as possible before my order of more chips from Rabbit Food Grocery arrives (I also ordered Earth Balance's new Sour Cream and Onion flavor Kettle Chips, and I have no doubt it will be amazing). 

So, if you're lucky enough to spot Earth Balance's kettle chips at the store, stock up on these babies because I'm sure they'll sell out quickly.

Review: Eli's Earth Organic Drinking Chocolate and Cocoa Felice Hot Cocoa Mix by Coop's MicroCreamery

These two drinking-chocolate products taste horrible on their own, but when you combine them, you get a rich and satisfying cup of cocoa.

I’m a little disappointed in the chocolate-drinking mixes by Eli’s and Coop’s MicroCreamery. Neither one left me wanting for more, but I’m sure they will be suitable as baking ingredients. Coop’s product even has a recipe for chocolate pudding on the back, and reviewers have said this pudding is tasty. I’ll try it later and report back.

First, I’ll talk about Eli’s Earth Organic Drinking Chocolate. I purchased the milk-style flavor, but there’s also dark chocolate, almond, and hazelnut. One of those other flavors might be tastier than the milk-style, but I don’t intend to purchase them to find out. 

The good:

Eli’s Earth donates 5 percent of sales to non-profits that benefit children.

The bad:

There is hardly any chocolate flavor. There are scratch-and-sniff stickers that give off more chocolate essence than this drink. I followed the directions, which stated warming up 1 cup of milk and adding 2 tablespoons of the drink mix. I was interested in purchasing the almond or dark chocolate mix, but because I was buying this product for my young son, I thought the milk-style would be more inviting to his palette. I think this is definitely a drink for older children and adults because there’s no sweetness to it. And believe me, I don’t like overly sugary things, but this didn’t have any sweetness. I checked the label, and there are 15 grams of sugar in the product. Perhaps if you used a sweetened non-dairy milk (I used unsweetened), you’d enjoy the flavor more.

Next, is Cocoa Felice Hot Cocoa Mix by Coop's MicroCreamery. This only comes in one flavor.

The good: 

It’s twice the size (22 ounces) and $2.50 cheaper than Eli’s, which is 10 ounces and $12.99. 

The bad:

Talk about a complete opposite from the other product – this mix produces such a sweet-tasting drink that even my son didn’t like it. The recipe calls for adding 2 tablespoons to 3 tablespoons of mix to 1 cup of warmed up milk. I first made it with 3 tablespoons – big mistake! As I stated, it was way too sweet. My son eventually drank about half because I put in some Dandies mini marshmallows in it, and I spooned him the drink with the marshmallows. I had to dump out the rest. I made a second cup later and only used 2 tablespoons, and the drink was definitely more palatable. It was still too sweet, so I poured it into the mug with the Eli’s drink. 

These two drinks, when mixed together, produce a very nice mug of hot cocoa. There’s a deep rich cocoa flavor that’s highlighted with a hint of sweetness. Too bad you have to buy both products to achieve this tasty result. 

Review: Vegan Shelf-Stable Bacons

photo comes from my Instagram feed

Vegan bacon products can add a salty, smoky crunch to hors d'oeuvres, such as this date appetizer. Medjool dates stuffed with Tofutti cream cheese. I mixed 2T of cream cheese with one thinly sliced green onion, 2T of chopped water chestnuts (for texture), and a pinch of salt and pepper. I topped the dates with a few pieces of Phoney Baloney's Coconut Bacon.

WayFare'S Bacony Bits add a great crunch and a slightly smoky flavor to each bite of this pasta salad. To make the pasta salad, cook 1 cup of pasta. In a separate bowl, mix 1/2 cup each of shredded carrots, sliced black olives, peas, sauteed mushrooms, and chopped tomatoes (you can add more or less of these ingredients to your liking). For the sauce, I mixed 1/2 cup of vegan mayo with 3 tablespoons of yellow mustard, 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1 tablespoon maple syrup, and 1 salt and pepper to taste. I had 2 tablespoons of Tofutti cream cheese left, so I mixed that in as well for extra creaminess. Feel free to add other spices and hot sauce. 

Today I’m reviewing Phoney Baloney’s Coconut Bacon and WayFare’s Pig Out Whole Grain Bacony Bits.

Here are some features of both products:

• Coconut Bacon: This gluten-free product consists of 1-inch and smaller flakes of salty, smoky goodness. Upon first bite, you taste salt, and then the flake begins to dissolve somewhat in your mouth. You taste/smell the natural hickory smoke concentrate, and you get a slight kick from the spices, which include pepper. You don't taste coconut at all. The company says their product is best consumed within six months of production and is best served as a topping because “the Coconut Bacon does not hold up well in extreme heat or moisture.” The tamari used in the coconut bacon is non-GMO. The product can be purchased on the company’s website, as well as a number of other online and brick-and-mortar retailers. See the list of sellers here.

• Bacony Bits: This soy-free product is labeled as non-GMO. It’s extremely crunchy – almost like Grape Nuts cereal (if you’re familiar with that product). Upon first bite, you definitely know you’re eating bacon bits. It tastes similar to the bacon-bit products you might have tried from large commercial manufacturers. The bits are salty, but not as salty as the coconut bacon, and there’s a great smoky aftertaste that comes from the hickory smoke powder. Reviewers have said that it’s easy to snack on the product straight from the bag, and I can see why – its crunchy texture is addicting and the smoky aftertaste is satisfying. This product can be purchased from online retailers, including: veganessentials.com, vegancuts.com, and rabbitfoodgrocery.com.

I find that both products have room in the vegan-bacon market. Those who need a soy-free product can utilize the bacon bits, while those who can’t consume gluten can enjoy the coconut bacon. Phoney Baloney’s Coconut Bacon adds a nice, slight crunch and salty-smoky flavor in tomato sandwiches and as a topping on hors d'oeuvres. WayFare’s Bacony Bits keep its crunchy texture longer than coconut bacon, so it’s great atop appetizers and as a topping on pasta salad, salad greens, and anything else you where you want to add a salty, smoky, and crunchy element.

If you don’t have any diet restrictions, I urge you to try both products. You won’t be disappointed.

Recipe: Jackfruit 'Crab' Salad

If you can get your hands on a can of Young Green Jackfruit in a Brine, try making a mock crab salad. The mayo, spices, and flecks of nori (seaweed) give a wonderful seafood flavor that's boosted by the steamed-crab texture of the jackfruit.

Before I became vegan in 2013, I enjoyed the occasional seafood salad that you'd spread on crackers or eat as part of a sandwich. And, when it was a special occasion, I'd even jump at the chance to order a creamy lobster roll.

Now that I don't eat animals or animal-derived ingredients, I've learned how spices and certain plants can be used to mimic flavors and textures that I thought could only come from meat.

You can purchase cans of Young Green Jackfruit at Indian grocery stores or even at veganessentials.com, here. Be careful not to purchase ripe jackfruit, which is orange, sweet and resembles roasted red bell peppers. Ripe jackfruit is not good in savory dishes. Young green jackfruit has a stronger texture, yet subtle flavor.

Jackfruit is popular among vegetarians and vegans because the fruit has some chew to it and comes apart in chunks and even shreds when cut or pulled apart in certain ways. These characteristics make it a great substitute for meat in dishes. I've tried jackfruit pulled pork, for example, but it didn't really appeal to me. When I came across this recipe for jackfruit "crab" salad, I thought it might be another recipe that sounds good but doesn't taste that great.

I was wrong. Very wrong!

I find young green jackfruit to be juicy, almost like canned artichokes. And the fruit still retains some of that juiciness even if you push out as much liquid from it as possible. Because of this, jackfruit is a wonderful substitute for crab and lobster, which has a tender, juicy flesh when cooked.

When the jackfruit is mixed with mayo and the seasonings used with seafood, you'll think you're biting into a traditional seafood salad sandwich or even a lobster roll. This vegan version is cruelty-free and affordable food at its finest.

Jackfruit “Crab” Salad
Serves 4
(Inspired by this recipe from a blog at Vegetarian Times)

Ingredients:
1 20-oz. can Young Green Jackfruit in Brine, rinsed and squeezed dry as much as possible (about 1 cup)
2-4 tablespoons of Vegenaise or other vegan mayo (start out with 2T and add more if desired)
¼ cup fresh minced onion
2 teaspoons of dried minced onion (what you find in the spice aisle)
¼ tsp. dulse flakes or powder (I used a folded piece of nori [seaweed] -- what you use for sushi -- and grated it for powder/flakes) This ingredient is necessary for a seafood flavor.
1-2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning
½ tsp. curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Chop the drained jackfruit with a knife until it resembles lump crab meat. Next, mix the jackfruit and all the other ingredients in a bowl. Before serving, sprinkle on a little paprika, dried parsley (I didn't have fresh), and fresh lemon juice.

The chopped jackfruit. You can see the yellowish seeds of the fruit, which are soft.

The chopped jackfruit mixed with the remaining ingredients.

Before serving, I added a little extra nori powder/flakes, some dried parsley, paprika, and a splash of fresh lemon juice.

This mock crab salad -- that even mimicked the flavor of a lobster roll -- tasted creamy, slightly sweet, salty, fishy (from the seaweed), and just plain awesome. 

Review and Recipe: The Vegg and Vegan Omelette

A photo collage from my Instagram account, @stay_at_home_vegan

The old Vegg packaging (seasoning packet) has been replaced by a canister (not pictured).

The Vegg is a vegan product that mimics the flavor and texture of a semi-cooked egg yolk. It's completely plant-based and has an egg aroma thanks to one of its ingredients -- Black Salt. The Vegg currently is sold in canisters, but I still am working through the old packaging, which was a seasoning-like packet (I bought a bunch of the product when it first came out).

You need to blend The Vegg with water in a high-speed blender (doing it by hand doesn't produce the correct texture). I use my Vitamix, but any blender or hand mixer would work. You can't cook the liquid directly; it won't take form. You need to add it to tofu, potatoes, bread, etc., and from there, The Vegg will bind and cook with the other food item.

This morning I was craving an omelette. I usually make tofu eggs, but that produces a scrambled-egg consistency. I remembered I had some naan bread, and I figured I'd dip the bread in The Vegg, and then use that for my egg flavor and shape of a folded-over egg.

After dipping the naan in Vegg, I pan-fried it in a little oil for about 8-10 minutes on each side over low heat. While that cooked, I prepared my filling. I cooked some asparagus, onions, mushrooms, spinach, and tomatoes. By the time the veggies were done cooking (and I had a chance to wash most of the dishes), the naan was ready. I assembled my omelette and dug in. While the naan still tasted like a nice piece of toasted bread, it did have an egg-essence to it. Naan is rather thick, so next time I might try a large tortilla and see how that goes.

The omelette was satisfying, savory, and delicious. I had a little extra nut-cream sauce to which I added garlic and other spices, and that provided some extra punches of flavor to the filling.

Recipe: Broccoli Salad with Cranberries

This tangy broccoli salad makes a wonderful lunch or side dish.

This refreshing broccoli salad is perfect for when you have lots of fresh broccoli and you're not sure how to use it all. The sliced almonds and sunflower seeds add a nice flavor after being toasted in a pan for 5-10 minutes on low heat.

I like to soak my dried cranberries for 5-10 minutes in warm water to help them plump up before adding them to the salad.

Broccoli Salad with Cranberries
(4-6 servings)

Salad Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups of broccoli florets
• Half of medium to large carrot, shredded
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup sliced almonds
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 T dried minced onion

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup of vegan mayo (I used Vegenaise)
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 2 T apple cider vinegar
• Juice from half a lemon
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 1-1/2 tsp of maple sugar
• Tiny pinch of salt (optional)

Directions:

Toast the seeds and almonds for 5-10 minutes over low heat, and mix with all the other salad ingredients and set aside. Whisk the dressing ingredients and pour over the salad.

Tip: Choosing Vegan Alcohol

Hoegaarden, a tasty Belgium beer, is vegan-friendly according to barnivore.com.

Choosing food that's cruelty-free can be tricky enough for a new vegan (always check the ingredients), so you may not even think about checking to see whether your alcohol is vegan-friendly. 

Some drinks utilize animal ingredients when making the products (honey and dairy, for example) while others filter their drinks through animal-derived substances, such as egg whites and gelatin. 

So before you go spending money on booze you shouldn't drink, check out barnivore.com. You can enter the name of any drink to find out if it's vegan-friendly.