Veggie Bits
Mushroom Bacony Strips
Fresh mushroom-based vegan bacon with only five ingredients? Yup, it's a reality and called Shroomacon by Meat the Mushroom. This vegan bacon crisps up to a delightful snap with smoky, complex flavor. It's perfect beside your stack of vegan pancakes or tofu scramble, but also holds up in a vegan BLT, atop a spinach salad, or as a crunchy topping on a casserole or baked potato. It cooks in a pan in 2-3 minutes per side, leaving a familiar hickory-smoke aroma in the kitchen, then it's ready to crunch. To be honest, testers all wanted another helping of this mushroom-based vegan bacon, and more good news: it can be stored in the freezer if you decide to stock up. Gluten- and soy-free. For Mid-Atlantic locations or online shopping nationwide, visit www.meatthemushroom.com Rissa Miller/Senior Editor
Drink This Vinegar
Both old-fashioned and modern, shrubs are a drink mixer with sweet and tart elements made by combining fruit, vinegar and sugar into a syrup. This unique beverage dates back to the 1600s as a mixer for cocktails and mocktails as well as a way to preserve fruit, and is also known as "drinking vinegar." Pour one part Inna Shrub over ice with five parts sparkling water for a simple and refreshing fruit soda treat. Inna Shrub flavors include Apricot, Bay Laurel, Fig, Ginger, Grapefruit, Lemon, Lime, Peach, Plum, Quince, and Strawberry. For an adult drink, try it with rum or vodka, or follow suggested recipes on the company website. Available at www.innajam.com/collections/shrub Rissa Miller/Senior Editor
Vegan Parm Gets Flavor
For cheese lovers hesitant to enter the world of veganism, Parma has got your back. This nutty, tangy parmesan alternative is the perfect accent to almost any savory dish. In addition to the classic Original, Parma now offers Better Than Bacon, Chipotle Cayenne, and Garlicky Green flavors. Each bottle is packed with rich umami flavor and a sharp, rich, and savory tang. I personally enjoyed it in a homemade sun-dried tomato pesto as well as on an Italian bruschetta, but the possibilities are endless! Parma flavors are all gluten -free, kosher, non-GMO, and soy-free. Available at Safeway and Wegmans, or online, www.eatparma.com Ksheetisha Bhat/VRG Volunteer
Decadent Quiche, Tarts, and Pies
Quiche brings to mind elegant brunches with that silky bite of filling and flaky crust—and now, it's both vegan and conveniently in the freezer case. Raised Gluten Free offers vegan spinach quiche, vegan pot pie, and 10 varieties of sweet pies and tarts. The quiche was a tester favorite, with a good balance of eggless filling and spinach. The pot pie was hearty and filling, brimming with a savory herb gravy, carrots, green beans, onions, peas, and potatoes. Testers enjoyed both savory options, as well as the Berry Peach Pie, Chocolate Silk Pie, and Dutch Apple Pie. The crusts were impressive and flaky with a buttery taste that satisfied. Some pies require only thawing, others need a few minutes in the oven to warm completely. All pies are gluten-free, kosher, and nut-free. These are not lowfat products. Available at Kroger and other stores nationwide. Find a location near you at www.raisedglutenfree.com Rissa Miller/Senior Editor
Bagels in a Box
Long the domain of professional bakers, you can now make your own vegan bagels at home by just adding water to this delicious, organic boxed mix. A great activity for families or culinary-minded groups of friends on a winter afternoon, Cali Bagels offers mixes in Everything and Vegan Bacon flavors. As is traditional in bread-making, you wait for the dough to rise, then shape the bagels. This is the trickiest step and Cali provides a video online to help. Next, the bagels are boiled, sprinkled with toppings, and baked in the oven for only 15 minutes. These bagels are sweetened with malt barley flour and date syrup. The results are incredible right from the oven—soft on the inside and chewy on the outside—slathered with vegan margarine. Leftovers made great bagelwiches. Each box makes 6-8 full-size bagels. Available online at www.calibagels.com Rissa Miller/Senior Editor
Refried Beans in a Pouch
A Dozen Cousins offers easy-to-make Refried Black Beans and Classic Refried Pinto Beans in pouches. Squeeze the bag, tear an inch off the corner, and pop the pouch into the microwave for just one minute. These refried beans can be prepared quickly, without the need for a can opener. The consistency is comparable to mashed potato—thick and smooth, with bits of beans mixed throughout. The taste is flavorful with a slight pepper kick, and the avocado oil heightens the beans' satisfying flavor. A Dozen Cousins refried beans are cooked with recognizable ingredients, and make a simple and filling lunch, dinner, or snack. They can be wrapped into a burrito, spread on a quesadilla, served on the side of your favorite vegan entrée, or used as a dip. This is not a low-sodium product. Available nationwide at Target, Walmart, or online at adozencousins.com Clarissa Hauber/VRG Intern
Spicy Green Chile Salsas
King's Chef Salsas have been perfected over 65 years, and they work well both as dips and as condiments to add flavor to a burger or Mexican food. All three varieties use custom fire-roasted Colorado green chile peppers. As a result, each packs a noticeable capsaicin punch, with the red having habanero and extra tomato, giving it distinctive sweet, almost smoky, notes. But it's not all about heat: in addition, these salsas have a well-rounded, fresh flavor, with a delightful blend of vegetables, garlic, and peppers, tasting like they have just been prepared in a home kitchen. These high-quality salsas are sure to be a hit at any party or for complementing a host of other foods. Shop for salsa online at www.cogrn.com Simon Brown/VRG Volunteer
Bean and Veggie Pastas
Add more protein onto your plate with Ancient Harvest's Protein Pasta. With 12-14 grams of protein per 2 ounces of dry pasta, sourced from legumes, you can transform any pasta dish into a nutrient-dense vegan meal. Choose from Ancient Harvest's array of pasta like red lentil rotini, chickpea elbows, or green lentil spaghetti to pair with any flavor combination you/your family enjoys. I smothered green lentil spaghetti with sautéed peppers, spinach, and cherry tomatoes before covering it in hearty marinara sauce. Also try their Veggie Pasta to amp up on veggie-heavy whole food noodles; they have ingredients like kale, cauliflower, and spinach with green lentils. This pasta makes eating gluten-free, organic, and vegan easier than ever. Available nationwide at Harris Teeter, Safeway, Walmart, Weis, and Whole Foods or check online: www.ancientharvest.com/store-locator Julia Comino /VRG Intern
