Veggie Love

For those of you who are interested in the vegetarian cuisine... SuperTarget now carries TONS of vegetarian freezer food options. MorningStar Farms has come out with quite a few new products, all of which can be found at Target, and there is even a new brand that I just tried (Gardein), and all of it is AMAZING!

First, Morningstar came out with 4 entrees. Up until now, all of the products were items such as veggie burger patties, veggie sausage patties, etc. These new entrees are little microwavable meals (just like a Lean Cuisine or SmartOnes). And they are not just meals like fettucini alfredo with no meat. They are meals with veggie "meat"! Finally... And they are so delicious. So far, the 4 entrees available are:

• Lasagna with "sausage" crumbles
• Sesame Chik'n with Asian style noodles
• Sweet and Sour Chik'n with whole grain rice
• Chik'n Enchilada with black beans and rice

Beyond their new entrees, there are also a ton of new Morningstar products that can be found at SuperTargets (and I'm sure other grocery stores as well, but I only shop at Target... so I can't say for sure).

Here is a list of the new items that I have recently tried and can vouch for:

• Maple Flavored Veggie Sausage Patties (these are AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS)
• Hot and Spicy Veggie Sausage Patties
• Grillers 1/4 Pounder Veggie Burger Patties
• Chipotle Black Bean Veggie Burger Patties
• Veggie Italian Sausage

And finally, Target carries a new brand that I had not tried before called Gardein (Garden + Protein). The Gardein products I have tried have both been from their frozen food selections, but are cooked in a skillet rather than in the microwave. It's still a quick fix. So far I have only tried two of the frozen meals (the first two listed) and they were delicious. I also went ahead and listed several more Gardein frozen products as well, because they all sound so amazing! The bags also come with recipe ideas on the back. 

• Mandarin Orange Crispy Chik'n
• Chik'n Scallopini 
• Chipotle Lime Crispy Chik'n Fingers
• Sweet and Tangy Barbecue Wings
• Marinara Chik'n Good Stuff

I pulled up the Gardein Website to see what other options were available. They offer 7 "fresh" veggie options, including Barbecue Pulled Shreds and Grilled Chik'n Strips. They also offer 3 different "3 minute complete meals" that all include a variation of chik'n, rice, and vegetables (as of now, the complete meal options are only availablet at Kroger, Safeway and Whole Foods... so not available to those of us who reside in Oklahoma). 

The website also tells you where you can purchase each of these items. You just select your state from the dropdown menus, and it will give you store locations for each product. I don't know how updated the site is though, b/c it shows that all products can only be purchased at Akins Natural Food Stores in Oklahoma, but I purchased them from Target. The site also provides you with recipes created by Chef Tal (some look pretty amazing). 

Even if you do eat meat, you should really give these vegetarian options a try. Fake meat tastes just as good if not better than that weird, processed meat that you find in fast food restaurants and frozen meals at the grocery store. Plus, it's good for you, and the environment. And if vegetarian foods aren't selling (as can be an issue in the state of Oklahoma), grocery stores will cut their losses and discontinue the items. KEEP THE VEGGIE FOODS ON THE SHELF... so that I can put the veggie foods into my tummy! 

Thanks!