Thursday, June 26, 2014

tofurky pockets and quiches

Press Sample

Tofurky Sausage and Veggie Quiche with a shaved fennel, orange and onion salad I threw together
A few months ago, the nice folks at Tofurky sent me samples of their then-new Tofurky Pockets and Pies to review.  I guess they figured since I had just written a vegan pie cookbook I'd have a strong opinion. I'm not a frozen dinner or convenience foods aficionado. If I'm too tired to cook, I will usually just eat a salad, defrost leftovers or order in. In some ways, this fact made me the perfect reviewer to try these quick meals.


Here's what I got: BBQ "Chick'n" Pocket, Pepperoni Pizza Pocket, "Turkey" Broccoli and Cheddar Pocket, Chick'n Pot Pie and Sausage and Veggie Quiche. See specific notes below.


First up was the Pepperoni Pizza Pocket. I made it in the oven. I liked the spice combination but it was not the best crust – kind of cardboard-like. Still, I would probably eat this pocket in a pinch. Only 5 grams of fat and 290 calories for the whole pocket. Pockets come 2 in a box, so the price point is good.


Next, I sampled the Pot Pie. I baked it in the oven, but there's a microwave option. The upside was that it tasted delicious, in an all-American, carby, "I need comfort now" sort of way. It reminded me of frozen pot pie from my childhood. This is what you eat after a bad day at the office, after a break-up or in the middle of a blizzard. The crust tasted flaky, but a bit dry and processed.


The downside? The nutrition panel. With 33 grams of fat, 14 of them saturated, and 520 calories for a pie, it's a splurge for sure and not an everyday standby. I'm a scrappy girl. I tried to cut it in half and to feel satisfied only eating half. But I couldn't. You have to eat the whole floury thing. Good thing I'm not a carb counter, because this little number contains 45 grams. The long ingredient list also scared me, even though most of them are recognizable. The crust was better than the pocket crust, but it still tasted processed. 


I liked the Tofurky Turkey and Cheddar Pocket much more than the Pepperoni Pocket. It was, as you can see, very cheddary.  Like the Pepperoni, this also contained 5 grams of fat and 290 calories. Not bad. 


The BBQ Chick'n Pocket was enjoyable. Then again, I'm a sucker for BBQ sauce. It was chewy in a way I think transitioning meat eaters would enjoy. Somehow this one only contained 4 grams of fat and 290 calories. 


My favorite of the bunch was the Sausage and Veggie Quiche. I made it tonight, and decided to try the microwave option since it's so hot outside. Microwaving agrees with this quiche. The crust turned out flaky and moist, unlike the pot pie and pocket crusts. I'm convinced that the microwaving helped. The texture of quiche itself was also moist, and similar to a homemade quiche. I'm already a fan of Tofurky Italian sausages, and they are happily peppered throughout this quiche, along with sweet-hot red peppers. The only downside –520 calories and [gulp!] 28 grams of fat. I tried to eat only half, but I was still hungry so down the hatch the whole thing went.

Here's my summary:
All in all, I think they're good products, perfect when you're too tired to cook. But given their nutrition profile, consider them treats, not to be consumed daily.
The good: Vegan. Convenient. Comforting. No isolates, preservatives or artificial ingredients.  Easy to prepare after a long day. Reputable, ethical company, vehemently non-GMO. Satisfying because the protein fills you up.
The not-so-good: Ingredient list, although relatively healthy, is a bit too long for my taste. Carb heavy. Pies are very fat-heavy. No gluten-free options.

Tips: 
  • Wondering which one to try? Get the Quiche! Microwave it and eat it with a fresh salad.
  • Get a 75 cents off coupon here
  • Read the Laziest Vegans in the World review of the Pepperoni Pockets [very different than mine] here

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Saturday, June 14, 2014

dollar store dal :: $25 vegan dollar store challenge part 2, update

vegan dal
Dollar Store Dal
Apologies again for my absence. F-stop has been home for 3 weeks now [yay!] after 6 weeks in the hospital, but he's still on the mend. When your honey isn't feeling well, you don't much feel like cooking or blogging. But happily, F-stop getting better, slowly but surely, save for some occasional setbacks.

Today, I needed a little blog therapy. And it's high time I give you an update on my $25 vegan dollar store challenge part 2. [See my haul and read about the concept here.] Half the dollar store provisions are still lounging in my pantry; I haven't been cooking much since F-stop's been sick [salads, soups and leftovers have been my mainstays] Here's what I used up so far, and how.

I used 1/2 bag of lentils, the spinach and carrots, and some brown rice to make what I've named Dollar Store Dal, a one-pot wonder that so yummy and easy. It also freezes well. [Pictured above. Recipe is at end of the post]

Dollar Store-based marinara sauce
I threw together some homemade marinara sauce using the Family Dollar tomato sauce as a base. I basically just "doctored it up," first sauteing loads of garlic, minced onion and hot pepper flakes in oil, then adding the sauce, some veggie broth, Italian seasoning and a few baby carrots. I let this cook down a few times on low, over the course of several hours, adding more broth as needed. I must say that the Family Dollar brand sauce is a tad salty, though.

Tex-Mex Casserole from the Oh, She Glows Cookbook

I used some brown rice, a can of beans, the hot chiles, corn, some of the Italian seasoning [yeah, I "fusionized" it], a few handfuls of corn chips, and the salsa to make the Tex-Mex Casserole from the Oh, She Glows Cookbook [Review and giveaway coming soon]. One thing about Dollar Store cooking or cooking in general: don't be afraid to substitute. Angela called for fresh hot chiles and green peppers in this recipe, for example, and I used the canned. And of course, I used Italian Seasoning in a Mex-centric dish with good success.

The gingersnaps and the rest of the corn chips? Well, I just munched on those as snacks. Long gone!

The use-up tally so far:
  • 1 container Quick Oats
  • 1 small box raisins
  • 1 bag brown rice
  • 1 bag slices almonds
  • 1 bag dried lentils
  • 1 bag dried navy beans
  • 1 can Family Dollar tomato sauce 
  • 1 jar salsa
  • 1 can diced tomatoes
  • 1 small container Italian seasoning
  • 1 small can hot chiles [jalapeƱos]
  • 2 cans black beans
  • 1 can corn
  • 1 can sliced carrots
  • 2 small cans mushrooms
  • 1 can sauerkraut
  • 1 bag nachos
  • 1 can spinach
  • 1 bag gingersnaps

Here's the easy, tasty recipe for Indian-Inspired Dollar Store Dal. Remember, you can always substitute fresh veggies. If using canned, please only buy preservative-free, check the sodium levels, and rinse well if they are salted. The point of the challenge was to show that, when you are faced with an extreme budget situation, you can still eat relatively healthily.

Dollar Store Dal
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, peeled and minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
Up to 1/2 tsp hot pepper flakes, to taste
1 T oil [eg, coconut, olive]
1 tsp garam masala
1 15. oz can chopped carrots [or 2 large carrots, diced]
1 15 oz. can chopped spinach [or 1 pound, fresh, chopped finely]
1 cup lentils, rinsed
3 cups vegetable broth or water
Optional additions: stir in fresh cilantro when finished. Add or substitute other vegetables [eg, peas, edamame, corn, crumbled broccoli or cauliflower]

Makes 6 servings. Serve over brown rice

Ina large casserole, heat oil over medium. add garlic, onion, ginger and red pepper flakes and cook until veggies are soft, about 5 minutes. Add garam masala, stir well, and cook another minute.

Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower heat, cover and simmer for 35-40 minutes


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