BBQ THIS!! by Alternative Health Hippie [Aug. 25] Veghead from Happy Hippie.com reviews some Veggie Burgers.
When guests come over and check out my quite formidable BBQ, they ask ” I thought you were a vegetarian?” Well indeedy I am, and I love a good BBQ!
We’ve had a great summer here in sunny San Diego, and have fired up the BBQ many times. Over the past few weeks, I have been purchasing different brands of “soy” or “garden” burgers to do a Grill Cook Off test. I came up with the following criteria for the perfect soy/veggie griller BBQ:
1. BBQ test – (Could it be put directly on the grill and cook without falling apart? )
2. Taste (Was it edible after cooking?)
3. Consistency (Was it somewhat moist or was it comparable to shoe leather?)
The first brand I sampled was Morningstar. This is a popular brand available in almost any larger grocery store in the frozen food section. They have several different versions of the veggie patty, or as my partner calls it ‘ The Lawn Patty’ Morningstar variations include a golden veggie, black bean and “griller” patty. The black bean patty is by far the best – but I am partial to spice. The more the spice, the better! The whole black beans and corn in it help it stay juicy and it holds it form on the grill. The golden veggie patty is softer and can fall apart if not toasted long enough on one side, however it too is quite tasty. The “griller” is for those who like the taste of meat. This one was bland, and a very feeble veggie patty – however, it made a good snack for the dog.
The second brand that was sampled was “Yves” Veggie Cuisine.
You can find their products in the Deli section OR near the veggie section where Tofu usually is found. Their patties were a bit small, but the texture was hearty and held together nicely. This is a good choice for any newbie vegetarian. I also need to make a plug for their Tofu Hot Dogs. They have regular, jumbo sized, and a “Chili” seasoned Tofu dog that is outstanding. The hot dogs taste so good, that you can sneak them to meat eaters and they will never know the difference. They are also low in fat which is another bonus. In addition to patties & hot dogs, Yves also makes great soy deli slices (great on sandwiches), pepperoni (make your own pizza- yum), and a “grilled” hamburger imitation product that is ok in spaghetti sauce or other tomato based Italian dishes (otherwise pass on that one).
The final brand reviewed was “GardenBurger”. They have done a great job marketing their product and can be found in many mainstream restaurants & stores today. Their patties are the largest I have seen, chunky with carrots & mushrooms and very pleasing. If you are grilling this one up, you will need to put some Olive oil on it so it doesn’t scorch. I like to put Salsa on mine because it was a bit bland. I have had this burger in many restaurants & unfortunately they almost always SOAK it in grease when cooking it (yuck). *Always request low-oil when they are prepping it because veggie patties can act as sponges, and your healthy meal can turn into a heart clogger.
If you have any good Veggie patty brands (or any other soy products), please post to our Message Board!
~ Veghead Out ~
