Category: Reviews

Glancing down supermarket aisles piled high with colorful bags, boxes, and even buckets of candy, each one adorned with both cute and creepy graphics, the temptation of Halloween treats looms large on my mind as we count down the days until All Hallows’ eve. Without some tried and true recipes to tide over my sweet tooth, this would be an incredibly morose time of year, tortured over treats filled with nasty animal products. But for all the fantastic homemade candy in the world, there’s still something to be said of the convenience factor when simply purchasing a special confection… And now, you don’t need to sacrifice your ideals to indulge your inner child this Halloween.

Sweet and Sara, one of my all-time favorite vegan companies (true fact: I have their logo tattooed on my wrist), has made this year’s Halloween about one hundred times happier, thanks to their introduction of large ghost-shaped mallows, using their signature vanilla marshmallow formula.

Slightly larger than your average peep, there’s absolutely no comparison between the two when it comes to quality. This giant pillow of fluffy sweetness is both impossibly light and dense at the same time, creating an almost creamy interior texture. Although I was certain it would be difficult to consume such a large quality of almost pure sugar at once, it was alarmingly easy to wolf down in one sitting, and still leave me craving more.

Sold individually online, each with a unique expression painted in bitter dark chocolate, these are by far my top pick for a purchased Halloween treat this year.

It’s official- I do hereby declare 2009 the year of the coconut! This tropical trend has swept vegans everywhere off their feet, eliciting a near fanatical response every time it pops up somewhere new. Of course, it seems to be making cameo appearances in cutting-edge products on a practically daily basis, making up the base for everything from ice cream to yogurt… And now, to kefir.

Those crazy scientists at Turtle Mountain are on a roll, unveiling delight after delight- And all with coconut milk as the star. This particular beverage was something completely new to me, but in fact, it’s been around for centuries as a dairy product. Essentially a fermented milk drink, Kefir is generally described as a tangy milkshake. Supposedly very beneficial to digestion, it also comes with a whole laundry list of theoretical health benefits as well. What I wanted to know, however, was how it tastes! Happily, those same crazy scientists are also very generous, and sent me a few samples so that I could find out.

Hoping to get a baseline for what this drink would be like, I opted to try the Original flavor first. Casually taking a quick sip, I stopped short once the kefir hit my taste buds- Man, is this stuff tart! Much more “tangy” than I had expected and in fact downright sour, I would not recommend drinking this plain. That’s not to say that it’s bad, though, as I found that it made a fantastic “buttermilk” substitute in baking, and a wonderful addition to fruit smoothies. Only faintly coconut-y, the flavor is not too intrusive here, and just a pleasant undertone.

Taking a more cautious sip of the Vanilla kefir, I was happy to find that this perfectly smooth and white beverage was quite drinkable indeed. Just barely sweetened, it’s enough to take that “bite” out of this flavor. Very similar to a thin, drinkable yogurt, it’s a great drink to have as part of a meal on the go, or a nice, light snack.

Finally, the one I was most curious about: Strawberry. This pale, pastel-pink liquid, flecked with real strawberry seeds, smelled strongly of fresh berries from the moment I popped off the lid. Although the flavor is actually much more mild that the scent might suggest, it’s also far tangier than your typical berry-based drink. Hardly sweet at all, this is no kid’s juice box affair in the least. Although I wasn’t crazy about it initially, the flavor did grow on me, and it became even more tasty when blended with more whole strawberries.

Kefir itself is a very unique sort of beverage, as I’ve come to learn, and while I’ve never had the “real” thing, I think that this coconut version is very true to that original model.

[Written for Go Dairy Free]

Quick, name one dessert accompaniment that goes well with absolutely every sweet dish imaginable. How could any single thing go well with such infinite flavor and textural possibilities? Easy- Just reach for the whipped cream. Lightly sweetened and enhanced with just a drop of vanilla extract, this classic confection accompaniment is almost universally loved by both young and old, serious sweets lovers and occasional enthusiasts, often piled on in voluminous mountains of fluffy white cream. However, for those who seek dairy-free options, the alternatives are still rather dismal. If I had a dime for every “tofu whipped cream” recipe I saw authors trying to fob off as an appropriate substitute, well… You know how it goes. It’s just a shame that those approaches almost always result in a heavy glob that merely tastes like sweetened bean curd.

Before you start bemoaning the lack of a vegan version, fear not, as this field is rapidly expanding! Now, not too long after the heaven-sent Soyatoo whipped topping hit US shelves and offered the first viable taste of luscious, vegan cream, there’s something new to get excited about: Rice Whip. Yes, you heard me right, a rice-based, aerosol whipped cream, completely vegan and soy-free!

Perfectly light and fluffy, the texture is everything you could ask for- Plus, the aerosol container makes dispensing each serving fun and easy. Clearly created to provide contrast to even the heaviest dessert, this pillowy fluff isn’t the least bit sweet by itself, but picks up just enough sweetness when eaten together with a more sugary main dish. For those seeking a vegan, soy-alternative to whipped cream, run, don’t walk to your nearest health food store, and stock up on this unique new product!

For those with no trouble digesting soy, however, I will admit that I still prefer the standard Soy Whip over this one. It’s a very faint aftertaste, but if you look for it, there’s just a hint of starchy rice flavor that I detect in the Rice Whip which detracts from the overall experience.  Such an offense is very minor, of course, and choosing this creamy topping over anything else would certainly be no sacrifice!

Like any addiction, my already insatiable appetite for frozen desserts has only grown throughout the hottest months of the year. Those familiar cravings that send me racing to the freezer, spoon in hand, are responsible for the disappearance of almost unthinkable amounts of ice cream. Despite churning up a pint or two every week, it still isn’t enough to satisfy the beast, and it’s hard not to start drooling over every new hard-packed pint in the market. Or, in this case, not so new.

Temptation non-dairy frozen dessert has been around for years, and I’ve been lusting after it ever since I first caught wind of this vegan owned and operated enterprise. Never lucky enough to find it locally, I could only dream of how incredible this self-described “super premium” ice cream would be. At last, the detached curiosity ends here: I finally got my hands on two of these highly sought-after pints, and I would be lying if I told you they stayed pristine and unopened for more than an hour after arrival.

Seeking a solid baseline for what this creamy delight might be like, I plucked the Organic Fair Trade Certified Chocolate out of the icy tomb first. Despite my high expectations, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight. Hard as a rock, it wasn’t instantly soft and scoopable, but took a bit more work to coax the unassuming brown soy product out of the cardboard container. Once zapped in the microwave for a few seconds, all was forgiven, and the texture was downright fudgy, almost chewy, even. Dense, thick, and rich, it was definitely a number of steps above so many rough, crystallized soy ice creams out there. Unfortunately, the flavor fell a bit short- Overwhelmingly sweet and very little else, the chocolate flavor had a shallow cocoa powder essence at best.

Moving on to the container of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, however, it was a completely different story. So soft and easy to scoop, you might say it “cuts like butter,” but I can assure you none is involved. Quick to melt, you’ve got to lick this one up fast, but that shouldn’t be any problem; The rich, intense vanilla flavor will keep you wanting more, even after two or three scoops. Dotted with sizable chunks of tender cookie dough and mini chocolate chips, each serving is sure to have plenty of fun add-ins, making for an engaging snacking experience. Possessing a slightly grainy crunch thanks to the evaporated cane juice, the cookie dough could have easily been exactly what I make for sugar cookies; both the flavor and texture were spot on, and absolutely luscious. It may be on the upper limits of my sweetness tolerance, but it’s so perfectly suited to the flavor, I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is one incredible treat that I think everyone should try, vegan or not.

Temptation offers a wide range of flavors, from green tea to pumpkin, so I really only got to sample the tip of the iceberg. If only these rare pints weren’t so hard to find, I would start “researching” these other enticing varieties right away! Have you had a chance to try Temptation yet?

Rarely does being a vegan feel limiting, despite the [uninformed] majority opinion on everything that might be “lacking” from a plant-based diet. However, even I have to balk when confronted by the idea of a soy-free vegan. That protein-packed little bean seems to sneak into just about everything these days, and can be hard enough to avoid for an omnivore, let alone a traditionally tofu- and soymilk-heavy veggie diet. Politics aside, I agree that we’ve gone overboard with the soy additives in recent years, and it simply can’t hurt to seek out more alternatives when given the option.

Well, up until just a few months ago, soy-free, dairy-free folks have been plum out of luck when it comes to finding a suitable buttery spread; Absolutely nothing fit the criteria, always being based on soybean oil with a pinch of soy lecithin thrown in for good measure. Finally, demand has created supply, and Earth Balance has expanded their line of vegan spreads to include a Soy-Free Natural Buttery Spread.

Spreadable right out of the fridge, this tub-based spread will undoubtedly be the answer to many buttery prayers. Almost indistinguishable in flavor from its predecessors, you won’t miss the soy one bit here. I did feel that when used plain to top bread or toast, it could stand a good hit of salt, and was just a tad waxy while still cold, but just a few moments at room temperature will remedy that. It does melt quite quickly, so don’t leave this one out on the counter in the middle of a hot summer day- You’ll find a tub full of plain oil in no time at all.

Happily, it also proved to be a perfectly acceptable margarine substitute for most baking applications as well. Creamed with sugar, flour, and spices to make a quick batch of ginger snaps, I was thrilled to see that they looked almost exactly the same as when they’re made with a solid stick margarine. Although somewhat cakier than usual, owing only to the added water inherent in a spreadable tub-based spread, no one could really complain about the sweet results.

Upping the ante a bit, I began to wonder- Would it be possible to make browned butter with this product? Well, why not? And happily, after a moment or two of nervous bubbling and sputtering on the stove, I found myself with a pot full of rich, nutty, amber-colored liquid, looking every bit as good as something dairy-based! Now, what to do with this fragrant fat?

Browned butter vanilla bean cupcakes, anyone?

Yeah, that’s what I thought.

Made by simply substituting my browned “butter” for the oil called for in my favorite basic vanilla cupcake recipe, this is a grown-up take on the classic that everyone could appreciate. Much more nuanced in flavor than the standard, and oh so rich, I can only imagine how fast they would fly if served instead of plain vanilla at a birthday party.

Lest I ignore all of the potential this product holds for savory applications, it seemed only appropriate to try out a nifty technique that I had so far only heard of, and typically applied almost exclusively to seafood: Butter poaching. Having recently stumbled upon butter-poached radishes, I figured that I could try other vegetables as well, and settled on the humble potato for my experiment.

Creating incredibly rich, tender slices of potato, accented with tarragon and a splash of vinegar, this is a side dish that couldn’t be easier to whip up; a real treat. Too morish to make often, but appropriate for occasional splurges, I’ll definitely have to try butter-poaching other vegetables now!

In case you’re looking for a cruelty-free and soy-free alternative to butter, look no further. This simple spread is the first that meets the criteria, and passes the taste test!

[Written for Go Dairy Free]