Veggie Bits

Crazy Go Nuts!

Move over almond butter, there is a new nut butter spread on the market. Crazy Go Nuts tried something different and created a delicious line of walnut butters. They offer eight vegan flavors of walnut butter: Plain, Banana, Orange, Coconut, Oatmeal Cookie, Chocolate Espresso, Sage Rosemary, and Buffalo. The spreads have a smooth and creamy texture, and the flavors are true to their name. The Plain flavor is labeled "boring" on the package and this is only true when you compare it to the number of other flavors that they offer. The Banana flavor was mouthwatering and tasted just like fresh banana bread. This spread could be used on bagels, bread, or in baked goods. The Orange flavor had a truly authentic taste and could be eaten on toast. The Coconut flavor was sweet and not very strong, so even those who don't enjoy coconut would love this spread. As we opened the Chocolate Espresso, we could smell the coffee flavor. This had a sweet and flavorsome taste that would be perfect in baked goods. Everyone was excited to try the Buffalo spread, and it did not disappoint. This option had the perfect blend of flavors, giving it a delicious taste with a mild kick from the cayenne pepper and chili powder. It would make a great addition to pizza or veggie burgers. Overall, we were impressed by the authentic, creamy, and delicious taste of all of the walnut butter flavors.

In addition to the spreads, Crazy Go Nuts offers snack bags of flavored walnuts. They have six vegan flavors including Orange, Banana, Coconut, Oatmeal Cookie, Chocolate Espresso, and Buffalo. These snack bags have an appetizing taste with a crunch, and they are perfect to take on the go. They would also add a great crunch to salads, oatmeal, yogurt, or even topped on ice cream. Crazy Go Nuts products be ordered online or found using their store locator http://www.crazygonutswalnuts.com/blank.

Written by Casey Brown, VRG Intern.

Fast and Easy Gluten-Free Pizza Mix

Want fresh, homemade vegan pizza but don't think you have the time to make it from scratch? Bella Gluten-Free offers a Gourmet Italian Pizza Crust Mix that can go from "cup to table in 22 minutes," making it easy for you to prepare a personalized pizza! All you need to add is water, oil, and an egg alternative (a flax egg or chickpea water work great). The mix comes in a small, pint-sized container with flour and yeast, and the crust can be mixed within minutes! You can top it with your favorite ingredients, bake for 20 minutes, and your meal is served. The crust is thick and crispy but tender on the inside, and it resembles regular wheat pizza crust. The mix is non-GMO certified, gluten-free, and it is made with whole grains. This kit requires no fancy cooking tools or cooking skills, so those of all ages and cooking levels can easily make it. In addition to pizza crust, this mix can also be used to make a focaccia or a baguette. You can find this product at multiple stores including Whole Foods and Wegmans or visit http://bellaglutenfree.com/stores to find a store near you.

Written by Casey Brown, VRG Intern.

Pizza Swirls

Amy's Kitchen combined two of my favorite things — pizza and cinnamon rolls — to form a delicious and savory product. Amy's Vegan Margherita Swirls are satisfying, bite-sized rolls that taste like pizza. These Swirls resemble a calzone with their soft and tender dough filled with vegan mozzarella "cheeze" and a margherita sauce. The "cheeze" was well-melted between the layers of the Swirl and perfectly complemented the sauce. These Swirls are great to snack on, serve for dinner, or bring to a party to share! It only takes 10-12 minutes to prepare them in the oven or 2 minutes to prepare them in the microwave. They are non-GMO, certified organic, and Kosher. You can find this product in most grocery stores or by using their online store locator https://www.amys.com/where-to-buy.

Written by Casey Brown, VRG Intern.

Yogurt with Good Karma

Many non-dairy yogurts are delicious, but some of them have a questionable texture that is either too slimy or not firm enough. However, Good Karma Foods has mastered taste, texture, and consistency with their new flax milk yogurts. I tried five flavors of yogurt: Raspberry, Strawberry, Blueberry, Plain, and Vanilla.

I truly enjoyed all five flavors and was blown away at how delicious each of them was. Other people who tried the yogurt in the office were very impressed by its texture. Of the five flavors, my favorite is strawberry. It is perfectly sweet, creamy, and smooth. It also contains little strawberry chunks. I think granola would be perfect on top to make it more dense and filling! The blueberry yogurt was my second favorite. It was quite sweet and tastes great with fresh shredded coconut. The plain yogurt is slightly sour and would be delicious with some fruit jam. Good Karma's flax milk yogurts are also a source of calcium, omega-3s, and B12. I will definitely be purchasing these yogurts in the future! For more information on Good Karma Foods' Dairy Free Yogurts, or to find a store near you, visit http://goodkarmafoods.com.

Written by Julia Mathew, VRG Intern.

Organic Olives

Pearls Olives released a new line of certified organic olives, which includes their two most popular flavors: Pitted Kalamata Greek Olives and Red Pepper Stuffed Green Olives. The Pitted Kalamata Greek Olives are packaged in a Greek vinaigrette, while the Red Pepper Stuffed Green Olives are packaged in a sea salt brine and stuffed with real red peppers. These products bring a taste of the Mediterranean to you with a delicious taste and a firm texture. Both of these varieties make the perfect addition to pastas, pizzas, and salads, giving them a more flavorful and unique taste. They also taste great straight out of the jar, bringing you "fun at your fingertips." Find these products at Target and other grocery store chains or visit www.olives.com/pearls/ to find a store near you.

Written by Casey Brown, VRG Intern.

Milkadamia

I feel lucky to be living in a time with so many plant-based milk options. It seems silly to complain — however, if you're into playing barista at home as I am, you may have noticed that many plant-based milks do not foam. Homemade lattes and cappuccinos are delicious with plant-based milk, but lack that frothy coffee house flair. Milkadamia Latte Da, a vegan milk made from macadamia nuts does indeed "foam beautifully" as the box touts. You won't get quite the same results as with dairy milk, but it's the closest I've seen. It also compliments coffee flavor-wise better than most other nut milks I've tried. Besides the Latte Da flavor, which is made for foaming specifically, Milkadamia also has Original and Unsweetened flavors that are excellent vegan milk alternatives because they are fortified with vitamin B12, vitamin A, vitamin D, and calcium and most importantly, are delicious in cereal, coffee, or simply enjoyed plain.

Written by Samantha Gendler.

Kraut Krisps

Probiotics aren't just for yogurt! Farmhouse Culture makes Kraut Krisps, corn chips made with probiotics from sauerkraut. Probiotics are live bacteria that add to or replace the beneficial bacteria in the digestive tract. There are four Kraut Krisp flavors: Dill Pickle, Smoked Jalapeno, Zesty Garden Veggie, and Sea Salt. Dill Pickle is light and, in one bite, goes from a pleasant dill to a savory pickle. Smoked Jalapeno gently smokes before igniting the tongue into a jalapeno inferno. Zesty Garden Veggie is subdued, softly introducing itself as tomato then into basil, onion, red bell pepper, and garlic. Sea Salt features salt-covered chips containing a slight sauerkraut essence. Smoked Jalapeno is great on its own, but Dill, Veggie, and Sea Salt pair nicely with dip. VRG staffers agreed the chips are yummy and wonderfully crunchy.

You can purchase Kraut Krisps for $3-4 at Whole Foods, Costco, or a local health food store. To find Kraut Krisps near you, visit: www.farmhouseculture.com.

Written Shannon Borgoyn, VRG Volunteer.