Johanna's Veggie Burger Bites

It's been awhile since my last blog post! I've still been eating lots of veggie burgers (I have quite a few to share reviews of soon!) but this whole "life" thing has had me rather preoccupied... my day job, volunteer work, and oh yeah... I'm getting married!

But in the midst of all that, I'm continuing my quest to keep reviewing veggie burgers! And today's review is a “veggie burger” unlike any I’ve reviewed thus far!



I saw Johanna’s Veggie Burger Bites on the shelf at my local health food store (I think my eyes are trained to immediately spot the phrase “veggie burger” anywhere I go). I was mystified, and a bit skeptical, of these strange dried-out looking bits of veggie burger… but I knew I had to try them. For science! And the blog!



The texture was unusual. Looking at them, I thought they would be kind of crunchy like granola, but instead they were hard, (literally) like a dried out veggie burger, but not so hard that it was painful to bite into them or anything. Consisting of mostly nuts, seeds, and vegetables, the ingredient list certainly sounds like that of a veggie burger.

The taste was unexpected – they reminded me of those vegan-cheese flavored kale chips that are sold in stores (the “nacho” flavor, I guess?). I like those kale chips, so I enjoyed the flavor of these veggie burger bites. They were a little spicy, with a nice kick to them.



The idea of just eating bits of dried out veggie burgers had not appealed to me (that sounds like stale food you would throw away, right?), and I had expected to just sample one or two of these bites and then probably throw the rest away…
But I surprised myself by continuing to pop one after anther into my mouth! Soon I had finished the whole package.

I wouldn’t say these remind me very much of veggie burgers, in appearance, texture, or taste… So it feels difficult to review them and rank them as such. Compared to other veggie burgers, they would be obviously be a disappointment. But on their own, they were an unexpectedly pleasant snack. They’ve raw, vegan, and gluten free, so most of your dietary restrictions are covered, as long as you can eat nuts! I would certainly consider buying these again as a lightweight but protein-packed snack to bring along when hiking or camping. But don't try them expecting them to taste like the veggie burgers you are used to enjoying!

Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
Johanna's Veggie Burger Bites
purchased at: Greenbay Marketplace in Astoria, NY
price: $6.99 for a 2.5oz container

YumVeggieBurger review #158

Beyond Meat's Beast Burger

After hearing so much hype about Beyond Meat’s new “Beast Burger”, I had been stalking the frozen food aisles waiting for it to appear in NYC. I really like Beyond Meat’s fake “chicken” strips, so I was excited to see what their take on a burger would be. Finally, I found the Beast Burgers – just a few blocks from my new apartment in Astoria!



At $5.29 for a pack of 2 patties, this is not the most economical frozen veggie burger patty available – but the patties are much larger than normal! And Beyond Meat boasts that this vegan patty contains more protein and more iron than beef – so that’s pretty impressive, and maybe worth the extra cost. And they’re both gluten-free and soy-free.



Seriously, I can’t emphasize enough how large these patties are – I had to pull out my biggest frying pan to fit two in side by side! I fried them in a little olive oil for about 8 minutes, flipping them a few times throughout. The patties come with “grill marks” on one side. For aesthetic reasons, I guess.



Yup, so large that the patty was too big for my normal-sized hamburger buns! But that’s okay – the patty felt sturdy and at no risk for crumbling over the edges of the bun. You can see how it browned up after it cooked all the way through.

I topped my burger with some lettuce, pickled red onions (my new homemade obsession – so easy, so delicious! Pickled onions will grace all of my burgers from now on!) and horseradish sauce (also a recent obsession, now that I’ve realized you can buy it at the store!).



Biting into it, the first thing I noticed was the texture: It was pretty dense (packed with all that protein and nutrients?), and obviously aiming for a meat-like feel. It’s been well over a decade since I last ate a burger made of beef, but I still don’t think this Beast Burger is an exact replica of that texture, as some reviews I read online have claimed. But it was still a little more dense and chewy than I would have liked. And despite my fears that it would be too oily after being fried in a pan, I thought it was a bit on the dry side as well. Luckily, the toppings I had put on it made up for that.

Flavor-wise, I was surprised that it was kind of, well… bland. It tasted slightly “meaty”, not distinctly of any one flavor or seasoning, just a general protein-y, savory flavor. But I had hoped it would have more seasoning or some kind of kick of spice to it - but then, that’s something that can easily be remedied with toppings. And people who don't like spicy things might prefer this burger. My boyfriend the omnivore was game to try the second patty I had cooked, and he actually ate the whole thing and said it was quite filling and he didn’t feel like he needed to go eat some meat afterwards (like some vegetarian meals make him feel) – but he did say that the taste and texture reminded him of “that one time that I ate a piece of cardboard”. (FYI, he has eaten other veggie burgers that he liked better! But usually the ones that aren’t trying to look and taste like meat).



Ultimately, while I was not blown away by the Beast Burger, and while I may have had expectations that were a bit too high after reading all the hype online, this is still a very solid store-bought burger – definitely one of the best of the faux-meat varieties that are out there today. Not to mention all the health benefits that make it a better alternative to most other frozen veggie burgers in the grocery stores.

I’d like to give these burgers a try on the barbecue grill too, although sadly since moving apartments I no longer have space to keep my own grill – so I’ll have to hope I get invited to a lot of barbecues this summer (hint, hint, NYC friends!). Beyond Meat also makes a smaller “slider” version of this burger, called “Beastly Sliders”. I have a box of those sitting in my freezer as well, so I’ll be giving them a try soon too!

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Beyond Meat’s Beast Burger
purchased at: Greenbay Marketplace in Astoria, NY
check Beyond Meat’s website to see where they may be sold near you.
price: $5.29 for 2 patties

YumVeggieBurger review #157

No Bull Mama Mia Spicy Italian Burgers

Working my way through the box of No Bull burgers that my mother sent me, next up was the Mama Mia Spicy Italian burger!
I was excited to try this flavor, which is vegan and gluten-free, just like the Sundried Tomato flavor (remember, the Original is not vegan, because that one contains eggs for some reason!).



I fried the patty in a pan with a bit of olive oil for a few minutes on each side. The outside crisped up nicely, turning a golden brown. And look at the tomatoes and spinach you can see in the patty! I'm still amazed by how close to homemade these not only taste but also look!



Keeping with the Italian theme, I topped my burger with some marinara sauce and melted vegan mozzarella (Trader Joe’s brand).



Biting into it, I found that the word “spicy” did not exaggerate – these had a medium-hot kick to them, which I loved! Inside the patty was the same hearty, chunky blend of vegetables and beans that the other No Bull patties had delivered. It was delicious!



Although the Italian flavor might not be what comes to mind or what you crave when you think of “burger”, this was a great flavor variation, and one that I would happily eat again.

I'm so thankful to my mom for sending me such a thoughtful present - I hope eventually No Bull burgers are for sale in stores in NYC, but otherwise I might have to plan to bring some back with me every time I visit my family from now on...

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
No Bull Burgers (Mama Mia Spicy Italian)
Purchased online and shipped to New York
Available in stores and served in restaurants in select states – check website for location
price: $10.00 for a pack of 4 patties

YumVeggieBurger review #142

No Bull Sundried Tomato Burgers

Working my way through the care package of No Bull veggie burgers that my mother sent me…
Next up was the Sundried Tomato variety...
This flavor, unlike the Original flavor, is both gluten-free and vegan!



I had some friends over for a barbecue, so it was the perfect chance to test out how these delicious patties would hold up on the grill.



The verdict? Awesome! I brushed them with a little olive oil to prevent them from sticking to the grill, and they cooked up just fine. Even though they are rather soft, like the original patties, they held together well and not a single one fell apart on the grill, even when I flipped them a couple times!



Served on a whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato and mayo (those are the remnants of a delicious herbed potato salad which you see on the plate beneath the burger)



Yum! Just as good as the original, but with a savory sundried-tomato kick. Still hearty lentils and big chunks of vegetables – especially spinach, which I enjoyed very much. The sundried-tomato flavor was strong, but not overpowering.



I was really impressed by how a burger with such a homemade texture nonetheless held up so well on the grill! I am wary of which patties I choose to throw on the barbecue because I’ve had too many fall apart and slip into the flames in the past, but No Bull proved itself a winner in yet another way.

One flavor left to try: “Mama Mia Spicy Italian”. Can’t wait!

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

No Bull Burgers (Sundried Tomato)
Purchased online and shipped to New York
Available in stores and served in restaurants in select states – check website for location
price: $10.00 for a pack of 4 patties

YumVeggieBurger review #141

No Bull Burgers

My mother recently sent me the most amazing present in the mail:



Veggie burgers!

These are made in my hometown of Charlottesville, Virginia. They are sold in stores in Virginia and several other surrounding states, but they aren’t available in New York (yet), so my mother ordered some and had them mailed to me in a freezer pack!



She sent me three of the four different varieties that No Bull makes. The “Original” flavor seemed like a good choice to start with:



I fried the frozen patty in a frying pan with a little olive oil. It cooked evenly, and browned to a nice crisp. Although the patty looked soft, it held together well as I flipped it with a spatula.



Keeping it simple for my taste-test, I served it on a whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, and mayo.



Wow. From the first bite, I was in love – the patty was a hearty, delicious blend of lentils and vegetables. This was definitely one of the best store-bought burger patties I had ever tasted! EDITED: Please note, the "Original" flavor and the "mushroom" flavor are NOT vegan (they contain egg). The "Spicy Italian" and "Sundried Tomato" flavors, which I review next, ARE vegan though.



Actually, if I had not known better, I would not have believed it was store-bought. It was without a doubt the closest to home-made that any store bought patty has come. Aside from the fact that I had seen it in its frozen state only a few minutes ago, nothing about it seemed pre-packaged. I know a lot of burgers have whole lentils and pieces of vegetables in them, but these were extra large, hearty pieces that made it feel far more like something made in someone’s kitchen than on a factory line.

With how delicious it was, and how easy it was to cook, this has easily earned its spot as one of my favorite store-bought burgers. I’m so glad my mother sent them to me to try! And I can’t wait to try the other two flavors I got as well: Sundried Tomato and “Mama Mia Spicy Italian”.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

No Bull Burgers (Original)
Purchased online and shipped to New York
Available in stores and served in restaurants in select states – check website for location
price: $9.50 for a pack of 4 patties

YumVeggieBurger review #140

Made By Lukas Beet Veggie Burgers

The other day I spotted something new in the refrigerated vegetarian/vegan section of Whole Foods:



I’ve tried a lot of refrigerated and frozen veggie burgers, and even veggie burgers made from a dry powdered mix before – but I’ve never tried veggie burgers made from a refrigerated vegetable mix, so I was excited to add this Made By Lukas beet vegetable burger mix to my shopping basket.



The instructions said simply to “shape into 4 patties” – I was only cooking for myself, so I just made one (planning to eat the others in the next couple days, or shape them and freeze them if I need to keep them for longer). Wary of how the fresh beets might stain my hands, I wore latex gloves for this part.


If you didn’t know that was a vegan mixture of beets, cabbage, quinoa, and sunflower seeds, wouldn’t you think it kind of looks like raw meat?

The mix is very soft, but once it fried for a few minutes on one side it was not difficult to keep it in one piece when I flipped it over with a spatula. I let it cook the full 4-6 minutes per side that the instructions recommended, but even fully cooked it was still quite soft.



Beets are one of what I consider the secret ingredients for a great veggie burger – they add color that fools even meat-eaters, and they have a great hearty flavor.

That said, I also enjoy beets on their own and in various other recipes. But unlike other veggie burgers I’ve had in the past which contain this great ingredient in smaller amounts, the beet flavor is VERY prominent and unavoidable in these burgers. So while I’ve urged beet-haters to try other veggie burgers despite their misgivings about the bright red-pink ingredient, I would caution only beet-lovers to sample these ones! Beets are not the only ingredient, but they are the most prominent flavor.



For beet-lovers, though, the taste of these patties is quite delicious! The only topping I put on my burger was a tiny bit of mayo, but I probably could have even done without that because the patty was so moist and flavorful on its own - and quite hearty and filling.

But eating it felt more like eating a vegan Sloppy-Joe than a burger. The patty was so soft, even after being fried on both sides, that it just mushed in my mouth like a shredded beet salad on a bun. The bun held it all inside okay, but the patty would not have kept its shape at all on its own. It was tasty, without a doubt, but quite a different experience from eating a “normal” veggie burger.

The Whole Foods location where I found this mix also had a carrot-parsnip flavor, which I was tempted by (because I love parsnips and think they are a very underrated vegetable!) – and the Made By Lukas website shows that they also offer a kale flavor, which is probably equally delicious. And they’re all completely vegan, dairy-free, gluten-free, and soy-free! This is probably the closest you can get to home-made without taking the time to measure and mix all those ingredients together on your own - so it's a great quick and easy option for a meal.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆
Made By Lukas
purchased at: Whole Foods in NYC (Bowery location)
price: $7.99 per container (makes 4 burgers)

YumVeggieBurger review #139

neat

You know how sometimes you come across something that’s so cool you just want to eagerly share it with everyone? That’s how I feel about neat. I had already heard Bianca of Vegan Crunk rave about neat after her visit to the Seattle VegFest– so I was super excited to try this new nut and grain-based “healthy replacement for meat” when neat sent me a few packs to try out!

First of all, just admire how clever this product is: It’s a mix in a bag – all you have to do is add water and eggs (or vegan egg replacements), and voilà – dinner! (or lunch, actually, in my case). It’s soy-free, gluten-free, and vegan if you cook it with vegan egg replancements.



I halved the recipe, since 4 burgers is a bit much for one person! I used a regular egg, since I’m a vegetarian – but I’m going to have to get my hands on some vegan egg-replacements to see how well it works with those too.



I was nervous about how liquid the mixture seemed after I mixed it all together – the instructions said to form into patties, but instead, I just scraped the batter into the frying pan as if I was making thick pancakes.



The instructions didn’t mention whether to fry it in oil or not – so I tried one patty with oil, and one without (both on non-stick pans). Both worked fine.



They cook quickly, so keep an eye on them! And the egg makes them expand, so don’t worry if they look small to start. Still feeling like I was making pancakes, I flipped the patty over to cook the other side.



Mine didn’t look exactly like the photo on the package, but it smelled good, so I was excited to taste it. I had some whole wheat rolls on hand, so I did a simple burger with just mayo and tomatoes for toppings.



And how did it taste? Great! I was surprised at how much delicious flavor was packed into that mix. neat is made from pecans, garbanzo beans, gluten-free whole grain oats, and cornmeal. And although it looks like a fine powder when you start mixing it, once it cooks up in the frying pan, it actually gets a really nice texture – very much like a crumbly, ground meat!



I felt like I had just done a magic trick, making a tasty burger like this from a powdered mix in a bag! And I love how versatile it is – you could add any seasonings you like, and cook it in any shape or form you desire. neat also sent me samples of their Italian and Mexican seasoned mixes, so I’m excited to try it out for meatballs and tacos next.



With how easy it is to make, and how quickly it cooks, I think this would be an awesome product to bring on camping trips! While you couldn’t cook the burger patties on a grill (too soft), neat would fry up really well in a pan over a campfire. And with four servings per bag, this 5.5 oz package would hardly add any weight to your backpack. I will definitely report back once the weather is warm enough for some backpacking trips this summer!

You can order neat online – but I was pleased to see that there are some local stores in NYC and my own neighborhood of Astoria that also carry this product: Natural Frontier Market in Manhattan, and Broadway Natural in Astoria (neat’s representative told me they recommend calling ahead to make sure neat is in stock though).

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
neat - a healthy replacement for meat
price: As previously stated, I received a complimentary sample of these from neat. On their website, a package of neat (4 servings per package) sells for $4.99.

YumVeggieBurger review #129

Hilary’s Eat Well “World’s Best” Veggie Burger

Is it any surprise that there was no way I could resist a name like “The ‘World’s Best’ Veggie burger"?



I picked up a pack (2 veggie patties per pack) of Hilary’s Eat Well “World’s Best” veggie burgers at Whole Foods, determined to find out how they stood up to that claim.


frozen patty going into the frying pan

I fried a patty in a bit of olive oil for a few minutes until both sides were slightly browned.



Then I dressed it up with a bit of fresh spinach, roasted red pepper, and mayo.



The verdict? This is a nice, light burger. Not too dense or filling, it felt very healthy. It’s made of soft, fluffy millet and quinoa, but it did crisp up nicely around the edges when fried. It had a subtle but tasty flavor, with bits of greens mixed in with the grains. It’s not a hearty, meaty burger (and I don’t think it would hold together well on a barbecue grill) but I enjoyed it.



I think it might actually be better on its own, without a bun – I ate the second one in the package that way, a few days later, and it kind of reminded me of eating a breaded fish fillet (not that my memory of what eating fish was like can really be trusted, after over a decade has passed since I last ate it, and it didn’t taste “fishy” at ALL, but something about the texture just reminded me of that fishstick kind of breading…).

Vegan, gluten-free, yeast-free, soy-free, and kosher – this burger is for everyone except people who are allergic to coconut (it doesn’t taste like coconut, don’t worry – coconut is just listed as an allergen warning).

Is it really the “world’s best” veggie burger? Well, no. That’s a bit presumptuous. But it is tasty. And I’ll probably try some of the other flavors of veggie burger that Hilary’s offers.

Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Hilary’s Eat Well
purchased at: Whole Foods in NYC
price: $3.79 for a pack of 2 burger patties

YumVeggieBurger review #126

Quintessence

It’s been too long since I reviewed a raw, gluten-free burger, hasn’t it?



So I took my sister out to lunch at Quintessence the other day. This restaurant is so cozy, tucked into a cute little space in the East Village. I ordered a cashew milk chai latte while I waited for my sister to arrive. It was delicious.



Although everything on the menu sounded amazing, I kept my eyes on the target: The All American Burger with BBQ Sauce.



Quintessence offers a choice of three types of raw bread for their sandwiches and burgers: kamut bread, squash coco-chia bread, or veggie bread. Kamut is a type of wheat, so that one is not gluten-free, but the other two are. My sister ordered her club sandwich on the squash coco-chia bread and I ordered my burger on the veggie bread. They looked very similar, just a slight difference in coloring. My veggie bread tasted fresh and healthy, like a salad. It was thin and soft, but held the burger together surprisingly well. The only negative was that the texture was a bit weird to me – I couldn’t help but think that it reminded me of an old sponge. I imagine it’s an acquired taste, and I have to admit I don’t eat raw food very often.



The toppings were awesome – I don’t think I have had a raw burger before that packed this much of a flavor-punch! Lettuce, tomato, onions, and deliciously tangy pickles (home-made!). And the barbecue sauce – wow, I wasn’t expecting something so yummy, and I was kind of blown away by it.

This burger actually comes with not one but two patties – with all those tasty toppings sandwiched inbetween. They had a nice earthy, spicy flavor – actually a very strong spice, I noticed when I broke off a piece of a patty to try on its own without bun or toppings. They were a bit dry, but that was balanced out by the juicy toppings and the barbecue sauce.



A side salad and corn chips were included with the burger – and Abby Bean, I am excited to inform you that these corn chips were actually good! I normally roll my eyes at corn chips served as a side because they are just so flavorless, but apparently raw corn chips are an exception, because I really enjoyed these! I also dipped them into my miso-tahini salad dressing, so that helped…

At $19, this is quite a splurge for a veggie burger. But if you want to treat yourself to something extra-healthy and tasty, I have to say this is the best raw veggie burger I have tried thus far! My sister reports that she enjoyed her club sandwich as well.

Cost: $19
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Burger patty: 4       Bun: 3      Toppings: 5

Quintessence
263 east 10th Street
between Avenue A & 1st Ave
New York, NY 10009
646.654.1823

YumVeggieBurger review #121

SoL Cuisine Sprouted Quinoa Chia Burger

I was picking up some groceries at whole foods recently, and thought I would try a new veggie burger, so I picked this one out of their frozen food section (I like quinoa and sweet potato, so it seemed like a good bet, even though I had never heard of the brand before).


The frozen burger patty, before cooking


After frying for a few minutes with a little bit of olive oil.


I melted a slice of my favorite Daiya swiss “cheese” on top of the patty, and toasted a whole wheat bun.



It smelled really good when I took it out of the frying pan! But the texture of the patty was odd, it wasn’t grainy or bready or even mushy – which are the categories most veggie burger patties seem to fall into. Instead, it was very smooth, almost like it had some kind of gelling agent in it (I’m not familiar with chia seeds, but I did a little research and it turns out that they form a gel when they react with water, so that explains that!). This is a very weird texture for a burger. There were also very large, flat slabs of onion mixed in, which I wasn’t a huge fan of. I didn’t taste any of the sweet potato that the package advertised.

Overall, it was a disappointment – I was expecting more from a product that sounded so good on the box (vegan, gluten-free, healthy, tasty ingredients!). I don’t think there was any way I could have cooked it that would have made the taste or texture better. The melted Daiya on top was the best part, but I don’t think I would buy these patties again when there are so many better ones on the market.

Has anyone else tried these burgers? What are your thoughts?

Rating: ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆
SoL Cuisine
purchased at: Whole Foods in NYC
price: $5.49 for a box of 4

YumVeggieBurger review #110