I was recently on the hunt for a specific product and ventured to a grocery store I rarely visit as it is quite out of my way. While I didn't find what I was looking for, I did spot these cutlets from Middleton's Plant-Based Foods. Never seen or heard of this line before and I'm always excited to try a new plant-based chicken product.

The price was over 15 dollars for 3 cutlets, a bit steep if you ask me, but I was hoping that the price reflected a premium, well made / tasting product. I snatched a box, a couple freshly baked sub buns, and planned to make some crispy cutlet sammies. I snatched all of the remaining ingredients for my sammies and headed home to get started.

​Right out of the package, I had some concerns. They were super thin and kind of grey in appearance. Two things that don't read as something I'm going to enjoy lol. It was time to bake them off.

I recently snatched these up because they were on sale. I didn't necessarily have a plan for them, but I was excited to give them a try. Typically, I avoid these patties because I'm afraid the flavours will clash with my standard sandwich / burger assembly, but I thought I'd give them a go anyways.

Out of the package, they were familiarly brown and uniform, kind of what you'd expect from a frozen patty like this. Nothing special. I decided to build a baguette sandwich around them so I heated up some EVOO and got to frying them up.

Super easy to cook. The package recommended a couple minutes per side, but I cooked them a bit longer to ensure they were nice and hot inside. They held together well and got nice & golden & crisp after frying. I smelled a little of those yummy Indian spices, but not to the extent that I thought it would overpower everything else.

For the sammies, I warmed up a baguette in the oven and then topped it with veggies, the patties, melty Havarti cheese, pickled hot peppers, spicy mayo, and crispy tater chips. Honestly, I thought they were bloody delicious. Everything worked well together despite those flavours coming through, they actually paired perfectly with my other ingredients. 

I saw this queso when I was doing some shopping recently and wanted to try something new for some burgers I was putting together. I'm always skeptical about jarred queso. I can't help but immediately think of cheese whiz, so disgusting you guys lol, and honestly, most of the quesos I've tried have basically tasted like chemicals with a faint, fake cheese after taste.

I got home and opened up the jar to sneak a taste prior to preparing my recipe, and I was honestly so taken aback at how much real cheese flavour I was getting. The consistency was rich and creamy, and that flavour?!?! I was tasting sharpness that I'd attribute to real cheese as well as some nutty undertones which were also reading as real cheese flavour. No chemical, fake tasting glop. Super stoked to cook with it.  

After warming it up, I drizzled it all over my jalapeno burgers and reserved some for dunking as well. You guys, this was quite literally the best tasting queso I've had to date from a jar, no competition whatsoever. The flavour was A+, the consistency was silky and rich at the same time, and the overall experience was exactly what I was hoping for.

BUY - Literally, I have since used it for some other things I've made, and my dad actually folded some into his mashed taters which he said was absolutely freaking delicious. I have zero negative things to say about this queso and I'd buy this over any of the other quesos I've tried in a heart beat. So flavourful, so cheesy, and just perfect. Get yourselves a jar and you'll see I'm on to something with this one <3

I'm just going to say it with all seriousness, but I've NEVER had a good packaged risotto. I've tried a couple frozen varieties, a couple shelf stable, and I always come to the same conclusion; they CAN'T be good because of the effort required to make a good risotto. How can anything frozen / packaged actually have that similar broth and stir method that makes risotto so dreamy? 

With that being said, I always spot them at the market and figure I should try them for the sake of adding to a collection of abysmal store-bought risottos lol. I saw this President's Choice variety a few times, but only just recently purchased it. Was I hopeful? Mildly. Was I nervous? Incredibly.

The preparation was simple as expected. Boil, whisk, reduce to simmer, fold in butter and parm (grana). Admittedly, it had a wonderful smell as it simmered away which had me thinking that MAYBE, this was going to be good. After it really started thickening up, I gave it a taste and felt it had the "tea" effect. When something SMELLS yummy, but tastes like absolutely nothing lol. The flavour was muted, so I added some pepper flakes and salt & hoped for the best.

At the end, I was so taken aback at the minimal amount of butter / cheese that was added. These are CRUCIAL components if I do say so myself lol. I basically quadrupled the grana padano and doubled the butter. That's when things really went uphill.

NOODS - 6 / 10
Typical macaroni noodles. Nothing special, cooked as per package directions. Kind of soft, not as al dente as I would prefer them.

SAUCE - 5 / 10
The cheese powder clumped up a bit which I dislike lol the noods were sauced, but not as saucy and dreamy as I would prefer. Also, very neon in colour lol

CHEESY - 4 / 10
The clumpy cheese powder means the sauce itself didn't get as cheesy as I'd like. It was definitely lacking in the cheese flavour department.

SNACKABILITY - 6 / 10
Look, for a late night munchie sort of sitch, I'd probably eat it again if it's all that was around, but it certainly wouldn't be my first choice. Comparable to Kraft Mac, but not as good.

TOTAL - 21 / 40

NOODS - 6 / 10
These ones were tubes as opposed to like, mac noods. They were fine. Soft but not overcooked, although still lacking in al dente texture.

SAUCE - 4 / 10
The sauce was starchier than I'd like and was lacking in salt and cheesy flavour as far as I'm concerned. Not my fave.

CHEESY - 6 / 10
Despite not really knocking my socks off, it definitely had more cheesiness than the Pres. Choice variety, but fell short against other brands.
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SNACKABILITY - 6 / 10 
Much like the last one, I'd eat it for a late night craving if there was nothing else around. It certainly wouldn't be my first choice, that's all I'm saying. Similar to Kraft, but starchier with less salt & cheese flavour.

TOTAL - 22 / 40

NOODS 6 / 10 
Mac Noods. Similar to Kraft Mac. They're fine, but still not texturally as pleasing as al dente pasta.

SAUCE 5 / 10
It really wasn't super saucy, and it's another brand where the cheese powder clumped up which meant it wasn't as saucy / cheesy as it could have been.

CHEESY 5 / 10
It had cheesy flavour, but because of the clumps of powder, it didn't hit its potential. It was also slightly synthetic on my palette.

SNACKABILITY - 7 / 10
Definitely more snackable than the last two brands. Similar to Kraft mac but not quite as good. I'd eat it again though, but those clumps were not my fave.

TOTAL - 23 / 40

NOODS 7 / 10
Unlike the original, this one used mac noods which I didn't mind, They had a nice chew and weren't obliterated.

SAUCE 4 / 10
Definitely not enough sauce in this one. One of my fave things is having some sauce to slurp up and this one was missing that slurpability.

CHEESY 6 / 10
It had a decent cheesy flavour and a nice underlying heat from what felt like a good standard hot sauce. A little more cheesy flavour would've been nice.

SNACKABILITY 8 / 10
Despite the shortcomings, it was one of my faves to nosh on. That kick of heat really made this enjoyable to eat.

TOTAL - 25 / 40

NOODS 7 / 10
Mac Noods. These ones had a bit more texture to them thanks to a reduced cook time. Idk why, but they actually had a better mouth feel than most of the other ones.

SAUCE 5 / 10
Still lacking in that cheesy, creamy sauce department despite the appearance giving creamy vibes. It also clumped super badly which means the sauce couldn't reach its cheesy potential.

CHEESY 7 / 10
Despite the clumping, it actually had a decent cheesy flavour, especially compared to the previous brands. Had the cheese powder blended properly, this could've been a 10.

SNACKABILITY - 7 / 10
Definitely the best one so far. Those clumps sucked, but the noods had texture and there was still a good cheese flavour. I'd eat it again!

TOTAL - 26 / 40

NOODS 7 / 10
Those familiar tubes y'all. They're a classic for a reason. The cook time kept them with some texture which I always appreciate but they were still slightly soft.

SAUCE - 6 / 10
There was a bit more saucy action here which I appreciated and no chunky, clumpy powder. Admittedly, the sauce wasn't as neon and freaky as I remembered which was nice but it was almost pale in comparison to other brands.

CHEESY 6 / 10
Again, it was fine. It didn't really pop as much as I remembered, but it delivered enough cheese flavour.

SNACKABILITY 7 / 10
It's the OG for a reason. I could eat it again in a heartbeat thanks to not overdone noods, no clumping, and decent cheesy flavour.

TOTAL - 26 / 40

NOODS 9 / 10
Ok Ditali pasta! These were easily my absolute favourite nood of them all. So much texture and chew. Every bite seemed to get better, especially if you took a big old bite.

SAUCE 9 / 10
Very saucy and slurpable although I'd admit there may have been too much milk. It was so freaking saucy and lovely. The balance between noods and sauce was ALMOST perfect.

CHEESY 6 / 10
It definitely delivered cheddar flavour, but the amount of milk added probably diluted that incredible cheddar flavour a bit.

SNACKABILITY 9 / 10
Moving forward, I'll definitely keep a box of this in my pantry for those nights where I'm craving a naughty boxed mac. Easily the best of the bunch by far and they have a few other flavours I'll have to try!

​TOTAL - 33 / 40

When I finally got back to work, I had to start looking for good microwave options as that was my only cooking option at work. While I'd love to always some delicious leftovers from a fab recipe, I just don't always have the time which is why I've been trying out new meals.

When I'm looking at microwave dinners, I'm looking for a few different things. Obviously, I want it to be delicious, but I'm usually looking at ingredients and the nutrition chart. I try to avoid anything that's frighteningly high in the bad stuff like calories, excessive fats, and sodium especially which can be alarmingly high in these dinners. 

When I spotted these single serve lasagna slices from Aurora, I was definitely intrigued. Aurora is a fab company that has a wide range of quality products so I was expecting a win.

Usually, when a product has a microwave AND oven option, I would always go in the direction of the oven. With that being said, microwave is all I have at work, so that's what I did. Super simple, peel, slap the container on a plate and microwave for 2 minutes if I remember correctly. Easy and quick.

When I opened the package, I wasn't initially very excited. In fact, I smelled it because I was honestly concerned it was no longer good. Anyways, looks aside, I microwaved as specified and when it was done, I pulled it out and looked down at it in utter fear you guys. There was a pool of water on top of it and the spinach was a shade of green that wasn't giving me life, but I knew I had to try it.

​One bite was all it took for me to know that this was something I was NOT going to enjoy.

When McDonalds did a test run on their new McVeggie, I went to try it and it had already sold out at all locations in my city. I was kind of disappointed, but also left with a bit of hope that it was actually going to be a tasty option.

For those of you that don't know, McDonalds has done veggie burgers two separate times that I can remember. Long ago, when I first became a vegetarian, they offered a veggie burger that was horrendous and didn't last long. Then, years later, they also offered one that partnered with Beyond Meat which I obviously tried, but it too only lasted a short time. It just seemed like the world didn't need / want a veggie burger from McDonalds, but for me, I needed something substantial to pair with my craving for their ridiculously snackable fries. I barely eat there, but if I'm going to, I want a full meal to make it worth it, you know?

I went to McDonalds earlier this week and ordered myself their Spicy McVeggie combo with a large fries of course. I also desperately wanted a milkshake, but snatched a bottled water instead to keep the calories and fat at a more respectable level lol. 

There was a certain familiarity when I opened the box. We ate at McDonalds a lot growing up because it was my mom's fave fast food, so that shiny, sesame seed bun was kind of nostalgic. What I will say however, the patty itself was not really exciting me. It looked very dark, perhaps even overcooked or cooked in bad oil, but I still had some level of hope.

Needless to say, it was just alright. The patty had good flavour, but it also felt a bit greasy to me. Inside the patty I found some corn, and maybe peas, I couldn't tell. There was definitely veggies in it. They also gave me regular instead of spicy, which I think also dampened the experience for me.

Upon opening the jar, I was immediately struck with the colour and thickness of the mustard. I took a spoonful and boy oh boy, my mind was basically blown. I can say with the utmost sincerity, that this is by far, the best tasting mustard I've ever consumed. Like, I couldn't stop eating it straight from the jar lol

Thus far, I made a Sweet & Spicy Roasted Fingerling recipe that saw me marinating the taters in a mustardy marinade. I also tested it on a Beyond Meat sausage as the standard mustard test in my opinion. It's a freaking fabulous product y''all, highly reccommend!

You guys, this is right up there with the Sweet Heat in terms of being one of the tastiest mustards I've ever eaten. It definitely delivers on the mustard flavour while really packing a welcome dill punch.

It's an easy to use mustard for sandwiches, marinades, salads, all of your everyday mustard needs. It's going to be the first jar I run out of, and the first jar I purchase from Gravelbourg in the next month or so. Definitely one of the tastiest mustards I've ever had. 

​Peep a couple recipes below featuring the Savoury Dill!

​www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/cheesy-dill-icious-smashed-taters

Y'all, these are in my regular weekly rotation. I eat that as my "meat" on a dinner plate with some gorgeous sides, as a burger or sandwich, or sliced up on top of a creamy risotto. They're one of the best plant-based chik'n products I've ever had, and I stand firmly by that.

They're ridiculously crisp while maintaining some juiciness on the inside, literally perfect. The Gardein line has been around as long as I've been a vegetarian and if they keep coming out with fab products, they'll be a lifer for me.

Originally, I was a big fan of the Beyond Meat ground, but as time has gone on, I've become quite fond of the Impossible variety. While one could argue that they're quite similar, the Beyond Meat has an aggressively "beefy" flavour that often times reads as very synthetic to me. The Impossible brand cooks like beef, looks like beef, and isn't as aggressively beefy in flavour.

​I've made meatloaves, meatballs, Bolognese, anything you can think of. So good!

When I spotted this line, I was eager to give their meals a go. I really liked the ingredients in the products and also took note of the nutrition labels. Most take home, frozen meals are frighteningly high in sodium while these ones were not.

There's a flavour for everyone in this line. Thai Green Curry, Black Lentil Dal, Mediterranean Orzo, literally, a flavour for all. I've had every single one and honestly, they're delicious, hearty, and free of scary ingredients. Great for those nights when you just need something quick or a fab lunch to bring to work. Keep your eyes out for this line!

When I first tried these, I was looking for breakfast sausage substitutes for a line of breakfast sammies I was going to test. Can I just say that I've been obsessed ever since?

The ingredients list is where it's at; broccoli, green peas, lemon, spinach, pea protein, and spices. Loads of green goodness here and the flavour is quite vegetal but in the best way. I can snack on these simply fried up, served on buns with some fresh lettuce, tom, and mayo, or, as a perfect sausage sub on my breakfast sammies for an extra protein boost.

I remember growing up as a vegetarian, things were not easy for me. This was long before the days of Beyond Meat or good quality, frozen take home meals. I ate a lot of canned beans you guys and a lot of uninspired dishes at restaurants that offered one veggie option amidst a sea of meat. 

When I started this blog, one of the things I wanted to do was try everything out there so that I could share my thoughts / opinions and hopefully help someone else who was just starting out. If I could help you avoid spending money on a product that just wasn't great, that was my intention.

Here we are today, with a plethora of options now available to us. Today's spotlight is on the STRONG ROOTS Line of frozen take-home meals.

​* White Bean & Lentil Tomato Stew
* Black Dahl
* Thai Green Veg Curry
* Mediterranean Orzo Bake
* Veggie Masala

It's not often that every single product from the line is a winner, but such is the case with the Strong Roots line. I loved that each one tasted fresh and delicious with their own unique flavours. I also really liked the ingredients in the dinners. No scary preservatives or heaps of unnecessary sodium, which is always a problem with frozen meals. Each dinner provides a great amount of fiber with minimal calories, fat, or sodium. Indicative of quality eats.

With a focus on quality, these dinners really hit the mark. I think my two favourites from the group were the Thai Green Vegetable Curry and the Black Dahl, but I also absolutely loved the other three. As I said, they were super flavourful despite being lower in sodium which was awesome to me. 

Each dish has a unique composition of ingredients that really shines individually. The curry has such a robust flavour and the dahl was seasoned to perfection. I loved the olives in the Mediterranean bake providing a bit of a salty punch with every bite.  Honestly guys, I couldn't find a single thing wrong with any of them if I tried.
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