Right off the bat, I was struck by how clean the ingredients were. Hemp seeds, cane sugar, chia seeds, beans, all things I not only can pronounce, but are familiar ingredients. No fillers, no freaky ingredients here. I was also pleasantly surprised by the sodium content. I've seen in upwards of 40% or more in a single serving when it comes to canned products. Sprague keeps the sodium at a respectable level without sacrificing flavour or quality.

BUY - I can't believe I'm actually suggesting purchasing canned chili, but here I am doing so! Look, homemade is always best, but in a pinch, I'd highly recommend Sprague's Plant-Based Triple Bean Chili. I enjoyed the quality of the ingredients, lack of preservatives or fillers, and frankly, it tasted great. I used it on some chili dogs and I'll tell you, best chili dogs I've had in ages. I'm super excited to test out some of their other products and will touch base with you guys when I do!

Visit the Sprague website to learn more about their incredible story and to peep their product line and availability!

SPRAGUE - www.spraguefoods.com/

With that being said, I'm not sure I enjoyed the patties as  "burgers" necessarily. I found that the burger as a whole ate dry, but the patty itself was delicious and didn't read as being dry. Was it the buns I chose? Would a different bun have made a difference? Did I not use the right toppings? Would some juicy tomato have helped? I'm not really sure, but I don't think I loved them on buns. With that being said, they were really tasty and I'd definitely eat them again, but maybe in a different format. I could see these crumbled up on a salad, served as a component for a falafel bowl of sorts, in a pita even, but not on buns.

The first thing that kind of threw me off was cooking them in a non-stick skillet. I was immediately concerned that they wouldn't get a crisp, something quite synonymous with smash burger patties. Despite my concerns, I tested them exactly as suggested, so I whipped out my non-stick and got it heating up. Once the patties hit the heat, they immediately started sizzling away which is one of my favourite sounds. I'll be honest, plant-based beef often has a rather off putting smell as it heats up. These were no exception you guys but I know better than to worry about that because I've had many smelly burgers in the past that tasted fantastic. After a couple minutes on both sides, I threw in some butter and basted the patties until glossy and gorgeous. Time to assemble.

First thing I'd like to point out was that the patties actually had some crispy bits despite the non-stick. I was very pleased with the crisp factor on these patties. I served each burger with spring mix, old cheddar, pickled hot peppers, good relish, and Nando's Perinaise. When it comes to the single, it was just right. The patties were so flavourful and meaty, and when paired with the standard sized hamburger buns, they were the perfect bite. With that being said, if you had larger buns, the single would almost be too small for the bun and the toppings / bread would drown out the patty.

The  double felt naughty lol It was super meaty and hefty. Quite the mouthful you guys. I got such a good flavour from those patties and the double was juicy and delicious. If I had to pick between the single or double, I would probably pick the double regardless of bun size. They were just perfect and I gobbled that double up without hesitation. 

BUY - Literally, so delicious you guys. I would highly recommend these for burger night. They get a nice crisp to them and they're absolutely delicious. Just remember, there's 6 smash patties, so if you're doing singles, you've obviously got 6 burgers. If you're doing doubles, this will only make 3 burgers, so be mindful of this when considering servings. 

Visit Not CO's website for their product selection and availability. notco.com/ca-en/