Hello, readers. Sorry this post is late, I have been quite busy with starting a new course and life just got in the way. I am back now, and I bring you a different post today; one on trying out Vegan food throughout January. It is my sisters idea because she is already Vegan, and has been for a while, so I decided I would give it a go. Of course I was apprehensive like anyone would be, but I wanted to push the boat out and try food that is very different from my usual diet. Maybe you could too?
I did not go full out and go Vegan for the whole month, but I tried two main meals, two desserts and two snacks. I always say any step you make in helping the environment is a good one. I will also be rating them singularly by taste, texture and look, out of 5 with a final rating at the end of each one. Then an overall rating will be at the end of the post on how I found the experience. I have even found foods that I would choose over the "normal" food I would usually opt for because it was nicer and tasted better! Something I most certainly wasn't expecting!. That is why it is proactive to do this as you never know what you are going to think:) I decided to choose green for my title colour today to go along with the theme of goodness he he.
I hope you all enjoy seeing a small insight into me trying Vegan food, and maybe even get some inspo for yourself. Lets go!
Main Meal: peri peri chicken, salad and wedges
This to me did not look the most appetising dish in the world, but it sure smelled good when it was dished up. I surprisingly found it alright, and I cleared my plate so that is always a good sign. I would say it was average, not the best meal I have ever had but not the worst by all means.
Taste: 4 Texture: 2 Look: 2.5
The taste of the 'chicken' was slightly spicy and I liked it. It did not look like I should be eating it, I described it as a wet fish lol. I did discover afterwards that the sister did not cook it for long enough, so maybe that would of improved the look, making it more crispy. The texture was also very odd, it was rubbery and a little chewy in some places which I was not overly keen on. I think this is because of what it is made of. Despite this however, I finished it and alongside the other food items on the plate, it went well as a combination.
The salad and the wedges were fab. The wedges were a mixture of soft and crunchy, which is what you want in a wedge. I did sprinkle a little of paprika over them to give them a little more zing. I also liked the salad, as I am a salad girl. There were almonds among the salad which I thought was a nice addition, adding some more crunchiness to the meal. Having all of the food together in one did made the texture of the 'chicken' more manageable, as the other textures and flavours combined together to make it taste better.
Overall, I came to the conclusion I would try it again, especially to see if the cooking time made a difference with the 'chicken'. It would help me made up my mind. I do think it could of been a lot nicer in a Vegan bun with some Vegan halloumi; kind of like a Nando's (I miss Nando's here in Ireland, sad times).
My final rating, combining all of the other factors, would be a 3.5. The 'chicken' just really disappointed me, therefore bringing the score down.
The peri peri chicken is from Lidl and both the salad and wedges are homemade.
Main Meal: meatball pasta with garlic bread
The Vegan meals kind of took a dip here as this meal was not my favourite. Certain aspects I loved but it was just the main part I disliked. It was way too rich and the garlicy flavour was so strong and overpowering. I ended up leaving a portion of my noodles because I could not stomach anymore. The noodles themselves were nice and buttery, but I just could not consume anymore. Apart from that, there is nothing else I would change. My sister said that is easily adjusted so next time she will remove some of the garlic that she places into the recipe.
Taste: 3.5 Texture: 4 Look: 5
The meal was very well presented and despite the flavour of the noodles, the texture of them and everything else combined was tasty. The meatballs were popped on top, so I feel they did not really mix in with everything. However, they had their own unique taste as they were Italian ones. The meatballs themselves were so good but in my opinion, they did not go entirely with the noodles. I would say they would go better with a more liquid sauce, so the meatballs soak up the flavour and some of the liquid. It would also probably stop them from being dry too. They were a nice change to beef ones however, as I can find they can taste a little plain sometimes.
The garlic bread was a win, it just tasted like the usual one you get from the shops. It was tasty and the main thing to point out was that it was not dry. I did have the assumption beforehand that this would be the case, but I was pleasantly surprised.
The mozzarella cheese was one of the best parts. It was so melty and soft, unlike usual mozzarella that I find rubbery, not very flavoursome, and sometimes gritty in a meal. The reason I liked it so much is because it is made from coconut oil, and I guess that is what makes it taste so good and gives it that glorious texture. I would actually opt for that now over the dairy version! Something the sister was happy to hear. I actually sprinkled a load on to takeaway from the garlic taste lol; it worked.
I am going to rate each aspect individually for this meal. Noodles: 3 Meatballs: 4 Garlic Bread: 4.5 Cheese: 4.5
Overall, I would rate it a 3.8. The noodles really just took over the whole meal for me and even though the rest was good, that was all I could taste. Next time, it for sure would be around a 4.5 if the noodles were less garlicky and the rest was the same. It was a good hearty meal, the cashew addition to the sauce was subtle, but a tasty touch as well.
The vemondo Italian style meatballs are from Lidl and the garlic bread and pizza style mozzarella are from Tesco. The noodle sauce is homemade by my sister, using this method: two garlic cloves (only if you like it strong lol), oat milk, cashews, pepper and some nutritional yeast. Then you just blend it all together. The amounts can be adjusted so add as much or as little as you want :)
Dessert: chocolate melt in the middle pudding
This was the b e s t pudding I have tried in so long. I was apprehensive because I am not fond of sponge in puddings at all because I find it dry. However, my usual disliking of sponge was not present in this dessert, not one bit. It was moist and so soft, a little rich on the first bite but the melty chocolate balanced it out so the rich taste disappeared. Something to point out would be that it is also made from coconut oil, an ingredient that must be substituted for something dairy. That would be the continuous theme here as the cheese was made from it too. I am not complaining, it made it scrumptious.
Taste: 5 Texture: 5 Look: 5
I have had it twice since, and will continue to have it regularly. For something I would have never opted for, I again was surprised. I usually go for mousses but I will test out more puddings like this as I am always up for having new desserts. If you like puddings similar to this, I would give it a whirl. I did not in fact taste the coconut one bit but mother tried it, and she said it the main flavour throughout hers. Strange how people have different taste buds? I had mine on for extra long in the microwave as I love it super melty. I am so glad I tried it and it showed me I should go out of my comfort zone more often!
With nothing else to say apart from how wonderful it was, and going from the three ratings above, I would obviously give it an overall rating of 5.
The plant menu chocolate melt in the middle puddings are from Aldi. They also do a caramel one if that is more your jam.
Dessert: cookies
These were more of a last minute dessert but I was more than happy to try these because they looked like good cookies. I thought I would try two to give more of a rounded review on more than one flavour. This way if you are a fan of one flavour more than the other, you can focus more on that one.
Hazelnut- Taste: 2.5 Texture: 2.5 Look: 4
This one I was excited for because I favour chocolate cookies more than any other sort. However, I was not a fan of it, it was quite soft and gritty and did not have that cookie crunch. I was informed after that they may of been stale which could of contributed to the texture. Despite this, I still was not a huge lover of the taste, the hazelnut came through a lot stronger than I initially thought it was going to. I would of thought it would of come across more chocolatey as I think that is where my issue lies; I prefer a much richer chocolatiness. I would maybe have it again but it would not be a choice I would make if there were others available.
Overall, I would give it a 3. Just a boring, average dessert.
Granola- Taste: 4 Texture: 4 Look: 4.5
This one was much more of a hit. It had unique flavours that I have never really had in a cookie. The nut variety was pleasant and it kind of tasted like cereal in a cookie lol. It was also a bigger cookie which does not really matter, but in terms of having more than one, this one was the perfect size so I would not have another. It had the crunch the other cookie lacked, and the texture was consistent throughout the cookie. Another aspect I liked was there was a certain sweetness that came through, which just gave another layer of scruminess to the cookie. I would definitely have it again and would probably have it over some of the usual dairy cookies I buy. I still think chocolate ones take the win so maybe a challenge is to find a decent Vegan version to top them? hehe.
Overall, I would rate this cookie a high 4.5. They delivered and I am happy they did because I was not overly sure they would take the win over the chocolate ones! You never know what is going to happen when testing new foods, you have your assumptions but most of the time you end up surprised on how much you like the food!
These cookies were from Lidl and they do a few different varieties like lemon and almond. You can also find them in Aldi.
Snack: mozzarella sticks and salsa dip
I do love a little snack in the afternoon, and these were the perfect choice. Cheese is one of my favourite foods and I thought they would be nice and light so I do not get too full before my tea. I have not got anything to compare them to, except MacDonald's ones... not really the best comparison.
Taste: 4.2 Texture: 4 Look: 4.5
I assumed before I tried them that they were going to be nice, as if you have a keen eye, you would see there is one featured on my meatball dish. Just having the one I did not really feel like I could form my opinion, this is why I had them again to finalise my thoughts. They were as I originally thought... lovely. The dip made them much better because without it I can see them tasting bland. The only minus would be that the cheese was not as gooey; this is be expected I would say because it is not real cheese. Another reason could be because I slightly overcooked them which might of made the cheese more firm? Sometimes when you have food like this, they can also feel quite greasy. These did not have that at all, they were more on the crumbly side.
I do prefer the middle of my dairy ones but the outside of these. The breadcrumbs are nice and crispy against the contrast of the cheese and the herbs within the breadcrumbs combine well to create a sharp and peppery flavour. Would go well alongside other dishes too, as long as you had something to remove the stand alone blandness.
The salsa had a minimal and subtle taste which I liked because I am not too keen on overpowering sauces. The subtle flavour may have been due to the fact I defrosted the sauce as a last minute addition... but nevertheless, perfect with the sticks!
Overall, a rating of 4.5. The only aspect I would change is that I had more than three because I actually shared with the mother! She thought they were good too.
The vemondo mozzarella sticks are from Lidl.
Snack: chocolate, peanut and chocolate orange bar
This was part of a snack box gift that the sis got for Christmas from father. She is not a fan of chocolate orange so she gave it to me as one of my snacks. The idea of it intrigued me and from the description it sounded like something I would like. However, I was wrong and I did not like it at all! You have to take into the account it is a protein bar so it is designed for those who are exercising and need a quick energising quick snack that will keep them going. That aside, it was very chewy and the flavours were not for me.
Taste: 2 Texture: 2 Look: 4
I could not taste the peanut, the orange flavour was overwhelming and it was also dark chocolate. All of that combined made it super rich and I could not eat more than a 1/4. I did like the flavour of the orange at the beginning but after a few bites, it was too sickly. One thing I did like was the crunch of the chocolate bits in the bar, they were tasty and did break up the chewiness. One other comment I would make is that it is definitely more of a dessert. I maybe could of finished it if I really fancied something rich, but not likely. It would for sure be a perfect snack for someone out there, in the end my dad finished it off.
Overall rating: 2.7. I am not really a fan of dark chocolate which was one the main reasons I also disliked it. Much more of a milk chocolate girl.
You can find these, and others, here: Vegan Snack Box.
Wow, what an adventurous month and something I am so glad I participated in. For those of you who gave it a go, I congratulate you as it can be difficult. If you did it for the whole month, well you are something else and I do not think I could do it everyday. However, I am going to start implementing - where I can - more Vegan food in my diet. Especially after finding the cheese and the chocolate dessert, they really took the win for me. They were so tasty that you would not even know the difference.
Most of the food excluding the orange bar and the cookies, are either from the brand Plant Menu or Vemendo. I would for sure recommended these brands and if you are on the look out for any Vegan food, definitely give these a go! They are quite easy to find too. I realise some of these food just came out of a box, but despite that, they are still good and healthy. It is all about balance and looking at all my meals I think I achieved that. The only comment I would say is next time I would like to try making some more homemade Vegan food, this would obviously be more difficult but I like a challenge! Plus I love cooking.
I thank my sister for cooking and sourcing these foods for me, and I hope she is happy with my choice of participating and finding a few new food alternatives:) It has been enjoyable and I do want to try more meals and foods, so maybe you may see another post in the future! It just will not be Veganuary, maybe some like ' Veganpril?'. We will see.
Final rating on the whole experience: 4.
Let me know if you had a go in the comments, or on my Instagram, linked on the top of my page. Stay safe and well, Lucy xoxoxo
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