I recall getting excited 20 years ago when Burger King introduced a veggie burger on their menu. I ordered it to discover their idea of a veggie burger was a bun with lettuce, tomato and pickle. No patty. The cashier looked at me like I was an alien when I tried to explain that being vegetarian doesn’t mean you don’t like taste. Things have changed and I’d like to share my list of best products today.
Best veggie bacon -> Smartlife Smart Bacon [https://lightlife.com/en-ca/product/smart-bacon/](https://lightlife.com/en-ca/product/smart-bacon/)
* This bacon sizzles in the pan like real bacon. Cook it a little to make it chewy or a lot if you want it crisp and crunchy. By far the best bacon on the market. Say hello to BLT’s.
Best sandwich meat -> Tofurkey Hickory Smoked [https://tofurky.com/what-we-make/deli-slices/hickory-smoked/#flavormenu](https://tofurky.com/what-we-make/deli-slices/hickory-smoked/#flavormenu)
* My favorite sandwich when I was a kid was shaved roast beef on bread. I missed this, but no longer. Tofurkey is the best. Lightly fry it in a pan with olive oil, add fried onions and mushrooms. Mix it with vegan mayonaise, spicey french mustard and kumato tomatoes on good bread and you’ll stare into the sky and bark with joy.
Runner up sandwich meat – Ives Boloney [http://yvesveggie.com/en/products/deli-slices/bologna/](http://yvesveggie.com/en/products/deli-slices/bologna/)
* Next to PB&J, a boloney sandwich on white bread is your classic kid lunch. Ives have it nailed with their boloney. It’s just processed simple goodness. If you want to get fancy, get their salami and turkey and make yourself an assorted sub.
Best Meatball – Ives Meatballs [http://yvesveggie.ca/en/products/quick-meals/veggie-meatballs/](http://yvesveggie.ca/en/products/quick-meals/veggie-meatballs/)
* Two years ago, out of the blue, I had a craving for spaghetti and meatballs. Weird since this wasn’t a goto when I was into flesh. I found Ives meatballs to be the best with Gardena not to far behind. Ives are smaller and tastier. Add pasta, Victoria Marinara Sauce (the best) and lots of parmesan (I’m vegan now so switched to vegan parmo) and you’ve got yourself a meal you will absolutely love.
Best Battered Chicken Patty – Ives Breaded Chicken Burgers [http://yvesveggie.ca/en/products/burgers/veggie-breaded-chichn-burgers/](http://yvesveggie.ca/en/products/burgers/veggie-breaded-chichn-burgers/)
* Schneiders used to own this category with their ‘Oh Naturel Meatless Chicken Burger’, which they then discontinued. This happens a lot in veggie good – the best get discontinued to be replaced with crap. In this case, Ives is pretty good. I had written them off until one day my mother fried one (in butter at the time, pre-vegan) and it was damn good.
Best Chicken Nugget – Ives Veggie Chicken Nuggets [http://yvesveggie.ca/en/products/quick-meals/veggie-chickn-nuggets/](http://yvesveggie.ca/en/products/quick-meals/veggie-chickn-nuggets/)
* Guess I’m an Ives fan. What can I say, they’ve been doing this for a long time and they know what they are doing. Bake these. Add plum sauce, or throw them into a wrap with (vegan) mayo, tomato, and lettuce and you’ve got a meal.
Best Grilled Chicken – None.
* They are all gross.
Best vegan cheese – None.
* I keep re-trying Daiya, thinking it must have been me last time. On pizza it has the texture of warm mucus with almost no taste. It’s really gross. I’m new to cheese alternatives and a huge lover of real cheese (it’s my kryptonite) so looking for any tips.
Best vegan cream cheese – Vivolife [https://violifefoods.com/en_ca/product/original-creamy/](https://violifefoods.com/en_ca/product/original-creamy/)
* I’m new to vegan cheese alternative but I found this brand to be okay. A little bland, but passable in a pinch. Looking for tips.
Best Fish Fillet – Gardina Fish Fillets [https://www.gardein.com/fishless/fsh-filets](https://www.gardein.com/fishless/fsh-filets)
* My wife started by fish taco’s and didn’t want me, the vegetarian, to be left out. These Gardina fish substitutes fit the bill
Best Hotdogs – Ives Tofu dogs [http://yvesveggie.ca/en/products/dogs-and-sausages/tofu-dogs/](http://yvesveggie.ca/en/products/dogs-and-sausages/tofu-dogs/)
* Ives Tofu dogs taste pretty good. Even my meat eating friends agree. BBQ, pan-fry or boil – they get the job done. Their family pack of regular hot dogs are not too shabby either.
Best Pepperoni – Ives Veggie Pepperoni [http://yvesveggie.ca/en/products/deli-slices/veggie-pepperoni/](http://yvesveggie.ca/en/products/deli-slices/veggie-pepperoni/)
* Add this to a veggie cheese pizza and you’ve got yourself a pepperoni pizza. It’s good and even a little greasy.
Best Sausages – Beyond Sausage [https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-CA/products/beyond-sausage](https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-CA/products/beyond-sausage)
* I was left with a hole in my heart, having no veggie options after a childhood with downtown vender sausages and Farmers Market Octoberfest sausages. Then Tofurkey introduced a line of sausages that BBQ’d well and were quite good. I also liked to dime-cut them, fry them in a pan. and serve them in a bowl with ketchup They were king until the new kid on the block, Beyond Sausage, kicked them from the throne. A 12 pack of these sausages are about 20 bucks in Costco and taste amazing with sauerkraut at lunch or dinner.
Best Veggie Burger – Beyond Burger [https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-CA/products/the-beyond-burger#:~:text=The%20Beyond%20Burger%20is%20a,Available%20Quantities](https://www.beyondmeat.com/en-CA/products/the-beyond-burger#:~:text=The%20Beyond%20Burger%20is%20a,Available%20Quantities)
* I have a long and sorted past with veggie burgers. They used to be god awful everywhere. Then, I discovered you could go into a Casey’s restaurant and if you asked nicely, they’d sell you a bag of their powered veggie burger mix. It was really good. Then Casey’s went under, and the supply chain was cut. Then there was a skinny cut burger that was a house brand (Irresistible maybe?) that was good, and they discontinued those. Then I wandered from burger to burger, finding light comfort from time to time. It seemed every time I found a brand that was okay, they stopped selling them. Finally I hunted down the brand that Southworks Burger restaurant used (which is “Cardinal Meats Veggie Burgers”), called them to figure out where they are sold, and I was covered. Good on the BBQ and good in the pan. Then, I heard about a new west coast start up that was revolutionizing veggie foods – Beyond Burgers. When I finally got around to trying them, I was sold. They are the clear winner. They key is not letting them sit around too long, then they smell pretty bad. I keep them frozen until I’m ready to use them and do a good one-flip cook.
I could go on. Ives make a good turkey cutlet with gravy ([https://www.gardein.com/chickn-and-turky/classics/lightly-breaded-turky-cutlets](https://www.gardein.com/chickn-and-turky/classics/lightly-breaded-turky-cutlets)) that is an easy oven main entree. Gardein make a good stuffed turkey thingy ([https://www.gardein.com/chickn-and-turky/classics/savory-stuffed-turky](https://www.gardein.com/chickn-and-turky/classics/savory-stuffed-turky)) that is great for a big festive dinner. It goes well with mashed potatoes, carrots, cranberry sauce and all the fixings. I haven’t found any beef tips or steak alternatives that I can keep down.
Restaurants are a whole different topic for another day.
Dining and Cooking