Favorite Products

Below is a compilation of “Products of the Week” from Vegan Outreach’s enewsletter. Click here to submit your nominees!

Favorite Products of 2012

Go Max Go Bars (February 1, 2012)

Kenny: “Go Max Go bars – vegan versions of your favorite childhood candy bars – are my favorite. I’m partial to the Jokerz bar, the Mahalo bar, and Cleo’s peanut butter cups.”

Favorite Products of 2011

Tofurky (December 7, 2011)

Many, many years ago, we had two non-veg families over for Thanksgiving and made Tofurky and a homemade seitan. Everyone said the seitan was much better. But we recently heard from Bruce that Tofurky did great in this taste test, so we tried it again, and it was much improved: very good!! (And much less work than seitan.)

Seitan Mixes (October 26, 2011)

Lauren: “Want fresh seitan but intimidated by the recipe? You can buy mixes online, including Etsy!”

Bob’s Red Mill TVP (October 19, 2011)

Kate and Aaron: “We have been using Bob’s Red Mill TVP a whole lot. It is so easy to make, dirt cheap, and packed full of protein.”

Annie’s Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks (October 12, 2011)

Jennifer: “Annie’s Homegrown Organic Bunny Fruit Snacks say vegan right on the box, and 100% Vitamin C.”

Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage Sausages (October 5, 2011)

Caleb: “Field Roast smoked apple sage sausages. From Seattle, these delicious vegan sausages are great on the grill, in a pan, or straight out of the microwave (on a bun with some mustard, or other goodies).”

Vitashine Vitamin D3 Spray (September 28, 2011)

Vitashine, the vegan vitamin D3 spray, is in stock at Vegan Essentials. Enter coupon code “D3” (minus the quotation marks) for 10% discount.

Road’s End Organics Shells & Chreese (September 21, 2011)

Katie: “Road’s End Organics vegan Shells & Chreese. I was really hungry while studying one night this week and needed a good snack. I went to the local grocer and found this product. It was incredibly good and satisfying, especially when prepared with soymilk and Earth Balance vegan spread. It was a study-break lifesaver!”

Vega Antioxidant EFA Oil Blend (September 14, 2011)

Mikael: “I just started using and like the Vega antioxidant EFA oil. For people in Chicagoland, anything made by the Canary Confectionery is beyond awesome. Vegan treats galore!!”

Field Roast Smoked Apple Sage Sausages (September 7, 2011)

Paul: “Field Roast smoked apple sage sausages are currently my favorite veg meat.”

Melissa’s Soyrizo (August 24, 2011)

Kristi: “Melissa’s soyrizo rocks! Sauté it in a pan, add chili beans, and load it all onto a bed of rice…or in taco shells. Add a slice of avocado. Olé, baby, this is muy caliente!”

Trader Joe’s Bento Box and Hummus (August 17, 2011)

Natasha: “Trader Joe’s Bento Box is very tasty!”

And if you’re at TJ’s, try one of their dozens of different flavors of hummus (or their hummus quartet).

Nature de France and Herban Cowboy (August 10, 2011)

Brandon: “My wife loves Nature de France ‘Le Stick’ (Powder Fresh scent); I think it is cheapest here. She also loves Herban Cowboy ‘Organic Grooming’ (Dusk scent) for me; I get it here.”

Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Calamari (August 3, 2011)

Gerry and Sue: “Today, we tried Sophie’s Kitchen Vegan Calamari from Whole Foods. Delicious!”

Ethically Engineered Products (July 27, 2011)

Meagen: “Ethically Engineered offers many different kinds of vegan personal care products such as shaving cream, lip balm, muscle balm, and various soaps.”

Fruits, Veggies, and Your Local Farmers’ Market (July 20, 2011)

John’s only suggestion is fresh fruits and vegetables, so this week is a good time to go visit your local farmers’ market!

New Book: Vegan for Life (July 13, 2011)

Yes, the rumors are true – Jack Norris’ and Ginny Messina’s book, Vegan for Life, is now available! You can order from any bookstore, or the VO catalog, where it’s only $12!

You can read some of the early reviews; here’s an excerpt from Dustin Rhodes’s review:

Vegan for Life is an exceptional book. If it’s not the very first, it has to be among the very few that paints a reasonably complex picture of vegan eating that goes over every facet – the good, the bad, the ugly, and everything in between. I actually suspect that they will receive a fair amount of criticism for this book because of its refusal to oversimplify and paint with a broad brush; because they don’t promise miracles; because they admit that there’s much we simply don’t know about nutrition. But that’s precisely what I find refreshing about their work, and this book in particular. Their honesty is precisely why I trust them.

In my opinion, this book renders all other books on vegan nutrition written to date useless (not because other authors necessarily wrote bad books, but because this book incorporates the latest and greatest). And alas, Vegan for Life is written for both the long-time and brand-new vegan alike; all of us are wise to pay attention because – as the title suggests – animal advocates want people to become vegan for life. Ginny and Jack are just the people to show us all how.

Gardein’s Ultimate Beefless Burger (July 6, 2011)

VO HQ: “Gardein’s Ultimate Beefless Burger has replaced Boca’s burger as our favorite here (although we still eat plenty of the latter – the jumbo ones from Costco are very cheap!). Our local grocery store (Bashas) carries it, along with other Gardein. According to VegNews, the Ultimate Beefless Burger is even great grilled.”

Seitenbacher Vegetable Broth and Seasoning (June 22, 2011)

Team Vegan member Lana Smithson: “One product I use a lot is Seitenbacher vegetable broth and seasoning (which I get from Whole Foods or smaller natural food stores). I use the powder to season a variety of foods including vegetables, pasta, potatoes, legumes, and tofu.”

Scatter Vegan Sweets and David’s Pure Vegetarian Kitchen (June 15, 2011)

Yvonne: “Scatter Vegan Sweets by Wendy Gabbe Day is full of gluten-free, low-fat, low-sugar treats that are fantastic! You have to try the Raw Berry Buckwheat Smoothie – have this for breakfast and you’ll be able to leaflet all day! And David’s Pure Vegetarian Kitchen by David Gabbe (Wendy’s father) is my other favorite. This cookbook uses simple whole foods to create savory dinners, lunches, and snacks. I’ve served the tasty Lima Lasagna to many non-vegetarians and they’ve been unable to guess that the secret ingredient in the “cheese” is pureed lima beans. This family has amazing cooking skills!”

Trader Joe’s Meatless Meatballs and Nacheez (June 8, 2011)

Team Vegan member Vic Sjodin: “The vegan meatless meatballs at Trader Joe’s are a hidden gem. And Nacheez is delicious!”

Jewelry and More by Caroline Jones (June 1, 2011)

Returning Team Vegan member Caroline Jones: “From now until all my Etsy items are sold, I will be donating 100% of the profits of anything in my store to Team Vegan.”

Jewelry by Laura Hart (May 25, 2011)

On her Team Vegan page, returning member Laura Hart offers: “I am designing and making beaded and hammered wire jewelry to sell. If you would like a pair of earrings, bracelet, ankle bracelet, or zipper pull (VO themed or otherwise), please contact me and we can figure out something to suit your tastes. I am currently making a pair of earrings for Nikki (right); you can be next.”

Marguerite’s Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe (May 18, 2011)

Marguerite: “I’ve been making these chocolate chip cookies for five years now and they can convince even the most strident omnivore of veganism’s deliciousness!”

Upton’s Naturals Italian Sausage-Style Seitan (May 11, 2011)

Deborah: “Upton’s Naturals Italian sausage-style seitan is awesome! After browning it, I couldn’t resist eating it right out of the pan. The taste and texture blew me away. Faux meats can be so disappointing at times, but this one rocks! I added it to spaghetti sauce, and even my non-veg Italian husband had to agree that it was fantastic. They make other products which I will be trying soon!”

Love Street Living Foods (May 4, 2011)

Anna: “Love Street Living Foods’ chocolate bars and spreads are the most decadent and best-tasting chocolates I’ve had! Very sophisticated, with unique ingredients, and their chocolate spreads even turn into vegan ice cream in the freezer!”

Youth Empowered Action Camp (April 27, 2011)

Nora: “Youth Empowered Action Camp is expanding this year! Bonus: looks like Eileen Botti will be the cook! And of course all food is vegan.”

Vegan’s Daily Companion (April 13, 2011)

Amanda: “The Vegan’s Daily Companion by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau is a really helpful resource to me.”

“Great Tools for Creating Change” and Tofurky Kielbasa (April 6, 2011)

John: “Two books I’ve been reading (and rereading): The Animal Activist’s Handbook by Matt Ball and Bruce Friedrich and Change of Heart: What Psychology Can Teach Us about Spreading Social Change by Nick Cooney. Both excellent resources for activists everywhere and great tools for creating change.

“In terms of food: Tofurky kielbasa is something I’ve been eating all the time recently. Polish kielbasa is something I loved as a kid and it’s great to still be able to enjoy it while not contributing to such an exploitative system. Sauté some up and throw it on spaghetti and you’re golden.”

Tofutti Cuties (March 23, 2011)

Deanne: “Tofutti Cuties are so delicious!”
(Admission: 20+ years ago, many of the early gatherings of what would become VO ended in a sugar coma after boxes of Cuties were consumed.)

PlantPure and Moo Moo’s Entrées (March 16, 2011)

Gina: “PlantPure Tuscan pesto pasta, as well as Moo Moo’s chipotle black bean burritos (shown at left) and poblano chick(pea) patties.”

Silk Pure Almond Almondmilk (March 9, 2011)

Chief Joseph: “Silk’s dark chocolate almond milk was on sale at my local Jewel, and it changed my life for the better.”

Gnu Foods Flavor & Fiber Bars (March 2, 2011)

Molly: “Gnu Foods Flavor & Fiber bars. They are really good and really healthy!”

Yves Meatless Ground (February 23, 2011)

Jack: “I like Yves Meatless Ground burger crumbles a lot – put them in spaghetti sauce. And they are fairly cheap at Trader Joe’s.”

Lightlife Gimme Lean (February 16, 2011)

Office: “We can’t imagine how terrible it would be if Gimme Lean were discontinued! Our local grocery has the beef (in their ‘natural food’ section), and the nearby Trader Joe’s just started carrying the sausage. Whole Foods has both.”

Daiya and Vegan Sausage Recipe (February 9, 2011)

Eleni: “Daiya vegan cheese is amazing, and I love this vegan sausage recipe.”

Chocolate Inspirations (February 2, 2011)

Anne: “The best V-Day gift I ever got was the vegan sampler from Chocolate Inspirations! Keep your mitts off my coffee toffee!”

EatPastry Vegan Cookie Dough (January 26, 2011)

Linda: “I’ll nominate EatPastry vegan cookie dough for product of the week. I have no idea what it tastes like cooked, since I’ve never managed to get that far.”

Vegetarian Dog Food Products (January 19, 2011)

Twila: “Angus Young wants to recommend Nature’s Recipe Vegetarian Dog Food and Mr. Barky’s Vegetarian Dog Biscuits.”

Twin Oaks Products (January 12, 2011)

Anne Marie: “I recommend Twin Oaks products, especially the Extra-Chewy Chorizo Vegetarian Sausage. The sausage comes in an easy-to-slice tube, and is good sautéed with squash and onions, served over rice with generous amounts of sriracha hot sauce. I make this for non-vegans with rave reviews.” (At the VO office, we do the same thing with Tofurky’s Italian sausage or Gimme Lean sausage.)

Prepared Indian Meals (January 5, 2011)

Michelle: “I wanted to suggest buying already-prepared vegetarian meals at local Indian markets – they are much cheaper than in other stores. I recently bought about 20 of them and they were 3 for $5.00.”

Favorite Products of 2010

Quick Meals: PlantPure and Amy’s (December 8, 2010)

For quick meals, Gina recommends PlantPure Java BBQ Tempeh with Quinoa and Amy’s Mattar Tofu.

Dixie Tuna (Not!) Salad Mix and Go Max Go Jokerz Bar (November 24, 2010)

Dave of The Vegetarian Site suggests Tuna (Not!) as product of the week. Be sure to shop at TVS before the end of November!

Jack: “Go Max Go’s Jokerz bars are amazing. I’m trying to stop eating large amounts of sugar, but I make an exception for this bar. Even a small piece is amazing.”

TheVegetarianSite.com and Holiday Roasts (November 17, 2010)

November is a great month to shop at The Vegetarian Site!

Julia: “Match’s Holiday Roast. Just in time for the holidays. This roast is another alternative to Tofurky and Field Roast.”

Tofurky Pizza (October 27, 2010)

Erica: “What? You’ve never featured Tofurky’s frozen pizzas??”

Sunshine Falafel Patty (October 20, 2010)

Paul: “I’d never seen this flavor of Sunshine Burger until this past week and I’m already addicted.”

Trader Joe’s Soy Creamy Frozen Desserts (October 13, 2010)

Rick: “Trader Joe’s Soy Creamy cherry chocolate chip ice cream; their mango vanilla runs a close second.”

Field Roast Sausage (October 6, 2010)

Ellen: “All of Field Roast’s products are great, but the Smoked Apple Sage sausages are beyond amazing! We get them at Whole Foods.”

Nutrisoya Natur-a Glacé (September 29, 2010)

John: “Last week I purchased this vanilla ice cream and found it to be heavenly!”

Rescue Chocolate (September 22, 2010)

Lauren: “Rescue Chocolate – ‘the sweetest way to save a life.’”

Malcolm’s Miracle (September 8, 2010)

Anne: “Malcolm’s Miracle skin care products (by Lynn, one of VO’s first members) are amazing – make great gifts, too!”

Chocolate Inspirations (September 1, 2010)

Marcy: “Chocolate Inspirations’ Peanut Butter Pillows are a must-try!”

Alternative Baking Co. Cookies and Ann’s Cupcake Recipe (August 25, 2010)

Kaitlyn: “Alternative Baking Company cookies are, by far, the best cookies I’ve ever had that are 100% vegan and cruelty free!”

Want to make your own goodies? Amazing activist Ann has a cupcake recipe, with video to guide you!

Coconut Bliss (August 18, 2010)

Nikita: “Coconut Bliss is an organic ice cream, soy free, comes in bars as well, and is sweetened with agave nectar.”

Bonnifide Designs and Ethiopian Cuisine (August 11, 2010)

Anne: “Check out this jewelry handmade by Bonnie Goodman, who spreads the message of compassion in Montana!”

Darina (who also recommends Bonnie’s jewelry) writes: “Try Ethiopian cuisine at your next opportunity. The unique, family-style, silverware-free dining provides a rich and bond-building experience in addition to the blissful taste.”

Bora Bora Bars (August 4, 2010)

Jack: “If you are looking for an alternative to the almost candy-like taste of many energy bars, try the Bora Bora bars.”

Soyatoo! Rice Whip and Now Coconut Oil (July 21, 2010)

Leah: “Soyatoo! Rice Whip topping is delicious and fun! And Now’s coconut oil skin & hair revitalizer works great.”

WayFare and Sweet Debbie’s Organic Cupcakes (July 7, 2010)

As they’ve become more widely available, more and more people have recommended WayFare’s various nondairy products (which can also be ordered online).

Judy: “Sweet Debbie’s Organic Cupcakes has delicious cupcakes, cookies, brownies, muffins, granola, and custom order cakes for special occasions – all vegan!”

Life’s Basics Plant Protein (June 30, 2010)

Jon: “For you physically active vegans, I’ve never found a better protein powder than Life’s Basics, especially the unsweetened vanilla flavor (which is still sweet enough). Each serving contains 22 grams of protein (pea, rice, and hemp) and actually adds to the flavor of your drink. Mix a scoop into your early morning or post-workout smoothie and you will be good to go! Various deals for this can be found online.”

Farmers’ Markets (June 23, 2010)

Fred: “Now that the weather is warm, visit your local farmers’ market!”

Pistachios (June 9, 2010)

Red meat may not impact your heart, but pistachios could destroy cholesterol!

Chocolove and Dagoba Xocolatl Bars (May 26, 2010)

Lauren recommends the following sources of iron: “Chocolove has lots of varieties and is very good; Dagoba’s Xocolatl bar with chilies is pretty rockin’.”

Trader Joe’s Vegetable Panang Curry (May 19, 2010)

Erik: “Trader Joe’s Vegetable Panang Curry is one of the most impressive frozen foods I’ve ever tasted.”

Amy’s Kitchen (May 12, 2010)

Office: “Some folks have noted how many pictures VO uses from Amy’s. That’s in part because they’ve been very generous in providing high-quality pictures. But also, they make such good, quick, and widely available vegan grub! For example: the Black Bean Enchilada Whole Meal. Yum!”

Van’s Organic Waffles (May 5, 2010)

Nina: “Van’s Organic Waffles taste great and keep me full for the morning.”

Humane Choice Dog Food (April 28, 2010)

Denise: “Humane Choice dog food is organic and cruelty-free.”

SoyRizo (April 21, 2010)

Rene: “SoyRizo is a great meat substitute for chili, burritos, scrambles.”

Vegan Outreach Stickers (April 14, 2010)

VO has newly designed bumper stickers, which you can order via our catalog.

Gardein, Amy’s Mac with Daiya Cheese, and Field Roast (April 7, 2010)

Jon: “I’m seeing Gardein in more and more mainstream grocery stores. And there has been some other good new pre-packaged food of late. Also, Darina and I had Amy’s mac and cheese with Daiya cheese. It is the closest to mac and cheese that has ever come out. And I’m starting to see a lot more Field Roast options in stores.”

Tasty Bite Indian Entrées (March 31, 2010)

Leila: “I highly recommend the vegan Tasty Bite Indian entrées. My favorites are the Bengal Lentils and Channa Masala – both high in fiber and other nutrients. The meals are heat-and-serve and come in microwaveable pouches (can also be boiled). I’m addicted!” Also available at Amazon.

Hormel Vegetarian Chili (March 24, 2010)

Phil: “Hormel Vegetarian Chili is fast and good. I eat it all the time.”

Glenny’s Marshmallow Treats (March 17, 2010)

Jessica: “I just purchased a Marshmallow Treat from Whole Foods that is organic, vegan, gluten free and delicious! It’s so yummy and a quick bite to eat while you’re in the office or heading off somewhere.”

We Can’t Say It’s Cheese (March 10, 2010)

Natalie: “We Can’t Say It’s Cheese is by far the best non-dairy cheese ever made. Look if it is in your area or order online!”

Tofutti Chocolate Fudge Treats (March 3, 2010)

Kristen: “Tofutti Chocolate Fudge Treats – they remind me so much of the fudge bars I ate when I was a child, but they are vegan and sugar- and fat-free.”

Loma Linda Big Franks and VO Bumper Sticker (February 24, 2010)

Nikki: “Loma Linda Big Franks – we cut in thirds, wrap them in Pillsbury croissants and call them Frankies in a Blankie!”

Also: A new “Choose Compassion” bumper sticker is available from the VO catalog.

Chia Seed (February 10, 2010)

Julie: “Chia is the new flax but supposedly even better. See this article for more; you can order here.”

Spicy Italian Vegetarian Sausages Recipe (February 3, 2010)

Eleni: “Spicy Italian Vegetarian Sausages – this recipe will change your life! I’ve had about five different meat-eatin’ people ask me for it…and have taken them to several events etc. where they were eaten up quickly and folks asked, ‘That’s VEGAN?’ I add sage and reduce the water to a little less than 2 cups.”

The Animal Activist’s Handbook for Kindle (January 20, 2010)

The Animal Activist's Handbook: Maximizing Our Positive Impact in Today’s World, coauthored by Matt Ball, VO’s Executive Director, is now available for the Kindle! (You can still order the print version from Vegan Outreach for 1/3 off the cover price.)

TOMS Vegan Wrap Boot (January 13, 2010)

Brianne: “The vegan Wrap Boot from TOMS Shoes. For every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair to a child in need. One for One. Comfortable, saucy shoes and fashion philanthropy at its finest – not too shabby!”

Sheese and Tofurky Italian Sausage (January 6, 2010)

Brad: “Sheese. Absolutely the taste, texture and aroma of dairy cheese, with none of the cruelty. Whole Foods stocks it in some stores, and will stock it in others if shoppers ask for it.”

Terrie: “For a hearty vegan treat, I have been sautéing Tofurky Italian sausage, and then adding them to spaghetti sauce and serving over pasta. Delicious. I have been serving it to non-vegan friends and they like it too.”

More favorite products available here.

Meat, Egg, and Dairy Substitutes | Starter Guide Contents | Cooking