A Few Favorites

Before I venture into full-on blog mode, detailed descriptions of individual products, I thought I'd offer a list of my go-to favorites.  Some of these got me through my first few grueling months of veganism, satiating my gnawing temptations for all things animal.  Others are neo-classics, making vegan life a little more pleasant by adding the occasional indulgence.  I will go ahead and say that these products are only occasional treats for me, as the majority of the time I make my own food from fresh, whole ingredients.  But, they are great for those times I need something quick and delicious, or when I'm making a dish for a special occasion or party.  Here we go...

**Please note that you should ALWAYS read product labels, as ingredients change from time to time.  Also, some flavors made by these companies contain non-vegan ingredients, such as whey or honey.  I only choose those varieties and flavors that I have found to be vegan-friendly.

Snack/Energy Bars:

Lärabar - A few of my fave flavors include:  Cherry Pie, Lemon Bar, Banana Bread, and Peanut Butter & Jelly.  I'm dying to try some of the newer and chocolatey flavors.

Clif Bar - Great for a chewy, on-the-go or pre/post workout snack, especially when I have a chocolate/brownie craving attack.  I love to throw a Clif Bar into my bike basket when I'm riding around town running errands or going to the park with Reggie.  Plus, they make a mini bar, which I think is fabulous!  Favorite varieties:  Chocolate Brownie, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Chip Peanut Crunch, Crunchy Peanut Butter.  Wish list flavors:  Banana Nut Bread, Black Cherry Almond, Blueberry Crisp, Oatmeal Raisin Walnut.
 Note:   Clif Kids Z Bars are also a great choice; smaller, fewer calories, but excellent taste!

Luna Bar - These great snack bars, also made by the Clif company, are great for satisfying candy bar cravings, with their smooth, sugary bottom coatings.  Excellent choices:  Nutz Over Chocolate, Caramel Nut Brownie, Chocolate Peppermint Stick, Chocolate Raspberry, Toasted Nuts and Cranberry.  My mom's suggestion:  Iced Oatmeal Raisin.  **Luna Bar also makes minis!
 **ALERT!  Vegans should stay away from Luna Protein, as they contain whey protein.  Remember:  always read labels!

Chips and Salty Snacks:

Garden of Eatin' Tortilla Chips - These crunchy and flavorful tortilla chips are a wonderful, organic alternative to your average tortilla chips.  Great for dipping in some fresh, homemade salsa, guacamole, or for making excellent vegan nachos.  My go-to-flavor...Red Hot Blues!

Terra Vegetable Chips - Refreshing and delicious...way better than any greasy potato chip.  Terra has a variety of exotic veggie chips, sliced thin to create a crispy crunch.  

Cheese:

Daiya - Hands-down, the best vegan cheese option I've tried.  I have used Daiya to make a variety of my most beloved and missed non-vegan dishes, including quesadillas, nachos, grilled cheese, and mac'n'cheese.  It melts, it's creamy, it's stringy, and it tastes amazing.

Bread and Bread Products:

Rudi's Organic - When I'm not worried about being high raw and I want a good, soft, and hearty bread, I usually go to Rudi's Organic.  They have great whole-grain and vegan products - including bagels!

Food for Life - Most of the time, I eat a moderate to high raw diet, and that does not include cooked breads.  Food for life makes many sprouted grain products that I love (not completely raw, but my bread treat when I'm on a raw kick).  I love the Ezekiel 4:9 line of products, including the flourless bread, burger buns, and tortillas.  Food for Life's cereals are also excellent!

Burger:


Five Star Foodies Artichoke Burger - While these are not at all like traditional burgers, and don't resemble meat in any way, they are my favorite "burger" or veggie patty to date.  Excellent flavor and texture, and taste great without a bun (so they're great for getting in lots of veggies).  See my full review here.


Sunshine Burger - Also gluten- and soy-free, these burgers have a bit more of a meaty texture than the artichoke burger.  While they don't exactly resemble beef burgers in taste, they are delicious and my choice for a grill-and-bun burger.

Sweet Treats:

Country Life Sandwich Cremes - These are my favorite Oreo-alikes.  Country Life products are made with 95%+ organic ingredients, and they are the best flavored sandwich cookies around.

Barbara's Bakery Raspberry Fig Bars - I love these delicious, cakey, gooey fig bars.  YUM!  Barbara's also makes many other organic and vegan products.

Turtle Mountain's Purely Decadent Frozen Desserts - Turtle Mountain makes the tastiest and creamiest dairy-free "ice creams" I have tried.  Their frozen coconut varieties are incredible and soy-free.  My favorite coconut flavor is the chocolate, but I'm dying to try the Chocolate Peanut Butter Swirl.  Their soy milk frozen desserts are also delicious, and I couldn't stop myself from eating nearly the entire carton of Peanut Butter Zig Zag.  There are so many flavors, I can't wait to do more research on these!

What do you want to see?
Need a suggestion?  Leave a comment and let me know what you'd like to see and I'll let you know what I've tried!