Vegetarian Times 2012 Foodie Awards: Vote!

Help Vegetarian Times choose what vegetarian products are on top for their 2012 foodie awards.  Go to the VT site and fills out a short form.  After voting you will be entered to win a $250.00 Whole Foods gift card.
The survey took me less than five minutes to complete.

Glaser Organic Farms: Raw Vegan Mango Salsa

Of all the mango salsas out there, this one by Glaser Organic Farms is by far my favorite.  Glaser Organic Farms is a certified organic grower based in Miami, Florida.  Glaser has a line of organic raw vegan foods.  I purchase their salsas at my local South Florida Whole Foods.

Photo by: Thatsillygirl

Glaser's mango salsa is a little spicy and I could taste the jalapenos from the first bite.  I am not one for spicy foods, but the salsa was not too spicy.  After a few more bites I could taste the layers of flavors.  Glaser uses organic ingredients which include red onion, cilantro, sea salt, pepper, lemon juice, jalapenos and of course mangoes to make this salsa.  The mango salsa is fresh and incredibly good.

Photo by: Thatsillygirl

Naked 100% Juice Smoothie: Blue Machine

I have seen Naked brand juice smoothies at Whole Foods and at my local Starbucks.  I decided to try the Blue Machine smoothie. Naked Boosted 100% Juice Smoothies are natural with no added sugars.  If you are trying to get more fiber into your diet the Blue Machine has 13 grams.  High fiber foods keep you feeling full longer.  This smoothie has 170 calories per serving and the bottle holds 2 servings so that is 340 calories total. Blue Machine is packed with vitamins. Naked has reduced calories smoothies as well.  

Photo by: ThatSillyGirl

The taste test...I was concerned that the smoothie would taste chalky. This was not the case at all. The Blue Machine juice smoothie was not too thick and perfectly sweet. Upon my first sip I tasted the blueberries and bananas. I enjoyed the smoothie for breakfast and it kept me feeling full until lunch time. This was a nice change from my usual breakfast of Greek yogurt or oatmeal.  I have since then tried the Green Machine which is very tasty and I am excited to try the other flavors.

Photo by: ThatSillyGirl

Veggie Xpress: Local Food Truck

I decided to check out a local food truck called Veggie Xpress.  Out of the many options on their menu I ordered the Veggie-Saurus burger, a vegan friendly burger, with a side of yuca fries.  The burger came with greens, tomato and a pickle on the side.  A nice portion of a vegan spread was served on the side as well.  The wheat bun held up nicely considering this was a hefty veggie burger and more importantly the burger did not fall apart as some do.

Next the yuca...yuca is a root vegetable that when fried is similar to a french fry.  I have found that many places overcook yuca.  Veggie Xpress prepared the yuca nicely and served it with a side of garlic oil/sauce.  It was crispy, but needed a little salt.

Overall, the food was good and the service was fast.  I will visit the Veggie Xpress food truck again. 

Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer

I had been looking for a primer type product and was excited to try Revlon Photoready Perfecting Primer.  The Photoready Perfecting Primer smooths pores and fills in lines and wrinkles.  The bottle explains that you can use it alone or under foundation.  This primer is an odorless, slightly pink cream and goes on almost invisible, but giving a matte look. 

I start with a clean face and apply a moisturizer first.  If you have dry skin like me a moisturizer is important or this product will highlight any dry patches  Next, I apply the primer all over as I would foundation.  Be sure to spread it on fast because it dries quickly.  It is light and I cannot even tell I am wearing it once its applied.  I then apply concealer under my eyes and powder.  That is it - no foundation needed for me since the primer smooths and covers.  Also, my concealer does not end up highlighting under eye wrinkles because the primer fills these in. 

Overall, this primer does what it claims to do and works on my dry, fair skin.  If you have underlying redness to your skin you may want to try the Photoready Color Correcting Primer instead.

www.revlon.com     

Tofurky Chorizo Style Meatless Crumbles

Tofurky is such a wonderful meatless, vegan and kosher product.  I could not resist trying the chorizo style meatless crumbles.  I grabbed a pack and went home to make tacos.  I emptied the contents of the pack into a pan and browned the crumbles.  The soy crumbles were heavily coated in a red sauce and I recognized the smell of "taco flavored" seasoning.  I prepared the tacos and took a bite...the crumbles had a good chorizo taste and texture.  This product is not overly spicy, so I recommend it for kids as well.  What you see in my pan below is one pack which makes a lot. There is no need to add salt or any other seasoning as the soy is thoroughly seasoned.  The soy tacos were tasty, easy to prepare and budget friendly as well. 

Photos by ThatSillyGirl