Author: Ginaxy

I had noo idea that a vegan cheese wedge already existed in stores so I was so pleasantly surprised coming across this in Sprouts today. I knew that companies like Babybel have been testing this product, but I didn’t know Good Planet just up and came out with this. I actually had never tried any Good Planet products before so I was super intrigued to see what’s up. It is such a good option so let me share my Good Planet Smoked Gouda Wedges Review.

Good Planet Gouda Wedges Review

Overall this was awesome! I’m so excited about this it’s so yummy I’m already craving another. But let me narrow in on a few finer details.

Consistency

The consistency of the Good Planet Vegan Cheese Wedges is on point. It is so perfectly soft with just the right amount of give as you bite into it. The cheese also has a creamy mouthfeel and goes down the throat smooth. It is 100% exactly as I remember the consistency of snacking cheeses being and is sure to be beyond satisfying for any cheese lover. A+

Flavor

The scent is very cheesy and the flavor of the Good Planet Smoked Gouda wedges was really prominent and robust in both a yummy cheesy way as well as a slightly off-putting way. I’m not sure if it was the smokey flavor that was slightly overpowering the experience for me, or if it’s something in the formulation of the cheese that is perhaps slightly artificial that was standing out. I’m not a big fan of “smoked” in general (though I love Gouda), so it is very possible that that was the issue for me. It wasn’t off-putting enough to dissuade me from wanting to eat it, but enough to make me want to opt for different flavors like Original or Pepper Jack in the future. People who love smokey flavors will really really like it though.

Good Planet Smoked Gouda Wedges Ingredients

Not crazy about these ingredients, especially the Palm Oil and there was no mention on the package that it is sustainably sourced. Definitely a “once-in-a-while” type of snack in my book because it’s pretty processed and not too ethically-sourced (despite the brand being called “Good Planet”).

Ingredients: Filtered Water, Coconut Oil, Palm Oil, Modified Food Starch, Chickpea Protein, Sodium Citrate, Salt, Cane Sugar, Inactive Yeast, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Guar Gum, Yeast Extract, Smoke Flavor, Nisin (Natural Preservative), Color Added

Price Point

I found my Good Planet Vegan Cheese Wedges at Sprouts for $5.99, so it comes out to roughly $1 per wedge. I’d say it’s pretty worth it occasionally because it’s a really satisfying experience.

Love cheesy things? Check out this Upton’s Mac and Cheese review while you’re here.

Share your Good Planet Gouda Wedges Review in the comments! Much love 🙂

Excited to see a new dairy-free holiday drink on the menu, I went to Starbucks to try the Iced Sugar Cookie Almondmilk Latte. However, I got mine hot and used oat milk instead of almond milk because I don’t really like iced coffee beverages, and also I prefer the creaminess of oat milk. My usual go-to holiday drinks at Starbucks are Chestnut Praline and Gingerbread since they both can be veganized, but Gingerbread seems to be off the menu this year 🙁 Here’s my full Starbucks Sugar Cookie Latte review.

Starbucks Sugar Cookie Latte Review

Let me come right out and say that I did not like the Starbucks sugar cookie latte. It has absolutely no central, discernible flavor (in my opinion) that would pop out and make it memorable. I get a very subtle “baked” sense, nodding to the fact it’s a baked sugar cookie. I also get a bit of a layered sweetness, rather than and in your face sugar taste, which kind of (big emphasis on “kind of”) reminds me of a rainbow cookie. It has little red and green sprinkles on top that give you a couple crunches of extra sugar but it didn’t really add much besides a nice visual touch. Overall it’s just blah and not very enjoyable unless you like drinking sugar for the sake of drinking sugar.

That being said, I have heard that some people like it so don’t take my word for it. Feel free to give it a try if still compelled to do so!

Conclusion

I would not get the sugar cookie latte again. I appreciate the attempt by Starbucks, and especially love that it’s vegan by default, but it’s just not good or memorable. Not only would I not get it again, I couldn’t even finish the one I got. It was just too “blah” and felt like a waste of calories, since I wasn’t getting any enjoyment from it. No idea why there would switch gingerbread latte for this, as gingerbread has such a distinct special holiday flavor. I used to even just get gingerbread syrup in steamed soy milk (before oat milk) and it was SO. GOOD. Like a teddy-bear-hugging-your-heart-good.

Really, best course of action for me (and most likely for others as well) is to stick to a local coffee shop that stocks Fairtrade coffee and espresso (shout out to MOE Coffee in San Diego), and get one of their inventive dairy free holiday drinks. There are some really good ones!!

While you’re here, check out my Starbucks Chickpea Bites review.

I tried the NotCo NotMilk today for the first time! It is pretty rare these days that a new vegan item really catches my attention but this just seemed so different from other vegan milks on the shelves so I was very curious to try it. Vegan whole milk sounds so appetizing for some reason, doesn’t it? I haven’t had milk since I was maybe 11 so of course I can’t clearly remember what it tastes like, but I’ll give you a full scope of my experience with this innovative NotCo Not Milk product via my not milk review.

“Whole” Not Milk Review

I got the “Whole” NotCo NotMilk from Whole Foods, which is currently priced at $4.99. They also have 2% Not Milk. On opening it I was intrigued by its milk-like slightly off-white color and lightly milky sweet scent. The first sip was surprising because it doesn’t taste like other non-dairy milks at all — it is totally unique. It really fills the mouth with exactly what I remember milk tasting like, but with a sweet undertone and after taste rather than a sour one.

It’s also surprisingly refreshing. I don’t really think to down oat or almond milk when I’m thirsty, but this has that super satisfying milk drink finish going on. I don’t know if you remember that feeling of drinking milk when you’re thirsty and the satisfaction that brings, but this brought that same satisfaction that I didn’t even remember until I sipped this. It really fills the mouth and quenches thirst.

Not Milk Review from a Milk Drinker

Quote from my hubby who DOES drink real milk. “Milk is my favorite drink and this is delicious. Really good. It feels like milk so if you like that milk taste and drinking milk, you will definitely like this.” So there. You heard it from the horse’s mouth that NotMilk is indeed reminiscent of real milk. (I’m not sure what that horse expression even means really, but I think I used it correctly).

NotMilk Whole Milk Ingredients

Kind of more ingredients than I like to see in my milk, personally. But you be the judge for yourself.

Water, Sunflower Oil, Pea Protein, Contains less than 2% of: Sugar, Pineapple Juice Concentrate, Dipotassium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Gellan Gum, Acacia Gum, Salt, Monocalcium Phosphate, Natural Flavor, Cabbage Juice Concentrate, Vitamin D2, Vitamin B12.

NotMilk Nutrition

Per 1 Cup Serving:

Calories 100

Total Fat 8g

Cholesterol 0g

Sodium 180mg

Total Carb 4g

Fiber 0g

Total Sugars 3g

Added Sugars 2g

Protein 4g

—————————-

Vitamin D 4.6mcg

Calcium 320mcg

Iron .9mg

Potassium 570mg

Vitamin B12 .8mcg

Not Milk Price

At Whole Foods, NotCo NotMilk is priced at $4.99.

NotMilk Review Conclusion

The taste of Not Milk is delicious and even a milk-lover in my home tried and loved it as well, saying it tastes a lot like real milk. Though I really enjoyed it, I am not sure how I feel about all the ingredients. I prefer my milks to be just a few whole ingredients. However, if I’m ever really in the mood for a milky drink, or if I’m having non-vegans staying over my house, I would definitely get this again. Probably a three times a year kind of purchase for me, with oat and almond remaining as my main staples. For hardcore milk lovers though, this is a must-try.

While you’re here, check out my Silk vs. Ripple Half and Half review.

I have been hearing about Atlas Monroe vegan fried chicken for months now. When I was a kid I seriously loved all kinds of chicken, especially fried chicken — so I was super excited when I learned about Atlas Monroe taking the vegan fried chicken game to the next level. In the 17 years I’ve been vegan, companies constantly develop the mock “beef” products but they never seem to develop the “chicken” products, which have remained virtually the same breaded soy protein all this time. Hopefully those days are behind us now thanks to Atlas Monroe!

Finally, this past Memorial Day Weekend they had a popup shop in San Diego so I was able to take the 20 minute drive from where I live to their little shop in a nondescript area of Chula Vista neighborhood where a few people were gathered. Me and my fiance got our food and drove to the oceanfront to have a nice view while we ate it in the car. Here’s our review.

Atlas Monroe Vegan Fried Chicken Review

Okay overall this chicken is sooo tasty and way more substantial and satiating than any other vegan fried chicken I’ve had. There are a few things to note, though, so let me break it down into specifics:

Breading

I missed that crispy breading on fried chicken so much and the outside of this vegan chicken was incredibly crispy and flavorful. The breading was every bit as indulgent (and more!) as fried chicken I remember from my childhood. Irresistibly yummy. It also adhered perfectly to the chicken part, no idea how they pulled that off since vegan breading is hard to do. It was great.

Chick’n

When you get past the breading to the “chicken” part again it’s a really nice consistency and flavor. There are a lot of yummy spices in it that give it a burst of flavor that other vegan chickens simply don’t have (I think there was even possibly a tiny touch of curry powder?). The texture is more juicy and dynamic than other vegan meats. When you pull it apart it looks and behaves more like a piece of chicken. Definitely spongier than meat, but it is a nice departure from the generic texturized soy chicken that is literally always the same — wayy more substantial and satisfying.

Preparation

The one issue is that because the vegan “meat” is kind of spongy, it sopped up a lot more oil than other products would in the deep frying process at the pop-up shop. The oil saturates not only to the breading on the outside, but the meat on the inside too. I maximally enjoyed while eating, but for hours afterward me and my fiance couldn’t move. This may be a normal feeling in general with fried chicken that maybe I don’t remember, but my body was crying for water and handfuls fresh spinach after. For this reason, I would definitely prefer baking or air frying when I purchase the chicken from their website. If it was baked or air fried it literally would have been perfect.

Fixin’s

At the pop-up shop I really liked the toasted bun and the fresh lettuce and tomato. The sauces were also good, tho I couldn’t quite distinguish what they were. I think there was a garlic sauce on it, which was too strong for my fiance. For me it was fine. However, the meat is actually so flavorful that I would really put a more neutral sauce, like vegan mayo or ketchup, so I can fully enjoy the flavor of the chicken without any interference from a flavorful sauce. On the side would be better I think. I also got the fries and they were really good. Again, kind of too fried for me but what do I expect from french fries?

Portion

Filling!!! Even just the sandwich on its own was definitely a full meal. The fries were super extra I personally did not need them — a spring salad would have been a better compliment to it actually. Vegan burgers or chicken sandwiches are almost never filling enough on their own. However, this sandwich was big!! and filling!! You will definitely be getting enough food. Even my fiance who is always still hungry couldn’t take another bite by the end. A+ for giving enough food. I appreciate that since it’s true that vegan places often really don’t give enough, especially for what they charge. This was enough.

Price Point

When you think fried chicken or chicken sandwich, it’s really more of a fast food or budget food item typically. So it is kind of against my logic to spend $21 per person on vegan fried chicken sandwich combo. The sandwich was $17 then it was $2 extra for the fries and $2 for a standard bottle of water — plus tax and tip. However, this is all very specific to the pop-up location I went to. I know they sell their product on their website and have their chicken available at other locations, which may have different prices. In my opinion, although it was a great amount of food, $14 for the whole combo would have been a more fair price. As a vegan, I feel I shouldn’t have to pay $20 to have some fried chicken. But I know it’s a pop-up so maybe that factors in to the cost. Anyway, I wouldn’t consider it a very accessible price point.

Overall

All in all I would say Atlas Monroe’s vegan fried chicken is extremely good. I would definitely be careful to not deep fry, but otherwise it makes for a phenomenal sandwich. It is extremely satisfying in a way that no other vegan chicken is. Fried chicken lovers will absolutely love this product. However, I would love to see it at a more accessible price point. I probably won’t go to the pop-up again, but I would definitely buy from their website and prep myself one day if it becomes available. I hope to see this on the shelves in grocery stores everywhere. I’m excited to see what’s coming up in the future for Atlas Monroe — grateful that they’re stepping up to the plate and innovating vegan chicken products.

About Atlas Monroe

Atlas Monroe is a vegan food company that specializes in vegan fried chicken. They have been featured on Shark Tank, and have won the prize for Best Fried Chicken by Extra Crispy at the annual Fried Chicken Festival. Products are sold on their website, though they are often sold out. They also sell at different restaurants, pop-up shops and fairs, which you can learn about on their Twitter, Instagram or Facebook.

Starbucks finally came out with a vegan option on their menu. But it’s not a pastry or muffin or cookie or a cute bistro sandwich, it’s falafel with guacamole. I don’t want to sound ungrateful but falafel is not exactly what I was hoping for when I emailed Starbucks several times in the past 15 years to add a vegan menu option. And avocado is kind of a weird thing to pair with it. However, there is something to be said for Starbucks Chickpea Bites and Avocado Protein Box.

Starbucks Chickpea Bites and Avocado Protein Box Review

Okay, so it took me months to actually try this because I thought it was a ridiculous option at a coffee shop (if I want falafel I’ll go to a middle eastern spot). For this reason, I waited for a moment that I needed an easy on-the-go meal rather than something that I specifically wanted to pair with my coffee. That day came last week. Let me review each element of Starbuck’s vegan protein box: 

The chickpea bites

These are actually way more yummy than I expected. I fully thought they’d be dry, crumbly falafel wannabes. However, they totally had a cafeteria chicken nugget vibe going on. I say cafeteria because since they’re packaged and cold they don’t have that crispy finish. The outside is a nicely seasoned breading, and the inside is soft and slightly moist and holds together nicely. Not dry at all. Really a lot like a casual chicken nugget from my childhood. I enjoyed it a lot.

The avocado

Even the thought of packaged guacamole makes me sick so I did not expect to like this at all. I opened the container just a tiny bit because I expected to try a little and not have the rest, but I ended up finishing it! It is absolutely nothing like fresh guacamole, but it didn’t have any gross weird packaged guacamole taste. It tasted like the fresh ingredients listed, just a smooth avocado, lime, jalapeno, garlic and salt—nothing else. Somehow it tasted fresh despite being packaged. I didn’t love it but I was definitely able to finish it without getting grossed out.

The veggies

The carrots and snap peas are fresh and crisp. I especially liked how crunchy, juicy and lightly sweet the snap peas were. It was a nice accompaniment to round out the meal. The veggies were also good for dipping in the avocado, because the chickpea bites weren’t quite strong enough to be dipped without coming apart a bit. 

The nuts and seeds

I was full after the meal, so it’s convenient that the nuts and seeds are packaged in their separate little bag for later. I actually forgot I had these and found them in my bag on a camping trip and ate them on a short hike. It’s about a handful or so of sunflower seeds, almonds, pepitas and dried cranberries. Not the freshest or most crisp nuts in the world, but it was a nice, balanced pick-me-up.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 560

Total fat: 37 g

Cholesterol: 0 mg

Sodium: 710 mg

Total carbohydrates: 43 g (13 g fiber, 7 g sugar)

Protein: 15 g

Ingredients

Chickpea Bites [Chickpeas, Water, High Oleic Sunflower Oil, Breadcrumbs (Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Distilled Vinegar, Malted Barley Flour, Yeast, Sea Salt, Leavening (Sodium Bicarbonate), Spice Extractive), Chickpea Flour, Contains 2 Or Less Of Rice Starch, Yellow Corn Flour, Salt, Spices, Sugar, Guar Gum, Vinegar, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Corn Starch, Dehydrated Parsley, Toasted Sesame Oil, Maltodextrin, Cultured Dextrose, Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Corn Syrup Solids, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, White Distilled Vinegar, Food Starch Modified, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Tapioca Dextrin, Lemon Juice Solids, Breading Set In Vegetable Oil], Avocado Dip [Avocado, Sea Salt, Onion, Garlic, Jalapeno, Pepper, Lime Juice], Dried Fruit And Nut Mix [Unsalted Roasted Almonds, Dry Roasted Pepitas, Oil Roasted Sunflower Seeds (Sunflower Seeds, Sunflower Oil), Dried Cranberries (Cranberries, Sugar, Sunflower Oil)], Carrots, Snap Peas

Allergens

Treenuts, Wheat

Conclusion

Overall better than I expected but still NOT something I want with my coffee. It’s kind of doesn’t make sense for this option to be at Starbucks, but if I ever want a quick, easy, healthy, on-the-go meal that’s under $7 I would get this again for sure. But the odds of my thinking to stop at Starbucks for lunch is very unlikely so I’m not sure how often I’ll actually think to do it. It’s probably a great option for parents to grab for their kids’ lunches too while they’re ordering their morning coffee.

Request

Starbucks thank you for the chickpea nuggets but please add a vegan bakery item! It’s seriously not difficult I promise. You’re wayyy behind pretty much every local coffee shop and several chains at this point (Peet’s, Argo Tea, Think Coffee, Whole Foods Cafe, etc.). And also, please switch to 100 percent Fair Trade or Direct Trade! I have no choice but to opt for my local coffee shop (Holsem <3) so that I can have FAIR TRADE coffee with a delicious vegan muffin. Or I just brew my own fair trade coffee and bake my own pastry at home. Make a bold move into a more humane realm, Sbux. These baby steps are appreciated but not enough.