Monday, October 27, 2014

Vegan Fish? Review of Sophie's Kitchen Vegan Fish Patties from Whole Foods Stores

Last week I was in our new Whole Foods and came across a section of Sophie's Kitchen products. I looked at the freezer and thought "vegan fish, could it be!" I told my husband I had to try these so I took a box home and tried them for dinner. I did the bake version of the instructions because I am not a pan fried girl.

According to the printed instructions, they take approximately 35 minutes to bake after you pull the four patties apart and place them on a baking sheet. They were so frozen together, even after thawing ten minutes I decided to bake them anyway. They had a light breading on them so I should have ran the package under hot water but usually that makes vegetarian products soggy in texture even after baking. I baked them in my oven which usually cooks faster than recommended cooking times; but it didn't. They were still frozen hard in the middle and of course getting soggy from being frozen and still stuck together after half an hour.

They took a total of 45 minutes to bake and they had a slight lemon batter scent to them. Texture wise, they crumbled and did not flake or come out close to a filet but I tried them anyway. The taste was alright but not even close to fish. The box advertises they taste great and are a great substitute for those with fish allergies or who love fish but are trying to eat more animal-friendly. I recommend the pan fried version so you can flavor them more and get a better texture.

On the back of the box, they also stated a breaded shrimp and calamari version which I may try. I don't completely pan this company but I do recommend extra flavoring yourself in a pan and as a side instead of the main entrée for flavor and substance. Nice try though Sophie.

Friday, October 17, 2014

New Books for Young Readers

Do you have young children under 10 looking for great books to read for bedtime or exploration? Here are a couple of titles to download from Amazon right now! Also visit the author at facebook.com/jmvantes to click "Like" and get all of the links to her amazing stories.

Down Under: The Adventures of Prince Robbie is a magical book series that takes you around the world from Australia and to America. Book 2 will be released soon.
Oh the difference a tree makes. Beauty in life is fleeting but nature is a beauty we can preserve forever. A Tree for a Meadow is available now to inspire all kids to love their world.