What to Grill Part II: Veggie Burgers

I was asked to recommend a veggie burger that is meant for grilling. I tried a few different brands from my local markets, and I have a favorite on the grill:

Franklin Farms Fresh Veggie Burger is available in the refrigerated produce section of most grocery stores. I purchased mine at Hannaford's. It is reasonably priced at about $4 and comes with 4 patties. 

It doesn't fall apart on the grill, or just blister and burn like some patties will. 

I did learn a few tricks to grilling veggie burgers:

First, when choosing a veggie burger for the grill- do not go frozen. In this case, Fresh is Best!

Second, read the packaging. If there are no directions for grilling- then it does not belong on the grill.

Most important, generously spray cooking oil on both sides of the patty. This is a great trick for cooking veggie dogs or "sausages" on the grill as well. I would say the oil is the secret ingredient to grilling soy protein products. 

Quick Weeknight Meal: Gardein Chick'n

There are so many meatless products out there- it can be overwhelming trying to decide which brand to buy. On the other hand, there is not enough of a variety to keep those weeknight meals interesting- just how many chick'n patties can one eat?!

Here is one variety and many more on the way!

Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n is available in the frozen aisle of most grocery stores (we buy ours at Market Basket DeMoulas). This pack comes with an orange sauce that I have never used. I did cook the chicken once with orange juice- and it was pretty tasty.

The best thing about this product is it is fast! and cheap- less than $4 a pack! It is also about 250 calories a serving- not including any sauces. Heat a frying pan with a little oil- then add the chick'n. The trick is to over-cook the chick'n so it is really crispy- but be careful because it will burn easily! It's not real chicken- there are no juices or fat to burn through. Keep at it with a spatula and it takes about 8 minutes or so.

Variations:

*Cook with broccoli and add teriyaki sauce. Serve with steamed white or Jasmine rice.

* Break away from the Asian flavor and cook with barbecue sauce- we LOVE Sweet Baby Ray's.
Add just a touch of liquid smoke while cooking for some extra flavor! Serve with new potatoes cooked with a little butter, garlic, dill, salt, parsley, and cilantro. Top chick'n with cilantro for an extra kick!

So here is the beginning of my 'Quick Weeknight Meals' series- sharing from my own experiences in the meatless food products world- when life moves too quickly to prepare everything the way you'd like it! Please comment and share your ideas and experiences too! This is a journey that us vegetarians are on together!