For this review, I am doing a LONG throwback (at least 10 years) to when I started testing meat substitutes back in Houston. Along with the usual tofu, tempeh, seitan, and Tofurkey options at the time, there were some new kids on the block for chicken strips or cubes – Gardein, Morningstar Farms, and vegan Quorn. Recently, I have been trying so many new ones, I forgot Morningstar Farms® Veggie Chick’N Strips were my “go-to” for almost a decade. So let’s talk Morningstar!
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Faux meats may not be for everyone, but they certainly can help those who need a transition protein product to help with eating more whole foods and plants and reducing red meat consumption. These products can serve as a quick, easy way to add protein, or, if just enjoy cooking cuisines, can add visual appeal and protein to a beautiful dish. Chicken strips are great because, in general, they do not require much cooking (mostly heating up to 165 degrees) and assembling a soup, salad, wrap, casserole, and more.
Faux Meat Evaluation
Visual – Morningstar Farms® Veggie Chik’N Strips do look like a cross between white meat chicken and perhaps something man-made, which they are. They do have a “shred” or “meat” look to them. They are the correct color – white with variations of brown and tan. The strips come pre-seasoned, although nothing particularly cuisine-related, and there are a few specks of what appear to be herbs and spices. Not a bad thing. Do they look as real as Daring or Sweet Earth? Not quite, but you may not always need a product that looks 95% like true shredded white and dark meat. Strips do just fine.
Tactile – Once thawed or heated, the strips bend like chicken. They might feel a little “spongy” and flexible but they feel like chicken. They are not slimy or gel-ish. (Is that a word?)
Cooking – Per the packaging: The instructions are to heat in a microwave or skillet to a temperature of 165 degrees. The instructions state to add 1 tsp of water when reheating one serving but, I see that I have never done that and they reheated just fine. But, follow the instructions for the best results. My husband has been known to just eat them on popcorn. What can I say?
Taste and Texture: They taste like white meat chicken, perhaps a wee rubbery or firm-tofu-ish seitan-y but I personally find them to be just fine to eat. There is nothing odd about the mouthfeel. I added a few cubes to a plant-based soup for a tasting and no one could tell it wasn’t chicken. They are not too salty, definitely not slimy, (very important), not too dry, and have a good chew and mouthfeel. The product is primarily made with soy protein isolate and wheat gluten, so I expect a chewy texture.
My Faux Meat Nutritional Expectations:
>12 grams of Protein
< 9 grams Fat
< 500 milligrams of Sodium
fiber – bonus points!!!
Morningstar Farms® Veggie Chick’N Strips weigh in at:
23 grams of Protein
3 grams of Fat
350 mg of Sodium
1 gram of fiber
Per the website and packaging, it “contains all nine of the essential amino acids.”
It’s hard to beat the protein punch and low fat and sodium of these strips. They do have gluten, so they may not be for everyone. But if you are trying to get 15-20 grams more of protein in a day, these could be an option.
Curious about how to use these strips? My favorites are:
Taco Salads
Asian Stir-fries
Noodle and plant-based cream soups
Wraps
Traditional Chicken Salad Sandwich on Toasted Sourdough
And of course, visit Morningstar Farms® for more recipe ideas!
Want more cooking ideas for eating less meat? Want to eat more plants? Let’s do it!
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