Gardenburger Buffalo Chik'n Wings

[Erin_S2S]

Not made of buffalo or chicken. It says vegan on the box.
I was so excited to discover these at the grocery store yesterday. With memories of how delicious Health is Wealth buffalo wings are, I bought two boxes.
I made some when I got home.
I was disappointed that there is just a single pouch in the box. I didn't want to make it all at once since it was just me eating the result. But I did. I used the microwave method. I read the box as they cooked.
I read "Yow! No wimpy meatless snack here. Hot. Tangy. Addictive." It went on with more positive remarks and ended with, "You can't stop eating them".
By the time the microwave sounded, I was incredibly anxious to try my new treat. I cut the pouch open and poured the contents onto a plate. Careful, not to slip in my drool, I hurried to the table and sat.
Instead of getting it all over my hands, I opted for a fork. I took the first bite expecting bliss. Bliss didn't happen. I took a second bite. I chewed slowly and studied the taste. I didn't take a third bite.
I was so let down. The texture was okay, but I thought the sauce was gross. I wont be opening that second box anytime soon.
Atleast my dogs enjoyed the leftovers.

Anyone else tried these yet?

[Joyful-Eyes]

Nope, but I saw them in the store...
I want to try the Meatless sweet and sour pork, meatloaf, and meatballs...
They might not be vegan tho, not that it matter to me yet...
I will give a review if I do try any of them, unless I am banned at the time,
that is...
I still think the riblets so real they are eerie, too bad these buffalo wings weren't so good...

[Erin_S2S]

I'm glad to see you posting. :)
I adore the riblets. In fact, that's what I had for dinner tonight. They're delicious. I think that was part of what gave me such high hopes for the wings.

[zimngir]

I also love the Riblets, but I have not tried the wings or seen them.
I have a box of sweet and sour pork which is vegan, but I have not tried it yet...
I would have thought they would be really good, that sucks that they weren't.
Maybe you should write them and they might reformulate the recipe or at least give you some coupons for your next purchase of Riblets.
Shannon

[Artichoke47]

That was a very funny, descriptive story, Erin. :D

I haven't tried them, either. The texture just looks so gross.

[FalafelsRule]

i love the health wealth buffalo wings. i will still try these gardenburger ones, if i can find them. :hungry:

[inkie]

I tried them..and I liked them for the most part. Some of the sauce was way too oily and the texture got to me a bit too. I am going to try them again sometime though.

[Michael]

I bought two boxes as well. Like you, I didn't really want to fix the whole pouch but I did. I ate maybe half of them. For me it was the texture. I didn't really mind the sauce but the "skin" was soggy and the "meat" was too tender. It could be because I microwaved them. A lot of things just don't turn out the same. When I make the second pouch I'll try them in the oven.

By the way, Gardenburger also has sweet n' sour pork now. I haven't tried it yet but I saw it at Wal Mart. Don't know if it's vegan. Nice to see them coming out with new products. Morningstar Farms hasn't done jack since they got bought by Kellogg's (other than the pizza and pot pies - which I don't like and are sometimes hard to find).

[Joyful-Eyes]

Do let me know if any of you try the sweet and sour pork, although I am sure I will try it soon, anyway...I had a riblet tonight, yummy...But it seems my micro cooks it very rapidly, and then the sauce starts to burn...Microwaving may be affecting the wings too...I think if the sweet and sour pork is like the riblets it will be really good...They sure have the texture right on the riblet...They also have a new chikin fried chikin style patty with country gravy...I am not a fan of thier chikin though, the soy taste is overpowering to me...So I dunno if it's worth me trying the wings and/or chickin patty or not...

[Erin_S2S]

That was a very funny, descriptive story, Erin. :D
You take amusement at my pain? :no: :)

I haven't seen the sweet & sour pork yet. I'll definitely check for it next time I go shopping. I usually really enjoy the vegan Gardenburger products. That's why I was so disappointed with the wings. I expected better of them. Maybe I'll give the wings one more chance and make them in the oven.

[Erin_S2S]

The wings are displayed on the front page of their site for anyone who hasn't seen them:
http://www.gardenburger.com/

[inkie]

I should have mentioned that I put them in the oven...I hardly ever use my microwave. Darnit...now I'm :hungry:

[Quizeen]

Wow, all of those new items look really tasty. Once this damned grocery strike is over (it's been almost two months now!) I can get these things.

They're all vegan too, except for the gravy packet in the chicken patties, which I can give to my billy goat of an omni husband.

I think I'd make them in the oven though. Every Gardenburger item I've eaten was better when made on the stovetop in a skillet or in the oven rather than in the microwave. They seem to firm up better and dry out a bit.

[monkeyandbunny]

They're all vegan too, except for the gravy packet in the chicken patties, which I can give to my billy goat of an omni husband.

I think I'd make them in the oven though. Every Gardenburger item I've eaten was better when made on the stovetop in a skillet or in the oven rather than in the microwave. They seem to firm up better and dry out a bit.

Billy goat! LMAO! I love it! I had visions of the Life cereal kid "Mikey".

I agree with you that most Gardenburger items usually taste better on the stovetop or oven. I thought the wings were gross until I gave them a second chance and baked them as opposed to microwaving them. The only gardenburger product that tastes ok in the microwave is the riblet. Although I find the riblet to be somewhat spooky, but that's another story. :D

[FalafelsRule]

The stores in Buffalo still don't have these.

[VeggieKitten]

i love the health wealth buffalo wings. i will still try these gardenburger ones, if i can find them. :hungry:

Yea, the Health is Wealth wings are great! I've seen the Gardenburger ones, but like the others so much I haven't bothered to try them.

Hey Erin, what if you tried putting them in the oven? I never put veggie meats or pizzas and that sort of thing in the microwave cause it really makes food mushy and doesn't taste nearly as good as a conventional method.

I've also seen Riblets, but haven't bought them because I never liked BBQ ribs.

[FalafelsRule]

the riblets r great. personally, i never ate ribs when i ate meat way back in the day. i never liked pork, but i look at it like this, its just some beans flavored with bbq sauce. i enjoy them. as far as microwaves, i learned my lesson a long time ago when i tried to make a veggie burger in it. yuk.

[Quizeen]

Ha! Monkeyandbunny, he's just like that kid. He'd eat tin cans if I put them on a plate and called them dinner.

I second the riblet in the microwave thing, too. I think it's the only Gardenburger product that's good in the micro. Also, my husband sometimes toasts veggie burgers through a few cycles of the toaster (set on dark/high) and it works really well.

[ceryna]

Ooh, I'm definitely looking for the sweet & sour pork one next time I go to the grocery store. I never liked wings as an omni, so I doubt I'd like these, although I suppose it might be worth a try sometime.

I know this isn't the Morningstar thread, but since they've been mentioned, I'll say that the *only* Morningstar product I'll eat is the veggie chili with cornbread, which, as far as I can tell, is completely vegan.


Riblets... :hungry:

[FalafelsRule]

Nah, as I mentioned in the Morning Star thread, there are 5 Vegan products that fall under the Morning Star brand. For those who care, they are:

- Harvest Burgers Patties Original

- Better n' Burgers

- Grillers Hamburger Style Recipe Crumbles

- Ground Meatless Crumbles

- Homestyle Chili and Cornbread Pot Pie