For us, in the UK this is the time of year we fire up the trusty BBQ, weather depending {It is the UK}. Across the neighbourhood, smoke wafts across gardens which sets your mouth-watering.
We have always used coals to cook but this year I invested in a 5 burner gas barbeque and last night the 7th of June was our first time to try it out and boy were we impressed.
These are, in my opinion, some of the best vegan and gluten-free options available to buy. I can only test items that are both vegan and gluten-free due to intolerances.
I do not receive these products free from manufactures or supermarkets. I buy these out of my own money so I can give you my opinion.
Aldi’s red pepper & butternut squash sausages, £1.59 for 270g
I tentatively pick up a pack of these as I am not a fan of butternut squash. So for the blog, I purchased them and cooked them up.
I could smell the red pepper and there is a slight sweetness from the butternut squash. Unfortunately, apart from that, I did not find them pleasant at all. The texture for me was cloying. These are not attempting to mimic a meat sausage. If you like butternut squash then I think you may like them. They are worth a try at that price. For me, I can only give them a 4/10.
Gluten-free, Vegetarian, Vegan, Dairy-Free and soya free
Asda plant based meat-free sausages, £2.35 for £270g
I was not keen on the look of these, but as they say, never judge a book by its cover. I loved these, tasty with a lovely texture. When cooked they colour really well. I have used these in my sausage rolls at Christmas and they even fooled meat-eaters. It is a shame the caramelized onion is not more prominent, but they still are a great sausage.
8/10
Vegan, Gluten-free, vegetarian and soya free
Birds Eye Green Cuisine meat-free burgers £2.50 for 2
With a name like Birds Eye, you expect a good product. They have been around for a long time. I was so excited when they introduced these along with a few other gluten-free and vegan products. These are really good burgers, with a meaty texture. They are fabulous in a roll with some vegan cheese and Mayo. If I have one complaint, then it is they are not overly flavourful. I usually spread sweet chilli sauce or Dijon mustard on them. On the barbeque, I basted them with a smoky or chilli sauce as it keeps them from drying out. Not my favourite but a good 8/10.
Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free but contains oats and Barley malt extract
The NO MEAT company NO Bull quarter pounders £2.00 for 2 x 226g patties.
These are found in Iceland supermarkets. These are my all-time favourite. When I see a new burger that is gluten-free and vegan I try them but this is the burger I always go back to. The one that is always in the freezer. They barbeque so well and the char on them tastes so good. They have a lovely soft texture, flavour and are also juicy. Made with a soya-based protein and added beetroot extract for colour. I am not opposed to vegan products that look like meat. In my opinion, anything that helps people stop eating meat has to be a good thing. I love these in a roll or with a lovely salad.
Vegan, Vegetarian, gluten-free but contains soya beans
9/10
Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free
Plant Power Tempeh Spare Ribz £3.50 for 2 servings
When I saw these at my local Tesco store and noticed they were gluten-free as well, I thought they would make a nice change on the barbeque. They looked deliciously tempting with their glossy coating. I have tried them cooked in the oven and on the BBQ. They have a lovely sweet and smoky flavour and the tempeh is nice and soft. I am not a big tempeh fan usually but this was simply delicious. Along with some vegan coleslaw, salad and potato salad, I was perfectly happy.
9/10
Vegan, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, contains soya beans and may contain traces of peanuts
For me a barbeque is not all about what goes on the grill, for me the sides play an important part. Most supermarkets now sell their version of a vegan coleslaw, I prefer homemade but sometimes a quick alternative is needed. They are all very similar and mostly contain the same ingredients. The difference is usually in the dressing used.
- M&S Plant Kitchen vegan coleslaw £1.75 for 225g
This one is a little more expensive for a smaller amount, although this does not detract from the taste. Both the dressing and the vegetables are good. The ratio of dressing to vegetables is bang on. Yet again I would be hard pushed to tell the difference between this one and regular coleslaw. 8/10
Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, contains oats and soya
- Plant Pioneers at Sainsbuy’s £1.20 for 300g
This one is a lovely coleslaw The dressing is thick and tangy and the vegetables are crisp. Not a great deal of difference between this and regular coleslaw. I prefer the taste of this one above the M&S but it could do with more vegetables. This one is not made from soy which is good for those vegans who have a soya allergy 8/10
- Morrisons V Taste coleslaw £1.00 for 225g
This is one of the cheaper ones and one of my least favourites, although many who love it. It is made from soya which is an allergen. To me, it tastes watery and is lacking in flavour, although it is packed with veggies.
Vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free, contains soya beans and mustard
Contains soy
- Wicked Kitchen Bac-No-Naise slaw £2.40 for 300g
This is one of the newest products from the Wicked Kitchen. I was so excited for this one, mainly because it was so different from your run of the mill coleslaw. Yes, it was on the pricey side but for the testing purpose it was worth a shot. This one was not for me. It was not horrible but does have an overpowering smoky flavour. I think a lot of people will like it though. If not with your salad, this one would make a great topping for a baked potato. 7/10
Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and soy free
Future Farm Sausage £3.90 for 250g
I bought these because they look like a proper sausage. They do have a slight odour but cooked really well. If you want a bacon sarnie, sausage casserole or cassoulet then this is a perfect sausage for that. They have a lovely texture and a hint of spice. They cooked well and did not fall apart like some vegan meat products. I had mine with some caramelized onions and a mustard sauce. These are now always in my freezer as I love them. 10/10
vegan, gluten-free, wheat-free and vegetarian
Plant Pioneers Smoky Jack Quarter Pounders 227g £2.50 for 2
A few people I know raved about these so when they were on offer, I bought a pack. I did like so many have trouble getting them from the pack as they have a very soft texture. I place them in the freezer for 15 minutes which made it easier to get them from the packet. I did cook them in the oven. They were juicy and bursting with flavour. They were certainly different to any other burgers I had tried before. I will buy these again.
Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free and dairy-free
Plant Pioneers Ultimate plant burgers £2.00 for 2
This plant based vegan burger on the surface looks like a regular burger. They do have some similarities to the No Bull burger, they have a hint of red colour like them. The texture and the taste were reasonable Then comes a big BUT, lately, they seem to have altered the texture. If I didn’t know I would say they contain meat gristle. This is extremely off-putting. A big no for me is that they contain Palm oil, this is so unnecessary nowadays. I will not buy them again until they change this. For me a 4/10.
Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free
Does contain palm oil
Wel, that is the few Items I have tested lately, remember this my opinion only. I have tried to give an honest opinion about them. There are so many more vegan food available for the bbq season. It has never been a better time to be vegan/vegetarian. If you are a meat-eater it now is so easy to have plant-based days. We know this is good for our health and for that of our family.
- Spicy Roasted Pepper Pasta Sauce
- Lemon & Pistachio Cream Cookies
- Custard Cream Biscuits
- Vegan Tikka Masala
- Vegan Cottage Pie
If you make this, don’t forget to tag me on Twitter as @veganalchemist1 or my Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/thegfveganalchemist I love seeing your versions of the recipes. I would love to hear your comments too.
The tempeh spare ribz look sooo good!! I’m going to be on the lookout for something similar here in the U.S.!