My husband and I are on a quest to find healthy "quick cook" foods. By "quick cook" we mean that there isn't much preparation and it can be eaten within 10-15 minutes of taking it out of the refrigerator or freezer. In the standard grocery store these options are limited. You either find quick unhealthy foods or healthy foods that just don't look appetizing or cost an arm and a leg. Well, we found a healthy quick cook option from an unlikely source, my mother in-law. She raved about MorningStar's veggie burgers. She specifically mentioned the Grillers Prime Veggie Burger. I must admit I listened to her rave about the burgers with some hesitation. I wasn't sure if this would be as tasty as she touted it to be but we decided to give it a try anyway.
On our next trip to the grocery store we picked up a box of these veggie burgers. The burgers come four to a box. After checking out the price (which wasn't too bad), I immediately read the nutritional facts, which read: Calories: 170, Total Fat: 9g, Sodium: 360mg, Protein 17g. Some ingredients were vegetable protein, soy, egg whites, spices, dry milk. I'm not sure if the inclusion of the egg and milk would make this product a no-go for some vegetarians. I am not a vegetarian so this didn't affect me. After checking out the nutritional facts, we dropped the box in the cart.
It took a few days to try the burgers. The burgers were brown, very light weight, and looked similar to a beef burger. There were a few cooking options: microwave, grill, or skillet. I opted for the microwave, which takes 45 seconds for one patty. These burgers were suprisingly delicious. Did they taste like a real burger?? No...but still delicious! They did taste as though they were cooked on a grill and were very flavorful. These burgers can be eaten with or without bread. You can also place any kind of topping on them that you would a regular burger. We have kept these burgers in rotation.
We even tried the Spicy Black Bean Burger. Nutritional facts: Calories: 120, Fat 4g, Sodium 350mg, Protein 11g. The packaging states that this burger has 73% less fat than ground beef. Ingredients: brown rice, black beans, tomatoes, roasted onions, corn, chili peppers. Many of the ingredients can be seen in the patty once you remove it from the packaging. You kind of feel like you're eating something healthy. You can cook this burger the same way you cook the Grillers Prime. This burger has a bit of a kick to it, like a southwestern flare. I definitely prefer this one over the Grillers Prime. I like to eat it without bread and typically with a side of veggies and rice, even though it is comprised of veggies and rice.
Pros of both burgers:
- minimal preparation and cook time
- healthy ingredients
- filling
- flavorful
- many ways to be eaten (with or without sides, on a bun, can use any topping)
- inexpensive
- low in calories
- high in protein
Cons of both burgers:
- Only similarity to a real burger is the shape
- Only four burgers per box
Overall, these two burgers get 4.5 GyMrAts out of 5. If you're tired of eating the same old healthy alternative open up your wallet and give MorningStar a try. I know veggie and burger just don't sound right together but give it a try anyway. You might get a tasty surprise like I did.
Picture: www.morningstarfarms.com/products_grillers-prime-veggie-burgers.aspx
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