I went to Target on Sunday after my shopping trip for some paper towels and such. I needed some more plain Just Mayo, but I also noticed that I had a coupon for Hellmen's new-ish vegan mayo. What to do, what to do? I am loyal to Just Mayo, and I despise Unilever and Hellmen's, especially after they tried to sue Just Mayo! But, I am a lass on a budget, and thrifting or not I was already spending extra money on clothes, so I decided to use my head and use the coupon. I have been wanting to try it anyway so that I know what we're dealing with.
I also had a coupon for Gardein, so of course I had to try these sliders. Target is really upping their vegan frozen section!!
When I got home, I was famished so I made a quick Tofurky sandwich and used the new mayo.
Guys, it's super thick and creamy. I'm sorry, I did not taste it alone because vegan or not, it is mayo. As a non vegan I was not a mayo or ranch person AT ALL. I've come to enjoy vegan mayo, just never alone! But on my sandwich, it was OUTSTANDING. I wanted to hate it, but they did an amazing job. It's creamy and has that fatty thang, and also the perfect amount of tang. It is as good as Just Mayo, and if I liked Unilever I might say it's even a little better. But we won't go that far.
I also mixed some with sriracha for a dipping sauce for my vegan nuggets that night. Amazing. Here's the thing, although Just Mayo is available at most if not all Targets, and other groceries, not every town has a Target. And, Just Mayo is a new company that not everyone has heard of, where as Hellmen's has been around for FOREVER! And the jar looks very harmless, so I can see Sally from Iowa buying it for her family because she's been reading about organics lately. It seems to me that they are focusing more on the organic, no weird ingredients benefits versus it being vegan, which is fine. But, when Sally and her family fall in love with this mayo, and read the fine print and realize it's freaking VEGAN, and delicious, minds are open, and curiosity sets in. So, of course I will always be a Just Mayo loyalist, but this stuff is great, and I am glad I voted with my measly dollars to let Unilever know they should continue to explore the kinder, vegan side of food.
In more I love Seattle news, yesterday I looked out of my window and was quite surprised by the van in the parking lot. Hello seventies mellow mood music!
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| I zoomed in! |
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What made everything more interesting was that the person whose legs you see looked like a member or maybe roadie of a rock or punk band. So, that was totally awesome enough, and then the person started doing yoga right in the parking lot! It was all to much of everything wonderful. When I first moved to Seattle all those years ago, I was so used to the midwestern way of labeling everyone and everything, and you stayed in your little area. Very High School. And I learned in Seattle that you can look and feel and be into as many things as you want, the weirder the better in most cases! I also truly envy anyone who can be so carefree and just bust out some yoga moves in a parking lot, not caring who is looking! People always call me a free spirit, but I believe people who do yoga in a parking lot and drive pastel vans are the true free spirits of the world.
For dinner, I attempted fresh spring rolls. Fail. I felt confident because I've really been improving my sushi roll game, so I wrongly thought I was a "roller"! These suckers were a gloopy, loose mess! I gave up after three rolls because I didn't want to waste the ingredients, and made a spring roll bowl. I had made a delicious peanut dipping sauce(Thanks Martha Stewart) so I just poured it on top of my bowl with some sriracha, and it was delicious!
I think I need to adjust the flash, or brightness, or something on my camera. Since I bought it used, it didn't come with an instruction manual, and I'm scared to just start pressing things because what if I make a change and can't figure out how to unchange it? So, please excuse the brightness. Uggg.
And of course, because I am surrounded by total cuteness all the time(when I'm home) I have to leave you with this picture. They remind me of those hokey but sweet precious moments stuff they sell at Hallmark stores.
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| Those faces!! |
Happy Tuesday!
LOVE the van pic, LOVE the plate you ate, and totally agree with your thoughts and feelings on Unilever! I was upset they were the ones who pushed the lawsuit but am happy they realized the vegan community is growing more and more and listened to the demand and come out with a vegan product themselves! I also agree and side with you not only on the budget but availability-wise...since there are so few options I buy what I can when I can :) Soooo happy to hear it is good!!!
ReplyDeleteYes, I think Hellmen's vegan mayo will be easier to find since it's such a huge brand. I just want more availability of vegan choices so that more people can hopefully make the kinder choice. It is really delicious!
DeleteThose sliders are Dee-licious! I tried the truffle Just Mayo - equally Dee-licious! You are a great source of vegan products. I admit I'm not much of a browser when I shop (hate clothes shopping!); I just wanna get what I need and get the heck outta there but when someone mentions food on a blog they tried and liked, I'll seek it out. Now, shopping in a bookstore is a totally different thing! ;)
ReplyDeleteI am the same way, I could spend hours at a grocery store, and days in a bookstore!
DeleteHi, your friend Sarah is really awesome! David Zane
ReplyDeleteThose chick'n sliders from Gardein are so good! I usually keep them around to enjoy for a family BBQ or something so I'm kind of eating something along the same lines as them :) As you know I have a mayo aversion so I'm not into mayo of any kind so I can't really say any preferences. I know supporting companies like Unilever is controversial but I think that every dollar is a vote and putting your dollars toward vegan products shows there is demand for vegan foods and therefore cruelty free products and maybe the more people that put their money towards those products will show that people will be more likely to buy their products if they move in that direction.
ReplyDeleteThe spring roll bowl looks delicious and hooray for kitties!
The sliders are one of my favorite gardein products! I love that you can see black pepper in the breading.
DeleteI want companies to make vegan stuff, and I want people to buy it, and Hellmen's vegan mayo is an honestly good product, and I'm sure easier for a lot of people to find. I would rather them make vegan products than not, and the more successful they are, the more they make!
I got coupons from Target as well for the Helman's mayo too! I actually was buying some Just Mayo and then the Helman's Handcrafted Sandwich Spread spit out of the coupon machine. XD I see what you are doing there Unilever! I don't plan on using it since I actually have WAY too much mayo now. I think the only thing I HATE about Just Mayo is the bottles. It is impossible to get out when it starts to get low. I bought the bigger jar size since I got so annoyed by it.
ReplyDeleteThat's how I got my coupon, the last time I bought Just Mayo it popped out. I remember reading years ago about how they profile your purchases and print out coupons based on what you bought. It's funny, I remember being totally creeped out, and now it's just normal, and sometimes beneficial!
DeleteI could not agree more about the bottle. And because of how it's shaped, it's hard to get it all out with a knife.
I support as many people as possible eating more vegan foods and products-regardless of where they are purchased or who makes them i think it is all a step in the right direction!
ReplyDeleteSpring rolls are a bit tricky to soften and fill and roll properly, the bowl is a great solution. And peanut sauce is good on nearly anything :))
Ttrockwood
I could not agree more. I feel like we live in an extremely non vegan world, so more vegan products are always a good thing, especially when it's kind of marketed more towards the masses.
DeletePeanut sauce would almost make me able to stomach asparagus!
I have a jar of that Hellman's 'Dressing' that I havent opened yet. Now I can look forward to it. Thanks for the report!
ReplyDelete