Posted on Thu, Dec. 06, 2007
THE EDGY VEGGIE
By ELLEN KANNER
This is the toughest time of the year to be vegetarian. We endure Thanksgiving turkey trauma, then come the holiday parties. Vegetarians love parties, but we don't always love the food. There is much festivity, but a dearth of vegetables save, perhaps, crudités, the celery sticks and stuff so uninspiring my husband asked, ``Do people really eat that?''
So what's out there for our ilk? A holiday-harried trip to Whole Foods for frozen, ready-to-go veg-friendly appetizers yielded as many hits as misses.
Our winners:
Alexia's mushroom bites ($3.50, 8 ounces) Absolutely. They require longer baking time than the package indicates, but after a few extra minutes, you have golden brown nuggets with a crunchy, garlicky crust and tender, not rubbery, mushrooms within. Caveat -- the bites lose their luster as they cool, so aren't ideal party snacks. But as healthy noshing goes, a 2-ounce serving (about 4 mushroom bites) has 110 calories, 4 grams fat, 280 milligrams sodium, 2 grams sugar, 1 gram fiber and 3 grams protein.
 Equally
munchworthy are Health is Wealth's all-natural Spinach Munchees
($3.19, 6 ounces). These cutie, crunchy little wheat pillows are stuffed with spinach and fat-free soy cheese and yield a lovely meltiness in the mouth. Like the `shrooms, they're best served hot. A 6-munchee serving provides significant cocktail snarfing, has 180 calories, 7 grams of fat, 320 milligrams of sodium, 3 grams fiber, 1 gram sugar and 7 impressive protein grams. |
Our also-rans:
Amy's cheese and bean nacho snacks ($3.69, 6 ounces) are certified organic, but despite the promise of jalapeños, bland. Six bite-sized snacks have 210 calories, 8 grams fat, 460 milligrams sodium, 1 gram each of fiber and sugar and 9 hefty protein grams.
Vegan, preservative-free Ling Ling's mini vegetable spring rolls ($4.59, 11 ounces) fall apart when you bite into them -- hazardous for cocktail klutzes. Two spring rolls have 140 calories, 4.5 grams fat, 420 milligrams sodium, 8 sugar gams, 1 grams fiber and 2 gram protein.
Pass the celery, please.
Ellen Kanner writes biweekly about vegetarian concerns.