Product: Lightlife Original Tofu Pups – $3.99+
I’m a vegetarian with a gluten-intolerance.
That means pretty much ever vegetarian protein out there is not made for someone like me to consume it. Most will say that the products they make contain need the wheat protein to give it a great texture.
My roommate (who is a carnivore and a lover of wheat products) had a coupon for free kosher hotdogs from our local grocery store, so I was attempting to find something comparable that I could eat for dinner as she worked her way through the hotdogs. After a lot of hunting, I managed to find Lightlife’s Tofu Pups.
Yes…these are vegetarian and gluten-free. And they even look like “real” hotdogs as well. They are a bit smaller, but my gluten-free hotdog buns fit them perfectly, so no complaints on this end.
These are quite simple to prepare. Boil water. Remove from heat. Drop in a Tofu Pup into the hot water and let it cook for about 2-3 minutes, unless you’re doing it from frozen…then it takes a bit longer. I then removed it to a paper towel to sop up any excess water before placing it in a bun and dressing it up with some find condiments of my choice. Paired with a serving of gluten-free rice chips and some gluten-free vegetarian baked beans (Busch’s Vegetarian Baked Beans!), it’s a fantastic throw-back to the summer picnic meal in the comfort of your own kitchen.
So…time to get real. When the Tofu Pups cook up, they turn a sort of orange color. It doesn’t look appetizing…but I pressed on. As for the taste…they would be rather bland without being dressed up with a condiment. The texture is a bit chewy, but I did boil them and not grill them, so I can’t expect that crisp “casing-like” snap to them with each bite. But, these are a low-fat, healthy alternative for those vegans (yes…these are certified vegan) who enjoy a hotdog every now and again. Tofu Pups didn’t blow me away…but they sufficed enough to make a meal for this gluten-intolerant vegetarian.
All of Lightlife’s other vegetarian hotdogs and sausages do contain wheat protein, but the Tofu Pups, thankfully, are an exception to the rule. While they may taste bland, that’s nothing a little ketchup and mustard can’t fix. And at only 60 calories per “pup”…well, it’s hard to say no to that, right? Until I find another gluten-free, vegetarian hotdog…these are what I get. And, while they didn’t blow me away…they’ll do. Don’t expect to bite into these and get a burst of faux hotdog flavor. You won’t get it here. And the spongy texture might be a little offsetting if eaten on its own without a gluten-free hotdog bun or some sort of startch to bulk it up. So, keep that in mind should you venture to give these a whirl.
The Celiathlete 