Product: Sunshine Burgers Garden Herb Veggie Burger – $3.99+
I have been lamenting the serious lack of vegetarian proteins that are gluten-free as well. They are nigh on impossible to find. Trust me. I’ve been searching for over a year now. And while I have uncovered a few…some things still escape my grasp.
One of the easier faux-tiens to find that are both gluten-free and vegetarian are veggie burgers. There are a wide variety out there, and while most of the big name brands (Morningstar, Boca, Gardenburger) all have gluten containing ingredients in them…there remain a few on the market that are gluten-free as well. I’m sort of working my way through them.
So, my palate was jazzed to find another brand that is not only vegan, but gluten-free. These are Sunshine Burgers. I have spotted them at my local natural food stores, but they tend to be pretty widely distributed. I had gotten quite cozy with my normal brand, so I decided it was time to branch out and try something new. So, into my shopping basket these went and then into my freezer.
Since joining a local CSA group, fresh produce arrives weekly at my door. This week I not only had onion and tomato, but also local organic bibb lettuce. NICE! So…what works well with onion, lettuce and tomato? Burgers. Yes…burgers. So last night, I got out my skillet, lightly spritzed it with oil and got to cooking.
Sunshine Burgers are free of soy, wheat, gluten and dairy. They are, in fact, vegan! The ingredients used are all natural and all organic. And the list is composed of the following: Organic Ground Raw Sun-flower Seeds, Organic Brown Rice, Organic Carrots, Organic Herbs, and Sea Salt. Yep. Recognize all of those ingredients because I sure do.
These veggie burgers also cook up really well. I find, at times, the gluten-free veggie burgers crumble as you cook them up. Not these. They held together really well. And they smelled absolutely delicious as they were cooked up in the skillet. I was very excited to be trying them out.
As the patty finished up, I warmed up my gluten-free hamburger bun. Some vegan cheese went onto the burger and I steamed it down to a perfect melted goodness. Then onto the bun with the lettuce, tomato and onion. A squirt of organic ketchup and gluten-free mustard and viola…dinner was served (with a side of roasted brocollette and honey-balsamic glazed carrots).
I settled in with my plate and happily took my first bite. It was heaven. Heaven on a gluten-free bun. Seriously. Bursting with flavor. You could taste a little bit of everything. It was beyond good. It was divine. Honestly, it was a surprise to take a bite and get such a rush of flavor. SO delicious. I was ready for more. In fact, I was ignoring my sides at first because I was so focused on the veggie burger. I can’t rave enough about these. But I’m going to. They are fantastic. And even if you aren’t a vegetarian or don’t have food allergies, I think you would really enjoy sinking your teeth into one of these.
The only downside I have to these delicious veggie burgers is…the calorie count. OUCH! One burger will set you back 190 calories. The other flavors top off over 200 calories. Pair that with a bun and…yeah…your calorie count is climbing. Oh…and let’s also discuss the 13 grams of fat as well. YIKES! My other gluten-free veggie burger of choice has 140 calories and only 5 grams of fat. The same company but different gluten-free veggie burger also has one for 110 calories and only 3 grams of fat. And one of the first versions I tried only set me back 100 calories and only 2 grams of fat. So…what gives? These may taste delicious…but they are definitely not one of the healthier varieties out there if you watch your calorie and fat intake. I’m an athlete…so I monitor mine closely. So…YIKES YIKES YIKES!!
That being said, I will hand it to Sunshine Burger for making a fantastically delicious gluten-free and vegan burger. I am in love with it. I am not, however, in love with the nutrition information…and will probably shy away from this brand in the future because of it. If calories and fat are not an issue for you…or if you want to treat yourself to a delicious veggie burger, and damn the nutritional content…then these should be the first ones you snag out of the freezer. Honestly…they are one of the best I’ve tasted. It’s sad that the three patties in that box will probably be the only ones I ever taste.
Sunshine Burgers are fantastic. I mean…a dream. But the nutrition information is a bit shocking. And while it’s okay to indulge every now and again (and believe me…I do). I have a hard time swallowing so many calories and so much fat with just one small veggie burger patty. Delicious…and sinfully so.
The Celiathlete 