War of the Veggie Burgers: Boca vs. Morningstar

I'll take one burger de-calf please!

That may be my most favoritist way to order one of the most widely available veggie protein sources around. It always takes the waiter a moment to catch on. ;P

I love eating veggie burgers at home as well. They make for an easy, no-mess protein exchange any time I don't feel like whipping up something of my own.

As I mention in the video, I used to be a big fan of Boca. No more! They are FAR to processed for this little personage's taste. I find the Morningstar garden veggie patties to be about 100 times more palatable.

Contrast and compare the two ingredient lists:

Morningstar-VEGETABLES (MUSHROOMS, WATER CHESTNUTS, ONIONS, CARROTS, GREEN BELL PEPPERS, RED BELL PEPPERS, BLACK OLIVES), TEXTURED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, WHEAT GLUTEN, WATER FOR HYDRATION), EGG WHITES, COOKED BROWN RICE (WATER, BROWN RICE), ROLLED OATS, CORN OIL, CALCIUM CASEINATE, SOY SAUCE (WATER, SOYBEANS, SALT, WHEAT), CONTAINS TWO PERCENT OR LESS OF ONION POWDER, CORNSTARCH, SALT, HYDROLYZED VEGETABLE PROTEIN (CORN, SOY AND WHEAT), AUTOLYZED YEAST EXTRACT, NATURAL FLAVORS FROM NON-MEAT SOURCES, SUGAR, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, SPICES, GARLIC POWDER, DEXTROSE, JALAPEÑO PEPPER POWDER, CELERY EXTRACT.

vs.

Boca-WATER, ENRICHED TEXTURED SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE PRODUCT (CONTAINS SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, CARAMEL COLOR, FERROUS SULFATE [IRON], NIACINAMIDE, ZINC OXIDE, CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, THIAMIN MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE [VITAMIN B6], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID, CYANOCOBALAMIN [VITAMIN B12]), WHEAT GLUTEN, SOY PROTEIN CONCENTRATE, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF METHYLCELLULOSE, SALT, DRIED ONIONS, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR (NON-MEAT), YEAST EXTRACT, SESAME OIL, HYDROLYZED WHEAT PROTEIN, DISODIUM GUANYLATE, DISODIUM INOSINATE.

I don't know about you, but I don't fancy anything (with the exception of my nemesis, diet crack) with added caramel color. I will take the extra ten calories in the Morningstar burger if it means I don't have to digest a food that needed chemical help to look "flame grilled"!

Not to mention the enormous taste difference! Boca tastes like meat. Morningstar tastes like peas and carrots and bell peppers. I am a vegetarian because animal products gross me out. I love my veggies. Which do you think I prefer?

I also tried the Dr. Praeger's brand veggie burger (reviewed here). Not a fan, my friends, not a fan! Who likes greasy veggie mush? Not moi!

Despite my great love for Morningstar, I'm trying to cut back because of the whole soy controversy .

What are your thoughts on the soy issue? Any soy-free veggie burger recommendations?

With Love,

Emily

BTW- The hair appointment went smashing! As soon as I get a chance to make myself presentable and vainly snap a few self portraits, I'll post them.