Elianni Mediterranean Linguine

When Elianni asked me if I’d like to do a review of their products, I admit to being intrigued. Elianni makes a variety of products: Vegan Veggie rolls, Veggie Cutlets, pate, and the very special, Mosto de Lagrima- an organic free-run grape juice. I wanted to try them all and I was fortunate enough to actually do so.

I tested the Veggie Cutlets first. The cutlets come dried and require cooking in vegetable stock to rehydrate before use, much like TVP (textured vegetable protein). I’m familiar with that process so it didn’t take me but a few minutes to whip up some stock and get the cutlets cooking. In no time at all I had rather substantial pieces of Veggie Cutlet ready to be prepared in any manner I wished. I took them and dredged them in a bit of whole wheat flour and put them in an iron skillet with a bit of coconut oil and browned them on both sides. I served them on top of cabbage and sauerkraut that had been sauteed with onions, garlic, mustard seeds, and crushed red pepper. The taste was really good. I liked the chewy, toothsome texture of the cutlet and it held it’s own when paired with hearty flavors. It’s a soy and pinto bean based product, but don’t let that fool you into thinking that it’s like all the other products on the market. These cutlets are: gluten-free, rich in fiber, low fat, no added sugar, sodium free, iron rich, no GMO’s, no artificial flavors or colors or chemicals. Plus, there’s 19 grams of protein per serving. The box contains multiple servings, I was able to serve 6 hungry vegans. That makes this a good value.

I moved on to the Vegan Veggie Rolls. Okay, I admit it. I was incredibly skeptical. The rolls are primarily made from peanuts and I had never tried something like it before. My first test consisted of eating a piece straight off of the roll. Blech! No, just, no. It was soft, whereas I was expecting a more chewy texture. It had an unexpected flavor, unlike any other product I had ever tried before. I cut a few rounds and tossed them in the iron skillet. This made them more palatable to me since it provided a light crunch on the outside. I liked it better that way. But it wasn’t until I chopped & shredded the rolls that I fell in love. All of a sudden the texture worked for me. It became small pieces of deliciousness that went perfect in casseroles, topped on salads, and as an accompaniment to pasta. I found that the vegan rolls are a great alternative to traditional vegan “replacements” out there. I really began to enjoy the fact that there is no soy to contend with, no chewy chewy texture- just a delightful smooth texture thats: organic, kosher, gluten-free, no trans fats, no artificial flavors, no preservatives and filled with fiber, niacin, oleic acid (omega-9), and linoleic acid (omega-6). Yup, I’m now a full believer.

I did not enjoy the pates. I have yet to try the zesty apple, but I wasn’t fond of the other varieties. To be fair, I’m not a pate lover anyway so I’m probably not the best judge of what makes a pate good. Each pate is: organic, kosher, gluten-free, trans fat free, no artificial flavors, and preservative free.