Review of 'Tofurky' Roast

Tofurky -- Roast (vegan)
Overall Rating: 4.5/5
Summary: woah! I'm very surprised at just how good this was (and I had high expectations). This dish was meaty, filling, very festive in flavour, and just scrumptious. I will not be missing meat this Thanksgiving weekend at all. The nutritional profile is great and I would definitely buy this again.

Where to buy: Fortinos


Ingredients:  
ROAST: water, vital wheat gluten, organic tofu (water, organic soybeans,
magnesium chloride, calcium chloride), shoyu soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat, salt,
culture), expeller pressed canola oil, natural vegetarian flavors, corn starch, garbanzo bean flour, white bean flour, lemon juice from concentrate, onion, carrot, celery, sugar, calcium lactate from beets, sea salt.

STUFFING: organic brown rice, whole wheat bread cubes (enriched wheat flour, water,
organic dried cane syrup, sea salt, yeast), onion, celery, water, organic wild rice, expeller
pressed canola oil, natural vegetarian flavors, garlic, salt, sugar, spices and tumeric (added for color).

Allergens: Soy, wheat

Nutrition Facts:
Serving size: 1/5 roast (147g/5oz)
Calories: 250
Fat: 6g
     Saturated: 0g
     Trans: 0g
Cholesterol: 0mg
Sodium: 510mg
Carb: 13g
     Dietary fiber: 2.5g
     Sugars: 1g
Protein: 34g
Calcium: 20%
Iron: 10%          

So, check out the ingredients--you'll see that they're quite wholesome! The nutritional profile is great--34g protein!! The fiber content is modest but with some nutritious side dishes, this can easily be compensated for. The sodium level is a little higher than I'd like, however this 'roast' is so delicious, that I really can't bring myself to care!

So when cutting into this, it honestly sounded like cutting plastic haha! I got a little anxious when I heard that sound. BUT THEN!...I cut into my individual slice it with my steak knife and it was nicely firm but also tender and very easy to manipulate. I really liked that there was a slight chew to the outer layer of the roast, which then gave way to the very moist just nicely textured 'meat'. The stuffing was also moist and the rice was nicely cooked. There were 2 suggested baste recipes on the box (one with olive oil and soy sauce and one with orange juice and soy sauce). I used a sauce made with Kiju juice (Organic Mango Orange flavour) and soy sauce. I didn't actually get this flavour but the roast came out moist, so I'm happy :)

The flavour was awesome! It was actually reminiscent of Turkey flavour and was perfectly salted. The stuffing was reaaallly nice, with festive spices. This was honestly better than most Thanksgiving turkeys that I've had because I find that it's normally a little dry and in need of a good gravy drench.

1/5 of the roast actually seems like a small portion until you actually dig in. Each bite is heart and filling and I was satisfied after just a few bites and without any sides! Imagine that! So, this is actually a really good meat replacer for a festive dinner.

I must admit, the roast didn't look very appetizing after coming out of the oven because it didn't have that beautiful colour I expected. Had I used a darker baste, this problem may have been solved (or even some natural reddish-brownish colouring could have been added).

Other Tofurky Holiday Products (all vegan):

• Tofurky Feast
• Tofurky Roast and Gravy
• Savory Gravy

Brand (quoted from tofurky.com):

• Non-GMO
• "We make our vegetarian products in small batches using only the finest organic and natural ingredients."
• No preservatives, MSG or other artificial ingredients.
• Kosher, vegan, and made with organic soybeans and/or organic tofu.
• Family owned and operated company.
• "Since our founding in 1980 Turtle Island Foods has strived to create delicious, nutritious, vegan soy meat alternatives that are lightly processed using traditional methods."