When I go to Whole Foods these days, it’s usually because I’m on the hunt for something very specific that I can’t find anywhere else, or because it’s the most convenient place to go for certain items. Examples include Chicago Diner vegan desserts (which are available in Whole Foods stores throughout the Midwest) or a Field Roast or Tofurky frozen pizza (I want it when I want it). One really nice thing that Whole Foods does is offer coupons that are actually very decent deals. I end up trying new things because I have a coupon. One new thing that I tried recently was 365 Organic Lentil Soup.
I bought a 2-serving size “juice box” style package of the soup. The box isn’t resealable like most other soup boxes I had seen, so I had to split the contents into two containers which equaled two lunches. That was mildly annoying. It would have been nice to keep the box in the fridge at work. I will say that the packaging does have a clever way of being opened that results in zero to minimal mess and easy pouring.
The soup itself tasted OK. One serving size was a perfect lunch portion for me. It had a decent amount of lentils with some carrots and celery in the mix. No extra seasoning was needed. All I had to do was heat it in the microwave for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. It was a good meal, but nothing spectacular. It’s nothing more or less than what one would expect from a pre-packaged soup. I didn’t pay much attention to the ingredients but I did find myself wondering what preservatives were in there in order for the soup to stay fresh while it was sitting in my pantry for a month.
If these are on sale or I come across another coupon, I will likely buy a box or two. It makes a really easy lunch when I have zero time to cook or prepare anything. It’s also cheaper than buying soup at a restaurant or in the cafe, and that’s if I can even find a vegan soup. When I do have time, and I should really make time, I’ll follow Christie’s lentil soup recipe which looks and tastes much better. Homemade is best! –Melissa
Now I know that making chili is really easy but I’m glad to know that there’s a vegan option out there for when I don’t have time or simply don’t want to make a giant pot of chili. Amy’s Organic Chili is a great vegan chili that consists of red beans and tofu (textured to look like ground meat). I tried the Medium spice level which wasn’t terribly spicy at all — it’s more tart/salty than spicy. The directions are simple. Maybe a little too simple: heat and serve. Um… how about a little guidance, Amy? I definitely didn’t want to have to wash a pot to I poured half the can into a microwave-safe bowl, heated it for 60 sec, mixed it around and then heated it for another 45 seconds. This seemed like a perfect amount of time. Warning: it will explode so make sure you cover the bowl before heating it.
I was initially hesitant to try 
Turning Veganese 