Alright, let’s talk about this Gardein fish stuff, the vegan kind, you know? I ain’t no fancy cook, but I know what tastes good and what don’t. So, this here Gardein fish, they call it “plant-based f’sh,” sounds kinda funny, right? Like they can’t even call it fish proper.
First off, I heard some folks sayin’ it’s kinda greasy. Well, I ain’t afraid of a little grease, adds flavor, I say! But too much, and that ain’t good for nobody. They say it tastes alright though, which is somethin’. My family, they used to eat all kinds of meat, but now they tryin’ this vegan thing. So, I’m cookin’ up stuff they’ll actually eat, you know? They liked this Gardein fish, even though they used to be big on the real deal.
Now, what’s in this stuff anyways? I looked it up, and it’s a whole bunch of things I can’t even pronounce. Water, that’s easy. Then there’s somethin’ called soy protein concentrate, sounds healthy I guess. And expeller pressed canola oil, that’s just fancy talk for oil, I reckon. They put in some sugar too, organic cane sugar at that, and sea salt. Makes sense, gotta have some flavor.
Then comes the part I don’t get. Yeast extract? What’s that? And onion powder, garlic powder, those are alright. But caramel color? Why they gotta make it look like fish? It ain’t fish! And then “natural flavors (from plant sources),” what’s that supposed to mean? Why can’t they just say what it is? Finally, some spices. See, I told ya, gotta have some flavor!
Someone told me it’s made from textured vegetable protein, soy protein concentrate, and enriched wheat flour. Sounds like a whole lotta work to make somethin’ that ain’t fish taste like fish, if you ask me. But hey, if it gets my family eatin’ their veggies, I ain’t complainin’.
- Water
- Soy protein concentrate
- Expeller pressed canola oil
- Organic cane sugar
- Sea salt
- Yeast extract
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Caramel color
- Natural flavors (from plant sources)
- Spices
- Textured vegetable protein
- Enriched wheat flour
Now, about makin’ it taste like real fish… that’s where this seaweed stuff comes in, they call it dulse or wakame. I never heard of such things, but apparently, it gives it that fishy taste. They say wakame has got protein and calcium, and even iron and vitamin C! Dulse is another one, a red sea plant they call it, and it’s got iron and protein too. Sounds good for ya, even if it sounds kinda weird.
So, you wanna cook this Gardein fish? I ain’t got no fancy recipes, but I hear you can put gravy on it and some vegetables on the side. Mashed potatoes, roasted veggies, that kinda stuff. Sounds like a good meal to me. It ain’t like the fish I used to fry up back in the day, but times change, I guess.
Bottom line? If you’re lookin’ for somethin’ that tastes kinda like fish but ain’t, this Gardein stuff might do the trick. It ain’t gonna fool nobody who knows their fish, but it’s good enough for my family, and that’s good enough for me. Just don’t expect it to be the same as the real deal. And don’t be scared of a little grease, it adds flavor!
Gardein vegan fish, it’s got its pros and cons. It’s convenient, folks seem to like the taste, and it’s got a bunch of stuff in it that sounds healthy-ish. But it ain’t fish, and that’s that. If you’re lookin’ for a fish substitute, give it a try. If you want real fish, well, you gotta go catch one, or buy one at the store, the real kind, not this plant-based stuff.
Tags: [Gardein, Vegan Fish, Plant-Based, Ingredients, Recipe, Textured Vegetable Protein, Soy Protein Concentrate, Dulse, Wakame, Seaweed, Vegan Food]
