We’re trying to hold onto the BBQ season as long as we can. Who are we kidding? We’re Canadian and nothing will stop us from digging the trenches to get to the grills! For those of us who look for alternatives to consuming meat all the time, we checked the latest addition to the Beyond Meat family of products. Plant-based Beyond Sausages have arrived!
Jordana Hart, a Canadian Holistic Nutritionist who’s also the creator I Hart Nutrition, a popular online nutrition community with a focus on easy and delicious everyday tips on how to eat better, tells us we can all use a little more veggies in our daily intake. “I always tell my clients that veggies at every meal should be a non-negotiable, but it should also be fuss-free!”
Hart suggested sneaking in some baby spinach into our morning smoothies, pair your lunch sandwich or wrap with a side of veggies and dip, and have some cooked veggies with dinner. PRO TIP: Hart tells us that when in doubt, throw your veggies on a baking sheet with olive oil and sea salt and pop it in the oven! But what protein options? “For a delicious and protein-packed option, I love to incorporate Beyond Meat,” says Hart. “It’s such an easy and simple way to incorporate plant-based protein into any meal – you can cook Beyond Sausage or Beyond Beef in the same way you’d prepare animal protein and have a meal ready in under 10 minutes! Plus, they have a ton of great nutritional benefits like less saturated fat and no cholesterol, antibiotics or hormones.”
I love tossing together “bowls” as the options are endless. Hart tells us that they are her life savior! “My trick is to have lots of healthy options ready to go so that I can throw them into a bowl the moment hunger hits. I always aim for leafy greens, protein, healthy fat, and complex carbohydrates! This summer, Beyond Sausage was an easy, delicious plant-based protein option for me that truly looks and tastes like traditional pork sausage.”
Options and variety of flavours are important. Hart tells us she regularly rotates protein options, and this brand includes a variety of products that offer a great source of plant-based protein (Beyond Sausage has 16g per serving), without soy, gluten, or GMOs, which is a huge bonus! Beyond Sausage is available in Mild Italian and Hot Italian flavours. “I love that it keeps me full and satiated,” said Hart. “Even though I do eat meat, it’s important to have a plant-based protein option to add to my meal repertoire. I also love varieties so that I can switch things up week to week (sausages, burgers, etc.).”
Beyond Sausage Bowl by Jordana Hart
Serves 2 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes
Bowl Ingredients:
- 2 Beyond Sausage Mild Italian links
- Arugula
- 1 zucchini, sliced
- eggplant, sliced
- pickled red onion
- 1/2 avocado, sliced
- 1 tbsp avocado oil or olive oil
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- pepper to taste
Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing Preparation:
Combine ingredients in a small glass bowl and whisk with a fork. Set aside.
Bowl Preparation:
Heat grill pan to medium-high heat. Cook Beyond Sausage according to packaging, about 9-10 minutes total. Slice the eggplant and zucchini and season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add 1 tbsp oil to the pan, and grill the eggplant and zucchini until cooked through ( 5 – 7 minutes). Divide the arugula between 2 bowls. Top each bowl with 1/2 avocado, pickled red onion, and the cooked Beyond Sausage links and grilled veggies. Top with lemon vinaigrette and enjoy.
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What are they made of? The sausages come in two variations: Mild Italian Sausage and Hot Italian Sausage and made with peas and rice that provides the protein, coconut oil ensures the juiciness, beets give them the meaty colour, and each is wrapped inside a casing derived from algae.
Where to find them?
I found Beyond Sausage products in the meat section at my local grocers. They will also be available at 100 Costco locations across Canada in crowd-pleasing packs. I’ll be trying them in this weekend’s stuffing recipe.
