Reviewing Quorn Fajita Strips

It's been a while since I reviewed as we've been distracted with festivals this month and camping food isn't usually much to write home about. However, we did manage to take a few vegetarian snacks with us which I now regret not reviewing 'on the move' as resampling one of the things we tried isn't the most exhilarating prospect. I will try it again in the future though for the future's future reference.

These Quorn Fajita Strips cost £2.20 - £2.60 per pack and are "perfect in tortillas & salads or straight from the pack". I haven't had a wrap in ages and already the old salivary glands were working overtime. This had better be good. I tried a piece "straight from the pack" but was immediately disappointed. It was wet and tasteless. The packaging provides cooking instructions but isn't clear on if you have to cook these or not. Having tried it cold, I placed enough for a couple of wraps on a microwaveable plate, covered with cling, stabbed a few random holes and blitzed it in the microwave until they were hot and starting to smell flavoursome (in my overkeen microwave this was about ten seconds, others may vary however they do warn not to overcook).

I laid out my wraps, smothered with mayo and piled on shredded lettuce, cucumber, tomato and grated carrot. Then I added dollops of guacamole (still struggling to be completely dairy free). Short of salsa I dribbled on sweet chilli sauce instead and then added a smattering of chopped olives for good measure and finally topped with the fajita strips. It had been so long since I'd made a wrap I'd forgotten I'd need to roll it up and in my enthusiasm slightly overloaded the wraps. About 1/3rd of the filling fell out as I rolled them up.

The result was amazing. I realise the strips could have been drowned in flavour but in between the fresh, crispy salad, creamy guacamole and spicy sweet chilli sauce you could still taste the gently spiced strips and all the flavours complemented, even the sporadic tangy pieces of olive.

I will definitely try these strips again. Perhaps in a stir fry or with rice though I wouldn't bother with them cold. The verdict is influenced by the juxtaposition of flavours but still: 5/5!

Reviewing Quorn Frankfurters

Exploring the options for vegetarian meals and meat substitutes I have decided to document my findings for future reference thus bringing about my first review!

Quorn Frankfurters come in vacuum sealed packs of four and cost about £2.10. Allegedly, they are "ideal for hot dogs". I was excited to try these as a quick lunch option thinking they would be well received by my twin ten year old boys.

The heating guidelines recommend boiling the pack in water for 10-12 minutes or piercing the plastic several times and microwaving for 2 minutes.

This wasn't a difficult choice. As they hummed away in the microwave I quickly made some fried onions. Heating up a pan with a dollop of olive oil and a blob of butter, I sliced up some particularly juicy red onions and scrunched them, half-blind with tears, into the pan then stirred continuously until they were soft and sticky. Then served in a bun with the frankfurter and obligatory ketchup and mustard.

 

 

They smelled and looked great. However, the texture was disappointing. The frankfurter was quite firm and a lot drier than expected since a hot dog is usually a bit squishy. Having lots of fried onions and sauce helped. Quorn can do pretty convincing chicken substitutes but this is more of a hot dog alternative.

It did have a lovely smoky flavour though, and I think the texture could be something you get used to when you know what to expect. They were quick to make and would be handy to have in the fridge for when you need to feed a family on the go as they keep for about a month or they can be frozen for three months. They are also a much healthier alternative to a hot dog and the boys gave a thumbs up verdict and asked if we could have them again.

I would buy again for the convenience of a quick and filling meal and I am tempted to try them cut into small pieces on a pizza or with pasta and tomatoes where the sauce may counteract the dryness. Overall 3/5.