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CLOSE WINDOW
BY Jolia Sidona Allen
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Gotch & Purcell
Navigating the aisles of your health food store, supermarket, or cookware department can be exhilarating for any foodie. But when you're short on time—or dough—you might feel a bit bewildered by the sheer number of choices.
Luckily, here at VT, it's literally our job to try all those tempting products and to spread the word on the ones we can't do without.
For this year's inaugural Foodie Awards, VT editors nominated products in 25 tasty categories. Over five weeks last spring, readers logged on to vegetariantimes.com and cast more than 36,000 votes for their favorites. The result: a shopper's cheat sheet identifying 125 worthy purchases, plus readers' top 25 picks. Next time you set out to fill up your shopping cart, don't leave home without this list!
Devastatingly Drinkable Bottled Beverage
WINNER: Odwalla Blueberry B Monster Vitamin B Fruit Smoothie Blend
Runners-Up
Odwalla Blueberry B Monster Vitamin B Fruit Smoothie Blend—a cocktail of blueberries, orange juice, mangoes, bananas, apple juice, grape juice, and B-complex vitamins—is more than just a drink, it's a nutrient-packed energy booster.
No-Moo Milk
WINNER: Silk Soymilk Plus Fiber
Runners-Up
Silk Soymilk Plus Fiber offers a mild, creamy taste with 5 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein per serving, and it's perfect for enjoying with breakfast cereal or for dunking cookies.
Fab Fair-Trade and/or Organic Coffee
WINNER: Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Organic Rain Forest Blend
Runners-Up
We savored each of these roasts, but readers spoke out for Green Mountain Coffee Fair Trade Organic Rain Forest Blend, a satisfying and smooth brew.
Divine Organic-Grape Wine
WINNER: Organic Wine Works Maverick Merlot 2007
Runners-Up
While all these wines are made with organic grapes, readers gave top marks to Organic Wine Works Merlot, which is also processed organically and sans added preservatives.
Glorious Green Tea
WINNER: Tazo Zen Green Tea
Runners-Up
Tazo Zen Green Tea offers a gentle, any-time-of-day pick-me-up with a sweet, mild flavor.
Scrumptious Ready-to-Eat Soup
WINNER: Amy's Kitchen No Chicken Noodle Soup
Runners-Up
About the winner, Amy's Kitchen No Chicken Noodle Soup, VT reader Kelly Sanders comments, "This stuff makes me feel like I'm back in my mom's house when she would make me chicken soup for my colds." All the comfort of a homemade soup, none of the fuss!
Go-to Grains
WINNER: Eden Organic Wild Rice
Runners-Up
If plain brown rice is your only go-to grain, it's time to branch out. Eden Organic Wild Rice takes first place for its unique, earthy flavors and fabulous texture.
Choice Cereal
WINNER: Kashi Heart to Heart Honey Toasted Oat
Runners-Up
Kashi Heart to Heart is fiber-filled, protein-packed, and sog-proof, with adorable heart-shaped pieces mingling with the O's.
Groovy Gluten-free Pasta
WINNER: Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti
Runners-Up
Andean Dream Quinoa Spaghetti is a healthful and delicious alternative to traditional wheat-based pastas.
Fun & Healthful Kid Food
WINNER: Annie's Homegrown Bunny Graham Friends
Runners-Up
"My picky 2-year-old would eat a box of these if I let him!" says Jennifer Carson about Annie's Homegrown Bunny Graham Friends.
Primo Pasta Sauce
WINNER: Prego Organic Tomato & Basil Italian Sauce
Runners-Up
Prego Organic Tomato & Basil Italian Sauce hits just the right balance of zesty and sweet.
Spectacular for Sautéing
WINNER: Colavita Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Runners-Up
Colavita Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil offers full-bodied flavor, silky consistency, and organic goodness.
Savor-This Seasoning
WINNER: Maldon Sea Salt
Runners-Up
Every cook worth his or her salt has a spice-rack favorite. Like many top chefs, VT readers love the flaky texture and subtle flavor of Maldon Sea Salt.
Can't-Do-Without Condiment
WINNER: Annie's Naturals Organic Honey Mustard
Runners-Up
At just 10 calories per serving and 0 grams of fat, Annie's Naturals Organic Honey Mustard is a healthful obsession.
Top Bottled Salad Dressing
WINNER: Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette
Runners-Up
Newman's Own Balsamic Vinaigrette is the antidote to salad boredom.
Most Cherished Cookware
WINNER: Le Creuset Oval French Oven, 63/4 qt.
Runners-Up
VT Food Editor Mary Margaret Chappell loves that the Le Creuset French Oven lets you sear, sauté, and braise; plus it can go from stove top to oven to table looking beautiful.
Best Kitchen Tool Under 30 Bucks
WINNER: Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender
Runners-Up
Noelle Albanese-Levin says the Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender "can do anything a full-sized blender can do—but faster and with almost no cleanup!"
Tastiest way to get your Probiotics
WINNER: Stonyfield Farm O'Soy Soy Yogurt, Blueberry
Runners-Up
Stonyfield Farm O'Soy is just the right blend of creamy breakfast treat and explosive blueberry yumminess.
Superb Mock Meat
WINNER: Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chik'n Strips
Runners-Up
Versatile Chik'n Strips brown beautifully when fried and taste great!
Tantalizing Tempeh & Tofu
WINNER: Lightlife Organic Smoky Tempeh Strips
Runners-Up
"My omnivorous Texan boyfriend actually prefers Lightlife Smoky Tempeh Strips to bacon!" says Rachel Dean.
Da Bomb Burger
WINNER: Boca Burgers Original Vegan
Runners-Up
For hearty flavor and a meaty texture too, Boca Burgers Original Vegan is top-notch.
Every cookie on our top-five list of finalists qualifies as "can't-eat-just-one."
Can't-Eat-Just-One Cookies
WINNER: Uncle Eddie's Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Runners-Up
Uncle Eddie's gets the gold medal for melt-in-your mouth chocolate chips and a slightly soft but not-too-soft cookie. These vegan treats can hold a candle to their traditional doppelgangers any day!
Elegant Fair-Trade and/or Organic Chocolate
WINNER: Endangered Species Organic Dark Chocolate with Organic Blueberries
Runners-Up
Endangered Species tastes heavenly, and the company gives back 10 percent of net proceeds to nonprofits such as the African Wildlife Foundation and the Ocean Conservancy. "It's the perfect combination of chocolate, blueberry, and armchair activism," says reader Julie Tappe.
Cool, Creamy Treats
WINNER: Blackwell's Organic Raspberry Sorbetto
Runners-Up
With its eye-popping color and jaw-dropping sweet-tart flavor, Blackwell's Organic Raspberry Sorbetto feels as decadent as any ice cream dessert, and it's totally fat-free.
Magnificent Munchies
WINNER: Garden of Eatin' Sesame Blues Tortilla Chips
Runners-Up
Satisfy your next afternoon snack attack with Garden of Eatin' Sesame Blues, the perfect combo of crunch and good-for-you ingredients, such as organic blue corn and organic sesame seeds.
OCTOBER 2009 p. 70
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