Burritos with Lightlife Chick'n Strips

These burritos with poblano chili, onion, Lightlife Chick'n Strips, salsa, and guacamole on sprouted corn tortillas made a super-healthy meal. Typically, I would have used refried or black beans as the protein here, but as the Lightlife folks were kind enough to gift me a box of their vegetarian faux meat products, I decided to try the chick'n strips.

Up front, I have to say I'm not big on faux meat products. I do have some favorites: Lightlife's Gimme Lean sausage is fantastic in my English Sausage Rolls (I'm enjoying one as I write this, in fact); Gardenburger's Chick'n Grills are also favourites; and I love Morningstar's "Bacon" and "Sausage Patties". Do I like them because they taste like the real thing? Nope. I haven't had the real thing in over 20 years, so it's not about authenticity (although meat eaters can't believe those sausage rolls are vegan). Like most food, it's all about taste and texture.



Sadly, I wasn't sold on the chick'n strips. I thought they were a little bland and rubbery and something about the shape bothered me: too uniform, too shiny, too unnatural. They didn't have a layered texture , which I think is critical: Morningstar's Meal Starter Strips are much better in this regard. Also the seasoning was too mild, not hearty or salty.

That said, they are an undeniably healthy source of protein. A 6 oz package contains a mere 160 calories, 0 fat, and a whopping 30g of protein. That's really pretty amazing.

I was hoping to try these on a Thai Chick'n pizza, but I think the texture won't really work. I'm thinking these might be best added to a Korma curry near the end of the simmer time.

I was very excited to find Food for Life's Sprouted Corn Tortillas at our local Whole Foods, however. They are packed with fresh corn flavour: