Product Review - Vegie Roast with Rosemary Mint Glaze

This product is by no means new, but Andy and I have baulked at the $7-ish price tag since they appeared on the shelves a few years ago.  We tend to pass by that area of the supermarket with barely a glance, because we would rather make our own seitan-related products than pay too much for them.  Especially because those Sanitarium roasts look teeny.

However, we love a good bargain.

Last week, Andy was in the shop and found them marked down 66%, to $2.37.  So he bought four.  Never mind that we had never tried them, and they might totally suck.  Even if they were terrible, we would find some use for them in the coming weeks (three went straight into the freezer).

This photo comes from Sanitarium.

I had heard from others that the roasts were yum but for the rosemary mint glaze they come with.  I was a bit surprised to see that "glaze" really meant powder.  But, we decided that we would try the roast following package directions the first time, to properly judge it.  So we coated in oil, and then rolled in the funny orange powder.  Then we popped it in the oven with some potatoes, broccoli, and a stuffed tomato made by Andy.

The results?  Meh.  First of all, the things I had heard about the glaze were true - it is not nice.  Andy, especially, hated it.  It was too sweet, and tasted very artificial.  So, for the remaining three roasts in our freezer, that orange powder will not be part of the meal.

Second, the texture was a bit funny.  It reminded me of that highly processed log of 'chicken loaf' that my parents very occasionally bought from the deli for sandwiches.  It wasn't bad, and Andy kind of dug it, but it bothered me a little.  I kind of prefer single-textured seitan.  Maybe because it reminds me less of meat.  In my opinion, chicken-ish textures are good in small, thin doses -- vegan chicken nuggets or cutlets are okay, but a big log: not so much.

Finally, it was pretty puny.  It purports to be four serves.  I know that Andy and I are greedy gutses, but we ate the whole thing in one meal, with an awful lot of side dishes.  It wouldn't go very far in a 'family roast' setting. Andy ate two thirds of the whole roast in about 6 bites.

In summary, we think this product has potential.  With a different flavour, especially.  We might try slicing it up and frying, instead of roasting.  Or possibly marinating, and wrapping in yuba before roasting.  Andy's opinion is that if he saw those for 50% off, he would buy one, and for 66% off he would stockpile.  My opinion wasn't so favourable, but I didn't hate them.