The Vegg. Vegan Egg Yolks. Lucy's Vegan Gluten Free Cookies.

"The Vegg" a Vegan Egg Yolk!  10% of proceeds go to Compassion Over Killing.

There has been a lot of "hype" about this new vegan egg yolk product in the vegan blogosphere. Much excitement and people patiently waiting for a vegan version of some of their faves like Hollandaise sauce, real french toast, and egg custard.  Others immediately responded "Ick.  I would rather eat real food."  But what is pretty cool about this product, is that it pretty much "is" real food.  It is basically nutritional yeast and kala namak, or "black salt".  So it isn't some crazy soy protein isolate or some gluten filled fake meat, just a couple of pretty standard ingredients made into a powdered mix that you can use in place of egg yolk.

It comes in powder form & you add either water or a dairy free milk, depending on the type of recipe you use.

I didn't have a lot in the house, but did have some of this "Wildwood" tofu, which has a crazy protein content in it.  Super firm, it doesn't require a press or draining.  It has 14 grams of protein per serving and 7 servings per package! Plus 15% of your RDA of iron per serving.  It is also higher in calories than most other tofu! So figured I would make Scrambled "Veggs".

I added the water.....I made the whole package up because the "mixture" should still last a couple of weeks in the fridge.  I have to say that I was really amazed and grossed out at the same time.  Amazed because it had a texture pretty reminiscent of real egg yolk.  It has been so long since I have stirred, touched, smelled anything that was "egg like" in this way, that I was also a little grossed out.  But was thinking the hubby would only embrace this, as he isn't turned "off" by egg/meat substitutes like I am!  The black salt really gives it a unique smell.

So I just used it in scrambled tofu.  It looked real.  The "Vegg" stuff isn't supposed to be an "egg replacer" like flax or potato starch exactly.  It is more of an egg yolk.  So it isn't going to congeal or cook like the "white" part of an egg.  It is going to give an "eggy" flavor and also that kind of "yolky" texture.

So scrambled tofu with the addition of "The Vegg" got good marks from the homestead.  The flavor was subtle, yet present.  Hubby thought it did taste different than my "standard scrambled tofu".  Next we will try the french toast.  I certainly think it could be a decent addition to your vegan kitchen.  It doesn't have harmful stuff in it and it's an easy way to "recreate" some of "the classics".  Try it out for yourselves and see if it might bring some Hollandaise sauce, Caesar Salad Dressing, or Egg Custards back into your life!  Even people like Mark Bittman are getting excited about some faux products......recently he talked about a new faux chicken product that even "fooled" him.  And love how he "defends" faux meats by stating that some people are not going to use a product unless it is basically "the same" as, or blends "seamlessly" into their lives-without any additional work or sacrifice.  So while eating fruits, veggies, and whole grains in their unadulterated form might be more "PC", inluding faux meats & other products to "transition" away from cruelty & help curb climate change, may be more realistic.  Check out the Mark Bittman Faux Chicken video here.

And another product review.  I have had Lucy's Vegan cookies once before, probably in a Starbucks.  I had ordered Keys Sunblock and an entire box of cookies was shared as a "sample" for Valentine's day!  While I normally don't buy any cookies or use evaporated cane juice, they ended up on my doorstep and I caved to temptation.  I did pawn most of the box off onto my husband, but not before trying my fair share.  These cookies are awesome!  Sweet, Crunchy, and super tasty!  Not the super moist cookies that made you wonder about how much oil you just ate, but a light and crunchy type of cookie with marvelous flavor.  Sweet, but not a gag me with a pound of sugar sweet.  This brand is totally Gluten Free, and "Lucy" means it.  They do the whole allergen testing, dedicated facility, etc.... Vegan, Gluten Free, No Tree Nuts, Peanuts, Milk.   I have seen them at Starbucks and think they are pretty widely available.

And here is "Lucy" talking shop.  She founded the company because her own child had food allergies and spent the first part of his childhood "cookie deprived".