When Aman Blana gave up meat and dairy, he was disappointed to find that so many vegan foods on store shelves carried a laundry list of ingredients.
He wanted something simpler, so he created it, himself, with Atlanta’s Growee Foods.
The company’s savory spreads may only be a year old, but they’ve already won a Nexty award in 2022, given to natural foods products that are deemed progressive, impactful and trustworthy.
They come in three flavors: Three Pepper Spread, Curry Zucchini, and Spiced Mango.
I had a chance to try samples of all three, which contain no gluten, nut, corn, GMOs or soy.
They are made with real fruits and veggies, such as yellow peppers, zucchini, mango, and apples, as well as sunflower seeds, sunflower oil, agave syrup, apple cider vinegar, and herb seasonings.
The Curry Zucchini is thick and pasty in consistency, with the warmth of curry. There’s a hint of subtle heat from black pepper, and the assertiveness of onion. It was delicious used in a stir-fry of vegetables and rice noodles that I made for dinner one night. If you’re not vegan, it would also be wonderful smeared on a chicken burger or grilled fish.
The Three Pepper is creamy and chunky with red, yellow, and green peppers. Tomato paste gives it a nice sweetness, and white pepper lends a gentle spiciness. This one was the just the ticket for sauteing shrimp with onions, broccoli, and red peppers. It would also make for an easy party dip for poached shrimp or as a flavorful spread on grilled cheese.
The Spiced Mango is the sweetest of the three. It’s creamy from coconut milk, which gives it a smooth body, and gets a moderate dose of spice from chili powder and curry powder. This would perk up any kind of grilled veggie kebabs or roasted sweet potatoes. I served dollops alongside grilled salmon fillets like you would mango salsa, and it paired perfectly.
Two tablespoons of spread have 35 to 40 calories, 2 grams of fat, 3 to 5 grams of carbs, and 100 to 250 grams of sodium, depending upon the variety.
On the Growee Foods site, you can find the 9-ounce jars are $8.99 each or a trio with one of each variety is $25.99.