Check Out The Beet Editors’ Favorite Plant-Based Products of the Week

At The Beet, our editors are always trying out new, innovative plant-based products in order to give our readers the best possible recommendations. There's always something exciting stocked in our fridges, cabinets, and pantries, and we thought we would show you what products we're loving this week. Below are the best-loved products from our team of editors: Lucy, Stephanie, Hailey, and Caitlin.

Lucy's Favorites

1.Organic, Gluten-Free, No-Sugar-Added Tomato Sauce from Otamot

Quick: Check the label of your favorite store-bought tomato sauce label. Chances are "sugar" is one of the top ingredients on the list. I for one, prefer my sugar where I can taste it (like in ice cream) so I am constantly on the lookout for a tomato sauce that is all-natural, organic, nutritious, and has no added sugar, and nothing that I wouldn't have put in there myself.

The best I've found is from Otamot (yes, clever people, that is tomato backward) since it has a tangy taste and contains no sugar added. Their tomato and carrot bolognese sauce is filled with a whole farmstand of organic vegetables: tomatoes, diced carrots sweet potato, butternut squash, red beet, sweet onion, red bell pepper as well as shitake mushroom. The mod labels artfully show each veggie clearly in a painted graphic and these USDA organic sauces are also gluten-free and carry the Whole 30 label, for anyone trying to follow that plan. Otamot was founded by a dad who just wanted to help his daughter eat healthier and reach her goal of no added sugar. They're distributed out of Brooklyn, NY and their spicy sauce turns up the heat with 5 different peppers (along with the other veggies) and is perfect on pizza, in stews, soups and of course pasta.  Get it at a local retailer or Otamot Foods.

2. Rae wellness supplements: Boost immunity, fight stress and shine from the inside out

I hate supplements. There I said it. Not only that but it takes a lot for me to pop a pill (any pill) into my mouth since once it gets into your system you don't know what's going to happen or how it's going to make you feel. Somehow, rae was different. The messaging, packaging and ingredients are all so female-friendly that I wanted to try their immunity capsules with vitamin C, zinc, elderberry, and reishi (after spending 48 hours in NYC I felt this was an appropriate response to being way too close to other people after six months in virtual isolation).

Stephanie's Favorites

1.Salted Caramel Pretzel Love Crunch, Nature's Path Original

I generally opt for granola instead of oatmeal for my morning meal because I love a good crunch, but I've never had one variety I've stuck to since granolas usually follow a predictable flavor profile of berries, nuts or a combination of the two. Or so I thought before I discovered Nature's Path Organic's new Love Crunch Salted Caramel Pretzel flavor. Its a complex sweet and savory taste with pretzels, dark chocolate and Himalayan pink sea salt.

This granola is 100% vegan and also certified USDA organic, fairtrade, and Non-GMO. It is so incredibly delicious I just about ate an entire 10 serving bag the first time I tried it (In my defense working from home does something to your perception of portions). The product is made with simple ingredients I can pronounce and the Nature's Path Organic brand donates $1 million worth of Love Crunch products to North American food banks each year. If you haven't yet tried it and you're a fan of salty and sweet combinations, you can purchase a pouch on the company website.

2. Ketogenic Savory Bites, KEHO

When you need to snack on-the-go, your choices are generally confined to sweeter flavors. Luckily, KEHO has made four savory bars that deliver your favorite meals in snack form. Inspired by global cuisines, KEHO offerings include Thai Me Over, Tex-Mex Moment, Curry in a Hurry, and Pizza to go. These bars boast optimal keto macros and are also gluten-free, non-GMO, and made of 100% vegan ingredients. My personal favorite flavor is the Pizza to go, which features sun-dried tomatoes, and Spanish black olive rings. Buy KEHO Savory Bites on the brand's website here.

Hailey's Favorites

1. Harney & Son's Cherry Blossom Tea

When the temperatures start to drop, I reach for the tea, blanket, book, or laptop, and enjoy a cozy work environment. For me, tea is always a hit or miss. I'm looking for new herbal flavors and sometimes it just isn't the perfect blend. But, there's one tea that I could sip on forever, and that's Harney & Son's Cherry Blossom tea. The flavor is so delicate, sweet, and the taste brings me comfort. I drink this tea first thing in the morning and before I go to bed. The cherry blossom has the best aftertaste and pairs well with my oatmeal for breakfast.

2. Daiya Foods Dairy-Free Dessert Bars

The other day I was in the grocery store and needed a sweet, chocolatey, and refreshing treat since the weather was unusually hot for a fall day. I purchased Daiya's dairy-free dessert bars and can't stop eating them. They taste extremely delicious, especially for someone who doesn't love dessert like me. The chocolate shell was rich on the DF ice cream was smooth and silky, one of the most delicious treats I've had in a while.

I hosted a small dinner party with a few friends and served these ice cream bars on a platter and didn't tell anyone they were vegan until they took their first taste. They were in shock and couldn't believe there was no cream and that the chocolate wasn't made with milk. One of my friends sent me a photo of her Daiya dessert bars in the freezer a couple of days later.

Caitlin's Favorites

1. Fresh Nature Falafel Cakes

Make your own Mediterranean vegan cuisine at home with these falafel cakes. Fresh Nature has made a healthy, frozen falafel that is quick and easy to make on any night of the week. All you have to do is heat the cakes on a pan, taking all the hassle and unhealthiness out of deep-frying a falafel. You will fool guests into thinking these cakes are homemade.

The frozen falafel cakes are made out of healthy ingredients: Green garbanzo beans, panko breadcrumbs, onions, water, extra virgin olive oil, garlic, sea salt, parsley, cilantro, leek soup base, and other spices. One falafel cake has 70 calories, 2 grams of fiber, 3 grams of protein and no trans or sat fats. If you eat a low-sodium diet, these are slightly high with 260 mg per patty. Besides the original flavor, the falafel cakes are also available in a southwestern flavor. You can also find them pre-made as on the go meals.

Fresh Nature Falafel cakes can be found at various grocery stores including Whole Foods, Wegmans, Safeway, Fred Meyers, Pavilions and Bristol Farms. You won't have to order in falafels again after trying Fresh Nature!

2. Banza Chickpea Pasta

Pasta alternatives are either packed with unhealthy ingredients or don't taste as good as the real thing. Luckily, Banza is changing the game with chickpea pasta that is both delicious and good for you. This gluten-free, high protein pasta is made out of only four ingredients: Chickpeas, tapioca, pea protein and xanthan gum. Banza has two times the protein and three times the fiber as real pasta offering real nutritional benefits.

Banza's recommended serving size of two ounces has 190 calories, 3.5g of total fat, 45 mg of sodium, 32g of carbs, 5g of dietary fiber and 13g of protein. Make a vegetable pasta dish with garlic and oil or vegan mac and cheese with Banza. This chickpea pasta comes in many varieties from elbow to spaghetti to alphabet shapes. Banza also has boxed plant-based mac and cheese as well as rice. You can find Banza in stores at Walmart, Target and Kroger, or online at Amazon, Thrive Market, Pea Pod and Instacart. Once you taste Banza you will never go back to real pasta again!