In our basket

It’s shopping time! Our team selects new products for you to put – or not – in your mouth.

Non-alcoholic tea sparkling wine, dose 2

After taking our taste buds by surprise with a first non-alcoholic sparkling wine enhanced with gyokuro tea, the Quebec company Lao is back with another version, called Mucha tie guan yin. A completely different path is followed here, since the composition instead includes a roasted wulong from northern Taiwan – giving its name to the drink – supplemented by a hojicha isagawa tea. Everything is aged like a kombucha, with yeast and mushrooms. On the effervescence side, we find the same ballet of fine and jumping bubbles as in the previous production, very pleasant on the palate. The aromas, however, play in another direction, with woody accents, mixed with toasted cereals and hazelnuts. The addition of organic cane sugar will try to compensate for the absence of alcohol, without exaggeration. An interesting option for those who want finesse without intoxication.

Price: $24.99 for 750 ml, on sale at Avril Supermarché Santé and on the Lao website

Visit the Lao website

Party in every bite

Who says party, of course, says birthday cake. To celebrate its 5th anniversary, the Montérégie company Sana launched this new flavor in March, which it offers in bars or chocolate protein bites. It was this second product that we had the opportunity to taste on the sidelines of the Eat Health Live Green Expo, which, after stopping in Montreal, will take place in Quebec on April 20 and 21. Our taste buds were charmed by these little bites which have a vanilla and sweet taste – without however containing added sugar. How does the company, which aims to offer “treats perfectly balanced between gourmet pleasure and well-being”, manage to satisfy sweet tooths? “We use monk fruit to bring natural sweetness to our various creations,” replies Véronick Giroux, director of research and development at Sana. This treat is also surprising because of its protein content (18 g per 50 g portion). Our only downside: the high percentage of saturated fat, which represents 55% of the recommended daily value. It mainly comes from cocoa butter, “a natural source of fat”, specifies the co-founder of Sana. Despite this, it is a sweet treat that we will certainly want to treat ourselves to again as a dessert or as a festive snack, whether or not we have an occasion to celebrate.

Price: $9.99 for 100 g, available online, in some grocery stores and health food stores

Visit the Sana website

Ready-to-eat with a little extra

Meals already prepared always help out when you’re in a hurry, whether for lunch or a quick dinner. And the new features offered by WeCook are quite convincing if you’re looking for a solution for those days when you’re on the run. The Quebec company uses fresh ingredients, and you can feel it. The grilled chicken Caesar salad we tried was truly amazing, with its crunchy kale, generous portions of chicken and shavings of parmesan. The vinaigrette, croutons and bacon are separate, allowing you to adjust the seasoning to your liking. We also tried the roasted salmon with shallot white butter (with wild rice and asparagus); Swiss cheese meatballs with creamy mustard sauce; and shish-taouk-style grilled chicken thighs, with garlic sauce and roasted potatoes. The flavor was there in each of these meals – we are a long way from bland and tasteless prepared dishes here. The only downside is the cooking of the vegetables, which would have deserved to be extended in the case of all the dishes to be heated in the microwave. Note that you can select your side dish in most cases and that you have a choice of 14 new meals every week, offered in two sizes (small or “regular”).

Price: $11.25 to $13.95 per meal, online

Visit the WeCook website

Protein and colorful smoothies

We were charmed by their latte mixes, and their smoothie mixes also passed the test, at least for the most part. The Quebec company Seta wants to offer quality, nutritious products that give pride of place to foods with generally recognized health benefits, such as turmeric, acerola berries, wheatgrass or spirulina. The powder, to be mixed with water or a vegetable milk of your choice, contains for each smoothie portion at least 12 g of protein and 6 g of fiber, which makes it an interesting asset for lunch or as a snack. Of the five flavors offered, it was especially Exotic Mango and Pitaya Strawberry which won the favors of the household; Choco Orange and Green Tropical have more pronounced tastes, with a bit of bitterness, which will not please all taste buds. Of the two proposed ways of preparing the mixture, we greatly preferred putting everything in a blender with ice and a banana rather than simply mixing the powder with the liquid by hand, for a smoother and more pleasant result in the mouth.

Non-GMO, gluten-free and vegan

Price: $18.99 per 160 g bag (good for five servings), available online and in points of sale

Visit the Seta Organics website