Veggie Bites

Some vegetarians still crave that meat taste or texture. Vegetarian Gourmet-Bites, a new meat alternative made of soy from Veat Gourmet products, is chicken-like in flavor and texture. The soy protein, which is low in saturated fat and cholesterol-free, comes frozen in vacuum-sealed packets to be thawed before cooking. We tested the Pineapple-Orange “Veat” recipe, printed on the package, in the Times Test Kitchen. Testers felt that the soy had the bite and texture of meat with a slight tofu flavor and that it was one of the better meat alternatives they had tasted. Other products include Vegetarian Nuggets.

Vegetarian Gourmet-Bites (7-ounce box) $3.69. From Whole Foods stores.

New York Cracker

No walnut is too tough to crack with this stylish opener from the online store of New York’s Museum of Modern Art. Slip the middle blade into the hinge that joins the nut halves together and give a twist. Use the side prongs to remove the meat. You get perfectly clean walnut halves every time. And you do it so beautifully. . . .

Pico Walnut Opener, $19.50, from MOMA online store. https://www.momastore.org and type the name of the product in the search field.