We're gon' talk breakfast today.  Specifically, we're gon' talk fast breakfast.  On any given morning I have somewhere in the neighborhood of 36.5 seconds to prepare breakfast before the baby wakes up.  Sure, I could set an alarm and sneak out a little earlier in order to enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee without being attached to another human being, but these days I value extra sleep above all else.  Putting together a breakfast that is fast, tasty, and requires little fuss and clean-up is also something I value, so when Vitalicious sent me some samples of their brand new VitaEgg Flatbread Sandwiches I was totally on board to give them a try.

Whenever I try something new to share with you guys I always do a lil' Googlin' to find out any interesting tidbits I can about what makes a certain product tick.  When the sandwiches arrived at my doorstep (packed in dry ice and cool packs) I gave the boxes a once over and was impressed at the low calories and decent protein content.  So I started wondering... what the heck is a VitaEgg and how is it different than just, you know, an egg?

The VitaEgg rounds contained in each sandwich variety are made up of egg whites that have been fortified with all of the good stuff from the egg yolks, like protein, lutein, choline, and DHA.  What it lacks is extra fat, calories, and cholesterol contained in the yolk of a whole egg.

I know what you're thinking - why is the VitaEgg still yellow if it is only made up of egg whites?  Well, lutein and beta carotene are what give the yolk its color, so when the egg whites in the VitaEgg are fortified with those nutrients, the color returns to a much more eggy yellow color.  Huh, you learn something new every day.

As is the norm for Vitalicious products, the VitaEgg Flatbread Sandwiches contain no artificial coloring or preservatives.  Keep those babies nestled in your freezer until ready to use!

The VitaEgg Flatbread Sandwiches come in three varieties ranging from 120 - 160 calories and 10 - 15g of protein each.  Depending on what your individual nutrient needs are, you could eat these alone, along with another breakfast food (like Greek yogurt) to round things out and give you some extra protein and calories, or you could eat two sandwiches at once.

The first one I tried was the VitaEgg Turkey Sausage Flatbread Sandwich.  Inside of the box were two individually wrapped sandwiches.  The heating instructions on the package said to remove the plastic bag, wrap the sandwich in a paper towel, and then microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds (then allow to cool for another minute).

Here's a peek at the nutrition label and ingredients list for your viewing and scrutinizing pleasure:

Ingredients: Egg whites, turkey, water, whole wheat flour, wheat flour, soy protein concentrate, corn starch, potato starch, inulin, wheat gluten, soy fiber, oat fiber, yeast, dried wheat sour dough, vitamins, xanthan gum, salt, leavening (potassium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate), soy flour, dextrose, sugar, malted barley flour, enzymes, Rebaudioside A, lecithin, ascorbic acid, soybean oil, potassium chloride, natural flavor, salt, yeast, spices, dehydrated onion powder, ground celery seed, algal oil, choline chloride, baking soda. Vitamins and Minerals: zinc (as zinc oxide), vitamin E (as dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate), iron (as ferric orthophosphate), pantothenic acid (as d-calcium pantothenate), riboflavin, vitamin B6 (as pyrodoxine HCL), calcium (as calcium carbonate from ground limestone), vitamin A (as palmitate), lutein, thiamine (as thiamine mononitrate), folic acid, biotin, copper (as copper sulfate), vitamin D (as cholecalciferol), selenium (as sodium selenite), vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin).

I followed the instructions as written, and here's what we've got!   The flatbread bun is smooth and has visible grill marks, which I thought were a nice touch.

The sandwich is composed of a VitaEgg layer topped with a low-cholesterol turkey sausage patty.  I liked that after heating neither the patty or the egg was greasy.  After cooling, it was easy and mess free to hold the sandwich in my hands.  I'm guessing that wrapping the sandwich in a paper towel before heating helps to absorb some of the moisture and prevents the sandwich from becoming soggy.

Fresh out of the microwave I noticed the mouth-watering smell of sausage and egg - always a winning combo in my book.  First I took a little bite of each layer separately.  The flatbread has a nice texture, not too tough and not too crumbly, and the grill marks added a slight toasty flavor.  The VitaEgg layer had the expected texture of a microwaved egg - a little tough, but not terrible.  I'm a fan of turkey sausage and thought the patty had a great texture, though overall the sandwich needed more oomph in the flavor.  After cutting it in half I tried adding a bit of extra salt and pepper to one half, and some fresh mild salsa to the other half.  Both of those things greatly enhanced the flavor of the sandwich and I was able to really enjoy it.

Overall not a bad offering, though I probably wouldn't purchase it in the future as a strictly "on-the-go" sandwich if I didn't have some extra condiments available to punch up the flavor a bit.

Next up was the VitaEgg Veggie Sausage Flatbread Sandwich, described as a veggie-filled VitaEgg topped with cheese and a cholesterol-free veggie sausage patty.  This sandwich has the highest protein (yay protein!) and calorie count (it's only 20 calories higher than the turkey sausage so whatever) of the three sandwiches and also comes in a pack of 2 individually wrapped sandwiches.

Here's the full nutritional facts and ingredient information:

Ingredients: egg whites, water, soy protein concentrate, whole wheat flour, wheat flour, cultured pasteurized skim milk, cultured pasteurized milk, red peppers, green peppers, nonfat milk, sunflower oil, corn starch, salt, inulin, yeast, wheat gluten, soy fiber, oat fiber, dried wheat sour dough, soy flour, baking soda, dextrose, malted barley flour, enzymes, sodium citrate, onion powder, spices, natural flavors, sharp cheddar flavor, Rebaudioside A, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, modified vegetable gum, cheddar cheese flavor, lecithin, paprika, potassium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate, algal oil, choline chloride, guar gum, ascorbic acid, sugar, malt barley extract, soybean oil, wheat bran, potassium chloride, beta carotene, tumeric extract. Vitamins and Minerals: zinc (as zinc oxide), vitamin E (as dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate), iron (as ferric orthophosphate), pantothenic acid (as d-calcium pantothenate), riboflavin, vitamin B6 (as pyrodoxine HCL), calcium (as calcium carbonate from ground limestone), vitamin A (as palmitate), lutein, thiamine (as thiamine mononitrate), folic acid, biotin, copper (as copper sulfate), vitamin D (as cholecalciferol), selenium (as sodium selenite), magnesium (as magnesium oxide), vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin).

No grill marks on this one and there are visible grains/fibers sprinkled on the top of the bun.  Right out of the microwave I could smell the bell peppers and the aroma of the veggie sausage could have fooled me into thinking it was the real deal.

Like the turkey sausage variety, the veggie sausage and cheese wasn't at all greasy and was easy to hold onto once left to cool for about a minute after heating.  A side view shows the VitaEgg layer and the veggie sausage patty.  The cheese was a smaller slice centered in the middle of the bun and so was not visible from the side shot.

The cross section, however, is mighty pretty!  You can see the red and green bell peppers inside of the VitaEgg layer as well as the cheesy layer on top of the veggie sausage patty.  Taking a bite, I noticed that this one had MUCH more flavor than the turkey sausage variety.  I could acutely taste the peppers in the VitaEgg layer and the texture of the egg itself wasn't tough or rubbery.  The veggie sausage patty was perfectly salted and again did not suffer from Rubberized Microwave Syndrome.  I was surprised that the patty itself was packed with so much more flavor than the turkey sausage patty - my brain tells me that it should be the other way around.  The cheese was a nice complement to the whole thing and, when melted, helped hold the sandwich together while nomming it.

I can say with certainty that this was my favorite variety of the bunch!  The sandwich tastes great as-is and doesn't need any additional saltiness or other accoutrements.   I would absolutely purchase the VitaEgg Veggie Sausage Flatbread Sandwich again as an easy low-calorie snack or breakfast.

Finally we have the VitaEgg Cheese & Veggies on Flatbread for those that want to forego the sausage altogether, vegetarian or not.  This version has the lowest calorie content at 120 calories per sandwich, but also a lower protein content (due to lack of the aforementioned sausage patty) at 10g per sandwich.  This flavor is described as a VitaEgg layer with veggies topped with a flavorful cheese on a whole grain and high fiber flatbread.  The packaging says to heat this one for a slightly shorter amount of time - 1 minute and 10 seconds.

Here's the full nutritional info and ingredient information:

Ingredients list: egg whites, water, soy protein concentrate, whole wheat flour, wheat flour, cultured pasteurized skim milk, cultured pasteurized milk, red peppers, green peppers, nonfat milk, sunflower oil, corn starch, salt, inulin, yeast, wheat gluten, soy fiber, oat fiber, dried wheat sour dough, soy flour, baking soda, dextrose, malted barley flour, enzymes, sodium citrate, onion powder, spices, natural flavors, sharp cheddar flavor, Rebaudioside A, xanthan gum, locust bean gum, modified vegetable gum, cheddar cheese flavor, lecithin, paprika, potassium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate, algal oil, choline chloride, guar gum, ascorbic acid, sugar, malt barley extract, soybean oil, wheat bran, potassium chloride, beta carotene, tumeric extract. Vitamins and Minerals: zinc (as zinc oxide), vitamin E (as dl-alpha-tocopheryl acetate), iron (as ferric orthophosphate), pantothenic acid (as d-calcium pantothenate), riboflavin, vitamin B6 (as pyrodoxine HCL), calcium (as calcium carbonate from ground limestone), vitamin A (as palmitate), lutein, thiamine (as thiamine mononitrate), folic acid, biotin, copper (as copper sulfate), vitamin D (as cholecalciferol), selenium (as sodium selenite), magnesium (as magnesium oxide), vitamin B12 (as cyanocobalamin).

The VitaEgg, veggies, and cheese flatbread sandwich has a bread similar to the veggie sausage sandwich with visible grains and no grill marks.

Biting into this one I got a spot-on match for flavor and texture with the Veggie Sausage sandwich, except without the sausage.  However, I thought the texture of the VitaEgg was the best in this sandwich.  No toughness or rubbery-ness at all - the egg was fluffy and easy to bite into.

Taking a peek at the cross section you can see those same red and green bell peppers as well as the melted cheesy layer.  If I were to rank all 3 varieties of VitaEgg Flatbread Sandwiches, this one would land solidly in second place.  It doesn't have as much powerful flavor as the Veggie Sausage, though the texture of the egg and the addition of the pepper and veggie flavors kicks it up a notch over the Turkey Sausage.

Overall thoughts:  I think Vitalicious has a good thing going here with these brand new breakfast sandwiches.  I like the low calorie and fat content and the fact that I can get a good mixture of complex carbs and protein without having to bust out my skillet on a busy morning.  I was impressed by how the sandwich retained its integrity after being microwaved (wrapped in a paper towel) and was not soggy or dry.  I would absolutely buy the Veggie Sausage VitaEgg Flatbread Sandwich again as I thought it was yummy straight out of the package and didn't require any additional seasonings.

Where to buy: Order online at Vitalicious.com or use the store locator to find out which of your local retailers carry the VitaEgg products.

How much it costs:  ~$4.99 per pack of 2 sandwiches

VITALICIOUS GIVEAWAY!

Vitalicious is offering one of our readers (U.S. only) 4 products coupons so you can try some of their offerings for free - this includes VitaTops, VitaEgg Flatbread Sandwiches, Energy Loaf, VitaPizza, etc... whatever you want to get!!

The contest runs from now until Monday, March 23rd at 11:59pm Eastern Time.

HOW TO ENTER:
You must do all 3 things to enter!

1. Like Brownie Bites and Vitalicious on Facebook.

2. Follow @ebrowniebites on Instagram.

3. Leave a comment on this post about anything you want!

The winner will be selected randomly from all entrants.  We will check to make sure you are following all required accounts before you will be eligible to win!  Good luck everyone!!

Disclaimer:  I was sent all 3 varieties of VitaEgg Flatbread Sandwiches for review.  I do not accept free product or compensation in return for a fully positive review.  Remember our motto: if it sucks, I'll tell y'all!