Tried a new Lean Cuisine tonight for dinner. It's called "Ginger Garlic Stir Fry with Chicken" and it boasts that it has "TWICE the VEGGIES of an average Lean Cuisine entree."

It had cubes of white meat chicken, what they call "whole grain rice" and several veggies: broccoli, carrot, red bell pepper and sugar snap peas. There was a sauce on the whole thing that was sweet but with a heat (spicyness) that built as I ate it. The sauce tasted very familiar--maybe the same as on the potstickers Lean Cuisine I have had a time or two, not sure.

My thoughts--too much sauce (though the sauce is darned tasty) and/or too little rice (couldn't quite figure out which). The broccoli (which I don't like but did eat one) was very limp and watery. The snow peas were better. The carrots were shredded, so you don't get a lot of carrot taste. The red bell pepper was in such tiny pieces that I didn't taste it much. Overall, not bad and not great. Might get it again.

290 calories
4g total fat (1g satfat/1.5 polyunsat)
640 mg sodium
46g carbs
4g fiber
19g sugars!
17g protein

Kashi 7 grain pilaf. Yum!
I made mine in vegetable broth and I'm eating it with TJ's frozen "Green with Envy" veggies that I microwave steamed with a little vegetable broth and freshly ground pepper.

Dawn

Lori......interesting is a good choice of words!

I am thinking an acquired taste. I told my husband that maybe the more often we have it the better it will taste! Maybe?

quote:

Originally posted by MaryJo:
I tried a double shot wheat grass today!!

Well, I am going to say that this is an acquired taste. I had to hold my nose while I drank it.

We have been learning about super foods in my nutrition class and wheat grass is really very good for you, but specifically in the juiced form.

Before I bought the special juicer (you can not use just any juicer) I went to the local health food restaurant.

I want to say....yuk....but I won't because it went down very quickly and they give you a little slice of orange to kill the taste, so I really only noticed the yuk for a second. And I reminded myself how happy all of my organs and cells were as it went down !

MaryJo,

I like to use greens (I really like Green Magna concetrate) in with my smoothies for my vitamin and mineral boosts I agree, the wheatgrass juice by itself is rather interesting, but if you put it in with a smoothie, it is rather yummy.

I tried a double shot wheat grass today!!

Well, I am going to say that this is an acquired taste. I had to hold my nose while I drank it.

We have been learning about super foods in my nutrition class and wheat grass is really very good for you, but specifically in the juiced form.

Before I bought the special juicer (you can not use just any juicer) I went to the local health food restaurant.

I want to say....yuk....but I won't because it went down very quickly and they give you a little slice of orange to kill the taste, so I really only noticed the yuk for a second. And I reminded myself how happy all of my organs and cells were as it went down !

Tried an "Ugli Fruit" today. It is very good!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ugli_fruit

quote:

Originally posted by sahm:
Snap Pea Crisps Original Baked

My son (6yo) loves these---i think they have such an awful aftertaste. But that's good cause it is a snack I can keep in the house that I won't eat! They have a smidge of protien. ?? do you think they are REALLY snap peas? the package says so...but hmmm... a bit more protein than your standard chip.

Amy,

I've been trying to figure this out myself...you know, they have a rice flour as well. now I don't know if they are just "breaded" in the rice flour, or if they are pureed with the rice flour and then pressed into the snap pea shape and baked. But honestly, they are so good, they don't have transfats or hydrogenated fats, and they are relatively healthy. I don't care TOO much for how they are made...they are a better alternative to chips, esp for that TOM.....when I really crave chips.

quote:

Originally posted by GoingSkiing:

quote:

Originally posted by Lori4squaremom:
Snap Pea Crisps Original Baked (I've already opened these up....YUMMMMMMMMPOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Bought these today and put a package in every dinner coop bag. Don't buy and say, "I'll just have a few and then have some yogurt and fruit..." 495 calories later... the bag was gone and you will be rationalizing, "Well they are vegetables... and REALLY low in sodium AND high in calcium, too!"

I got mine at Safeway... on sale.

They were good... addicting... but sort of like baked potato chips. Would buy again, but not for a while... as I did sort of OD on them.

Denise,

What's funny is that all 4 kids really enjoy these too, so if I were to sit down with an open bag, I'd have 5 hands in the bag, not just 1. So it wouldn't be quite as much damage! But honestly, I'm not having too much of a problem with portion control on this one. Today I'm going to put them on my salad at lunchtime for something kinda crispy. YUMMM

Barrilla Plus Angel Hair pasta.

Very good. Will buy again. For sure.

Snap Pea Crisps Original Baked

My son (6yo) loves these---i think they have such an awful aftertaste. But that's good cause it is a snack I can keep in the house that I won't eat! They have a smidge of protien. ?? do you think they are REALLY snap peas? the package says so...but hmmm... a bit more protein than your standard chip.

quote:

Originally posted by Lori4squaremom:
Snap Pea Crisps Original Baked (I've already opened these up....YUMMMMMMMMPOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

Bought these today and put a package in every dinner coop bag. Don't buy and say, "I'll just have a few and then have some yogurt and fruit..." 495 calories later... the bag was gone and you will be rationalizing, "Well they are vegetables... and REALLY low in sodium AND high in calcium, too!"

I got mine at Safeway... on sale.

They were good... addicting... but sort of like baked potato chips. Would buy again, but not for a while... as I did sort of OD on them.

Today we were in "the big city" for an event for my kids for AWANA. While we were waiting (the 2 1/2 hours) for it to start, Rachel and i went to Trader Joe's. I went with the intention of stocking up (which I did) until our next visit. Some of the new things that I found, bought and can't wait to try....

Harvest Grains blend (it is a blend of orzo pasta, split baby garbanzo beans, and red quinoa....it also has dried red pepper flakes, garlic, and dried green pepper flakes)....it sounds SOOOO good!

California Grapefruit Vinegar

Mango chili vinegar

thai yellow curry sauce

and Snap Pea Crisps Original Baked (I've already opened these up....YUMMMMMMMMPOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

I have now tried the Simply Steam green beans with almonds, the peas, the baby lima beans, the sugar snap peas and the blend that has the roasted potatoes and bell peppers. I have enjoyed all of them to some degree, though I find it very important to undercook them a bit from what the cooking times are on the package (then again, I prefer my veggies more on the al dente side than on the smooshy side). I did not season any of them myself--just ate what was in the package. Here's my review as an ex-hater of frozen vegetables:

Sugar snap peas: Very good...darned close to what I make from fresh...and MUCH easier/quicker. Will definitely buy them again (in fact, already have).

Peas: Been a while, but I recall them being pretty good. Would buy them again.

Baby lima beans: Liked the flavor but they were WAY too salty for me. Odd, because I found most of the other veggies in this line (at least the ones without sauce) to be on the bland side to just right. Flavor-wise, I'd have them again--but maybe not saltyness-wise.

Green beans with almonds: These were definitely the blandest of the ones I've tried. They were okay but the roasted almonds, which were heavenly right out of the little foil packet, were kinda gross after being reheated in the microwave at work in my lunch (which is why, I'm sure, they give them to you in a little foil packet instead of including them in the box with the beans). Don't know if I'll get this one again--maybe will but would season it myself next time and hold the almonds until after I've microwaved my lunch at work.

Roasted potato/red pepper/and something I can't remember mixture: It is the only one I've tried that had a sauce, and the sauce was too salty for my taste. The roasted potatoes were pretty good but the red peppers were slivers so small that I could barely tell what they were. Plus, to get the potatoes cooked enough, the peppers were WAY overcooked. I probably wouldn't buy this one again.

I haven't seen it yet, but Team Martha just released "Everyday Food: Great Food Fast" (paperback).

In the last few days, I bought a package of Birds-eye Steamfresh fresh frozen vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower & carrots). The vegetables are steamed right in the bag and take 4-1/2 to 5-1/2 minutes to steam the entire bag in the microwave.

Not bad. didn't take as long as conventional frozen veggies to cook (usually about 9-1/2 minutes).

Linda

i dug out my Aveda tea...which is kind of 'sweet' as well. it's called their 'comforting' tea. it is good hot or cold. i have gotten off the diet coke- but still heavy on the coffee. trying to find some new stuff!

My sil brought me a wonderful tea that I had never tried - Two Leaves and a Bud, organic lemon rooibus. It's a wonderful "dessert" drink. The lemon undertones have a richness that reminds me of a lemon cake : )

i picked up a kombucha tea at Whole foods which i like. It is 'raw' tea. and has an intersting taste. I like the ginger. It has 30 cal for 8 oz serving the bottle is 16 oz... it is a natural probiotic product. i'll have to try those izze products. they sound interesting.
amy

UPDATE: The IZZE pomegranate is very tart! *pucker*, and 120 cals for the whole bottle (and who, really, is only going to drink 8oz of it?)

This morning I picked up an IZZE at Starbucks. It's basically just carbonated juice. Perfect for when I'm craving something fizzy, but don't want to get a soda. More calories than a diet soda (between 80 and 110), but it has some vitamins too. I've had the grapefruit before and it was delish. Today I got the pomegranate, but I haven't tried it yet. They also sell it in the grocery store.

Since I've been exercising harder, I've been snacking more. Plus I'm trying to get in more fruit and veggie servings. To that end, I've been nibbling on two fruit-based snacks from Trader Joe's: chile mangoes and toasted, unsulphured, lightly salted apples.

I've seen chile mangoes in a bunch of places, as they are a popular Mexican snack. But I was never brave enough to try them. When I saw them at TJ's I thought they must not be that scary.

They are GOOD! Awesome sweet / spicy combo. They do have added sugar, and not a whole lot of nutrition -- so snack lightly.

I was also wary of the apples. My friend had bought them and didn't like them. So he pawned them off on me. Also -- very good! Several of them are mashed together though, and they can be tough and difficult to chew. I never would've expected that I'd like salty apples, but I was surprised. They also have 3g of dietary fiber per serving.

quote:

Originally posted by Brie:
A neighbor brought me a bottle of Philosophy "ice cream man" bubble bath and shower gel

BTW, philosophy is based out of nearby Chandler, AZ. I drove by their facility on my way to the garage to drop off my truck.

They are also a new partner to the website I work on at work. I keep hoping that maybe they'll send some samples our way!