Tags: frozen

24 Sep 2011, Comments (4)

Alexia Waffle Cut Sweet Potato Fries

Author: Healthnuttxo

Source

Oh yeaaaaa. Sweet potato fries. I saw these at Whole Foods and was immediately excited! Of course, at the time I didn’t take into account that I DONT have a pan to cook fries on at home, so these were purchased very quickly after discovering them at the store.

I say discovering because that’s what I feel like it’s like when I go to Whole Foods. I never actually know where ANYTHING is. Even when I normally get a few of the “regulars” in my shopping cart, sometimes the store changes, or I go to a different Whole Foods, or sometimes there are just foods that are “hidden” and need a little extra searching to find :)

ANYWAY (I like to go off on tangents apparently….), I made these Alexia Waffle Cut Sweet Potato Fries last nights with some chicken-less chicken nuggets (courtesy of Trader Joe’s), carrots, and way too much ketchup (oh well!).

I cheated a little bit. I didn’t follow the cooking instructions 100%, and put them on broil after it was cooking for a while. (I was hungry!)

My gut feeling said curly fries. My taste buds agreed.

Upon first bite, I thought, uhh? Did I buy curly fries? Are these really sweet potato fries?

Straight from the oven, these had crispy edges, with a softer middle, and were certainly quite greasy. There was a peppery flavor, which caused me to be suspicious that they were curly fries. They had a very mild sweet potato flavor, which really disappointed me! I didn’t want a peppery, savory tasting fry – I wanted a sweet potato fry!!! I think the “curly fry” aspect of the fry’s flavor came from the kick/ bit of spice they had. They also needed a pinch of salt (but really they didn’t, at 330 mg of sodium per serving!), which I think would help enhance the flavor of the sweet potato. They did go pretty well with ketchup, but, between the nuggets and these fries, I went through an awful lot of ketchup last night =P

Overall, these were ok. I liked they had some fiber and were relatively low in fat and calories for a serving. I dont think I would buy them again, but I’ll finish the bag. 3 stars

If you had to choose….. sweet potato fries or curly fries? I would pick sweet potato fries, but maybe this version instead (click here)

1 cup (85 grams) is 130 calories, 5 grams of fat, 330 mg sodium, 20 carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 4 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

21 Sep 2011, Comments (2)

Trader Joe’s Creamy Polenta with Spinach and Carrots

Author: Healthnuttxo

I love Trader Joe’s. It seems like everytime I go in there, there is a new and exciting product to try. I trust Trader Joe branded products, as for the most part, they have always been really delicious and rather nutritious as well. Today’s choice? Trader Joe’s Creamy Polenta with Spinach and Carrots. I wanted something carby to go along with my chicken(less) nuggets for dinner and veggies, and felt that this fit the bill.

So, I opened the bag and was a little surprised at what I got. Giant Hershey Kisses of polenta. Oh you’ll see.

(thats a serving by the way, not the whole bag)

The polenta itself was creamy yet slightly gritty from the cornmeal. It was buttery tasting and slightly cheesy tasting as well.  The carrot and spinach aspect of the dish sort of disappeared. I couldn’t really taste much spinach, and couldn’t really taste the carrots at all.

What the polenta really needed was a pinch of salt. I added a few grinds of sea salt and out came MUCH tastier flavors. Of course, the Dietician-to-be in me yelled at me, saying I didn’t NEED to add salt to this dish that already contained a good deal of sodium per serving. Not to mention I was also having chicken(less) nuggets AND ketchup which had salt in them too. But oh well. I did it. And well, I certainly dont regret it.

Overall, pretty good. It was rather high in saturated fat ( 7 grams!!), but  I would buy it again. The serving size was a tad small for 200 calories, but, I feel all carby dishes like pasta or rice have small serving sizes too. It went great with my other sides, but really did need just an extra pinch of salt! 4 stars

Do you like polenta? How do you prepare it?


29 Jul 2011, Comments (5)

Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken & Rice

Author: Healthnuttxo

I  went to the store the other day to pick up some random things, including some frozen entrees for when I dont have time (or more likely, don’t feel like) cooking. I saw this meal, Marie Callender’s Cheesy Chicken & Rice, and knew I had to give it a try, especially since I liked the last Marie Callender meal I tried. The ingredients weren’t too bad, so I put it in my cart and bought it.

I was excited to try this. I picture a gooey, cheesy entree, with huge chunks of chicken and pieces of broccoli scattered throughout. Luckily, after I cooked it for the designated time, it looked pretty much as I had imagine it.

However, when I pictured cheesy, I pictured more of like a stringy, gooey cheese. In this meal, it was more like a cheese sauce, or something that had the consistency of a cheese dip that comes from a jar. But don’t get me wrong – it still looked delicious. And let me tell you, it was a long 8 or 9 minutes I waited for this entree to be done including rest time. Sort of like when I bake cookies – longest 8-10 minutes of my life.

So, moving on, I tried the pieces of chicken first. They were juicy and chewy, but also a tad salty. There was a good amount of them in the entree, which I liked. I think this help contribute to the 24 grams of protein in this meal, which made me and my gym-worked muscles quite happy.

Next up, the broccoli was tender, but not soggy, so it was perfect for me. I happy to be quite a fan of broccoli, so the fact that this was included in the meal made me happy on the spot.

Lastly, the rice was fluffy and delicious. There was white rice and some grains of wild rice. It thickened up with the sauce quite nicely, which had a cheddar flavor. The cheese sauce was actually a bit of a let down, as it had a bit of an artificial taste to it. I was expecting a real cheese flavor, and it had more of a cheese-from-a-can or jar flavor. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t my favorite.

Overall, pretty good. I would eat this again. I loved how it was high in protein, but it was VERY high in sodium for me, 1000 mg?! A bit more than I’d like in one meal.  All in all, I would give this 4 stars

What’s your favorite thing that’s CHEESY? I would have to argue that crunchy cheese doodles are one of my favorite cheesy things =)

26 Jul 2011, Comments (4)

Ian’s Wheat Free/Gluten Free Mac & NO Cheese

Author: Healthnuttxo

I’m not a pasta person – I’ll take rice, bread and pretty much any carb over pasta. However, an exception to the rule is macaroni and cheese. How can anyone possibly turn it down? Gooey, cheesy and super comforting – what’s not to love?

Ian’s Natural Foods is a brand that I happen to like, so I figured I would try the Ian’s Wheat Free/Gluten Free Mac & NO Cheese that I saw at the store. According to the sticker on the box, I paid $5.19 for it, which is a bit steep, but I also know from experience that gluten free foods tend to be expensive.

So I cooked this by the recommended method, via the microwave. Which, let’s be honest, even if it WASN’T the recommended method and the oven was suggested instead, I’d probably still pick the lazy route and use the microwave. So it was convenient for me the microwave WAS the preferred method =)

As it was cooking, it smelled like chicken noodle soup. Huh? I mean I knew this was called “Mac & NO Cheese”, but I was still hoping for a cheesy smell! After the cook time, here’s how it looked straight from the oven

I wont lie and say it was the most attractive looking entree. It looked kind of...mushy.

Now, finally onto the flavor. What happened to me is the sort of thing that I hope has happened to more people other than myself. When there are 2 cups on the table, say one with water and one with soda, and you go to drink the soda cup but accidentally grab the water cup, take a sip, and then are completely taken aback it’s not soda.

That’s what it was like with this mac and cheese. Or, rather, “Mac & NO Cheese”.

I was expecting at least somewhat of a cheesy flavor. However, I got nothing. It tasted like chicken noodle soup. Weird, I know. But honestly, it had the flavor of chicken noodle soup, but with a creamy sauce and noodles like macaroni and cheese.

I’m not saying it was bad, it was just unexpected. The noodles were pretty good, but had spots of funky-ness going on. Like some noodles on the edges were over cooked, and some on the bottom fell apart and were “piecy” almost.

The rest of/majority of the noodles were soft and had that baked, home-made mac & cheese consistency. The sauce surrounding the noodles was creamy, and not too salty, and there as a good quantity. So overall? I’ll give it a 3 star rating. I might eat it again, but it won’t satisfy a macaroni and cheese void for me.

If you had to choose only one to eat….would it be pasta/noodles, rice, or bread? I’d pick bread, hands down. =)

11 Jul 2011, Comments (9)

Meals to Live Shrimp Jambalaya

Author: Healthnuttxo

Growing up, I had two favorite types of fish. Shrimp, and tuna in a can, and that was pretty much it. I’m going to be honest and say I haven’t eaten fish or meat in quite a while, and when I do it’s very sporadic. Just not digging it as much as I used to.

However, hunger rolled around 5 pm today, and looking through my freezer, the Meals to Live Shrimp Jambalaya meal popped out. Mmm. This sounds good- I haven’t had shrimp in forever! I thought. So after steaming up some veggies (since I had a feeling the meal would be small), I cooked this gluten free entree.

How yummy does this look??!

A little dark, I agree. I couldn’t get a pic with good lighting since people were eating at my kitchen table and I didn’t want to be rude.

I transferred to a plate and then added veggies on the side. There was actually more food  than I had expected, which was a positive for me. Also, I noticed there was some extra juice/liquid that I just discarded.

It smelled pretty spicy, so at first I was a bit worried. I tried a piece of shrimp first, expecting a juicy, plump shrimp. However, that is not what I got. It was very tough and chewy, and had a fishy taste to it. I know, I know, “it’s seafood!”, but I have had shrimp before that tasted very good, and not fishy. I moved onto the rice, which wasn’t bad. It was fluffy in texture, but just very bland. It had no salty flavor to it whatsoever, and more tasted like bland rice with some spices. There was a bit of heat, but not as spicy as I thought it would be. There was also some peppers in the meal, that didn’t really add or take away from the meal.

Overall, I was not a fan of this meal. I liked this meal from Meals to Live much better, and would prefer it over this one. The Shrimp Jambalaya gets 2 stars from me, because I happened to enjoy the rice even though it was rather bland.

What’s your favorite seafood to eat? Or if you are a vegetarian/vegan, did you used to have a favorite?


I was provided this meal to try for free from the company.

25 Jun 2011, Comments (8)

Peas of Mind Veggie Wedgies Baked Carrot Fries

Author: Healthnuttxo

The other day I went to Whole Foods (which is quite a bit of a drive from my house) with $12.00. I had intentions to only buy one thing (a pot pie) and then leave. I have no idea why on EARTH I thought it was a good idea to go in with only $12.00, as that was the day it seemed my Whole Foods had a whole bunch of new products. Since I had enough to buy one other thing, I was torn  between these Peas of Mind Veggie Wedgies Baked Carrot Fries and a few others. However, these looked the most unique, and at 4 servings a bag, I thought I could eat them at least more than once.

Some info on these fries from the bag…

I baked these in the toaster oven. I noticed that they really didn’t get super crispy, and there was literally NO grease at all (which makes sense, since they are fat free).

They reminded me of sort of a bread stick in texture, they were smooth on the outside but sightly crunchy on the edges. I decided to have a cheese omelet and some ketchup with these fries as well

I have no shame. I had multiple=

I have no shame. I went for multiple servings of ketchup that night.
Good thing we buy the economy sized bottle =)

So, onto the taste. I was so excited for these for a few reasons- low in fat, good way to get some extra veggies in, gives me an excuse to eat ketchup (just kidding). I tried one as is, no ketchup no nothing. And, well. bland. Very bland. Disappointingly bland. I really only tasted a hint of carrot flavor, and the first thing I thought was that these needed salt. They were slightly crunchy/smooth on the outside, with a more mushy interior. Kind of weird, actually, but not too bad.

Next, I dunked them in ketchup. This would explain why I went through, oh, I dont know, a good 1/4 of the bottle of ketchup that evening. They were good, but only when there was a lot of ketchup.

Overall, these were ok. I might eat them again given I had something to dunk them in or season them with, but I probably won’t buy them again. I do like that they are a healthier option to greasy french fries and that they are versatile in seasoning them up. However, they were not amazing enough for me to want to buy them again. 2 1/2 stars

My question- how do you think I should eat the other half of the bag? Any ideas? I was thinking about going the sweet route, and maybe adding some butter and brown sugar? ;)

19 Jun 2011, Comments (12)

Edy’s Strawberry Fruit Bars

Author: Healthnuttxo

Ask me my favorite ice cream bar when I was little? Strawberry Shortcake bar. Favorite ice pop? Strawberry frozen fruit bars. (can we see a pattern emerging?) I was also told as a child that when eating my favorite fruit, strawberries, (which strangely enough, is not my favorite fruit anymore- I’ve graduated to the apple!) my entire face and hands would turn red. That was compltely uneccessary to share, but now you  know one of my flaws. I was a messy strawberry eater as a child. Shame on me.

ANYWAY, I saw these Edy’s Frozen Strawberry Fruit Bars in my freezer today, and decided I NEEDED to have one. How they got there, I don’t know. I suppose the appropriate thing to do would be to ask whoever bought them if I could eat one, but that never works nicely in this house.

“Can I have one?” “No.” “Why not?” “Because I said so. “

Which I then proceed to eat anyway and get yelled at, or not eat and wish I had eaten it. SO, as they say, ignorance is bliss. Or, ignorance= me eating strawberry ice pops.

it's really, really hard to take a good picture of an ice pop you plan on eating

So, now finally, enough of my rambling. Here’s how they tasted!

These bars had a very soft bite to them- I was surprised! I was expecting a harder, more icy product, but they were soft. Almost like they were strawberry ice cream bars. They also were not as sweet as I had hoped for, they were a bit toned down. Although I did like that because it wasn’t super sweet, it gave it more of a natural fruit product sort of feel. One thing I do wish is that there were more strawberry peices/chunks. In my bar, I think I only spotted one!

Overall,not bad, but not my favorite. Certainly not as good as the ones I had when I was little. 3 stars

What is your favorite ice cream bar and ice pop flavor?


11 May 2011, Comments (6)

Alexia Red Potatoes with Garlic & Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Author: Healthnuttxo

I went grocery shopping yesterday, and was looking at the frozen food aisle for something to make for dinner. Then I spotted it, mashed potatoes! I definitely wanted mashed potatoes for dinner. And how easy were these? All I had to do was cook them in the microwave, give em a stir and transfer to a bowl. I put them in my grocery cart, paid, and went home to cook.

I put them in the microwave for about 10 1/2 minutes, let them sit for a minute, and then put them in a bowl. I will admit it was a bit annoying to get all the mashed potatoes off of the bag once cooked, but I really couldn’t complain. I mean, I didn’t have to wash the potatoes, peel the potatoes, boil the potatoes, cook the potatoes, mash the potatoes, or even SEASON the potatoes. All I had to do was put them in the microwave. So, instead of complaining, I just transferred them to a bowl.

Here’s how it looked, straight from the bag!

one word. yummmmmy.

I served them up with my dinner.  They were smooth and thick, with visible black pepper and red potato skins that added a little texture. I noticed they were a tad on the pasty side, which made them super thick, but still good, and hardly any bumps.

They had a garlic and cheesy flavor, with a noticeable black pepper flavor.They were just a tad on the salty side, but really quite good, and had a very rich flavor. They were really quite delicious, and I loved the natural ingredients.

I actually think the black pepper flavor was a bit too strong, but that certainly did not stop me from eating 2 servings of these mashed potatoes (; I also loved the convenience of these, I would certainly buy them again! 4 stars

Whats your favorite way to make homemade mashed potatoes? I like good ol’ butter and milk!

And as requested, here’s  a pic of the nutritional facts

ignore my finger :D

26 Mar 2011, Comments (2)

Sukhi’s Gourmet Indian Foods Garden Vegetable Naanwich

Author: Healthnuttxo

I spotted this in the grocery store and thought it would be exciting to try, the Garden Vegetable Naanwich by Sukhi’s Gourmet Indian Foods. On the back of the wrapper, it says “Naanwich: noun nahn-wich-: A crustless handheld lunch that packs a powerful punch!”

I decided to eat this for dinner instead, with a bunch of steamed cauliflower on the side (I know! I didn’t eat broccoli! for once! =P )

After cooking it, it certainly left quite an aroma in the kitchen. I thought it smelled like a spicy noodle soup, but someone else commented that it smelled like maple syrup. Quite the contrast, I know, but the smell was hard to describe!

Here’s how the insides looked after I cooked it in the microwave-

So, we’ll start with the insides. There were peas, fluffy potatoes, and carrots, that had a very distinct spice to them, which I looked at the ingredients on the back and saw cayenne, so that explains it. There was also some kind of very slight sweetness to the vegetables, and it all kind of created a very awkward flavor. There wasn’t a ton of filling either, I kind of wish there was more, and something to boost the protein levels as well (there was only 8 grams of protein for the whole Naanwich).

Moving on to the Naan, it was the best part. It was a thick, fluffy and chewy, kind of like a garlic knot in consistency, with mild seasoned flavor. I loved that it was so doughy.

All together, it was unique. The best way I can describe it would be to say it was kind of like eating a garlic knot with spicy vegetables. There are other flavors available I would like to try, as I wasn’t really a fan of the inside of this Naanwich, as it had an awkward, spicy flavor. All together, 3 stars

If you could make your own Naanwich, what would you put in it?

5.5 ounces is 300 calories, 8 grams of fat, 49 grams of carbohydrates, 3 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar and 8 grams of protein.

6 Mar 2011, Comments (5)

Kashi 7 Grain Waffles

Author: Healthnuttxo

I think frozen waffles are awesome. Convenient, quick to make, and often quite tasty! I was excited to see these 7 Grain waffles by Kashi at Target the other day (I seem to be doing a lot of food shopping at Target lately…hmm).  The looked delicious, and I loved that they had 7 grams of fiber for 2 waffles, and only 3 grams of sugar.

I popped  these in the toaster oven, and decided to eat them with good ol’ butter & syrup, with some sliced apple for breakfast.

I did manage to try the waffle by itself without any butter or syrup on it, and thought one thing – bland. Very plain, not much flavor. They almost had like an airy and rather dialed down flavor.

However, I did love the crisp edges, and how the middle of the waffles were soft. They absorbed the syrup quite nicely, and were delicious with the butter as well. I also liked how they didn’t have an oily taste.

Overall, these were okay. I do like how there was only 3 grams of sugar! And, I do like how I could probably add any topping I wanted, and how they were rather versatile. Although butter & syrup are classic for me with waffles =) 3 stars

2 waffles is 150 calories, 5 grams of fat, 25 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of fiber, 3 grams of sugar and 4 grams of protein.

What’s your favorite brand of frozen waffles?

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