Lean Cuisine Sweet Sriracha Braised Beef

 

I'm not one who is big on frozen dinners, but when I spotted the new Lean Cuisine Marketplace Sweet Sriracha Braised Beef dinner at my local grocery store I decided to pick it up. What sold me off the bat was the use of sriracha and the fact that the meal was lower in points/calories.

One afternoon I was absolutely starving ... so I decided to pop the frozen dinner into the microwave. When it was done, I was quite honestly surprised with how skimpy the meal was. There was maybe half a container of vegetables and a few pieces of beef here and there. Certainly nothing that would be satisfying and filling for a quick little lunch break in the office.

Flavor wise, it wasn't terrible. It had a little bit of spice to it, but not anything that'd burn your taste buds. The sweetness to it diminished some of the chili flavoring that sriracha tends to give off. It reminded me more of a teriyaki flavoring than anything else (for comparison purposes). The beef wasn't terrible - no pieces were chewy or hard. The vegetables were a tad on the overcooked side, but weren't completely mushy. Overall it was okay ... but rather lackluster. It wasn't satisfying enough for me to run out to the grocery store and pick up a few more to have on hand. But like with all items ... you win some, you lose some.

A serving, 1 package, is 170 calories or 6 smart points - or for those following PP: 4 points plus values.

 

Trader Joe's Tempura Chicken with Sweet and Sour Sauce

After eyeing the Trader Joe's Tempura Chicken with Sweet and Sour Sauce for months on end, I finally decided to pick up a bag. I popped it in my freezer, deciding to make it for a quick and easy lunch one weekend afternoon. That day rolled around and I pulled the bag out of the freezer, popped the chicken onto a non-stick baking sheet and popped the sweet and sour sauce in a bowl of water.

I baked the chicken per the packaging directions, shaking the chicken around halfway through and topped with the defrosted sauce when done. The tray cooked up nice and evenly. Meanwhile the sauce completely defrosted in some warm water and adhered to the chicken nicely once tossed together. There was extra sauce which pooled into the bottom of the dish, so if whomever is having a dish can add a little extra sauce to his/her liking.

The tempura chicken itself was very good. White meat chicken, nicely battered, moderately crispy. The smaller pieces were crunchier (those are my favorite) while the larger pieces were crispy on the outside, but airy and soft on the inside. It reminded me a lot of the chicken fingers you can get at a local Chinese restaurant. The sauce is your classic sweet and sour which provided absolutely no fuss.

Overall I found it to be quite enjoyable. The only thing that was disappointing was when plating it up - 3 ounces looks like absolutely nothing on a plate (it was roughly 5-6 smaller pieces of chicken). Of course if you bulked it up with vegetables, it might carry you over into your next meal. But if you're in the mood for Chinese and don't want to order take out - this was a pretty delicious option.

A serving, 3 ounces, is 210 calories or 6 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Shepherd's Pie

I popped into my local Trader Joe's the weekend before St. Patrick's Day and I noticed a few items were on display to pay homage to the holiday. One of those dishes was the Trader Joe's Shepherd's Pie. Now, I'm a bit of a shepherd's pie snob because I've always had my mothers variation of the dish ... so anything other than the "traditional" is different in my book.

 

Deciding to bridge the gap and try something different, I took a look at the nutrition facts and was surprised to find them truly not that bad. Bad in comparison to some of the other variations of the dish out there on the market or even in restaurants. Classic shepherd's pie has vegetables and a sort of "gravy" to the sauce. The shepherd's pie I grew up eating was ground hamburger meat cooked with onion, corn, creamed corn and mashed potatoes. So, just looking at the picture on the box was a walk on the wild side for me.

 

I opted to heat the meal up in the microwave so I followed the directions on the box and my lunch was done quickly. Truly, I wasn't sure what flavors to expect ... but I have to say I was pretty much pleased with the dish. It was lacking in a seasoning aspect (salt and pepper primarily) so a little sprinkle on top and it did the trick. Truthfully, I was expecting the dish to be just loads of mashed potatoes with a little bit of meat and veggies thrown in the mix. And it was anything but ... it is loaded with shredded pieces of beef and veggies which are moistened with gravy, it's then topped with a light layer of mashed potatoes on top.

 

Even with the switch to shredded beef over ground beef and the absence of an abundance of flavoring it was pretty good. I found it to be a quite satisfying meal and undoubtedly something I'd repurchase if I was in the mood for a convenient shepherd's pie.

 

A serving, 1 cup (227g or roughly 1/2 the container) is 180 calories or 5 points plus values.

Trader Joe’s Chicken Chow Mein

I picked up this bag of frozen Trader Joe’s Chicken Chow Mein on one of my last run-throughs. I’ve been trying to find quick and easy meals that we could stick in the freezer for days where dinner isn’t quite planned out perfectly or for days where quick and easy is necessary. I have purchased this in the past and enjoyed it so much that I made sure to repurchase it (and will continue to repurchase).

In my area this dish is called lo mein, whereas chow mein in my area is more along the lines of a dish made out of thickened gravy, bean sprouts and veggies. Fun fact aside …

This chicken chow mein dish literally took about 8 minutes to cook and it is absolutely DELICIOUS! The package calls for a tablespoon of olive oil to be added to the bottom of a skillet and I have done that in the past, but I find a spritz of non-stick cooking spray to the bottom of a non-stick skillet does the trick (depending on how it’s cooking I add in about a tablespoon of water after about 5 minutes of cooking). Once the skillet is heated through, assembly is easy … open bag and dump the contents into the pan (not including the package of sauce). Cover the pan with a lid and let it do its thing … stirring occasionally. I toss the sauce packet in a bowl of warm water so it defrosts but it would probably defrost naturally just sitting out because it’s not a frozen solid block. The noodles take a little while to break apart but I had no problem with burning, etc. Everything cooked perfectly and evenly. Once it’s all heated through, all that’s left to do is open the sauce packet and stir it in. Literally 30 seconds after that, dinner is complete and ready to be served.

This is hands down one of the best frozen dishes available at Trader Joe’s! It takes having “Chinese food at home” to a whole new level. The dish is fabulous, the noodles are al dente, the chicken is perfect and white meat, the vegetables are plentiful and the sauce just brings it all together. The whole dish comes together perfectly and has been a crowd pleaser in my household for over a year.

The package states it contains 3 servings but it can also easily be made into two meals, or split into 3 meals (when split into 3 evenly it’s a little less than the amount intended per serving on the label). A fresh steamed vegetable and another side (spring rolls, egg rolls, etc.) make this a perfect complete meal.

A serving is 189 grams, which is 210 calories or 5 points plus values.

Garden Lites Loaded Potato Souffle

As I’ve been allowing myself to get more comfortable with the Garden Lites brand I decided to reach out of my “comfort zone” and try a new meal. Years back I found I wasn’t a fan of some of the classic soufflés, but the Garden Lites Loaded Potato Souffle sounded different and delicious, so I picked it up.

The description “a delicious soufflé of potato, broccoli & fresh chives topped with cheddar cheese sauce” and picture on the box held my hopes high that it would be a delicious dish. I decided to have it the other day, yet sadly my hopes were smashed after two bites. Now, I’m a big onion fan and I usually only have chives on my potatoes when going out and the potato is offered with chives on it. But I found the soufflé itself smelled like grated onion and tasted just as such yet with a mild broccoli flavor in the background. There wasn’t a potato or cheddar flavor there because the chive/onion flavor was certainly overpowering and sold the show – yet not in a delicious way. I was so overwhelmed by the flavor I actually threw the dish away because I couldn't fathom forcing it down - because if I find something isn't worth it, it certainly isn't worth it.

Each dish is 200 calories or 5 points plus values.

Garden Lites Pizza Souffle

After deciding to give the Garden Lites brand a second shot, I’ve been intrigued by some of the “newer” flavors, so I’ve been giving those a shot. One of the flavors on my list has been the Garden Lites Pizza Souffle and I was glad to find it at a local super Target.  I had it in the freezer for a couple weeks and decided to finally give it a whirl.

Pizza is one of my favorite foods and I’ll be honest when I say I was a little apprehensive. Pizza … soufflé … how exactly is this going to taste? The box describes the dish as “a savory veggie soufflé topped with our delicious pizza sauce & herbed mozzarella cheese.”

When it was done cooking in the microwave, I let it rest for a few minutes before taking the first bite and I have to say, this is DELICIOUS! The bottom part of the soufflé is a little wetter, but it’s not soggy, nor does it make it gross.  The sauce is so vibrantly flavorful that it really brings the dish to a whole new level. The cheese is like the icing on cake, where it really brings it all together. Out of all the Garden Lites I’ve recently tried (pumpkin spice & veggie chili and cornbread) this has to be my favorite.  The only downside … they’re not available at any location that’s a hop/skip away.

A serving (the whole 7 ounce container) is 200 calories or 5 points plus values. It’s delicious and relatively filling and could be suitable for a lunch alongside with a side salad.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the Garden Lites products? If so, what’s one you’d recommend trying?

Trader Joe’s – Trader Ming’s Chicken Egg Rolls

I cooked up a pack of Trader Joe’s – Trader Ming’s Chicken Egg Rolls to pair along with dinner one night.  I’ve tried just about all Trader Joe’s egg rolls and these have to be the most “authentic” egg rolls they sell.  They’ve got the classic thick and crunchy egg roll shell.

I cooked these in a convection oven with a little spritz of Pam cooking spray over the top of them. They cooked up perfectly, evenly and had a nice crispy wrapper.  The filling is more along the lines of the filling you’d get when ordering an egg roll at a Chinese restaurant. It’s filled with vegetables, but it’s also filled with pieces of shredded chicken, instead of pieces of pork.  There are pieces of carrot, cabbage, water chest nuts, bok choy, bamboo shoots, etc. mixed with the chicken. They’re perfect just as is, but they’re even better dipped into a little bit of sweet chili sauce.

A serving is one egg roll, which are 140 calories or 4 points plus values.  Definitely worth it if you’re an egg roll fan.

QUESTION:

What is your favorite frozen egg roll?

Trader Joe’s Battered Fish Nuggets

Even though I’m not a big fan of seafood, I do enjoy fried fish from time to time. While at Trader Joe’s, I spotted they had a selection of frozen fish available and decided to give one a try. Since I tend to stand behind Trader Joe’s products I felt it couldn’t be too bad … so I asked an employees recommendation to help me choose between the two different boxes I was trying to decide between. The employee told me that he personally really enjoys the fish nuggets ... so with that, the Trader Joe’s Battered Fish Nuggets went into my cart.

One early afternoon I decided to put some fish into the oven to have for lunch. I followed the cooking directions but spritzed non-stick cooking spray on top of the frozen fish nuggets before putting them into the oven.  I cooked them for the recommended time and took them out. Whipped up a little bowl of homemade tartar sauce (1 ½ tablespoons Hellmann’s Light mayonnaise and sweet relish), a drop of ketchup on my plate and it was lunch time!

The fish itself is made of Alaskan Pollock – which uniquely is a fish I have never had before.  Alaskan Pollock has a milder taste, is white in color and has lower oil content.  The nuggets are battered in a light, crispy batter so you’re awarded with a nice portion of fish and not a chunk of batter and a dime size piece of fish.  The fish has a “greasy” quality to it and by that I mean it’ll make your fingers feel a little slick, but it’s not greasy in taste, etc. It’s got a very reminiscent texture and feel to deep fried fish, which I appreciated because that is what I am used to.  Taste wise, this is delicious – it’s not fishy (which I appreciate) and it’s very filling.  A handful of baked French fries to go alongside these and it would be a go-to meal for me whenever I’m in the mood for fried fish. Definitely a winner and a homerun.

A serving is just about four pieces (4 ounces), but I found with the size pieces I had I could have 4 ½ pieces for 4 ounces.  The serving is 190 calories, which is 5 points plus values.

QUESTION:

What is one of your favorite frozen fish dishes?

Smart Ones Southwest Style Vegetable Soup

I spotted a line of brand new Weight Watchers Smart Ones soups while at Target. Out of the four options available, I decided to try out the Smart Ones Southwest Style Vegetable Soup for lunch. I am not much of a soup person (particularly canned soups), but occasionally I find myself wanting a bowl so I either have to make a soup or stew or pick up a quick and easy soup that I know I enjoy.

I like the idea of frozen soup because it seems more “homemade” to me. Canned soups taste almost tinny to me, so I tend to avoid those, but I have found a few frozen soups that I have enjoyed and turn into my “go to”.  This particular soup was delicious and will undoubtedly be a repurchase for me.

According to the box the soup is “a combination of fire-roasted corn & tomatoes blended with red beans, corn flour, and cilantro all topped with Monterey Jack cheese.” Most notable the soup is advertised as vegetarian and a good source of fiber – thanks to the beans and vegetables.  The soup itself was delicious. It was mildly spicy, the cheese made it creamy and it was just overall packed with flavor.  I wouldn’t say this is a complete meal in a bowl, but it is something that could be enjoyed along with a salad or sandwich in a guilt free way.

A bowl is 120 calories or 3 points plus values.  Quite worth it if you’re in the mood for something warm to go alongside with your lunch or dinner.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the new Smart Ones soups?

Trader Joe’s 99% Fat Free Bean & Rice Burritos

I picked up a pack of these 99% Fat Free Bean & Rice Burritos from Trader Joe’s and finally decided to take them out of the freezer to enjoy.  Burritos are a delicious treat for me, but typically the points plus values associated with them (particularly most of the frozen heat and eat kinds) are completely astronomical – at least too much for me to “splurge” on.

I love trying new foods and felt these particular bean and rice burritos were acceptable point wise to have as a meal, or if I was really hungry I could have both of them for dinner.  The burritos are made with organic rice and beans, if that’s an important fact for anyone.   They are a simple flour tortilla which is rolled together in a bean and rice mixture – I believe the beans are pink beans, some of which I assume are mushed up a little to give it a more “creamier” consistency.

The only downside is that the burritos are packaged into a single container and the directions state to poke holes in the plastic film and to heat both together.  I ate them on separate days, so the first burrito I wrapped up in a napkin and microwaved per the given time.  It came out alright, but the tortilla was a little chewier … you know that chewiness you get from putting tortillas in the microwave for too long?  The second burrito I heated up in the plastic wrap (with a long slit along the side where I removed the first burrito from) and I found that burrito cooked SO much better and tasted better than the first.

I found these to be tasty – not bad on their own, but I do feel eating them with a small salad and having some of your favorite salsa on the side for dipping makes them 10 times better.  The salsa brings a whole new flavor category to the burritos which is yummy.  On their own, the burritos taste like a bean and rice mixture – nothing spicy or even mild about it.

Each burrito is 6 points plus.  Well worth it, if you enjoy a burrito once in a while.

QUESTION:

Have you tried the bean and rice burritos from Trader Joe’s?

DiGiorno Pizzeria! Primo Pepperoni Pizza

Ever since I tried the DiGiorno Pizzeria frozen pizzas my boyfriend and I have been obsessed with the line.  I did a mini review on the Supreme Speciale which is my favorite from the line that I’ve tried so far.  My boyfriend likes pepperoni pizza the best, so we’ve purchased a few of these (check the DiGiorno website for $2 off printable coupons).

Back in my “hay day” DiGiorno rising crust pizza was one of my favorite frozen pizzas.  That is, until I joined Weight Watchers and I found out 1/8^th of a rising crust pizza was a serving and that serving was about 9 points at the time.  That was not worth it so for the longest time I straight up refused to purchase DiGiorno pizza.  I swayed over to thin crust pizzas, etc … that is until this delicious line hit grocery sore freezer shelves.

This is the first line of pizza that I had found that was what I consider points plus friendly, had a significant puffy crust, great tasting sauce and yummy toppings.  The top is a little greasy, but it’s what you’d expect with any pepperoni pizza.  The crust is lightly seasoned, which is out of the norm for frozen pizzas.  I also found the pepperoni pizza is child approved … we had a pizza “party” with my niece when she came over and she quite enjoyed it – so much that she had two slices!

The greatest part is 1/4^th of the pizza is only 9 points plus values.  Quite a steal, if you ask me, especially since I am a die hard pizza lover.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the DiGiorno Pizzeria! pizzas?

Lean Cuisine Salad Additions – Southwest-style Chicken

After trying out the Lean Cuisine Salad Addition in the Asian-style Chicken flavor I decided to expand my horizon.  While grocery shopping at Target I found a few new flavor options that I had not seen at my first trip to Wal-Mart so I picked up the Southwest-style Chicken flavor.

This flavor was quite delicious!  I would say it is spicy (as Southwestern dishes tend to be) but not overwhelmingly spicy.  The product comes with 3 individual plastic bags inside of the box.  You microwave the pouch containing the chicken and vegetables for the set amount of time.  Soak the dressing packet in warm water (to defrost it) and simply open the crunchy topping when your food is ready to assemble.  The only “work” that goes into this salad is the minimal preparation; which consists of making your own salad (or dumping bagged salad into a bowl as I did), microwaving, opening pouches and consuming.

The Southwest-style chicken comes with grilled chicken, black beans, corn, roasted red peppers and poblano peppers.  For a crunchy topping there are crispy tortilla strips and it comes with a chipolte ranch dressing.   Overall I highly recommend these – they’re a great, quick and easy lunch/dinner.

Weight Watchers Points Plus wise this will cost you 6 Points Plus, which I feel is justifiable.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the Lean Cuisine Salad Additions?

Lean Cuisine Salad Additions – Asian-style Chicken

When I saw Lean Cuisine came out with these new Salad Additions, I instantly picked up this Asian-style Chicken because out of the line that was available at my local Wal-Mart (at the time) was very limited (2 flavors).  I wasn’t sure if it was going to be good – the good ole skeptic that I can be when it comes to frozen foods.  I will admit, I’m not the biggest fan of Lean Cuisine frozen dinners but I felt I would give this one a shot.  I mean, it’s salad, right?

I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by this!  The product comes with 3 individual plastic bags inside of the box.  You microwave the pouch containing the chicken and vegetables for the set amount of time.  Soak the dressing packet in warm water (to defrost it) and simply open the crunchy topping when your food is ready to assemble.  The only “work” that goes into this salad is the minimal preparation; which consists of making your own salad (or dumping bagged salad into a bowl as I did), microwaving, opening pouches and consuming.

The Asian-style chicken came with grilled chicken, edamame, pineapple, broccoli and carrots.  For a crunchy topping there are chow mein noodles and it comes with a really delicious sesame ginger salad vinaigrette.   Overall I highly recommend these – they’re a great, quick and easy lunch/dinner.

Weight Watchers Points Plus wise this will cost you 7 Points Plus, which I feel is truly justifiable.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the Lean Cuisine Salad Additions?