Trader Joe’s Traditional Meatloaf

Meatloaf is one of those comfort foods … it’s a dish, that at least when I think of it, it makes me think of home, mom cooking in the kitchen, etc.  I’ve learned over time that I’m a bit of a meatloaf snob, because no two people make meatloaf the same. I’m fond of the meatloaf I grew up eating, as well as a Weight Watchers miniature variation that I’ve recreated time and time again and find it equally enjoyable every time. So needless to say, I have seen the Trader Joe’s Traditional Meatloaf in the refrigerated meals section of Trader Joe’s numerous times but always skipped on it … until my last trip there.

Admittedly the thing that kept me from purchasing it was the “in a classic tomato sauce” description. I’ve never been a fan of meatloaves with a tomato sauce over them … but I do like meatloaf that has ketchup over the top. I scanned the ingredients section on the label and was pleased when I saw the word “ketchup” and put the meal into my shopping cart. I had it in the refrigerator for a couple days and heated it up one day for a quick lunch.  I have to say … this meatloaf is “money”, meaning it’s absolutely delicious! It truly reminds me of the miniature meatloaf recipe I recreate.  The sauce is a sweet and tangy mix which is very complimentary to the meatloaf itself. The meatloaf is meaty but not heavy and a perfect quick meal.

I served this alongside some mashed potatoes and fresh steamed carrot sticks. I merely served this up asking if anyone wanted meatloaf. The general consensus after eating was “that was really good!” and “did you make that?” After letting the cat out of the bag that it was actually a Trader Joe’s refrigerated meal it as noted that we should most definitely pick that up again … and on my Trader Joe’s list it went!  Without further ado I highly recommend this if you’re a meatloaf lover.

A 5 ounce serving is 280 calories or 7 points plus values.

Chicken Taco (Crock Pot)

A couple weeks ago I popped into Subway for lunch and noticed they had a new sandwich on the menu – a Fritos Chicken Enchilada Melt. I ordered my typical black forest ham sandwich, but my mother ordered the Fritos Chicken Enchilada Melt. Upon sitting down to eat out lunch she gave me a small piece to try … and I my taste buds were thoroughly amazed. So amazed that I wanted to try to recreate the dish at home in a way that was “point friendly” for me.

I knew going into it that it wouldn’t be exact … but if I could come close, it’d be a success.  And I have to say, it was pretty darn successful! I used taco seasoning and ranch seasoning over fajita seasoning. The meat mixture was flavorful and was perfect in a sandwich while the next day it was perfect over salad.

The closest I could come to Subway’s flat bread was to use Flatout Foldit’s. My local grocery store only had Flatout’s everything flavor in stock, so that’s what I used.  I picked up a bag of Frito’s and added just a few to my sandwich.  Whereas in classic Subway fashion, I chose to use my own toppings: pepper jack cheese lettuce and tomato.

Serves 8. 4 Points Plus Values. 2/3 cup serving.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds raw boneless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
• 1 medium uncooked onion, sliced
• 1 medium (or 2 small) uncooked bell peppers, sliced
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp McCormick Montreal Steak seasoning
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 packet ranch dressing seasoning
• 1 cup Chi Chi’s Salsa, medium

Add onions and peppers to the bottom of a crock pot. Place the chicken breast over the vegetables. Sprinkle with steak seasoning, garlic powder, taco seasoning and ranch dressing seasoning. Top with salsa – cover and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 8-9 hours.

After about an hour of cooking stir together all ingredients and allow cooking down together.

When the dish is done, turn off the crock pot and remove the chicken from the pot. Place chicken on a plate and shred with two forks. Return shredded chicken to the crock pot and stir to combine with the vegetables and sauce.

Allow to cool for roughly 20 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken a tad before serving.

Garlic Naan Pizza

I originally purchased Trader Joe’s Garlic Naan after seeing it posted on Instagram (see that post here). Around that same time, I started seeing garlic naan pizza from a fellow instagrammer who has as much of a love for Trader Joe’s as I do.  That of course imprinted on my brain and I had wanted to try it since.  I finally got around to planning having garlic naan pizza … and having garlic naan pizza I did!

I always fawn over DiGiornio’s garlic bread pizza but now I can have my own version at home which is far less guilty – plus it can be personalized however I want it. Another great part is that my little personal pizza is done in a matter of minutes after a trip into the toaster oven.  So how did I assemble my pizza?

1 frozen garlic naan, 2 tbsp pizza sauce (I used Trader Joe’s), 1/3 oz Kraft fat free mozzarella, 4 slices Hormel turkey pepperoni, and a few sautéed peppers and onions. Delicious, simple and only 5 points plus values!

Taco Tuesday on a whole new level

Tuesdays are known as “taco Tuesdays” on social media. What does that mean? Well, for starters it means having tacos, in any shape or form, on a Tuesday. I admit I don’t always follow the taco Tuesday form; I merely have tacos whenever I crave them whether it’s a Tuesday, a Thursday or a Saturday.  On this particular day I decided to transform taco junk (see recipe here) into a delicious salad.

What’s pictured is ¾ cup of taco junk, 4 tablespoons of Trader Joe’s Reduced Guilt Chunky Guacamole (see review here and 2 tablespoons of Chi-Chi’s medium chunky salsa, alongside a big salad topped with 1 tablespoon Panera fat free poppyseed dressing.

This whole bowl was only 6 points plus and was ultimately delicious.

Trader Joe’s Organic Split Pea Soup

Pea soup is wiggling its way into my favorite soup of all time. Granted, it took me over 27 years to give pea soup a try … but once I got past the “it’s green!” issue I found the soup was absolutely delicious.  So when I spotted the Trader Joe’s Organic Split Pea Soup I decided to pick a can up.

Once in a bowl and heated the soup is on the thinner side of thick. If you’re used to pea soup with ham in it, you’ll notice a definite flavor difference – which is to be expected. But if you can get past that, the soup is truly not that bad. It could be flavored up a bit with a little bit of extra black pepper. I’ll always feel homemade is so much better but this was great to have on hand for a quick and easy meal. The soup is tasty and filling, so definitely a winner in my book. As mentioned on the products label, it is both organic and vegan.

A serving is 1 cup for 100 calories or 2 points plus values. OR you could have the whole can for 200 calories or 4 points plus values.

Trader Joe’s Trader Giotto’s Penne Arrabbiata

Every time I shop at Trader Joe’s, I notice their frozen Italian meals, but have always decided to pass on them for the time being to try something different. Well, I finally bit the bullet and picked up a bag of Trader Giotto’s Penne Arrabbiata after seeing them purchased in a YouTube video.

I had the bag stashed away in the freezer and one night when I wasn’t really feeling the idea of cooking dinner, I pulled this out and popped it into a pan. Frozen pasta dishes can usually be hit or miss because pastas sometimes don’t fair well after being frozen. But I have to say, this dish was perfect. The pasta came frozen along with quarter size bits of sauce. That definitely was interesting to me because I was anticipating a bag of frozen pasta, along with a bag of frozen sauce. The dish itself came together quickly; the sauce was melted and blended with the pasta in less than 7 minutes.

The pasta is a perfect al dente and the sauce is delicious. It’s a smooth tomato sauce, which has a slight bite of spice to it, which becomes more and more noticeable as you eat it.  It’s definitely not overwhelmingly hot, but it has a nice spice in the background which is a perfect, delicious dish.

The one thing I noticed was that even though the package listed 3 servings, there was a little less than 2 servings in the bag (a little over 1 ¾ cup).

A serving is 1 cup, which is 200 calories or 5 points plus values.

Banana Oatmeal

This is undoubtedly my favorite breakfast at the moment: Banana Oatmeal which is cooked in 2 ½ minutes in the microwave. It’s delicious, it’s plentiful and it truly keeps me satisfied all morning. I enjoy oatmeal, but before this, I truthfully never ate it very often. I include oatmeal in baked goods and I love it in overnight oats, but when it comes to eating oatmeal for breakfast, I would typically reach for a pack of instant oatmeal. Instant oatmeal is quick and easy, but I’ve found it’s usually not filling enough for me and it is a points plus “hog”.

A friend of mine and a fellow Instagrammer posted her favorite way to have oatmeal. I noticed the post, was intrigued and decided to give it a try one day. One morning when it started to snow, I decided the breakfast I planned for the day before wasn’t going to cut it. I wanted something warm and homey … so I gave the oatmeal a shot and have been obsessed/hooked since. It is filling, it’s thick, it’s reminiscent of banana bread, and it’s without doubt one of the easiest things to throw together. I truly crave this oatmeal … and that fact alone is astounding.

The greatest part? Its super low in points plus values! If mixing it with skim milk, it’s 4 points plus, if you mix it with unsweetened almond milk it’s only 3 points plus values. It’s low in point yet highly satisfying and delicious.

• 1/3 cup quick cook oats
• 1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk (I use vanilla) OR 1/2 cup Silk Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
• Banana, sliced
• Sprinkle of Cinnamon
• Artificial sweetener packet (optional)

Slice a banana into a bowl, top it with oatmeal, cinnamon, sweetener and almond milk. Microwave for 1 minute 15 seconds. Stir, and then place back into the microwave and heat for an additional 1 minute 15 seconds.

Top with your favorite fruit and enjoy!

Turkey Pie

Transforming leftovers into a completely different dish is something I enjoy. I admit eating the same leftovers can be a little boring.  On Christmas Eve there was an abundance of leftovers and one of the things leftover was a turkey. Since there wasn’t much turkey leftover at Thanksgiving, I decided to whip up a quick turkey pie for dinner and to put one into the freezer to have another night within the next couple months.

My go to turkey pie recipe is something my mother always made. We like to keep it simple because sometimes simplicity is its best. Growing up whether my mother made our turkey pies or purchased them we’ve always had pies that didn’t have a bottom crust to them  The great part is this recipe takes under 10 minutes to put together and then it’s into the oven or freezer.

Serves 5. 8 Points Plus Values.

Ingredients:

• 9 oz. cooked turkey breast, without skin, cut into small chunks
• 1 can diced peas and carrots
• 1 ½ cans (roughly 2 cups) of Campbell’s turkey gravy (I prefer Campbell’s because it’s nice and thick in consistency)
• 1 Pillsbury Pie Crust (whole round sheet)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Remove pie crust from the refrigerator and let sit out at room temperature for a few minutes.

In a round disposable metal pan or round metal pie pan toss together turkey, peas & carrots and canned turkey gravy.  When the mixture is well combined, unroll pie crust and gently place over the filling. Gently fold the outer edges in to create a crust.

Cut 2 slits into the top of the pie to help the steam escape.

Place into the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes until the crust is nice and golden brown.

Quick dinner: Spaghetti squash w/ sauce & turkey sausage crumbles

I’ve been on a spaghetti squash kick as of late. One night I was hungry and decided to whip this together in less than 2 minutes.  Lunch or dinner in less than 2 minutes is a perfect way to go! Of course it can only be ready in less than 2 minutes if you have cooked spaghetti squash on hand.

In this particular instance, I used jarred sauce (1/2 cup Barilla Traditional pasta sauce), ¼ cup Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage Crumbles and a serving of cooked spaghetti squash. I put everything together and heated it through in the microwave.  Filling, delicious, and a perfect quick meal.

The greatest part? This whole meal was ONLY 2 points plus values!

Quick & Easy Vegetable Fried Rice

A few weeks ago I needed a quick side dish to go along side some satay peanut chicken. Since potato and plain rice wasn’t my idea of ideal I poked through the cabinets and decided to make a quick vegetable fried rice. Since I didn’t have frozen vegetables on hand I used a few canned vegetables along with a packet of fried rice seasoning mix.

Overall the dish came out perfect. It was packed with flavor, was filling and it made for a pretty large and in charge serving. It was definitely far more satisfying than a vegetable fried rice I could have ordered from any Chinese food restaurant.

I didn’t have any scallions (green onions) on hand but when I make this again I will definitely be adding those to the dish. The scallions would not only give it color but it would give it a complimentary mild onion flavor which I love.

Of course I used peas, carrots and water chestnuts but ideally you could make this exact recipe with anything you enjoy. Bean sprouts, onions, egg, etc., and you could even add a protein of your choice to it to make it a meal instead of a side dish.

5 Points Plus Values. Serves 6. 1 ¼ cup serving.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cooked white rice, room temperature
• 15 oz canned peas & carrots, drained
• 1 packet Fried Rice Seasoning (I used Sun-Bird)
• 8 oz can whole water chestnuts, drained and chopped into quarters
• 2 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
• 4 tbsp water
• 1/3 cup baby corn, cut into smaller chunks

Spray the bottom of a nonstick skillet with Pam. Add in white rice and let heat through, crisping up slightly.

In a small bowl mix together water, soy sauce and fried rice seasoning packet.  Once well incorporated pour over rice and mix together until rice is coated with seasoning.

Add in canned peas & carrots, baby corn and water chestnuts. Stir to combine. Allow the mixture to heat through for 2-3 minutes (just enough for the vegetables to warm) before removing from the flame.

Serve and enjoy!

Joseph’s Falafel Veggie Patties

I’ve mentioned this numerous times but I am a big fan of Mediterranean/Lebanese foods. They’ve always been foods that I ate growing up because I live in an area where there are a few Lebanese bakeries and restaurants, plus my uncle is Lebanese and will make dishes and share with the whole family. I’ve seen these Joseph’s Falafel Veggie Patties at the grocery store a few times, but always waited to purchase because I already had a plan as to what I was eating that week.  Well, this week I knew I had hummus I wanted to have so I decided to give these a try.

If you’re not familiar with falafel it’s a vegetarian dish made of chick peas or fava beans which are blended and incorporated with spices, and typically deep fried.

The Joseph’s falafel is absolutely delicious and in a way reminds me of vegetarian kibbe. It’s very flavorful, filling and a perfect addition to salad alongside some hummus and even pita bread. It’s been my lunch of choice for the past few days. Outside of homemade falafel this is one of the best premade falafels I have had.

A 2 patty serving is 120 calories or 3 points plus values.

QUESTION:

Have you ever had falafel?

Weight Watcher Protein Pancake with Sauteed Banana

I have been a big fan of protein pancakes using Weight Watcher smoothie mix. I saw on a fellow Weight Watchers instagram feed (and fellow blogger) where she posted her go at protein pancakes. I used to make my protein pancakes with 3 tbsp egg whites but Brooke uses 1/3 cup (2 1/3 tbsp more) and I actually like the consistency of these pancakes a lot more. They actually taste more pancakey … but flatter and not puffy.

The winner-winner in this whole thing is the sautéed banana to put on top of the pancake. It’s filling PLUS it gets in a teaspoon (or two) of healthy oil in one shot without even having to think about it. I’ve recently started incorporating frozen berries in with the banana and I think it’s absolutely amazing. Filling, delicious and they all play off one another amazingly without the need for syrup. I’ve enjoyed this so much that I’ve made it almost every single day for nearly two weeks!  Pretty soon I’m going to be in need of smoothie mix … and I can only hope there’s a sale!

WW Protein Pancake with Sauteed banana – 4 points plus. Serves 1.

• Weight Watcher Smoothie mix (any flavor of your choice)
• 1/3 cup egg whites
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 banana, cut into small chunks
• Cinnamon (to taste)

Mix smoothie mix with egg whites, mix well until combined and chunks are gone.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, pour batter into pan and allow to cook. Watch closely as it will not really bubble like classic pancake mix, once browned on one side, flip and cook on the other side.  Remove from pan.

Add 1 teaspoon of olive oil to the nonstick skillet, heat then add in banana.  Cook while mixing in the pan, season with cinnamon and finish cooking to your liking. Pour sautéed banana over pancake & enjoy!

Lunch: Po-taco

What is a Po-taco you ask? Well, it’s what I call the Frankenstein dish you get when you combine a baked potato and ground taco meat. I enjoy this because it’s filling, a unique flavor and I truly don’t miss the taco shell, tortilla chips or the soft tortillas.

Typically on taco nights I have a salad, but this is a nice shake up in the general gist of things. I had mixed up a batch of ground turkey taco meat for dinner, and I happened to use some of the leftovers for this – so this is what I ended up having for lunch the following day.  I cooked a potato in the microwave (7 ounces) and when done I cut it down the middle, seasoned with black pepper then loaded it with 3 ounces of turkey taco meat, then topped it off with 2 tablespoons chunky salsa.

The entire thing was only 7 points plus values and it was very satisfying and filling.

QUESTION:

How do you enjoy your tacos?

Trader Joe’s Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli

Since I am a pumpkin aficionado when I spotted the Trader Joe’s Honey Roasted Pumpkin Ravioli I of course added it to my shopping cart. I figured: pasta and pumpkin how can you go wrong? Now I admit, the last time I tried Trader Joe’s ravioli (the lobster ravioli) it did not end well.

I cooked them per the box directions. I brought salted water up to boil. Once boiling I added the ravioli to it and let them cook for almost 3-minutes until they began to float a bit. The texture had visibly changed, so I removed them from the water. I added my ravioli to a bowl and spritzed with some spray butter.

These were very enjoyable. The pasta was perfect, nice, chewy and fresh. The filling was perfectly pumpkin – a bit sweet and very reminiscent of pumpkin pie filling.  It was a perfect little meal (which I enjoyed for lunch). But if you were to have this for dinner or wanted to bulk this up to make it more filling you could add a protein to the side that would compliment the pumpkin flavor.

A serving is half the package (5 ravioli) and 240 calories, which is 6 points plus values.

QUESTION:

What is your favorite ravioli?

Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Season Pork Roast with Barbecue Sauce

When it comes to barbecue I am a full-on barbecue pork fan. Ribs, chops, you name it its delicious because barbecue is meant to be delicious. I don’t really go into the beef barbecue rib realm because in my opinion, pork barbecue is where it’s at. Admittedly I don’t always have the time to make barbecue (outside of in my crock pot for pulled pork/chicken). So that’s where Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Season Pork Roast with Barbecue Sauce steps in.

I originally purchased this many, many moons ago to try out because it sounded tasty and the picture on the bag looked tasty. What caught my attention was that the pork roast is already cooked and in barbecue sauce – all that I needed to do was heat it up in the oven. I will say since trying this, it has been a repurchase for me on numerous occasions.

The pork roast itself is meaty, tender and flavorful. There are a few pieces of fat that run through it, but it’s nothing overwhelming – you can truly see it, pull it out and you’re good to go. The barbecue sauce is a ideally what a barbecue sauce should be.  For comparison purposes, I’d probably compare it to a Sweet Baby Ray’s but it’s not as tangy.  The meat itself is very tender where you can shred it with a fork.  It’s definitely a homerun in my opinion.

A 5 ounce serving (with sauce) is 225 calories or 6 points plus values.

QUESTION:

What is your favorite barbecue food?

Smart Ones Loaded Potato Soup

I picked up a box of Smart Ones Loaded Potato Soup while at Target. I had tried the Southwestern soup and was quite a fan, so I decided to try the other available flavors.  I’m not a big soup fan in general, and I’m usually not a fan of canned soups … I just feel those soups are tinny and taste “fake”, if that at all makes sense.  But with a frozen soup it tastes better, and perhaps just in my mind, it helps make it a little homier.

The Loaded Potato soup is described as “creamy potato soup loaded with sour cream, turkey bacon, and chives, topped with reduced fat cheddar cheese.”  After heating the soup in the microwave, I gave it a swirl, let it cool for a few minutes and enjoyed. I have to say, this soup is very pleasant. The potatoes are a little “crunchy”, but they’re not raw and they’re certainly not mushy so it’s a proper consistency. It’s creamy, there are bits of cheese throughout it, and the turkey bacon is a main ingredient.  All the flavors blend together nicely and it really is a home run.  I wouldn’t say this is filling enough to be a sole contender in a meal, but with a side salad or even a small sandwich it’s a win-win.

A bowl of soup is 150 calories or 4 points plus values.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the Smart Ones frozen soups?

Sheppard’s Pie

Sheppard’s Pie is a dish I grew up eating. I know there are many different ways to make it … but like many of the dishes I’ve grown up eating, I’ve adapted this recipe along the lines of how my mother made it. That is only cutting a few corners to make it “lighter” but still have that same classic Sheppard’s pie flavor I remember from growing up. This is actually a really simple and easy dish to throw together; it can even be assembled the night before and popped into the oven the next day to heat through.  Since I do like the top of the mashed potatoes to crust up a bit, I do cook it for 5-10 minutes longer.

Serves 8.  8 Points Plus Values/serving.

Ingredients:

-          1 ¾ lb 93% lean ground beef

-          2 ¾ lb potatoes, peeled and chunked

-          1 medium onion, diced

-          ½ cup skim milk

-          1 tsp minced garlic

-          1 tsp McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

-          1 ½ tsp salt, divided

-          1 ½ tsp black pepper, divided

-          1 ½ tsp Imperial margarine

-          14 oz. Del Monte Sweet Corn Cream Styled, No Salt Added

-          14 oz. canned corn, no salt added, drained

Fill a large pan with water, season with salt and place onto medium high heat. Add peeled, chunked potatoes to water and allow water to come to a boil and cook until potatoes are fork tender.

In a nonstick skillet, add ground beef, onions and garlic. Break up beef as it cooks, season with McCormick Steak Seasoning, salt and pepper.  When beef is cooked through strain of any excess water/fat.

When potatoes are fork tender, strain and return potatoes back to the pot. Season with remaining salt and pepper, add in 1 tablespoon margarine and milk. Mash until smooth.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large casserole dish, layer beef and onion mixture into the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle meat with strained corn kernels, then top with canned cream style corn. Gently begin to pile mashed potatoes onto the mixture. I find it’s easier to add it in “glops” of mashed potatoes and fill in any holes as you go. If you try to smooth the mixture before all potatoes are added, the creamed corn will just move along with it.

One all mashed potatoes are in place, dice up remaining ½ tbsp margarine and add chunks over the top of the mashed potatoes.

Place assembled sheppard’s pie into preheated oven and bake for 25-35 minutes.

Once cooked, allow to cool for 10 minutes before cutting into 8 equal sized pieces.

Dinner: Ginger Garlic Roasted Pork Loin, Baked Potato & Veggies

This is a tasty dinner we had a few nights ago.  We picked up some pork loin at the local grocery store and I asked the butcher to slice up half of it into chops and leave the other half whole.  After returning home I cut the fat off the sides of the chops, rinsed them and put them into the Knorrs Garlic Ginger roasting bag. I sprinkled the pork on each side with the garlic ginger seasoning and opted to add in some sliced onion and a bag of baby carrots.

The package didn’t call for anything other than the pork to be added to the bag … but I love vegetables with my food so I added them.  Plus ginger garlic carrots sounded amazing.  It was quite simple to throw together, tie the bag shut with the plastic tie and pop it in the oven for 35 minutes and done-so!  The seasoning itself was 1 points plus per serving.

I served the meal up with cooked potato (I went the easy way out and steamed them in the microwave) as well as some fresh steamed green beans.  My pork was 3 ounces, plus the seasoning made it 5 points plus. My entire plate was only 9 points plus and delicious.

QUESTION:

Do you like using cooking bags to make a quick, tasty and easy meal?

Butterball Turkey Polska Kielbasa

Growing up kielbasa (the full fat kind) was a classic in my household. We’d eat it grilled, fried, or boiled and typically alongside pierogies or on a sandwich.  Since I don’t typically eat full-fat meats any longer, I’ve switched out for leaner alternatives. One of those alternatives is turkey kielbasa. One of the brands I purchase is Butterball Turkey Polska Kielbasa.

The only true difference I can tell is that 1) it’s less greasy, 2) it’s not as tough and 3) I don’t get heartburn for days after eating it.  I definitely enjoy the absence of heartburn because as much as I enjoy kielbasa I hated the burn a few hours after eating it.  These days, I fry up my kielbasa in a non-stick skillet to get a nice “crisp” on the outside. I typically throw onions and peppers into the mix to bulk up my meal, plus it’s a great way to incorporate vegetables into the dish.  I typically cook the kielbasa up in chunks or I dice it up – it truly depends on my mood or how much I have to stretch it.

On this day I enjoyed my kielbasa with onions and peppers alongside some sautéed fresh vegetables and some Ore-Ida Simply potato wedges.  Great meal even without the bread!  A 2 ounce serving is 2 points plus values, or if you’re counting calories it’s 100 calories per serving.

QUESTION:

What is your favorite brand of kielbasa?

Trader Joe’s Trader Giotto’s Garden Vegetable Lasagne

I spotted and picked up a new frozen dish at Trader Joe’s. I was in the mood for lasagna, it looked delicious and Trader Joe’s typically doesn’t let me down.  Trader Giotto’s Garden Vegetable Lasagne is a lasagna that is made with organic vegetables and organic whole wheat flour.  Since my boyfriend doesn’t like lasagna, it doesn’t make sense for me to make a big pan of it – so I rely on frozen lasagna OR my mothers lasagna whenever she makes it.

I opted to cook the tray in the microwave, per the box directions, instead of in the oven. Since the microwave I was using cooks fast, I set the cooking time in the middle of the cooking time range.  The dish was hot, but I found I’d prefer to have it cook for the maximum time to make it hotter and to help reduce any potential condensation build up from the meal going from the freezer to the microwave.

I find with frozen lasagna dishes I prefer vegetable lasagna and I have to say this one is perfect.  There’s a pretty fair serving, it’s packed with flavor and it’s incredibly filling.  The ricotta is mixed with spinach and there are small diced up pieces of vegetables throughout the dish.  I did enjoy this for lunch with a small side salad and it was more than enough to be sustainable.  I enjoyed it so much I plan on getting another for the freezer on my next Trader Joe’s trip.

The dish is 290 calories, which translates to 8 points plus values.  Totally worth it!

QUESTION:

Have you tried the Trader Joe’s Garden Vegetable Lasagne?