Amy's Light & Lean Spaghetti Italiano

I've always had an interest in Amy's frozen dinners so one day after finding them on sale at my local Target, I decided to pick up the Amy's Light & Lean Spaghetti Italiano. I'm not a vegetarian by any stretch of the imagination but I do enjoy meatless meals every once in a while. Now, I'd say if you're venturing into meatless possibilities ... definitely give this particular dish a try.

The meal comes packaged encased in a plastic casing, which makes for easy microwave heating (or if you want to be fancy, you can opt for the oven method). With the addition of the bowl once done, you can remove the plastic sleeve and have your lunch/dinner already plated up for you. Now you're probably wondering what exactly the dish consists of. Well, the website lists the dish as "Organic semolina spaghetti, meatless meatballs made of of lentils, quinoa and tofu, topped with a sauce of simmered organic vegetables, roasted garlic and seasonings and a side of broccoli florets."

Admittedly, eating the meatball, I wasn't aware that it was made from tofu (I found this out after the fact). I've never actually had tofu before this dish and I was pleasantly surprised. The meatballs were soft, moist and had a meat like (but not spot-on) texture to them. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauce was flavorful. The only thing that took a little getting used to was the addition of the diced zucchini and broccoli running throughout the dish. I've never had broccoli with sauce so it took a bite or two before my taste buds and I were on the same page.

I quite enjoyed it and will undoubtedly repurchase in the future. You certainly get a good bang for your buck food wise vs. calorie wise. It doesn't taste like cardboard and a serving should leave you relatively satisfied.  Another positive note was the fact the sodium wasn't sky-high as it normally is with other prepared frozen meals. Two thumbs up, Amy's!

A serving, 1 bowl, is 240 calories or 6 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Chickenless Crispy Tenders

Every once in a while I like to step out of the norm and try something different. I usually find myself getting adventurous when it comes to meat alternatives. I've stumbled upon some decent meat alternative foods at Trader Joe's, so when I spotted the Trader Joe's Chickenless Crispy Tenders I decided to pick up a bag to stash in the freezer.

One day I had salad in the refrigerator for lunch, but nothing to go with it ... so I brought my bag of chickenless tenders to work and heated up 2 servings in the toaster oven. The tenders themselves aren't very large, but they are satisfying. Even cooking them in a toaster oven, they crisped up perfectly. Each tender provided a nice crunch, while the inside was soft and moist.

I opted to have them alongside a garden salad and in true I'm a toddler fashion - I ate them dipping the tenders into ketchup. They were honestly really good, satisfying and I enjoyed how crispy they were. They didn't have that meat substitute texture/taste/etc. It honestly tasted like a frozen, processed chicken finger. The only noticeable difference was that the tenders themselves are thinner than average chicken tenders and the coating looks "healthier" if you will.

A serving, 4 tenders, is 150 calories or 4 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Meatless Breakfast Patties

Every once in a while I like to try meatless products to switch things up a bit. I'm not anti-meat, but sometimes things get boring and need a little exciting different things thrown in the mix. With that, I opted to pick up a box of the Trader Joe's Meatless Breakfast Patties one afternoon and popped them in my freezer. I pulled them out the other day to have prepared for breakfasts for a few days.

For not being made of meat I have to say these breakfast patties are really quite good. Size comparison they're about roughly the same size as Morningstar Farms breakfast patties, whereas in comparison to your average round pork breakfast patty these are roughly larger than those. You can choose to heat these in a pan on the stove top or heat them in the microwave (cooking time varies based on the amount of patties cooking at once).  I personally opted for the microwave option because I was trying to move the food preparation process along a little faster.

Taste wise, these have the classic flavor notes of regular sausage patties. They're not greasy tasting or fatty flavored - they're just spiced quite well. Cutting into them, they appear to have the same texture as regular sausage. Flavor wise they're pretty tasty (spice wise), not bad at all. They are a little softer in texture (if you're comparing it to regular sausage) but they're no where near mushy. The outside has a decent crust on it, which leaves the insides relatively moist.

A single patty offers a gracious 7 grams of protein, which is pretty spectacular in my book.

A serving, 1 patty, is 80 calories or 2 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Meatless Corn Dogs

After I tried the Trader Joe's Turkey Corn Dogs I swore off the whole corn dog experience (at least from Trader Joe's). That is until I saw a friend on Instagram post about the Trader Joe's Meatless Corn Dogs. I figured I typically like frozen vegetarian corn dogs better than the meat variety ... so I opted to pick up a box to give a whirl.

 

The other night I was so unsure as to what I wanted for dinner. I stood in front of the freezer scanning my potential options and I decided to give the corn dogs a shot. I popped them into the oven and let them bake. When done, the crust on the outside was nicely crispy on the outside, but soft on the inside (perfection!). Biting into the "hot dog" I found the texture to be softer and mushier than that of a real hot dog. It wasn't a displeasing texture, but it's certainly a little different.

 

As a "meat eater" I can say if you served these to a crowd, no one would truly know they're vegetarian, they'd just know the texture of the hot dog inside was a little softer than your average hot dog. I find with vegetarian corn dogs they are all made differently and the filling is always made up slightly different so not one is the same as another. Regardless, I found them to be pretty good with a drizzle of mustard and ketchup over them.

 

They were filling (I served them alongside some french fries and a green salad) and flavorful. I'd definitely repurchase these again.

A serving, 1 corn dog is 160 calories or 4 points plus values.

Vitalicious Veggie Sausage VitaEgg sandwich

I was sent a package of Vitalicious Veggie Sausage VitaEgg Sandwiches for review purposes. I was intrigued to see a vegetarian option with a vegetarian meat on it instead of just a plain egg.

I popped the sandwich in the microwave (wrapped in a paper towel) and cooked it per the directions on the box. When done, the sandwich came out in pretty good shape. The sandwich didn't dry out after cooking through, which I find sometimes happens with frozen breakfast dishes that have to be wrapped in paper towel.

The texture of the sandwich wasn't quite what I'd expect. Since it's made on a flat bread, the bread is soft without any bite to it, and the sausage and egg is also soft. So instead of the sandwich having a little bit of resistance when you bit into it, it was very soft in texture. Not disgustingly soft, but soft and it took a second to get used to. The sandwich is filling and satisfying, but it is plainer on the flavor scale. I found a little hot sauce and ketchup helped make it more palatable.

I enjoyed having these on hand for convenience meals, especially when I didn't have a whole lot of time to make something, or if I needed something quick and easy.

A sandwich is 160 calories or 3 points plus values.

Vitalicious Veggie Sausage VitaEgg Sandwich

I was sent a box of the Vitalicious Veggie Sausage VitaEgg Sandwich to try out. Since it was the one in the line with the most protein in it (15g), I opted to have it for a convenience early morning breakfast. Truth be told, I am not a vegetarian, but I don't mind enjoying vegetarian/vegan dishes from time to time.

I followed the directions on the box, removing the sandwich from the wrapper, wrapping it in a paper towel and microwaving. When done I removed the sandwich from the microwave and allowed it to cool slightly before enjoying. I found the sandwich itself holds together well, even after having been microwaved. The egg and sausage are very soft in texture, which at first took a few bites to get used to. But overall it's nothing too bad. The bread has a firm texture so it keeps the sandwich together without falling apart.

Flavor wise I found it to be a little bland, so I pulled out my handy dandy hot sauce and reduced sugar ketchup and added a dollop of each. The addition of condiments spruced it up and brought some flavor to it which made it enjoyable. I can't say they're hands down delicious ... but they're pretty good for a convenience food to have on hand when in a pinch and something is needed quickly.

 

A sandwich is 160 calories or 3 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Organic Pea Soup

I was quite intrigued when I noticed Trader Joe's was carrying some pre-made soups which were in the refrigerator section instead of in the canned good aisle. I was even more intrigued when I spotted and picked up the Trader Joe's Organic Pea Soup. Thanks to giving into old "childhood food fears" I learned that I really love pea soup so if I can find a convenient version to have whenever the mood strikes, it's a win for me.

 

Ideally the pea soup I'm used to has bits of ham in it, but this is a vegetarian/vegan version. But what sold me the most was the fact that this soup is very thick. I've had pea soups in the past where they're a little on the runnier side and that's just not enjoyable. This is night, thick and hearty while having a bit of texture to it. It's undoubtedly a step in the right direction if you've tried the canned version of this soup in store (you can see that review here).

 

I find it's difficult to really explain how pea soup tastes. If you've had it before, you know the flavor. It's peas ... it's carrots ... and it's whatever flavoring you put into it. Since there's no meat it's straight peas with slight sweetness from the carrots. It's very good and pleasing on the pallet.  Definitely one of my favorite pea soups that I have tried (outside of homemade).

 

A serving, 8 oz/227 g, is 90 calories or 2 points plus values.

Trader Joe's Roasted Vegetable Multi-Grain Lasagna

There are occasions where I'm in the mood for lasagna ... but I'm a bit of a lasagna snob. Growing up my mother always made homemade lasagna's so I find myself comparing lasagna's to the good ole fashioned lasagna. Most don't even come close ... but I decided to try out the Trader Joe's Roasted Vegetable Multi-Grain Lasagna because it was different. Typically my lasagna's contain some sort of meat in them ... but this seemed interesting so I gave it a shot.

 

I have to say ... I'm glad I did. This is one of the best frozen lasagna's I have had. A quick trip to cook in the microwave (you can also cook it in the oven if you prefer) and it comes out perfectly. The edges crisp (which is my favorite part of any lasagna), it's loaded with delicious cheese and the vegetables are chopped up nice and small which blend with the sauce and noodles. It's unique and different.

It was very satisfying paired alongside a garden salad. I found it's quite enjoyable and it will be an item to repurchase to have on hand when I'm in the lasagna mood and I don't have any frozen slices from a tray that I have made.  I shared some with my mother (who is an even bigger lasagna snob than myself) and she really enjoyed it.

 

A serving, 1/4 of container, is 240 calories or 6 points plus values.

Corn Chowder

Living in New England chowders are "the thing" but considering I'm not the biggest fan of seafood ... my love of chowders are very limited. Limited as in ... corn chowder is where it's at. Growing up my mother would make corn chowder every once in a while. My mom would make two renditions - one with cream or one with canned evaporated milk. Both are delicious - but the evaporated milk is definitely lighter.

I simmer my chowder with the corn cobs in it because it helps develop the corn flavor. The flavoring/juices are within the cob and boiling it it helps infuse that flavor ... otherwise one might end up with a slightly bland dish. If you aren't able to find corn on the cob, you can always skip and use frozen sweet corn.

The consistency of this is slightly thicker than that of a soup, but it's certainly not as thick as a stew. You could add a little cornstarch and water mixture to the end result if you're looking for it to be thicker.

 

Serves 8. 4 Points Plus Values. 1 Cup serving size.

Ingredients:

* 1 cup yellow bell pepper, diced

* 1 cup onion, chopped

* 1 tbsp margarine

* 4 medium corn on the cob, corn cut off cobs (make sure you keep cobs they go in the soup)

* 2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes

* 1 tsp olive oil

* 1 cup skim milk

* 3 cups water

* 12 oz can fat free evaporated milk

* 2 tbsp flour

* Salt, to taste

* Black pepper, to taste (you can use white pepper if you wish but I prefer black)

 

In a large soup pot over medium heat, add in olive oil and saute bell pepper and onion. Cook until onion is translucent and bell pepper has softened.

Add margarine to pan, sprinkle cooked vegetables with flour, stir gingerly until flour is cooked out and no longer visible.

Season with salt and pepper then add in corn kernels, hash brown potatoes, corn cobs and allow mixture to cook together gently for 2-3 minutes. Add in water, skim milk and evaporated milk - cover pot with a lid and allow the chowder to come to a slow boil.

Adjust seasonings and allow chowder to simmer for roughly 40 minutes.

Trader Joe’s Roasted Eggplant Parmesan

I was in the mood to try something new, so looking over the prepared meals section … I spotted and decided to pick up the Trader Joe’s Roasted Eggplant Parmesan. I wanted to try a roasted eggplant dish for a while. And since I’m a huge fan of the eggplant towers so I figured this might be equally as delicious.

Deciding to have this for dinner one day, I followed the microwave cooking directions. When done I removed it from the microwave and let it sit for a few minutes as it was scalding hot. Cutting it up into three equal size pieces I served a serving to myself and a serving to my mother. The one thing I liked off the bat was the fact it was so cheesy. Taking the first bite I found the sauce had a very nice flavor to it … although the eggplant was a total disappointment. The eggplant was cut into moderately thick slices which were then cut into chunks. Unfortunately that’s where the good meal stopped rolling. The eggplant was so chewy and hard I could not even eat it. The outside “ring” of the eggplant was like a chewy rubber band and the middle was slightly softer. I’m pretty sure the meal isn’t ‘designed’ to be this way … but I’m pretty sure I just ended up with a dud of a dish.  A dinner of sauce and cheese isn’t exactly my type of thing so I chucked the dish into the garbage and picked up a chicken sandwich when I ran out.

Overall consensus between my mother and me was that it had good flavor, delicious mountain of cheese BUT the fact that it’s an eggplant dish and you couldn’t even enjoy/eat the eggplant … makes it rather pointless. Fail.

A serving is 1/3 the package (8 oz) which is 280 calories or 8 points plus values.

Morning Star Farms Roasted Garlic & Quinoa Veggie Burgers

When I went on vacation, I hit up one of the local grocery stores to buy some groceries for the week. Since I figured veggie burgers would be a quick and easy meal I hopped to it when I spotted a new Morning Star product. The description sounded good so I figured I'd give it a try and into my cart Morning Star Farms Roasted Garlic & Quinoa vegetable burgers went.

I absolutely love garlic and lentils, so I was all over this before I even knew what it would taste like. I've had quinoa a few times, and admittedly it's not my favorite grain, but when it's mixed with a bunch of stuff it's not very noticeable. In my eyes, the burgers had a Mediterranean flare to them. The flavors aren’t bold, they’re rather subtle but they mesh well together and are quite tasty.

I chose to heat them up in the microwave because there are times where convenience trumps all. I have to say ... these burgers are absolutely delicious. I think they take the first place spot and kick the spicy black bean burgers into 2nd.  They've got such a pleasant flavor to them and the texture isn't hard, nor is it soft ... its right in the middle. They went well with a little mustard, lettuce, tomato and a squirt of ketchup. The burger was filling, delicious and will undoubtedly be a repeat purchase for me.

A serving is 1 burger, which is 130 calories or 3 points plus values.

Isa Does It: Black Bean Island Burgers

Flipping through a vegetarian cookbook, Isa Does It, I found a veggie burger recipe that really struck my fancy. I enjoy Jamaican cuisine and this particular recipe was along the lines of that.  Usually I purchase premade frozen veggie burgers, so this was the first time I had made homemade veggie burgers at home.

Since I had the ingredients at home, I decided to give it a shot. It calls for a salsa/slaw to be put on the top … but in all honestly, I didn’t make it and after trying the burgers I wish that I had.  Since these are made with curry powder, it’s not necessarily a flavor category that goes well with your traditional burger toppings (ketchup, mustard, etc.).

I did follow the directions regarding all ingredients  (except I cut back on the curry powder as I was using authentic Jamaican curry and the listed amount would’ve made these too spicy to consume) – although I formed my patties by hand and layered them onto a baking tray layered with parchment paper. I then popped them into the oven. When it came time to flip them … I wish I only cooked them for a few minutes longer (2-3) because I found cooking per directions it made them too dry and far too crunchy.

Nonetheless, they were a unique and different meal. Although that nectarine salsa would bring them to a whole new flavor level!

The burgers calculates out to 3 points plus.

For the burgers:

15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

15 oz can black-eyed peas, rinsed and drained

½ cup finely copped bell pepper

1 cup finely chopped scallion

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Jamaican curry powder

1 teaspoon salt

¼ cup vegetable broth

2 teaspoons lime juice

1 cup panko bread crumbs

For the nectarine salsa:

2 nectarines, diced into ¼ inch pieces

¼ cup finely diced red onion

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon agava nectar

Olive oil for spraying/brushing the pan

8 burger buns

Preheat oven to 400*F

In a medium bowl, use a small potato masher (or a strong fork) to mash the beans.  They should be good and mushy but not totally pureed, with a few beans still identifiable in the mix.

Add the red pepper, scallions, cilantro, curry powder, salt, broth, and lime juice and mix well.  Mix in the panko bread crumbs until it all holds together.  Refrigerate for 10 minutes or so. 

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Form the burger mixture into 8 patties that are about 1 inch thick.  You can spray the parchment paper with olive oil spray and then spray the tops of the burgers as well. Bake for 15 minutes.  Flip the burgers and bake for 12-15 more minutes, or until nicely browned. 

To make the salsa – simply add everything to a bowl and mix.

Chili Dog Casserole

This is what I call a “Pinterest made me do it” meal … which with my alterations made it turn out to be quite a fail.

I didn’t use the exact recipe as listed on Pinterest, because I switched up the recipe to use the ingredients I had on hand (canned vegetarian chili, canned sauce and Joseph’s flax oat bran whole wheat tortillas). If eaten hot, it wasn’t bad … but when it had the opportunity to sit and cool the tortillas I used got soggy and all around disgusting. I also found I really wasn’t a fan of the Smart Dogs flavoring. I have tried vegetarian hot dogs in the past and found some can be hit or miss and the Smart Dogs were just a complete miss on my taste buds. Where I think I went completely wrong was adding in extra sauce to thin the chili out – if I had left it alone I think the tortillas would have held up a lot better.

The dish itself certainly looked delicious and I may actually recreate this some time using the chili listed in the original recipe, but using a tortilla that can hold up a bit better, and I may just use lean beef hot dogs since I do enjoy those.

You win some, you lose some.

You can find the original recipe here: http://www.vegetariancasserolequeen.com/uncategorized/chili-dog-casserole/

Healthy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

This is what I call “Facebook made me do it” – meaning one of those recipes that bounce around on Facebook was posted on my Facebook timeline. After walking thru the kitchen I noticed I had some slightly ripened bananas soooo it was a perfect opportunity to whip up a quick batch of cookies.

The recipe is interesting because it includes no sugar, no dairy and no oil.  I admit, when I recreated the recipe I used skim milk in place of the almond milk since I did not have a container in the refrigerator at the time.

I made 18 pretty decent sized cookies and they were 2 points plus a piece. Not bad at all! These were also a hit … they tasted reminiscent of banana bread (of course, different texture, etc.)

Here’s the recipe I followed:

3 mashed ripe bananas

1/3 cup apple sauce (I used natural unsweetened)

2 cups oats

¼ cup almond milk (I substituted with skim milk)

½ cup raisins (optional)

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

Cabbage, Beet and Onion Salad

Cabbage, beet and onion salad is a dish my mother made often growing up. It was a very simple salad, but it was a perfect complimentary meal against certain dishes. The salad itself is simple, refreshing, tart, crisp and even a perfect meal on its own or alongside dinner.

Typically I would use a head of cabbage, but since I was looking for something quick I opted to pick up a bag of coleslaw mix. I would recommend picking up a bag of shredded cabbage (without carrots) but since coleslaw mix with carrots is all that my grocery store had available, it’s what I picked up. The carrots don’t necessarily change the dish it just gives it a different crunch.  Nonetheless it’s delicious and typically a crowd pleaser.

I enjoy this the day I make it, but I feel it tastes so much better the next day because it gets to “marinate” in the refrigerator. The cabbage also softens up a bit.

Serves 7. 1 Points Plus Values. ~3/4 cup serving.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of coleslaw mix OR 1 small head of cabbage, sliced thin
• ½ small onion, sliced
• 8 oz fresh beets (or canned), sliced
• 4 tbsp Red wine vinegar (or less depending on taste)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• Pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Add coleslaw mix, sliced onions and sliced beets to a large bowl. Sprinkle with black pepper and a dash of salt.

Drizzle in olive oil and red wine vinegar. Toss to combine.

The beets will change the color of the salad to a slightly purple shade.  Taste test and adjust seasonings (salt, pepper and red wine vinegar).

Spinach Dip

I had some spinach to use up, so I decided to do a quick Google search to find out what I could make with it. Originally I wanted to make a spinach pasta dish my mother made when I was younger … but in all honesty, I cannot remember exactly what it was, and when I asked her she couldn’t recall. I found a Hot Spinach Dip recipe from Skinnytaste’s website see here.

Looking over the ingredients I realized I didn’t have all of them and I felt it would be wasteful to go to the store just to buy the items I was missing … so I decided to shake it up. It came out perfectly! I ate it for a few days and even shared some with my mother and her friend, who in turn asked me how I made it so they could make it at home.  This will become a staple recipe for me because it makes for a perfectly filling snack.

Serves 5-10. Serves 10: ¼ cup serving, 2 points plus values. Serves 5: ½ cup serving, 3 points plus values.

Ingredients:

• 10 oz frozen spinach, dry (all liquid squeezed out)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 tbsp minced garlic (I used jarred garlic)
• 5 tbsp light mayonnaise
• ½ cup light sour cream
• 2 1/3 tbsp reduced fat parmesan cheese
• 1 cup fat free shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt, to taste

Place diced onion in a microwave safe bowl, add 1 tbsp of water and microwave for 30-40 seconds until onions are translucent.

Squeeze all liquid out of the spinach and place into a bowl.  Add in cooked onion, garlic, mayonnaise and sour cream. Mix until all ingredients are combined.

Sprinkle in parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, garlic powder and shredded mozzarella cheese. Blend until combined.

Cover mixture and let marinate in the refrigerator for at a minimum 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place dip into baking dish which has been sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and the edges are golden brown.

DiGiorno Pizzeria! Bianca/White Pizza

Pizza is one of my favorite foods and lately my boyfriend has been on a frozen pizza kick. While shopping at Walmart, I spotted the DiGiorno Pizzeria! Bianca/White Pizza and decided to get it for myself to try.  One day after running holiday errands with my mother, in order to avoid going out to eat, I suggested I make this pizza … and that’s what we did.

I cooked the pizza in my convection oven and when done, cut it up into 8 slices. The pizza has the classic DiGiorno Pizzeria! crust which is thicker but not as thick as classic DiGiorno. The pizza is described as having mozzarella and ricotta cheeses, spinach, garlic, cream fraiche sauce and olive oil on it.

I am quite a fan of the Pizzeria line, but I have to say this particular pie looked a lot better straight out of the oven than it did in the taste category.  It’s not horrible, but it’s not the best spinach pizza I’ve had (I prefer Ristorante) and it’s certainly not one of the best Pizzeria line options (I prefer the supreme). There are hints of mild garlic running throughout the pizza but for the most part it was on the plain side. I realize spinach and ricotta are rather bland foods, but I’m a stickler when it comes to seasoning foods to help increase the flavor category. This just didn’t hit that note for me. My mother didn’t enjoy it, she ate her 2 slices and didn’t want anymore.

A serving is ¼ of the pizza and is 320 calories or 9 points plus values.

QUESTION:

Have you tried any of the DiGiorno Pizzeria pizzas?

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?

Jamaican Stewed Curry Cabbage

Jamaican Stewed Curry Cabbage has always been one of my longtime favorite side dishes. Growing up this was a side dish my parents would make occasionally (depending on what exactly we were having) when having Jamaican food for Sunday dinner. It’s delicious, it’s flavorful, and it’s truly simple to make.

My mother would sneak an entire stick of margarine into the bottom of the pan before adding in the cabbage, but I think that’s just an obscene amount, so I’ve recreated this recipe numerous times using only 2 tablespoons of light butter. Since you’re not going after a buttery flavor, it helps stew the cabbage down, but the curry and vegetables truly are what you want to shine through.

This is served best alongside either: rice, rice and beans, or Jamaican dumplings and of course some sort of protein.

I do want to note Jamaican curry powder will stain your hands, your clothes and your bowls. Do not get it on your clothing, or you will have a mustardy colored stain on you garment forever. When storing in the refrigerator, your bowl of choice will develop a yellow hue. I just wanted to note this because whenever serving the dish to someone who hasn’t had it, I give them the “fair warning.”

Please note, Jamaican curry powder is very different from other curry powders on the market. Do not get the spicy; it’ll be very, very hot. Traditional curry is reasonably spicy, but it’s not overwhelming. If you switch the curry recommended out with another, I can’t advise as to how your dish will turn out.

Serves 7. 2 Points Plus Values. Roughly ~2/3 cup serving.

Ingredients:

• 2 lb head of cabbage, sliced (core removed)
• 4 carrots, shredded (with potato peeler)
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 2 tbsp Smart Balance Light Butter
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp Oregano
• 4 tbsp Jamaican curry powder (I recommend a container of Grace Curry powder, seen here)
• 2 tbsp Jamaican meat seasoning (I recommend a container of Grace Chicken Seasoning – seen here)
• 1 cup water, divided

In a large pot, with matching lid, add 2 tablespoons of light butter to the bottom of the pan. Layer in sliced cabbage, onion and carrots.

Place pot over medium heat and add in about ¼ cup of water.  Allow the mixture start to cook down, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper.

You want to have a small amount of water in the bottom of the pan to keep it from burning/sticking, so as the water evaporates add in ¼ cup of water.

Sprinkle vegetable mixture with garlic, oregano, meat seasoning and curry powder. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on medium low. Stirring occasionally – adding in water as needed.

Dish is done when cabbage is stewed down and softened (roughly 20-25 minutes).