FitSugar

Amy's Kitchen: Country Cheddar Bowl

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:30:00 -0700

This Country Cheddar Bowl is my new favorite frozen entrée from Amy's Kitchen. It's in her line of Bowls (just like the Stuffed Pasta Shells), and this one is called Country Cheddar.

I would say it is a mature version of mac and cheese. The delicious cheesy sauce envelops the spiral noodles and healthy veggies – broccoli florets, carrots, red peppers, and potatoes. For added protein pieces of perfectly textured baked tofu have been added to the "bowl." The cheddar bowl meal is deliciously flavored, and the best part is that all the ingredients are organic.

The picture on the box looks great, but does it really look like that when you cook it? To find out read more

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	400
Total Fat	19g
Saturated Fat	6g
Cholesterol	20mg
Sodium	690mg
Carbs	41g
Fiber	4g
Sugar	3g
Protein	15g

On the looks front, the bowl looks close enough to the image on the box. I really liked the cheesy taste and all the veggies were cooked perfectly, and not at all mushy. This meal has only 400 calories and it was super filling. Plus I love that it has 14g of protein and 4g of fiber (although I thought it would have more than that). The sodium is a tad high, but not too bad considering you can have around 2,300mg a day.

I'm sure some of you will think it has a lot of fat, but look at the saturated fat. It only has 6g, and since the recommended amount per day is around 20g, it doesn't sound so bad. For a quick, delicious, organic, and healthy meal, I'd definitely give this Country Cheddar Bowl a try.

Straight From Amy's Kitchen: Stuffed Pasta Shells

FitSugar — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 10:15:00 -0700

Skipping meals is a bad idea in general, so in those rushed times you often have to reach for a frozen entrée. This is why I like to stock up on healthy frozen meals by Amy's Kitchen. I loved the Vegetable Lasagna, so I decided to give her Stuffed Pasta Shells a try. They're made with whole grains, real vegetables, and no artificial ingredients, so I feel good about eating them.

The shells were even tastier than the lasagna. The pasta was tender - not too firm and not at all mushy. The tomato sauce was very flavorful and abundant (don't you hate when they skimp on the sauce?). The best part was the cheese filling inside. It was so creamy and perfectly blended with broccoli and spinach to give it a wonderful texture and flavor and nutrients.

Since it tasted so rich, I was afraid to take a look at the nutritional info. Want to see what I found? Then read more


Calories	310	310
Total Fat	13g	12g
Saturated Fat	7g	4.5g
Cholesterol	30mg	20mg
Sodium	740mg	680mg
Carbs	30g	35g
Fiber	5g	5g
Sugar	7g	5g
Protein	19g	16g
Vitamin A	40%	50%
Calcium	40%	25%

Well that isn't so bad. Only 310 calories and those 3 stuffed shells were really filling. While 740 mg of sodium sounds pretty high, when you consider the RDI of sodium is 2,300 mg a day, the amount of sodium seems reasonable.

Here's another tempting photo.

Here's a close-up of the creamy cheesiness.

Now, doesn't that look tasty?

Food Review: Amy's Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies Bowl

FitSugar — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:00:00 -0800

In a pinch, I'm a big fan of frozen meals from Amy's Kitchen, and I particularly like the "bowls." I always keep a few in my freezer just in case I don't have time to make lunch. While the Country Cheddar Bowl is my favorite, I also like the Stuffed Pasta Shells. While perusing the frozen aisle at the grocery store, I noticed a new bowl and had to give it a try.

To find out what I thought of this Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies Bowl then read more.

I'm quite a fan of this new bowl. Even though it doesn't look very appetizing, it tasted delicious - herby and savory, like it was homemade. It had lots of veggies, mostly mushrooms and they had great consistency; not mushy at all. The black-eyed peas and brown rice made this bowl hearty and filling for only having 290 calories. The sauce was smooth and flavorful with a hint of ginger and cilantro. The wheat-free tamari gave it a delicious salty flavor, with only 580 mg per serving. This meal is also dairy and gluten free, so if you have food sensitivities, this is a tasty option. If you're a fan of bean and veggie dishes, I'd give this a try.

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	290
Total Fat	11 g
Saturated Fat	1.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	580 mg
Carbs	38 g
Fiber	8 g
Sugar	5 g
Protein	11 g

Amy's Kitchen: Bowl Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:00:00 -0700

Who doesn't need a quick meal every once in a while? For that reason, I always keep a few of these bowls in the freezer from Amy's Kitchen. Many of them are vegan or lactose free, some are gluten free or soy free, and some are light in sodium. They're made with whole grains and vegetables and are full of flavor.

To see how they compare nutritionally read more.

1 bowl	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Baked Ziti	300	12	590	62	6	9
Brown Rice & Vegetables	260	9	550	36	5	9
Brown Rice, Black-Eyed Peas & Veggies	290	11	580	38	8	11
Country Cheddar	400	19	690	41	4	15
Mexican Casserole	470	16	780	70	7	11
Pesto Tortellini	430	19	640	45	3	20
Ravioli	380	12	680	55	4	14
Santa Fe Enchilada	350	11	780	47	9	16
Teriyaki	290	4.5	780	52	4	10
Tortilla Casserole & Black Beans	390	18	780	41	7	17
Light in Sodium - Brown Rice & Veggie	260	9	270	36	5	9
Light in Sodium - Mexican Casserole	370	16	390	48	7	12

Amy's Bowls: Pesto Tortellini

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:30:00 -0800

Looking for a quick and healthy meal? Bowls from Amy's Kitchen are a great choice. I loved the Stuffed Pasta Shells and the Country Cheddar Bowl. Both dishes are made mostly with organic ingredients, so when you eat them you can feel good about supporting a company that does good for you and the environment.

I just picked up a new bowl from Amy's Kitchen called Pesto Tortellini. Want to know what I thought? Then read more

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	430
Total Fat	19g
Saturated Fat	8g
Cholesterol	40mg
Sodium	640mg
Carbs	45g
Fiber	3g
Sugar	5g
Protein	20g

Unfortunately, this wasn't my favorite dish from Amy's Kitchen. It lacked flavor, and I needed to add a little salt. The pasta did have a satisfying soft and chewy consistency. All in all I'd have to say that this meal was just okay, and definitely not as delicious as other bowls by Amy.

The saturated-fat content is a little high, and if you're trying to watch your carb intake, you won't be too psyched with 45g per serving. I guess that's what you'd expect from a cheesy-pasta dish though. This Pesto Tortellini Bowl is great if you need a quick meal and you're in the mood for some comfort food. It's definitely warm and filling, and perfect for a Winter evening. Although it wasn't my favorite frozen entrée, it would definitely do in a pinch.

Label Able: Nigari

FitSugar — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:00:00 -0700

I just reread the label of my favorite mac-n-cheese alternative, the Country Cheddar Bowl by Amy's Kitchen, and happened to catch something on the list of ingredients that I didn't recognize - nigari. In parentheses it says "magnesium chloride, a natural firming agent," but that use of the word "natural" didn't make me feel any better.

I trust food from Amy's Kitchen because it's made with such wholesome ingredients, so nigari can't be bad for me, right? I decided to do a little research. To find out what I discovered, read more.

Magnesium chloride is a salt that's highly soluble in water. In Japan, it's known as nigari, derived from the Japanese word for "bitter." It's a white powder made from seawater after the sodium chloride has been removed and the water evaporated. It's an important coagulant used when making tofu or soy milk and is also found in baby formula. Well, that's a relief. I knew Amy wouldn't steer me wrong.

Minestrone Soup Breakdown

FitSugar — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 05:30:00 -0800

Chillier weather always makes me crave a warm bowl of savory soup. I don't always have time to make a big pot, so canned soups can come in handy. Minestrone is one of my favorites, and I wanted to see how all the different brands of canned soup compare.

If you're curious too then read more.

1 cup of soup	Calories	Total Fat (g)	Sodium (mg)	Carbs (g)	Fiber (g)	Protein (g)
Amy's Organic	90	1.5	580	17	3	3
Amy's Light in Sodium	90	2	290	17	3	3
Campbell's Condensed	90	1	960	17	3	4
Campbell's Healthy Request	80	.5	480	15	3	3
Campbell's Select Harvest	110	1	480	20	3	5
Healthy Choice Microwaveable Bowls	200	2	470	40	5	7
Progresso	110	2	980	19	4	4
Progresso Minestrone with Chicken	110	3	880	16	3	6
Progresso Microwaveable Bowl	90	1.5	930	17	4	4
Progresso Reduced Sodium	120	2	470	23	4	5
Trader Joe's Chunky Low-fat	110	2.5	890	19	2	3
Wolfgang Puck Organic	110	3.5	660	17	2	2

These soups are low in calories and fat, but you've got to watch out for the sodium content. Especially since one serving is only half a can. Most people end up eating the full can - I know I do - which adds up to two servings and a considerable amount of sodium. Since the RDI of sodium is 2,300 mg a day, if you're going eat the entire can, choose a soup that has 600 mg of sodium or less.

Food Review: Amy's Santa Fe Enchilada

FitSugar — Fri, 02 May 2008 10:00:00 -0700

You know I'm a huge fan of the healthy and organic foods made by Amy's Kitchen. The ingredients are like the ones I would use if I had time to cook. Since I love Mexican food, and loved her Cheddar Cheese Burrito, I decided to give her Santa Fe Enchilada bowl a try. It's made with layered corn tortillas, rice, tofu, veggies, Jack cheese, and beans. Does it taste as good as it sounds? To find out read more.

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	130
Total Fat	11g
Saturated Fat	2g
Cholesterol	5mg
Sodium	780mg
Carbs	47g
Fiber	9g
Sugar	5g
Protein	16g

I know this doesn't look very appetizing or anything like the gorgeous photo, but looks can be deceiving. I actually really loved this meal. I liked that it wasn't your typical rolled up enchilada, but that it was more like a layered lasagna, so it was easy to eat with a fork. It was really flavorful, spicy, but not burn-your-tongue spicy. The beans, rice, and crumbled up tofu made this meal really filling. The soft texture makes this enchilada a great addition to my list of comfort foods. I like that it's not too high in calories or saturated fat, and it's also high in fiber and protein, thanks to the veggies and beans. The sodium content is a little on the high side, but still doable considering the RDI is 2,300 mg a day. I would definitely pick this enchilada bowl up again. For under $5, it makes a quick, tasty, and healthy meal.

Any other Amy's fans out there? If you have tried the enchiladas, tell me what you thought in the comments section below.

Amy's Kitchen: Black Bean Vegetable Soup

FitSugar — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:30:00 -0800

I am a huge fan of foods from Amy's Kitchen. They're made from mostly organic vegetables, and she only uses ingredients that you'd use when cooking. Her frozen bowls and entrées are delicious and easy to make when you need a healthy and filling meal but don't have time to make it yourself, and they're really affordable too. She also makes a whole variety of canned soups. I recently tried the Black Bean Vegetable. Want to know what I thought? Then read more.

This soup tasted okay, but it definitely wasn't my favorite food from Amy's Kitchen. I liked that it wasn't too spicy, and the consistency was smooth except for the crispy kernels of corn. I love eating foods where I can see actual pieces of real veggies, and this soup had pieces of carrots, potatoes, and celery, which was a plus. This soup was just a little too bland and boring and seemed to be missing something.

Serving Size	1 cup (half the can)	2 cups (whole can)
Calories	130	260
Total Fat	1.5g	3g
Saturated Fat	0g	0g
Cholesterol	0mg	0mg
Sodium	430mg	860mg
Carbs	25g	50g
Fiber	5g	10g
Sugar	6g	12g
Protein	6g	12g

The recommended serving size is half a can, but that's definitely not enough for a meal. If you end up eating both servings at once, it's only 260 calories, and you get 10g of fiber and 12g of protein. So it's pretty healthy, but tastewise I prefer Amy's Vegetable Barley Soup.

Food Review: Helen's Kitchen Mac & Cheese

FitSugar — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0700

It's good to have a few entrées in your freezer for a quick and healthy meal. So while at the grocery store the other day, I decided to try the Mac & Cheese from Helen's Kitchen.

Want to know what it really looks like and see the nutritional info? Then read more.

Is there some unwritten rule that frozen meals have to look drastically different then the photo on the box? That gorgeous picture shows eight pieces of broccoli and I ended up with a measly four. I was not impressed. The flavor was also a little too mild for my taste – overall it was rather bland. Texturewise, the cheese had a weird thick and lumpy consistency. Plus for the amount of sodium that was actually in this meal, it tasted like it was low sodium. The few bits of broccoli were good, a little chewy, but still tasted fresh. The best part were the little bits of tofu. They were firm and had a great salty and herby flavor. I did like that the ingredients were organic, and it was made with wheat pasta, real butter, and asiago and cheddar cheeses. I'd definitely be up for trying out other meals made by this company, but if I'm in the mood for a cheesy-pasta-veggie dish, I'd much rather eat Amy's Country Cheddar Bowl instead.

Serving Size	1 meal
Calories	320
Total Fat	8g
Saturated Fat	4.5g
Cholesterol	0mg
Sodium	620mg
Carbs	43g
Fiber	3g
Sugar	3g
Protein	15g