FitSugar

Kashi Entrées: Pesto Pasta Primavera

FitSugar — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 02:34:17 -0700

I've just recently tried a new product from Kashi (the company who makes those chewy granola bars I love). They are broadening their scope and have just introduced some frozen entrées to their Kashi brand, look for them in the freezer at your local health food or grocery store.

I was very excited to try one because I already have the utmost respect for anything with the Kashi name. When I looked at the back of the Pesto Pasta Primavera package, the ingredients were just what I would use if I were to make it myself: whole wheat pasta, basil, Parmesan cheese, peas, yellow carrots (yup), sweet red peppers and garlic. There wasn't anything on that list I didn't recognize, and that made me feel good.

The serving size was very filling, but because there were so many veggies, it was only 330 calories for the entire meal. Speaking of the veggies - they were actually very fresh tasting and even had a little crisp to them, so I know they weren't overcooked.

For a pasta dish, I was surprised to find out it has 12 grams of protein. It also has 7g of fiber. Out of the 11g of fat, only 2g are saturated, and there are NO trans fats. The sodium level was a little high - 790mg - but not over the top high considering you can have 2,300mg a day.

Another great thing? Since it has as many veggies as noodles, I felt energized after eating it, not exhausted like you can get with most pasta dishes.

Want to see what it really looks like? Then read more

It's very creamy and flavorful. The penne pasta was cooked well (some people may prefer it to be a little bit more firm) with actual cheese sprinkled on top.

It only took about 4 minutes to warm up, and couldn't have been easier to do. I would definitely recommend Kashi's Pesto Pasta Primavera for a great lunch idea. I have yet to try the other frozen entrées, but I'll let you know when I do.

Food Review: Kashi Tuscan Veggie Bake

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:00:00 -0700

A quick and healthy meal is always appreciated in my life. Since I've had great luck with Kashi's frozen entrées like Pesto Pasta Primavera and Black Bean Mango, I was excited to try its Tuscan Veggie Bake ($5).

This entree is vegan, so it's low in saturated fat and cholesterol. How does it taste though? To find out read more.

I really enjoyed the savory, slightly spicy tomato basil sauce, and the noodles made from Kashi's seven-whole-grain flour were the perfect consistency - not mushy at all. Sandwiched between lasagna noodles were large bits or roasted summer quash, eggplant, onions, and sweet potatoes, which I really appreciated. Another interesting addition to the dish were the lentils that help this meal provide eight grams of fiber and eight grams of protein. When I read the label, I was so pleased to see the dish was under 300 calories and contained no cholesterol. If you're not a fan of onions and eggplant then you won't love this meal since it was chock full of them. Overall this meal was OK, but Mayan Harvest Bake is still by far my favorite.

Serving Size	1 entrée
Calories	260
Total Fat	9 g
Saturated Fat	1.5 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	700 mg
Carbs	42 g
Fiber	8 g
Sugar	8 g
Protein	8 g

Kashi Entrées: Black Bean Mango

FitSugar — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 17:15:00 -0700

I recently tried a new flavor of the frozen entrées from Kashi (they're the company that makes those TLC Chewy Granola Bars I love). I loved the Pesto Pasta Primavera so much, and was excited to try another vegetarian option - Black Bean Mango.

As with all of Kashi's products, I was impressed that I could pronounce every ingredient on the list, and they were all things I've heard of like canola oil, ginger, cilantro, and garlic.

I wasn't expecting this entrée to be so deliciously flavorful. It was a combination of sweet from the mangos, and spicy from the jalapeño peppers. The texture was really satisfying too. There were many tender veggies like carrots and red peppers.

There were soft and sweet mangos, and another amazing thing - you could actually see the grill lines on the roasted green peppers and onions. I thought that was a nice touch.

The protein-filled black beans were surrounded not only by rice like you usually see, but also by other chewy whole grains like oats, rye, hard red winter wheat, buckwheat, barley, and sesame seeds.

For a frozen vegan meal, this was very tasty. It only has only 340 calories, 430mg sodium, and no cholesterol (obviously). It also has 430mg of potassium, 8g of protein, 7g of fiber, 150% of your daily vitamin A needs, and 100% of your daily vitamin C needs.

Want to see what it looks like when you heat it up? Then read more

I recommend this 100%. Kashi does such an amazing job of incorporating pure, all natural ingredients, that are full of protein, fiber, and other nourishment. They prepare their products in such a way that respects the food's natural flavors and textures. I love that the grains and veggies are all intact, not overcooked or overly processed. The ingredients look and taste just as if you prepared them yourself.

Fit's Tips: Try heating this up and wrapping it in a flour tortilla with some cheese and you'll have an instant burrito. Or your can heat it up and use it as a delicious dip for tortilla chips.