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Food Review: Moosewood Pasta e Fagioli

FitSugar — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 10:00:38 PST

Like Ashlee Simpson-Wentz, I'm not a "no carbs" kind of girl. I love bread, the occasional cookie, and yes - pasta. I also love quick meals that are healthy, yet tasty. When I saw this box of Pasta e Fagioli made by Moosewood, the famous vegetarian restaurant in Ithaca, NY, the photo made me place it in my cart immediately.

Are you curious to know how this meal measured up? Then

read more. Well, my first thought was that the real meal looked nothing like the picture on the box. It seemed pretty unappetizing, actually, but smelled delicious. When I took my first bite, I noticed the extremely soft texture of the penne pasta. If you prefer al dente noodles, this will seem squishy to you. The tomato sauce was slightly watery, but extremely flavorful. It tasted almost like licorice, and had a bit of a spicy kick at the end of each mouthful. I liked the whole white beans and the diced carrots, but would have liked to see even more whole veggies - as many as you see in the photo on the box. The portion size was perfect to enjoy with a side salad, and I didn't feel stuffed afterward. Aside from the delicious taste of this frozen entrée, the nutritional info is outstanding. Only 230 calories, but it's low in fat and sodium, and high in fiber and protein. Not only that, but it's made mostly with organic ingredients. In a pinch this meal is very satisfying and healthy, and I'd definitely spend $5 on it again.

Serving Size	1 entrée
Calories	230
Total Fat	3 g
Saturated Fat	0 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	180 mg
Carbs	39 g
Fiber	6 g
Sugars	8 g
Protein	9 g

Ingredients: Fagioli Sauce: Diced Tomatoes* (Tomatoes*, Tomato Juice*, Calcium Chloride, Citric Acid), Tomato Puree* (Tomatoes), Cooked Great Northern Beans* (filtered water, beans*, sea salt), Onions*, Celery*, Spinach*, Carrots*, White Wine*, Lemon Juice*, Extra Virgin Olive Oil*, Garlic*, Spices*, Basil*, Reduced Sodium Sea Salt, Lemon Juice Concentrate. Cooked Penne Pasta*: Filtered Water, Semolina Wheat*. * Certified Organic

Amy's Kitchen: Bowl Breakdown

FitSugar — Tue, 19 May 2009 06:00:00 PDT

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

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

Food Review: Kashi Tuscan Veggie Bake

FitSugar — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 03:00:00 PDT

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

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

Food Review: Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake

FitSugar — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 08:00:00 PST

You just can't go wrong with foods made by Kashi. Not only does everything they make contain whole grains and real ingredients, but they're always full of flavor too. A while back, I was thrilled when they began making frozen pizzas and entrées. The ones I've tried I really liked, so when picking up a couple boxes at the store, I discovered a new dish - Mayan Harvest Bake.

Talk about a unique meal. It's made with plantains, kale, and amaranth polenta. Want to see what it really looks like? Then

This has to be my favorite Kashi entrée yet. The amaranth polenta had a satisfyingly creamy texture, and the baked sweet potatoes and cooked kale made this meal seem homemade. The plantains were delicious, very sweet and soft, and they complemented the spicy ancho sauce so well. I loved the sprinkled pepitas (pumpkin seeds) on top that added a crunchy texture. This meal is warm and savory, perfect for a quick Winter meal. It's also vegan, so it contains no cholesterol and is low in saturated fat. It's pretty low in sodium too, which I was happy to see. The fiber content is not too shabby, but I would have thought it contained more protein since there were tons of black beans mixed in. Overall, I loved this Mayan Harvest Bake and would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes bean and veggie dishes.

Serving Size	1 container
Calories	340
Total Fat	9 g
Saturated Fat	1 g
Cholesterol	0 mg
Sodium	380 mg
Carbs	58 g
Fiber	8 g
Sugar	19 g
Protein	9 g

Food Review: Seeds of Change Risotto Portobello di Milano

FitSugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 12:30:00 PDT

I was interested in giving Seeds of Change another try since they make certified organic foods, even though my first impression wasn't so great. I picked up a frozen entrée to try in a pinch.

I was curious about the Risotto Portobello di Milano, since the brown rice, veggies, and creamy cheese sauce sounded delicious. To find out what I thought and see the nutritional info

Serving Size	1 container
Calories	320
Total Fat	3.5g
Saturated Fat	1g
Cholesterol	5mg
Sodium	750mg
Carbs	61g
Fiber	3g
Sugar	7g
Protein	11g

At first glance, I was highly disappointed. What's with the three pieces of broccoli? The picture on the box shows at least six. There weren't as many of the other veggies either, just mostly rice. Plus the few veggies it did have were kind of mushy and flavorless. It did smell good when it came out of the microwave, but it had a really strong salty, smoky onion flavor that wasn't that good. I guess I was expecting it to taste cheesier since the description on the box says "creamy cheese sauce." I ate all the veggies (I think there were only six or eight) and threw the rest of this meal out. I hate to say it, but I wasn't a fan of this risotto at all. Have any of you tried this dish? What did you think? Tell me in the comments section below.

Amy's Bowls: Pesto Tortellini

FitSugar — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:30:00 PST

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

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.

Seeds of Change: Lasagna Calabrese

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 13:30:00 PST

I came across some new frozen entrées made by Seeds of Change. They have some unique dishes to choose from like Hanalei Vegetarian Chicken Teriyaki and Risotto Portobello di Milano, but since I'm a sucker for veggie lasagna, I decided to give that a whirl.

This one was made with eggplant and portobello mushrooms, which sounded delicious. Too bad my taste buds didn't agree. Want to see what it looks like and hear what I thought? Then

Serving Size	1 entrée
Calories	270
Total Fat	6g
Saturated Fat	3g
Cholesterol	15mg
Sodium	770mg
Carbs	42g
Fiber	4g
Sugar	5g
Protein	13g

I really don't know how you can screw up lasagna, but I really didn't like this at all. "Blah" was my first thought, and as I took a few more bites, I didn't even want to finish it. The eggplant was really tough and chewy and everything else was squishy. Plus there wasn't enough cheese and the tomato sauce had a weird, bitter flavor. It left a really gross taste in my mouth, so I can tell you right now, I would not buy this again. It's too bad to, because looking at the nutritional info, aside from the slightly high-sodium content, this entrée is pretty healthy. Oh well. I guess I stick to Amy's Vegetable Lasagna.

Amy's Kitchen: Country Cheddar Bowl

FitSugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:30:00 PDT

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

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.

More From Amy's Kitchen: Organic Vegetable Barley Soup

FitSugar — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 11:00:00 PDT

Amy's Kitchen is one of my favorite brands since many of their products are made with whole organic grains, veggies, and herbs, with NO bizarre fillers you've never heard of. The ingredients in their products are always simple, straightforward, and things you'd use if you had the time and energy to make a meal yourself.

I've already tried (and loved) Amy's frozen entrées - the Vegetable Lasagna and Stuffed Pasta Shells are delicious, low in saturated fat and calories, and very filling. So I decided to venture into Amy's array of canned soups.

I tried the Organic Vegetable Barley Soup and it was surprisingly flavorful. You know how canned soups can be pretty bland or way too salty, right? Well this soup had a delicious onion, garlic and leek-based broth. When I stirred it around, I could see whole pieces of cooked peas, carrots, tomatoes, celery, yellow squash, and barley. This soup has a very soft consistency, which I loved, but some people might like soups with a bit more firmness.

Want to see the nutritional info and what this soup actually looks like? Then

As I was sipping my soup, I took a closer look at the nutritional info and was pleased by the low amount of calories, sugar and fat. I was NOT pleased to discover that there were actually 2 servings per can. I did feel full after eating half the can, but seriously, who only eats half a can of soup? I guess if I bring this soup for lunch, I should pack a reusable container along with it to store the other serving. I should only eat half this can of soup considering 1 serving contains 580mg of sodium! That seems a bit high, when you consider that the RDI of sodium is 2,300 mg a day. If I ate the entire can, I'd be getting 1,160mg of sodium which is more than half the amount I should be getting all day, but it's just in one meal! Fit's Tips: Canned soups and pre-made meals are often high in sodium, so if you have high blood pressure, be extra vigilant about checking labels and serving sizes.

5 Diet Foods That Are Making You Fat

Prevention — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 04:10:41 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

Improve your weight loss plan by avoiding these health diet disasters
By Alyssa Shaffer

Thanks to confusing labels and unearned reputations, it's difficult to know what's good for you. You might automatically reach for items with a "health halo," such as spaghetti sauce (love that lycopene!), or labels like reduced fat!, low sodium!, and whole grain! But unless you're a super savvy shopper, be warned: your diet may conceal some nasty surprises. That low-fat cottage cheese you love? It could be higher in sodium than potato chips. And the low-fat dressing you drizzle on your salad? It could contain nearly as much sugar as two chocolate chip cookies.

The truth is that no manufacturer wants to compromise on flavor, so even healthy-sounding products can contain appalling levels of sugar, salt, and bad fats. To save you time, we've flushed out some of the most surprising diet food offenders - and found some truly healthy alternatives.

5 Weight Loss Excuses You Can Overcome

Fast Food Chicken Caesar Salad
Culprit: McDonald's Premium Caesar Salad with Grilled Chicken contains 890 mg of sodium - more than half the recommended daily limit. And that's without the Caesar dressing, which can pile on another 500 mg. (Select the low-fat Italian and it's even 30 percent higher!) In these ready-to-go salads, says Lona Sandon, RD, an assistant professor of clinical nutrition at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, "the worst part is usually the chicken, which is often cooked in a high-sodium marinade for flavor and may also be injected with a sodium solution to keep the meat moist."

Smarter choice: Skip the entrée salad and go for the burger with a garden salad on the side. A McDonald's plain hamburger has 520 mg of sodium (250 calories, 9 g fat); add the side salad (20 calories, 0 g fat, 10 mg sodium) or snack-size fruit-and-walnut salad (210 calories, 8 g fat, 60 mg sodium).

Have you fallen prey to other "fake" diet foods? Keep reading to find out!