Lunch Time - Turkey & Cheese Sandwich + Red Rings Salad Review

Lunch Time is a new feature here at Iateapie.net, where I'll share how I incorporate some of the products I review into a fulfilling lunch without too many calories.

This week's lunch time eats - Turkey & Cheese Sandwich + Red Rings Salad.

The turkey is Boar's Head brand, from the deli, along with the cheese which is regular American - my husband picked this up and he is not one for "fancy" cheeses. I added lettuce and cucumbers as my veggies of choice, and for the condiment - boring ketchup, but that's how I roll.

The "Red Rings Salad" has leafy green lettuce, rings of a red bell pepper, cucumber slices, dried cranberries, almonds sliced (bought in bulk) and a generous dash of McCormick Salad Toppins. The salad dressing I used is Wish-Bone Italian Dressing.

View the original article here

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Thin Crust Cheese Pizza Review

Reviewed by Tanya Patrice | Apr 29, 2013
Rating:

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Thin Crust Cheese Pizza is described as a blend of reduced fat cheeses with a tangy tomato sauce on a crispy-thin crust. There aren't too many "real" pizza substitutes that I've enjoyed, but this one looked good on the packaging, so I was anxious to try it.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 pkg (124 grams)
Calories: 280
Total Fat: 9 grams, 13%
Saturated Fat: 3.5 grams, 17%
Sodium: 480 mg, 20%
Carbohydrates: 34 grams, 11%
Fiber: 4 grams, 15%
Sugars: 4 grams
Protein: 16 grams

Unfortunately, I ended up underwhelmed. Like they said over at The Impulsive Buy - this pizza is really sad looking. It vaguely resembles pizza that you're familiar with. It is a decent size though, and the taste is just so-so. It's not terrible, but there's not much deliciousness and ooey-gooey-ness to it - it's more like bread with a little something extra. As you can see from all the reviews of Weight Watchers products, there are many I enjoy, but this is not going in that category.

Each serving of Weight Watchers Smart Ones Thin Crust Cheese Pizza (7 Points) provides 280 calories, 9 grams of total fat, 3.5 grams of which is saturated (13% and 17% of the daily values), 480 mg of sodium, 4 grams of fibers and sugars as well as 16 grams of protein.

I received samples for review, but it's available for sale in supermarkets for between #2 - $3.00. Unfortunately, this is not one that I would buy again. Other similar products by Weight Watchers Smart Ones that I would reach for are Weight Watchers SmartOnes Artisan Creations Chicken Marinara with Mozzarella Cheese Grilled Flatbread and Weight Watchers Smart Ones Artisan Creations Stone Fired Crust Pizza (Pepperoni).

{Website: Weight Watchers Smart Ones}

View the original article here

“Hotdogs, cheeseburgers, pizza sticks, cheese burritos, chicken fingers, fish sticks…”

Food.
Is there a subject more complex or convoluted? Politics, religion, the differences between the sexes…those subject’s got nothin’ on food.
We need food to survive. Of course. But it’s not like we can take a pill of food in the morning like a birth-control pill and hope it works. Food demands our attention. And it has some people’s attention more than others (people such as me, a confessed foodie).
We love some food and we hate some food, but there’s never a consensus. We defend the foods we love like they were some kind of holy grail. I’ve listened to people argue over barbecue sauce recipes, for cryin’ out loud! That’s not love. That’s obsession.
There are times we cook food and times we grab food. At our most determined, we plan and implement a diet plan, and when that determination wanes, we drive through McDonald’s. We seek the magical comfort of mashed potatoes while standing firm in the face of cheesecake. We are conflicted.
When it comes to food, we all have choices. All of us, that is, except for the little ones. Those folks who are too young for debit cards, too young to voice their opinion (except to put their hands in front of their mouths in protest), and who rely on us…adults…to make the best food choices we can for them.
Meet Jessica. Jess is a 27-year-old mother to 11-month-old Sarah. Sarah attends a Class A daycare in Louisiana while Jess and her husband, Mark, work. Until now, Jess has provided the daycare facility with all of Sarah’s foods: breast milk and baby food.Now that Sarah is ready for “table” food, the daycare insists she eat what they provide. In fact, the government requires that Sarah’s lunch be delivered via the daycare. No home food is allowed without a doctor’s note. The problem is that Jessica isn’t real happy with the daycare’s food choices. It’s not that Jess is a picky, hard-to-please helicopter parent. Not at all. Jess is simply a food-conscious woman who wants her child to have every advantage of healthy, wholesome foods.
And to Jess, hotdogs, cheeseburgers, pizza sticks, cheese burritos, chicken fingers and fish sticks are not healthy, wholesome foods.

Anyone who has lost weight and is maintaining their weight probably didn’t get to weight loss and maintenance by eating a lot of hotdogs, cheeseburgers, pizza sticks, cheese burritos, chicken fingers, or fish sticks. But I’d be willing to bet they got there (raising my hand!) by eating hotdogs, cheeseburgers, pizza sticks, cheese burritos, chicken fingers, and fish sticks. Frequently.
Our Standard American Diet of fat and simple carbs is flat out wrong. We know this. And yet, it is perpetuated in our schools while we sit around scratching our heads wondering why we have an obesity epidemic!

Shame on school districts. And more appropriately (despite Michelle Obama’s efforts), shame on our government for sanctioning this disease-by-food policy.
I invite you to read Jessica’s blog, “The Healthy Conundrum.” Parents, foodies, weight losers, weight maintainers… please post your comments there as well as here. I look forward to the conversation.

View the original article here

Put It In Your Food Trap! Zevia Natural Soda, Barbara’s Baked Cheese Puffs, and Quaker Hearts Cereal

…but before we get into this round of featured Food Trap selections, I first need to bitch to you excessively about the Attune Mint Chocolate Probiotic Bar. I drove 35 freaking miles round trip because the Attune store locator said the Bar was carried at this hippie-ish natural food store that’s real out of the way ‘n such. So I drive really far (on my lunch break, at that) and the store doesn’t have the damn Bars. Attune Chocolate is highly delicious and probiotically beneficial. I’ve been wanting another taste for close to a year now, but I’m done searching high and low, and racking up vehicle mileage in an expedition to find this elusive bionic chocolate bar. Yes, you can order it online, but you also have to pay a premium for heat-sensitive shipping. I’m too cheap for that. Oh, and somebody owes me gas money.

Zevia Ginger Ale Natural Soda: Lemme just break it down to you like it says on the can: “Zevia contains no sugar and no calories. It’s made with 100% natural ingredients, including Stevia, a botanical sweetener used around the world for hundreds of years. It’s what soda should always have been.” Nice! It also contains the sugar alcohol erythritol, which doesn’t effect blood sugar and is no big deal to me (unless you get gassy from it). Zevia is decent tasting. It reminds me of store brand ginger ale — not terrible but not the #1 best ginger ale either. I detected a slight aftertaste after slurping a few gulps, but still definitely worth trying if you can find it at the store. I also peeped Cola, Orange and Grape flavors of Zevia.

No caffeine, no gluten, zero net carbs. Zero calories and fat, Sodium 20mg, Sugars 0, Erythritol 7g, Protein 0g

Barbara’s Baked Cheese Puffs: It’s a cheese puff. How fancy could it be? Welp, the natural cheesiness really shines through. And it’s made with cornmeal, which gives it a pleasant texture and taste that’s NOT like the others. Consider it a healthier side item to eat alongside a sammich or while couch-assing. Barbara’s Baked Cheese Puffs have no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives, and no hydrogenated oils either, so it empowers you to get puffy with no guilt. Unfortunately, I allowed Greedy Kid #3 to run off with the bag after dinner. I trusted him. But by bed time the whole dang thing was empty. Yes, I’m a terrible mother for insufficiently monitoring the child’s greediness. Just go on and say it, why don’t ya.

150 Cal for 1.5 cups, Fat Cal 90, Total Fat 10g, Sodium 200mg, Carbs 14g, Fiber 1g, Sugars 1g, Protein 2g

Quaker Hearts Cereal: This one can be accurately described as “fake Alpha-Bit’s cereal for grown-ass folks and kids who eat too much damn sugary shit”. It has pretty much the same feel, size and visual texture of the infamous Alpha-Bit, but with a tad less sugar and shaped like little hearts instead of bits of broken off vocabulary pieces. The taste is highly Alpha-Bitsy with the perfect low-key touch of sweetness to encourage continued cereal whoredom to prevail. I freaking love it, but still not able to find Hearts Cereal consistently stocked at every store I lurk at. That’s a low down dirty shame.

110 Cal for 3/4 cup, Fat Cal 15, Total Fat 1.5g, Sodium 160mg, Carbs 23g, Fiber 3g, Sugars 6g, Protein 2g

Well that’s it for now, so go on and start chewing on something. I’m really liking this new Put It In Your Food Trap feature. Definitely more to come!

Oh, and one more thing: Diets In Review just did an article reviewing the meal planning site, FoodOnTheTable.com. There’s a few quotes from me about the usefulness of Food On The Table, so check out the article to see if it’s something that might be helpful in your own meal planning.

View the original article here

Healthy Choice All Natural Lobster Cheese Ravioli Review

View the original article here

Healthy Choice All Natural Lobster Cheese Ravioli Review

Since this week's meal plan calls for lots of seafood, I've been trying out a variety of frozen meals that have either shrimp or fish. The latest one is Healthy Choice All Natural Lobster Cheese Ravioli, It's described on the packaging as having, "Ricotta cheese and lobster filled ravioli, with green and yellow zucchini in a vodka sauce, topped with parmesan cheese."

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 meal (255 grams)
Calories: 270
Total Fat: 6 grams, 9%
Saturated Fat: 2.5 grams, 13%
Sodium: 600 mg, 25%
Carbohydrates: 41 grams
Fiber: 4 grams, 16%
Sugars: 9 grams
Protein: 11 grams

After a brief stint in the microwave, I was greeted by some (i.e. 5) delicious tasting, lobster ravioli. There was no mistaking the lobster flavor, although it was a wee bit salty. What I could have done without was all that salty vodka sauce - WAY too much. It detracted from the taste of the lobster and I would much rather have less of this sauce and more ravioli. The rest of the meal was green and yellow zucchini, which were okay - not too soft, but these aren't 2 of my favorite vegetables - I would have preferred some green beans, asparagus or pasta. Overall, I ate all the ravioli without messing too much with the sauce, and left everything else.

Each Healthy Choice All Natural Lobster Cheese Ravioli provides 270 calories from 6 grams of total fat including 2.5 grams of saturated fat (9% and 13% of the DV), 600 mg sodium (25% of the DV), 4 grams of fiber (16% of the DV), 9 grams of sugars and 11 grams of protein.

View the original article here

The Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle Flavor Spreadable Cheese Wedges Review

What do you do when you crave cheese, but not all the fat that goes with it - not to mention that you cannot limit your portion once a piece goes in your mouth?! Well, my solution is to always have some spreadable cheese wedges on hand. While I was replenishing my supply, I came across The Laughing Cow Light Queso Fresco & Chipotle Flavor Spreadable Cheese Wedges - it's described as, made with real queso fresco and chipotle peppers ... a great way to add spice to your favorite dishes without stacking up the calories.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 wedge (21 grams)
Calories: 35
Total Fat: 1.5 grams, 3%
Saturated Fat: 1 gram, 5%
Sodium: 240 mg, 10%
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 0%
Sugars: 1 gram
Protein: 2 grams

At snack time, I spread a wedge on a few (or maybe more than a few) Keebler Town House Light Buttery Wheat Crackers (Review) - the cheese was creamy, soft and very spreadable. I didn't get much of a spicy kick though and since it says Chipotle, I expected that it would bring the heat! I also sat down and ate a wedge while writing this review - just trying to savor each bite, and that's when a little more of the spicy chipotle flavor came out. BUT if the Laughing Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle Cheese Wedge was in a contest with Weight Watchers Jalapeno Cheese Wedges (Review), I would give the prize to the Weight Watchers cheese.

Each wedge of the The Laughing Light Cow Queso Fresco & Chipotle Flavor Spreadable Cheese provides 35 calories from 1.5 grams of total fat (3% of the daily value) which includes 1 gram of saturated fat (5% of the DV), 240 mg sodium (10% of the DV), 1 gram of sugars (no fiber) and 2 grams of protein. The ingredients include, cheddar, light cheddar, queso fresco and semi-soft cheeses (cultured milk and skim milk, salt, enzymes), whey, cream, chipotle peppers, sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, natural flavors.

I purchased a pack with 8 wedges for $2.69, and I would buy these again just to get some flavor - although it's not that much different from the The Laughing Cow Light Creamy Swiss Wedges (Review).

{Website: The Laughing Cow}

View the original article here

Weight Watchers SmartOnes Artisan Creations Chicken Marinara with Mozzarella Cheese Grilled Flatbread Review

Weight Watchers SmartOnes Artisan Creations Chicken Marinara with Mozzarella Cheese Grilled Flatbread is described on the box as, "grilled white meat chicken, fire-roasted bell peppers and onions, reduced fat mozzarella cheese with marinara sauce on a flatbread." Well, it looked appetizing, and so I decided to try it for lunch.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 flatbread (170 grams)
Calories: 290
Total Fat: 6 grams, 9%
Saturated Fat: 1.5 grams, 7%
Sodium: 640 mg, 27%
Carbohydrates: 41 grams
Fiber: 3 grams, 10%
Sugars: 7 grams
Protein: 18 grams

I haven't been disappointed with a Weight Watchers SmartOnes Artisan Creations meal yet - having enjoyed the Stone Fired Pepperoni Crust Pizza (Review) and Southwestern Style Chicken Fiesta Grilled Flatbread (Review) - and this entree lived up to my expectations. WW really hit on a winning combination with a slightly sweet marinara sauce and the roasted bell peppers which I think was the star of the show - but the sauce was a close second. The chicken chunks were plentiful as well, but I think WW could make a delicious non-meat version of this as well (if they haven't done so already). I really enjoyed this for lunch, and it was $2.50 well spent.

Each Weight Watchers SmartOnes Artisan Creations Chicken Marinara with Mozzarella Cheese Grilled Flatbread provides 290 calories, from 6 grams of total fat (9% of the daily value for saturated fat), 1.5 grams of saturated fat (7% of the DV), 640 mg sodium (27% of the DV), 3 grams of fiber (10% of the the DV), 7 grams of sugars and 18 grams of protein. It's also has 7 PointsPlus value. The ingredients list isn't exactly "natural" in fact, if you're not into chemical-sounding names, you probably won't be a fan of this.

As I mentioned before, I purchased this meal for $2.50, and would certainly buy it again. It's really tasty, has less than 300 calories, and a generous amount of protein.

{Website: Weight Watchers}

View the original article here

Philadelphia Fat Free Cream Cheese Review

I'm someone who can tolerate the fat-free versions of otherwise infamously fattening foods. Some folks can't stand the idea of substitutes that cut out the signature flavor, and they typically steer clear of such products either out of passion or depression. But as far as I'm concerned, you can sacrifice full flavor and still enjoy the added ingredient so long as you know how to infuse some of your own less-fattening flavors into healthy recipes. With that said, there always needs to be a base of edibility to begin with.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 2 Tbsp (33 grams)
Calories: 30
Total Fat: 0%
Saturated Fat: 0%
Sodium: 210 mg, 9%
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 0%
Sugars: 1 gram
Protein: 4 grams

Kraft Fat-Free Philadelphia Cream Cheese has its work cut out for it. The rich, velvety, and unforgivably fattening flavor of regular cream cheese isn't easy to replicate sans the necessary ingredients. At 30 calories per serving, the fat-free alternative is 50 calories less per serving than its full flavor counterpart, which is an exceptionally large amount of taste ground to cover for cream cheese. Simply put, Philadelphia's fat-free option fails to break out of the starting gate.

Applied to a bagel, the taste is somewhere between plain yogurt and powdered milk. What begins as the familiar sensation of a warm buttery spread soon turns into a mashing of wheat bread and thickened skim milk which as you can imagine is humbling to say the least. This is complicated by the fact that, due to the thinner agents in the mix, this fat-free alternative starts to liquidate when applied to a freshly toasted bagel, which results in dribbles of the stuff leaking down out of the crack of your mouth while you chew.

But alas, this is the result of simply using the cream cheese for its most basic purpose. With little to distract the tongue away from its blandness, Philadelphia Fat Free Cream Cheese fails to perform at the simple tasks. BUT thrown into a health conscious crab mix modified from the directions found in your mom's recipe box, or whipped into a cheese cake with a liberal amount of fresh fruit topping, then its benefits start to shine through. When the cream cheese component is there mainly for texture with other ingredients dominating your tongue's sensations, the fat-free option comes in quite handy.

An 8 ounce tub costs $2.50 at my local grocery store. I would buy it again to use in recipes, but I didn't enjoy it eaten on it's own.

{Website: Kraft Philadelphia Cream Cheese}

Sponsored byYumm.com, which helps you bookmark, save, organize and share your favorite recipes.

View the original article here

Weight Watchers Jalapeno Cheese Wedges Review

I'm loving the new look of Weight Watchers products, and have been trying a few more of their products lately, including the Weight Watchers Jalapeno Cheese Wedges ... or rather Pasteurized Process Cheese Product. These 1 Point wonders are described as, "a bold and spicy flavor guaranteed to amp up your snack, NOT your PointsPlus value!"

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 wedge (19 grams)
Calories: 30
Total Fat: 1.5 grams, 2%
Saturated Fat: 1 gram, 5%
Sodium: 240 mg, 10%
Carbohydrates: 2 grams
Fiber: 1 gram, 4%
Sugars: < 1 gram
Protein: 2 grams

When I was spreading the cheese on the cracker, I only saw one or two little dots of spice, so I didn't think it would be spicy. But surprise, surprise. These wedges have quite a little kick to them - not too intense, but instead, a nice mellow but noticeable heat. I spread this all over some Kashi TLC Pita Crisps - and it was oh so yummy! Definitely competition to Laughing Cow Spreadable Cheese Wedges.

Each 19 gram Weight Watchers Jalapeno Cheese Wedge provides 30 calories, 1.5 grams of total fat (2% of the daily value), 1 gram of which is saturated fat (5% of the DV), 240 mg sodium (10% of the DV), 2 grams of protein, 1 gram of fiber and less than 1 gram of sugars.

The ingredients list - the reason why it's called "Pasteurized Process Cheese Product" and not "Cheese" includes, milk, non-fat milk, water, maltodextrin, cheese culture, milk protein concentrate, jalapeno peppers, salt, sodium phosphate, sodium polyphosphate, vinegar, sodium gluconate, potassium polyphosphate, potassium chloride, calcium propionate (preservative), calcium chloride, lactic acid, enzymes. Alas, Laughing Cow spreadable wedges have Weight Watchers beat on simplicity of the ingredients list.

I bought a container with 6 Weight Watchers Jalapeno Cheese Wedges for $2.50 - and they were gone in no time! So yes - I would get these spicy cheesy wedges again.

{Website: Weight Watchers}

View the original article here

A Cheese Sandwich With More Oomph

Sandwich Ingredients

I eat a lot of sandwiches ... and I LOVE cheese! Pairing a cheese sandwich with a sweet spread - holy yum! Somebody stop me from inhaling any more of these!!! More details at SandwichYum.

View the original article here

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Morning Express Egg Sausage and Cheese Smart Morning Wrap Review

Weight Watchers Smart Ones Morning Express Egg Sausage and Cheese Smart Morning Wrap (points for one of the longest product names to date), is described as, "Scrambled eggs and cheesy sauce with breakfast sausage, vegetables and cheddar cheese in a soft tortilla."

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 113 grams (2 pieces)
Calories: 240
Total Fat: 8 grams, 12%
Saturated Fat: 2.5 grams, 13%
Sodium: 560 mg, 23%
Carbohydrates: 38 grams
Fiber: 7 grams, 29%
Sugar: 2 grams
Protein: 11 grams

As you can see from the picture, this wrap was very cheesy, and that's just how it tastes. It was pretty good though, although I wouldn't go so far as to say delicious though. The portion of 2 of these thin egg wraps was a little small for me, but I suppose if it's PART of breakfast, say with an apple and maybe even a small container of low fat yogurt (like Dannon Light & Fit Blackberry Yogurt), then it would make a filling meal. For some reason, I also couldn't get this to heat evenly, but it might be my microwave, so although the directions said to heat for 90 seconds, I turned the wraps over and put them in for another 90 seconds to get it all warmed up.

I decided to open up the wrap and get a look at what was inside.

As you can see, the pieces of sausage are hidden, but there and I did taste it, but the veggies were practically non-existent.

A box has 2 servings or 4 egg wraps. Each serving (2 wraps) provides 240 calories from 8 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of which is saturated fat (12% and 13% of the daily value), 560 mg sodium (23% of the DV), 7 grams of fiber (29% of the DV), 2 grams of sugars and 11 grams of protein. The portion is also 6 Weight Watchers Points. The ingredients list is lengthy because, this is not an all-natural product.

I received samples of Weight Watchers Smart Ones Morning Express Egg Sausage and Cheese Smart Morning Wrap from the company, but WW products can usually be found for between $2.50 - $3.00. This is something that I could very easily make myself with less cheese, so less fat, and substituting Oscar Mayer Real Bacon Bits for the sausage to lower the fat and calories even more. For the wrap, look no further than FlatOut Multi Grain Wrap or French Meadow Bakery Organic Fat Flush Tortillas.

So I would buy this over Weight Watchers Smart Ones Morning Express French Toast with Turkey Sausage Review, but really, this is one thing I would rather just make myself - it's not that hard or time consuming.

{Website: Weight Watchers Smart Ones}

View the original article here

Tasting! Morningstar Stuffed Bacon Egg and Cheese Biscuits

Frivolous Demands: *Subscribe to the blog *Follow me on Twittah *Like me on Facebook *YouTube my videos

Huh? FREE Shakeology from the Yum Yucky?

The requests for free samples has been overwhelming and I want to share with as many people as possible. Soon I will reveal how YOU can get your own free sample, courtesy of the Yum Yucky! (and I am happy that the Shakeology t-shirt makes my boobs look bigger)

90 Days of Shakeology: Days 42-62 It was a rough 20 days. I got super busy with just about everything – work, home, kids, blogging, ebook writing – I’ve been late for work, running on about 4 hours sleep each night, and NOT slurping my Shakeology consistently. In the time when I need it most, I slacked off and made excuses why I couldn’t take 5 dang minutes every day to make the shake that has personally proven itself to give me the energy I so desperately need. In the last 20 days, I’ve had my Shakeology probably 10 times. So that’s basically every other day instead of consistently EVERY day. What’s wrong with that, you say? Welp, I do feel the difference. It’s had a backwards affect and been serious energy drain. I’ve skipped days of Shakeology here and there before with no lost affects, but to skip days for such an extended period of time does not work for me. I’m glad I know this now. I’m listening to my body and back doing what I need to do, so perhaps this was a necessary lesson. I’ve always looked at Shakeology in terms of what it can do for ME and me only, but it’s benefits were actually helping me to also do what I need to do for my family, while giving me the natural boost I need to do everything that my crazy days demand….. Check out what a Twitter bud of mine says about Shakeology. And if you haven’t watched this video yet: See What Doctors Are Saying About Shakeology, do yourself a favor and watch it.

Weight Progress

Day 1: 172.8 pounds

Day 62: 166.4 pounds

I’m not intimidated by slow weight loss, especially since I’m building muscle, and that affects the number on the scale. I’m in a size 6 and have noticed more muscle definition. My abs are especially coming along nicely.

Get the complete details of my 90-Day Shakeology experiment.

Read the Shakeology success stories.

—————————————-

Yum Yucky’s Picks From Around the Web

Why Broccoli Helps Fight Cancer

Transgender Hip-Hop Star Sought in Butt Injection Death

Why Everyone Should Eat Lab-Grown Meat

—————————————-

Sponsored YUM! & Partners

Get the facts on Slimfast weight loss.

My Lifestyle Diet

Need an awesome design for your Blogger blog? Then check this chick out. She’s Yum Yucky approved!

Yum Yucky is hosted by Eleven2.com. Get 3 FREE months of web hosting when you use code: YUMYUCKY

EZTREAD Staircase Refacing System

Help Hospitalized Veterans

Become a Sponsor .

Full Disclosure regarding paid advertisements, affiliate links and product reviews. .

.

View the original article here

Snikiddy All Natural Grilled Cheese Puffs

(Photo Credit: Gluten Free Reviews)

Snikiddy is an all-natural, baked cheese puff marketed directly toward children, as evidenced by the fact that I stumbled upon them while shopping for video games at Toys R' Us. I bought a bag of single-serving Snikiddy Grilled Cheese Puffs because a) I love cheese puffs, b) I'm a kid at heart, and c) because on the front of the bag, it expounds, no corn syrup, gluten & wheat free, no hydrogenated oils, no trans fat, no preservatives and low in saturated fat.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 28 grams
Calories: 120
Total Fat: 5 grams, 7%
Saturated Fat: 1 gram, 5%
Sodium: 250 mg, 10%
Protein: 17 grams
Carbohydrates: 24 grams
Fiber: 1 gram, 6%
Sugars: 1 gram
Protein: 3 grams

I popped open a 1-ounce single-serving bag and was thrilled to see that I actually got what I paid for - it was about three quarters full of yellow cheese puffs. It'd say there was over a hundred of these little bite-sized balls in one bag, making my chompers very happy. If you're wondering if these have anything to do with a grilled cheese taste - let me assure you - absolutely not. I guess the folks over at Snikiddy thought that small children would happily eat junk food named after kid-friendly dishes like grilled cheese sandwiches. But they are quite tasty, crisp in texture, and cheesy, though not as cheesy as those Puff Cheetos. I liked these way better than Michael Seasons Lite Cheese Curls.

sponsor

Each 28 gram serving (or in this case, 1 bag) of Snikiddy All Natural Grilled Cheese Puffs provides 120 calories, 5 grams of total fat, of which 1 gram is saturated (7% and 5% of the daily value), 250 mg sodium (10% DV), 1 gram of fiber and sugar, plus 3 grams of protein. The ingredient list is empty of neon-orange dyes, and consists of: Cornmeal, sunflower or safflower oil, cheddar cheese, maltodextrin, nonfat milk, salt, butter. disodium phosphate, natural flavor, yeast extract, and extractives of annatto.

I bought 6 bags (1 ounce each) for $3.49 - I know it costs more to buy single serving bags, but I honestly couldn't do without the portion control - and I'm eager to try their other flavors. Why buy baked Cheetos with its monosodium glutamate (MSG) and artifical colors (yellow #6 and #5), when you could buy this?!

{Website: Snikiddy}

View the original article here

Cedarlane Green Chili & Monterey Jack Cheese Tamales

Cedarlane Foods has some EXCELLENT products. TCedarlane All Natural Egg White Omelette With Uncured Turkey Bacon, Vegetables & Cheese blew me away and the Cedarlane Beans Rice & Cheese Style Burrito - so yum! So as I was browsing the frozen food aisle, another Cedarlane product caught my eye and I decided to try the Green Chili & Monterey Jack Cheese Tamales.

NUTRITION FACTS
Serving Size: 1 meal (9 ounces)
Calories: 270
Total Fat: 11 grams, 17%
Saturated Fat: 5 grams, 24%
Sodium: 700 mg, 30%
Carbohydrates: 39 grams
Fiber: 4 grams, 17%
Sugar: 4 grams
Protein: 9 grams

Now, I don't eat too many tamales, however, I can tell you that these are stuffed with lots of creamy cheese and a touch of crunchy veggies. The masa (the soft dough-like casing that surrounds the fillings) is thick and soft, just as it should be. When combined with the creamy filling, the overall mouth feel is smooth, with a slight textural difference from the al dente onion and spicy green chilis. The flavor profile was wonderfully developed, but perhaps a bit more of the roasted red pepper sauce would have made things even better. The masa to filling ratio was just a touch off with less emphasis on the latter, but I still enjoyed it.

I enjoyed the first tamale that is. By the time that I got to the second one, the mushy, doughy nature of the dish was getting to me though.

sponsor

How can this whole plate of substantially filling food only provide 290 calories? The 9 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber packed into each dish is a welcomed attribute, as is the short and all natural, mostly organic ingredient list. The 700mg of sodium (30% of the daily value) and somewhat high fat content of 11 grams of total fat, which includes 5 grams of saturated fat (due to the organic cheese, milk and oil) might make you think twice though.

I would like to suggest that Cedarlane offer one tamale with a side of some sort, instead of two, dense and doughy tamales - it was just a bit too much.

I paid $3.79 for Cedarlane Green Chili & Monterey Jack Cheese Tamales and, although it was delicious and the spices were spot on, the texture was too monotonous and the dish gave me a stomach ache of sorts by the time I had devoured the whole tray. The only reason I would shell out four bucks for this meal again, would be if I had a stove to cook up some crunchy veggies as a side dish or roasted chicken and a friend to split the dish with.

{Website: Cedarlane Foods}

View the original article here

Tasting! Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheese

There are 3 kinds of greedy people in this world:

1) Those who eat Amy’s Rice Mac & Cheese….2) Those who say they’re gonna, but haven’t done it yet…3) Those who don’t know about Amy’s and need to pay attention.

So which greedy person are you? I’m glad I’m #1. Whatever you think you know about frozen Mac & Cheeses, erase it from your memory storage and pretend you have amnesia.

You gotta get some Amy’s.

It’s made with rice flour, which is amazing. And I don’t even need to use my mail order PhD degree to know how to pronounce the ingredients on the label. The nutrients rundown might make you scream from carb-shock, but not if you reserve Amy’s for a hard exercising day when extra fueling is required.

It’s a hearty meal with the best tasting cheese that frozen ever had. There’s no preservatives or additives to make you cross your eyeballs in skepticism. You’ll be clawing at the box to start tasting the high quality flavors: creamy-cheesy with bold cheddar that’ll make you use your teeth to scrape the cheesy remnants from under your fingernails.

…okay, okay. Cleaning your nails with your teeth is totally optional.

RICE MAC NOTES

Price Paid: $3.99 for 9 ounce mealCalories: 400Fat Calories: 140Total Fat: 16gSat. Fat: 10gSodium: 590mgCarbs: 47gFiber: 1gSugars: 6gProtein: 16g

REACTIONS FROM THE TASTE TEST CREW

Health-hater Husband: I don’t want it. I’m not in the mood for Mac & Cheese

But where are the Greedy Kids? Sorry, people. They weren’t around when I chewed on this. And I’m glad about it.

Yum UP! to: My mail order PhD… I know you’re jealous of it?

Yuck Down to: Cheese under the fingernails.

View the complete Taste Test Directory and Fast Food Cheat Sheets.

View the original article here