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Food Review: Amy's Country Vegetable Pie

FitSugar — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 08:45:00 -0700

Craving some comfort food, are you? I grew up on my grandmother's tasty and comforting pot pies. I've passed by Amy's Kitchen pot pies at the store, but yesterday I picked one up and decided to give it a try.

So what'd I think? To find out read more

Of course, this pot pie didn't compare to the homemade ones my gram makes, but I have to say for a quick meal made with organic vegetables, this was better than alright. On my first bite, my reaction was "yum." The filling was creamy, sweet, and very cheesy. I loved the great variety of veggies - potatoes, carrots, green beans, corn, red peppers, broccoli, shitake mushrooms, and lentils for added fiber and protein. The crust was a little dry and chewy (not flaky like I was expecting), but still good. I was surprised that this pie was really filling even though it looked small.

I didn't like that the fat content was a little too high, and I was expecting there to be more fiber and protein. It was made with all natural ingredients though, so that made me feel good. If I were in need of a quick meal, I'd definitely eat this again.

Serving Size	1 bowl
Calories	370
Total Fat	16g
Saturated Fat	9g
Cholesterol	40mg
Sodium	580mg
Carbs	47g
Fiber	4g
Sugar	5g
Protein	12g

Have you tried this pot pie? Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Get the Most Nutrition For Your Dollar

FitSugar — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 11:15:08 -0700

It can be hard to find healthy foods that don't break the bank - as I've mentioned before, nutrition often comes with a high price tag. A new tool may be what consumers need to find the biggest health bang for their buck.

The Affordable Nutrition Index (ANI) is a rating system that evaluates food based on its health and price value, and over 300 foods were evaluated and given a nutrition-value-per-dollar score. Basically the ANI is a list that lets consumers know what items are the most nutritious while also having the smallest price tag.

The food scores were based on the levels of nine essential nutrients - protein, fiber, iron, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and vitamins A, C, and E - and what to avoid - saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium.

To see which foods ranked high on the ANI, read more.

Though the complete list has not been released, highlights of it were introduced at the American Dietetic Association's Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo:

Carrots, sweet potatoes, and broccoli are at the top of the ANI scale. Other veggies that rank high are peas, string beans, squash, and lettuce.
Oranges and bananas are the top fruits, while raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, grapes, nectarines, and apples also rank high.
Vegetable soups especially of the low-sodium variety are also seen as being good values.

Kashi Thin-Crust Pizza: Roasted Vegetable

FitSugar — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 11:45:00 -0800

I really enjoyed the Kashi's frozen pizzas I tried awhile ago. When I saw that they make a thin-crust pizza, I just has to try it. The diameter of the thin-crust pizza is larger than their regular one, but since the crust is thinner, two slices equals about the same amount of calories as two slices of the regular-crust pizza.

Want to see if the real pizza looks anything like the pizza pictured on the box? Then read more

So the real deal doesn't look as appetizing as the one advertised, but it doesn't really matter because it was so tasty. The veggies had a rich, savory flavor and a tender (not mushy) consistency, I just wish there were more. The crust was light and crispy, and the roasted red peppers and onions gave it a sweet aftertaste.

Serving Size	1/3 of the pizza (2 slices)
Calories	270
Total Fat	9g
Saturated Fat	5g
Cholesterol	25mg
Sodium	700mg
Carbs	32g
Fiber	4g
Sugar	4g
Protein	16g

Nutritionally speaking, two pieces of this pizza are low in calories, high in fiber (because of Kashi's whole grain crust), and high in protein. They tasted great, but the serving size definitely wasn't enough for a dinner. So you'd probably end up eating another piece and a salad in order to feel satisfied. I'd definitely buy this again, and am looking forward to checking out their other flavors.

Product Review: Greens First

FitSugar — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 12:00:53 -0700

I try my absolute best to eat five to nine servings of fruit and veggies a day but sometimes I fall short. I also find that sometimes it's hard for me to digest all that roughage. I talked to my nutritionist about this problem and she recommended Greens First - a megablend powder that contains super foods, organic fruits and vegetables, probiotics, fiber, enzymes, and more.

It's lightly sweetened with stevia and has a slight minty flavor, it definitely tastes better than any of the other "green" drinks I've tried. I mix the powder with a glass of cold water in the morning and I'd say that within 30 minutes I feel a boost in my energy level. The website says that one serving of Greens First fulfills your fruit and veggie quota for the day but I still eat as much fresh stuff as I can.

Southern Side: Creamed Collard Greens

YumSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:50:11 -0800

I'm a little sick of the traditional Thanksgiving meal. That's why this year I plan on serving slightly different versions of old favorites - like a turkey roulade instead of a whole roasted turkey, for instance.

Rather than the usual green bean casserole, I'm reaching for a neo-Southern riff on the creamed spinach standby, and plan on impressing guests with creamed collard greens. Unlike creamed spinach, this vegetable side isn't swimming in heavy cream; the cream adds subtle body, while smoky bacon rounds out the collards' bitter character.

But the pièce de résistance is really the crispy, cheesy crumb topping. Be sure to make a generous amount, because the more, the better. Add a new tradition to your meal when you keep reading

Label Able: Vegetable Glycerin

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 12:30:50 -0700

I was going on a trip and picked up some Kashi TLC Trail Mix bars. I trust their products completely so don't feel it's necessary to read labels before buying them. While in the car, I happened to check out the list of ingredients and saw vegetable glycerin.

If you're curious to know what it is or why it's used keep reading

Healthy Ways to Deal With Thanksgiving Leftovers

FitSugar — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 07:00:37 -0800

Thanksgiving never seems to be a one-day affair, at least not the food part. Properly stored, leftovers can last up to four days, beckoning you to eat more, more, and then some! This Thanksgiving, resist the urge to overindulge by finding healthier alternatives for your T-day leftovers. Here are a few of our ideas - share your own in the comments section below.

Get rid of them. Buy some inexpensive containers before your meal to pack up leftovers for guests and send friends and family home with the most decadent dishes.
Make a healthy salad. Turkey is packed full of protein and tastes great on a salad. Use leftover cranberry sauce to make a healthy dressing - mix a dab with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Make a turkey curry. Turkey is great in a curry because it easily soaks up the flavors of a sauce. Try using turkey instead of the tofu in our Indian-Spiced Chard recipe.

For more healthy leftover ideas, read more.

Make turkey stock. I always like to have broth or stock on hand because it adds a ton of flavor to my cooking and can be the base of a variety of dishes. Storebought broth usually has a ton of added salt, so I think it's best to make your own. Save the carcass of the bird and break it up into a large stock pot, then add mirepoix, garlic, and savory herbs. Cover the entire mixture by at least two inches of water and let simmer for five hours. If the water level falls below the ingredients, add more liquid to the mix. Cool quickly, store in the refrigerator, or freeze.
Use turkey stock to make a delicious soup. Cut up any extra veggies you have leftover from your T-day meal or ingredients, add some barley or brown rice, throw it in your stock, and you've got a simple, tasty soup.
Puree leftover vegetables. Healthy vegetable side dishes are great to have after Thanksgiving, but give them new life and puree them. A veggie puree can be the base of a soup or pasta sauce. Veggie purees can also add moisture to baked goods.
Make an open-faced sandwich. Everybody loves the day after Thanksgiving sandwich. Make your sandwich healthier by only using one slice of bread.

Texas Woman Faces Frog in Frozen Beans

YumSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:30:26 -0700

What's the deal with frozen green beans? Last Fall, a New Zealander discovered a shrunken mouse's head in hers, and, proving we're just as prone to the situation stateside, a Texas woman reportedly opened a bag to find a frog's face staring back at her.

Chasity Erbaugh from Tyler, TX, went to stir butter into her green beans and encountered the whole front end of a frog, spinal cord attached, with its tongue hanging out. Horrified, she notified county health inspectors, who got in touch with the Wal-Mart where she purchased the beans to have the rest of the lot pulled from shelves. Although the county health department filed a complaint with the FDA, it also urged consumers to look closely at their food before eating it. But Erbaugh has lost her confidence with frozen foods. Moving forward, she vows to only buy fresh vegetables, even if the measure is at her expense. "Do you know how much my grocery bill is fixing to go up?" she said.

After hearing about a shopper who - almost literally - got a frog in her throat, are you less likely to buy frozen fruits and vegetables? Do you agree with the health department, which insinuated that the responsibility lies with each diner to ensure he is eating safe food? Have you ever found something that's less than kosher in your frozen produce?

Tips For Veggie Haters

FitSugar — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 03:00:00 -0800

Our moms didn't push vegetables on us for nothing. They knew that not only are veggies like carrots, Brussels sprouts, and sweet potatoes full of vitamins, antioxidants, and fiber, but they're also low in calories and fat. These days, rather than avoiding them, I crave veggies because I realize how much better I feel after a meal of salad versus a huge bowl of fettuccine alfredo. If you're having a hard time embracing veggies in your diet, here are some tips for all you veggie haters.

Eat them raw. If veggies are overcooked, they can be mushy and flavorless, so you may actually prefer raw versions of cooked veggies you hated as a kid such as broccoli, spinach, or peas.
If raw isn't your thing, grill your veggies. They'll have a slightly softer consistency and a charred or smoky flavor. Grill corn on the cob, asparagus spears, portobello mushrooms, and slices of peppers. Brush them with a little olive oil or Italian dressing to add flavor.

What else is a veggie hater to do? If you're curious, read more.

Cut veggies into small pieces so their flavor and presence is less prominent. Add shredded raw veggies to your sandwiches and wraps to add a crunchy texture, or chop up bits of carrots and peppers and add them to soups or omelets.
Find a salad dressing or dip you love. Sometimes eating raw veggies on their own is way too boring, so find something you can pour over your salad or dip raw veggie sticks in, to make them more appealing. Just be sure whatever you choose is low in fat and calories. I'm a fan of Annie's Gingerly Vinaigrette.
Add veggies to dishes you already love. If you're a fan of pizza, lasagna, or mac and cheese, begin slipping some veggies into those dishes. Since you're already a fan of the food, it will make eating veggies easier.

If you have any other tips for veggie haters, share them in the comment section below.

Source

Southern (Indian) Thanksgiving

Yum Community — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:30:42 -0800

This story was written by member courtneyd and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community.

For a few years now I've wanted to try to marry the traditional Southern Indian food my husband grew up enjoying with Thanksgiving as I know it (Southern girl with a love of spice and heat). So this year I did a trial run of a tandoori-style turkey made in the oven.

By next year I hope to build my own tandoor, or at least grill this guy, because it needs a little more heat to crisp up properly. Even so, the meal turned out great! Tandoori turkey, tamarind gravy, creamed saag, masala mashed potatoes, and Whole Foods' naan, which has a slight dinner roll texture, so it works out perfectly for this blended meal. The tamarind gravy was an original creation (that I cannot believe turned out properly, it was sooooo good), and the other recipes were either inspired by or taken directly from The Food of India from Whitecap Books. I love their "food of" series, and my husband is impressed with the Indian recipes.

For the turkey, I followed the instructions from November's Martha Stewart Living to spatchcock a turkey and cooked according to their instructions after marinating for about 7 hours. Not including the marinade time, this meal came together in about 2 hours on a Friday night. Also, we discovered New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc complements Indian food perfectly.

To get her recipes for this Southern Indian feast, keep reading.