Starlite Vegan Enchiladas Rojas

I’m so happy I found this Vegan Enchilada meal!

It’s a new brand for me, I’ve never heard of Starlite Cuisine but I found them at Nutrition S’mart last week.  I have to fill my macros by eating higher-protein meals and this one did semi-ok with 11 grams of protein.   Also on the plus side, you can actually pronounce their ingredients.  The taste was pretty good and somewhat spicy.

What sets this aside is that it uses a “pea protein” for the “meat” of the enchilada.  It didn’t taste OFF like I expected to so I was pleasantly surprised.  I think the packaging kind of throws me off, something about it makes me think it’s not going to taste good but I’m glad I pushed past it. Looking forward to other products from this company…

For more info go to http://www.starlitecuisine.com/.

Lyfe Kitchen Vegan Whole Grain Pilaf with Sweet & Zesty Vegetable Peperonata

Update 11 Feb 2014: We have had many users point out that this has honey, which most vegans do not eat honey as it is an animal product. I have written a note to Lyfe Kitchen to inform them. Thank you very much to all of our readers who pointed this out! Sorry that it slipped past me!

I had so much energy after eating Lyfe Kitchen’s Whole Grain Pilaf, I had trouble calming down to write a post about it. What drew my eye to this in the freezer section was that it had kale. I’ve never seen a frozen meal with kale, which I love adding to as many of my dishes as possible, so I knew I had to try it. Pilaf of any kind rarely sounds interesting to me, but with the addition of kale, quinoa, red wheat berries, artichokes, zucchini, toasted almonds and many other wholesome ingredients, this is one pilaf I could get excited about. The fact that it has no animal products, making it completely vegan, is another great selling point.

Heating this dish up is not as easy as other frozen meals, but it is worth the effort. I believe they did this to preserve the flavor, as well as ensuring their packaging is as eco-friendly as possible. I have taken step-by-step photos of the process, but the instructions are also clearly marked on the package. You will need a microwave safe plate in order to make this.

Remove the package from the box, place on a microwave safe plate with the seam facing up (so it can release steam while cooking). Cook for 4 ½ minutes. Let stand for 1 minute.

It will look like this once it’s finished cooking.

Use scissors to cut along the dotted line. I thought my mini hula girl scissors would make the photo a bit more festive.

 

Carefully slide the entrée onto your plate and enjoy!

The lime juice concentrate was slightly overpowering at first, but the more I ate, the more I liked the dish. There are A LOT of ingredients in this dish and it definitely has a lot of flavor, but almost all ingredients are unprocessed foods, with “natural flavor”, potassium chloride and calcium chloride popping out as the only “processed” ingredients that I could see.

I haven’t seen any other Lyfe Kitchen entrées in my grocery store, but I will keep an eye out for more. I was most impressed by the huge jolt of energy I got after eating this. Perhaps it was coincidence or maybe the whole grains? Let me know what you think of the dish!

Vegan Kofta Curry from Tandoor Chef Frozen Meals

With the piquant tastes of India, Tandoor Chef has quickly become one of my favorite fast meal options. Healthier than normal Indian-American restaurant fare (no cream, less oil), yet with the same flavors and textures, Tandoor Chef has done a great job with their frozen meal lines. Even the rice tastes fresh, which is hard to find in a frozen meal. The portion sizes are great, and while the calories are a little higher than your normal frozen diet meal, they are also a lot more nutritious. I also love that the company is based here in the United States.

A fair warning for anyone not used to curry or Indian cuisine – the food has quite a spicy edge to it. I think it’s great, and I usually am sensitive to spice, however it can make my eyes water just a bit when biting into the Kofta. Great for awakening the senses, which can help beat my after lunch lull at work.

This particular meal, the Kofta (Vegetable Dumpling) Curry comes with channa masala (which is chickpeas in a tomato sauce) and spinach basmati pilaf. The pilaf is the savior to your taste buds after biting into the deliciously spicy Kofta. The ingredients are simple, with extremely few preservatives.

INGREDIENTS: KOFTA CURRY – water, tomatoes (tomatoes, tomato juice, sale, calcium chloride, citric acid), onions, squash, spices, olive oil, chickpea flour, canola oil, wheat flour, carrot, soy protein isolate, wheat farina, salt, garlic, turmeric, sugar, cabbage, green peppers, baking soda, paprika oleoresin. CHANNA MASALA – onions, water, tomatoes (tomatoes, tomato juice, salt, calcium chloride, citric acid), chickpeas, olive oil, spices, garlic, salt canola oil, mango powder, turmeric. SPINACH BASMATI PILAF – water, basmati rice, onions, spinach, carrots, olive oil, spices, garlic, sugar, turmeric.

There are 400 calories in the 283g meal, with 19g of fat and 10g of protein.

*I purchased this product directly from Publix and have not been asked nor paid to write a review for this company.

Delicious, Organic, Vegan Indian Food from your Grocer’s Freezer: Amy’s Indian Vegetable Korma

by Ashley Morgan

Since eating Jamaican food, I have always been afraid of curry. I’m not a fan of spicy food and curry to me always meant spicy. But Amy’s curry has taught me that the two terms are not synonymous. Amy’s being one of the largest vegan and vegetarian frozen foods manufacturer, I already had high hopes for the Indian Vegetable Korma. I haven’t ever had real Indian food, but if it is anything like Amy’s version, I’m certainly missing out on a great cuisine. Fully vegan, organic, gluten-free and low in calories (310 calories per meal), this is a great lunch or dinner on the go.

I love the homemade taste, the large portion vs. calories and that spicy-phobic eaters (such as myself) can enjoy the curry taste without the burn! I’m not usually a fan of the big brand names, tending to support smaller companies, however Amy’s has proved time and again that they are a market leader for a reason. A great introduction to Indian food – I’ll be looking for the real thing very soon!

 

From Local Markets to Your Grocer’s Freezer: Moo Moo’s Vegetarian (and Vegan!) Cuisine

by Ashley Morgan

Moo Moo’s has certainly come a long way since its humble beginnings in 2005. Owner Michele Rastelli, a devout vegetarian since her teens, dreamed up Moo Moo’s long before it became a real brand, first wanting a vegetarian restaurant and then beginning as a small brand selling to local markets out of a café kitchen. Moo Moo’s is now touted by some of the world’s largest news outlets, namely FOX and CNN. And for good reason, the meals are imaginative, tasty and made with fresh ingredients. All meals are vegetarian and many are gluten-free and vegan, as well.

 

I tried the Poblano Chickpea Patties frozen meal, which happens to be both vegan and gluten-free. The meal comes with two patties, similar to a crabcake in density and texture, atop a mixture of corn and peppers. My first impression was that it was one of the most delicious appearing frozen meals I’ve seen in a very long time, even just out of the box and still frozen. Once heated, the warm colors were comforting, reminding me of a home-cooked meal. I loved the sprinkling of paprika over the patties, giving a smoky flavor and great color.

As some of our readers may know, I eat a lot of frozen vegan and vegetarian meals. While I cannot say that any frozen meal can hold up against something freshly prepared, this Moo Moo’s concoction very successfully competes with homemade cuisine. A homerun in my book for sure.

Garden Lites has done it again – and with TWO vegan products!

by Ashley Morgan

I recently won Garden Lites’ blog contest, in which I won a month’s supply of Garden Lites products. I was really excited, as not only am I a tremendous fan of their Roasted Vegetable Soufflé, I have been looking forward to trying some of their other products that are not available for purchase at Publix in South Florida.

I was most looking forward to trying their Butternut Squash Soufflé, which I had seen on their website, but lo and behold I was blown away by their Zucchini Marinara. I’ve heard a lot about zucchini pasta and have been saving up to buy a vegetable spiralizer myself,  so when I saw this product in my prize I couldn’t wait to try it. Not only is it vegan, which I’m leaning more and more towards lately, but it is just like eating pasta marinara without the heavy caloric content. Fresh, crunchy zucchini noodles are enveloped in an amazing sweet marinara sauce that is absolutely divine. I can’t imagine homemade tasting better than this. Now all I need is for my local Publix to carry it! So if anyone is a Publix executive or knows one, please let them know!

The Butternut Squash Soufflé also certainly did not disappoint. It is heavier than the Roasted Vegetable that I like so much, but that was to be expected. I think this one is something I could share equally as a side dish rather than eating an entire one next time. But the rich flavor is what makes it so delicious, so I’m more than happy to try and stuff it down all by myself =)

Overall, I’m even more impressed (if that is possible) with Garden Lites after trying their full line of products, my absolute favorites still being the Roasted Vegetable Soufflé, Zucchini Marinara (VEGAN), Zucchini Portabella (VEGAN) and the Butternut Squash Soufflé. Thank you Garden Lites for this wonderful, and unexpected, prize! You certainly have made a huge fan out of me!

Related articles

• Gluten Free, Vegetarian Delight: Garden Lites Roasted Vegetable Soufflé (vegontherun.wordpress.com)

Eating like a Cow. Moo Moos Chipotle Black Bean Burrito

I love trying new things but there are times I get scared that I’m going to waste my money on something I don’t like.  Before I reached for this Moo Moo meal (what a great name), I was thinking that maybe I should just go for the Amy’s Meals as they are familiar and I can trust their taste.  However, because we are here to try new things, into my shopping basket it went.

I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised.  Usually I don’t like spinach tortillas, a tortilla should taste like a tortilla, not like a vegetable (yes, this is me, the vegetarian talking) but I didn’t even taste the spinach.  The corn was spiced up with real chili peppers and the burrito had things like avocado, black beans, garlic, sea salt, bell peppers, chili’s and tofu.  It tasted like a real Southwestern Burrito which is a great accomplishment for a vegetarian burrito.  It was spicy but not overly so and after a small side salad, I was stuffed.  This meal is Vegan.

Calories: 280 (wow so little)
Fiber: 7g (great!)
Sodium: 530 (eek! this is really high- can’t have any more today)
Protein: 11g (awesome)

This is what it looked like out of the microwave- you can’t see it here but the tortilla is a bit greener.  All in all, they did a great job with a frozen product.   I will definitely look for other meals they produce and try them out again.

I give them three and a half carrots only because the sodium content is really high, otherwise it would have been 4. (Edited– since reviewing the sodium content of other products, have realized that this is not that bad so I’ve gone ahead and changed to a “Four” carrot marking).

For More information on Moo Moo’s products, go to http://www.moomooscuisine.com/.

Vegan on the Run

by Ashley Morgan

Yesterday I needed something substantial for lunch, and since I decided this last minute, I ran out to the health food store near my job and took a peek around the freezer section. I wanted something quick, healthy and filling.

I found two items that fit into my diet, were gluten-free and vegan: Amy’s Mexican Tamale Pie and Kettle Cuisine’s Organic Carrot and Coriander Soup. Both are organic, vegan, gluten-free and 150 calories or less.

As I’d never tried either of these before, I thought I’d do a short review for our readers and take a few photos (please excuse the quality, my iPhone was the only option for photography).

Amy’s Mexican Tamale Pie  

150 Calories, 3g of Fat, 590 mg Sodium, 27g Carbohydrate, 4g Dietary Fiber, 2g Sugars, 5g Protein

Bottom line, this is filling and has decent texture/flavor for a frozen product. A thick vegetable stew topped with a polenta-like mash, for the amount of calories this really is a viable lunch option that is great for on the go.

Here is a photo of the cooked product:

I give it three carrots. It’s good, not amazing, but I’d eat it again when looking for a quick healthy lunch.

 

Kettle Cuisine Organic Carrot and Coriander Soup

100 Calories, 3g of Fat, 410 mg Sodium, 15g Carbohydrate, 5g Dietary Fiber, 9g Sugars, 1g Protein

I’m not good with spicy food, and when I bought this I didn’t think of the coriander. Therefore, anyone with a taste for heat may like this soup a lot better than I did. The soup itself is thick once you stir it and has a nice flavor, but the heat from the coriander overwhelmed me. It took two glasses of water in the middle just to continue eating it. But I did like the carrot flavor and it tasted very fresh, unlike many frozen meals.

Here is a photo of the cooked product:

I give this one three carrots, as well. Even though I personally would not purchase this again, it was not due to quality. My personal tastes just cannot handle the amount of spiciness this little soup packs!

Overview

The whole meal, for 250 calories, is filling and satisfying. Being a completely vegan meal (and me being an omnivore), this is a huge accomplishment for both brands. I really enjoy the quality that both Amy’s and Kettle Cuisine have upheld, and will continue to purchase their products.

Plus, each one was only $3.49 at my local health food store, so great on price, as well!

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Tell us! What are your favorite veg/vegan frozen meals?