Taste Test Tuesday: Trader Giotto's Roasted Vegetable Multi-Grain Lasagna

When I saw this 32-ounce frozen lasagna during my last trip to Trader Joe's selling for around $8, my first thought was "WOW! This a much better deal than those food assembly businesses where each entree is 18 to 30 dollars a pop and you are still having to measure everything and follow their assembly directions."

So I gave this lasagna a whirl today and I knew going in that it used multi-grain pasta and I knew that it featured roasted vegetables and no meat whatsoever. I have come to like higher fiber pasta so that wasn't a problem and it was super easy to heat up (using the microwave instructions), and it tasted pretty good too. What WAS a problem was that the picture on the box showed the lasagna with a beautiful white blanket of melted mozzarella cheese on top, so much so that I was salivating while it was in the microwave. But the lasagna I tasted didn't look anything like that.

Would I buy it again?
Definitely, but next time I'm adding my own blanket of shredded mozzarella on top before I heat it up, thank you very much! And one container will serve 4 (as it states on the package) but that's if each person is also being served something on the side (maybe a salad or fruit and a piece of bread perhaps?)

The first six ingredients:
Fire-roasted tomatoes, fresh multi-grain lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese,
mozzarella cheese, roasted zucchini, broccoli.
HARD TO ARGUE WITH THESE 6 INGREDIENTS!

Nutrition Facts per serving:
(4 per container)
260 calories, 12 g protein, 35 g carbohydrate, 9 g fat, 2.5 g saturated fat,
20 mg cholesterol, 6 g fiber, 440 mg sodium. 50% Daily Value for vitamin A,
100% vitamin C, 15% calcium, and 15% Iron.

~~Elaine

Related Topics: Beef & Bean Mexican Lasagna Recipe, Frozen Dinners to the Rescue

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Creative Chocolates Galore

My girls and I had a few moments before meeting some friends for a movie and we thought we would check out this place next door called Moonstruck Cafe. We walked into a chocolate wonderland!

The girls and I were in awe of all the totally beautiful and creative chocolates. When we got home I did some digging and found out more about the Moonstruck Chocolate Co.

* They are based in Portland Oregon
* Moonstruck Chocolate was included in the celebrity presenters and performers gift basket at both the 77th and 78th Annual Academy Awards.
* They took first place in a San Francisco Chronicle chocolate taste test

'Nuf said!

I did some sampling (it's a tough job but somebody has to do it) and this what I decided:

* For the Moonstruck Chocolate Company, the "C" in chocolate stands for Creativity! I'm talking truffles shaped like cats (Toffee Cat) and a mouse (Mocha Mouse) and dogs (Chocolate Lab).
*Moonstruck takes "gift" chocolate to a whole new level. The chocolates are truly works of art...for the eyes and taste buds!
* I now want to keep checking their website and catalogues just to see what they will create next!

~~Elaine

Related Topics: Chocolate Recipes to Die(t) For, Chocolate Kissed Strawberry Recipe

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Image Courtesy of Moonstruck Chocolate

Taste Test Tuesday: Amy's Cheese Pizza Snacks

For the kids or for the parents?

It was time to try these little pizza rolls. I had bought them a few weeks back during a trip to Whole Foods and thought it would make a nice finger food for kids. But as I stood there over the toaster oven, eagerly awaiting these toasty little pizza rolls "made with organic tomatoes and flour" I had to wonder, were they for the kids or were they really for the parents?

This brand's version (Amy's) seemed a lot more wholesome than another brand of pizza rolls that is more commonly available in most supermarkets. 6 of these cheese pizza snacks (rolls), which is half of the little box, is:
* 190 calories (a good amount for a "snack")
* 9 grams protein (it's good for snacks to have some protein, the snacks are more satisfying and long-lasting)
* 22 grams carbohydrate
* 7 grams fat (3.5 grams saturated fat, 0 grams trans)
* 10 mg cholesterol
* 2 grams fiber (I'm glad it has some fiber at least)
* 390 mg sodium
* 15% Daily Value for Calcium

The first five ingredients are:
Organic wheat and whole-wheat flour
part-skim mozzarella cheese
organic tomato puree
organic lowfat milk
grade AA butter.

How do they taste?
You could tell the pastry part was made with some whole-wheat flour but I liked that about it. I also liked that there wasn't anything "greasy" about these - true finger foods! Good flavor. I recommend microwaving them for a minute then popping them in the toaster oven to finish the cooking (350-degrees for a few minutes).

~~Elaine

Related Topics: Cooking With Convenience Foods, 10 Ways to De-Junk Your Diet

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Nutrition News: Omega 3's and More....

Omega-3s, some vitamin E and a B vitamin may help each other out as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents.

I'm not a big supplement supporter in general only because I have an appreciation for the genius behind nature; the different components in plants, for example, and how everything is in balance and seems to fit together. But I do think we are getting to a place, with advancements in nutrition research, that we may be uncovering some crucial information on ideal supplements for various conditions and diseases. With that said, I wanted to tell you about some new research from Italy that I am personally very intrigued by...

What happens when you take a combined supplement of a smart fat (omega-3s), an antioxidant vitamin (vitamin E) and a B vitamin known to be a heart helper (niacin)?

A recent Italian study suggests that this particular combination has a lot to offer because each of these do not oppose each other but in fact protect each other and act together at different levels of lipid production in the body. The Italian study, which supplemented one group of people with a placebo, another group received omega-3 and vitamin E supplements, and a third group was given the omega-3s, vitamin, plus a niacin supplement, found that the combination supplements improved lipid profiles and helped protect against inflammation and oxidative stress to the point that lower doses of the supplements could be given. [Nutrition, Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases March 2006 Vol. 16, Issue 2 pages 121-127 Accinni R., et al., "Effects of combined dietary supplementation on oxidative and inflammatory status in dyslipidemic subjects"]

How could these three seemingly different supplements be helping each other so powerfully in the body? First of all, they aren't the strange bedfellows you would think they are. Niacin is very effective in improving our lipid profiles (decreasing triglycerides and LDL cholesterol and raising HDL good cholesterol). Fish oil with long chain omega-3s improves the physical characteristics of cholesterol particles (making them larger and less atherogenic), decreases triglycerides and decreases the production of inflammatory markers in the body (the cytokines--TNF, Inter Leuken-1, and -6). Vitamin E is a well known antioxidant and may prevent the oxidation of lipids which helps them to be less atherogenic (less likely to encourage
plaque and fatty deposits in the artery walls). All of these effects become additive in combination therapy, according to Penny Kris-Etherton Ph.D., R.D., nutrition professor and researcher at Penn State University. The bottom line is that in this particular case "It's more effective to have lower doses of multiple agents acting in different ways, than a lot of one agent acting by one mechanism," explains Kris-Etherton.

Combination supplements...I think we could be on to something!

~~Elaine

Related Topics: 4 Tips to Lower Cholesterol, Quiz: How you can lower cholesterol

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Taste Test Tuesday - Quaker Breakfast Bites

I get the whole "portion control" thing and I get why various companies are now packaging some of their snacks in individual serving pouches to force us to stay within a certain calorie limit. That's part of the idea behind Quaker's new Breakfast Bites (25% less sugar than the leading regular cereal bar) -Strawberry.

Each pouch (which can only be a snack or lunch treat because it isn't very much food at all) adds up to 130 calories, 2.5 grams fat, .5 grams saturated fat, 2 grams fiber, 9 grams sugar. That's 28% calories from sugar and 17% calories from fat.

The first four ingredients for the crust and icing are: wheat flour, sugar, oatmeal, partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oil. The first six ingredients for the strawberry filling are: glycerin, corn syrup, maltodextrin, polydextrose, apple puree, strawberry puree.

How did it taste? Pretty good as far as breakfast bites go. It's along the line of a poptart but not quite as sweet or pastry-like. And these are definitely higher in fiber than a pastry or poptart.

~~Elaine

Related Topics: Quick Breakfasts for Busy Families, Nutrition Bars: Healthy or Hype?

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Frozen Mango - A Winter Godsend

Tried a mango lately? If so, you have tasted the most popular fruit in the world. Surprised? I was. We may think the banana is number one but that's only in the U.S. It's the mango that rules the world. I myself am a mango convert. It all started on a Hawaii vacation several years ago when I was introduced to the mango smoothie. What a fresh and unique flavor!

What's my favorite way to get my mango? I buy it FROZEN (available in bags at many grocery stores including Trader Joes). You can add it directly into the blender for your smoothie or sauce. If you are serving it with a fruit salad, green salad or topping your waffles or pancakes with it, then just serve it slightly thawed.

I rarely eat a mango by itself, but I add them to all sorts of dishes because they add color and fabulous flavor. Speaking of color, mangoes are a member of the acclaimed "yellow and orange fruits and vegetables" grouping known to contain famed antioxidants like vitamin C and two classes of phytochemicals, carotenoids and bioflavonoids, which scientists are studying for their health-promoting potential.

According to the Produce For Better Health's 5 a Day program, including yellow/orange fruits and vegetables in your low-fat diet helps maintain:
* A healthy heart
* Vision health
* A healthy immune system
* A lower risk of some cancers (Low-fat diets rich in fruits and vegetables and low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of some types of cancer, a disease associated with many factors.)

And one of the nutritional standouts of the yellow/orange fruit group is the mango! Along with a few grams of fiber (almost 2 grams of which is soluble fiber), A cup of fresh mango gives you 184% of the Daily Value for vitamin A (super rich in beta-carotene), and 61% for vitamin C.

1 cup of Mango slices contains:
107 calories
1 g protein
28 g carbohydrate
.5 g fat (.2 monounsaturated fat, .1 g polyunsaturated fat)
3 g Fiber
3 mg sodium
184% Daily Value for vitamin A (which includes 3851 micrograms of beta carotene)
61% Daily Value for vitamin C
12% Daily Value for vitamin E
17% Daily Value for vitamin B6

~~Elaine

Related Topics: 5 A Day Quick Tips, Mango Shake

Technorati Tags: mangos, 5aday, fruits, antioxidants

Taste Test Tuesday: Sesame Soba Noodles Bowl

Guess what I'm eating for breakfast today! I almost went for the Raisin Bran with vanilla soy milk but when I opened my freezer I saw this product I was waiting to try and for some reason, it sounded good at 9 AM.

It's one of the frozen entree "bowls" by the Whole Kitchen brand and I can say this right off the bat: it's definitely spicy (as I'm grabbing my iced green tea to cool my mouth and my tissue to blow my now clear and dripping nose). It's the SESAME SOBA NOODLES frozen entree bowl and it comes with tofu and Asian style vegetables. That appealed to me since I like the flavor of sesame and soba noodles and I'm always looking for ways to add tofu and vegetables into my day. In the store as I was deciding to buy it, I was impressed by the 4 grams of fat (.5 grams saturated fat) and the amount of fiber (4 grams). Protein wasn't too shabby either at 14 grams.

How did it taste?
I liked it! I sprinkled some chopped pistachio nuts over the top that I had leftover from a cooking project, and this worked out perfectly.

Nutrition Info
1 bowl = 230 calories, 4 grams fat, .5 grams saturated fat (0 trans), 0 mg cholesterol, 430 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 14 grams protein

vitamin A = 25% Daily Value
vitamin C = 8% Daily Value
Calcium = 15%
Folate = 20%
Iron = 20%

~~Elaine

Related Topics: 10 Tips for Meatless Meals, Super Stir Fry

Technorati Tags: wholefoods, wholekitchen, sesamesobanoodlebowl, tofu

Live Chat! Kids in the Kitchen

Join me Thursday, Oct. 12 at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT) for a "chat" on one of my all time favorite subjects--kids in the kitchen! It's part of a 4-week course on combating childhood obesity.

I've been cooking with kids for about 13 years now. When my oldest daughter was 2, I noticed she was interested in helping in the kitchen, so I started letting her help me with certain food steps. A couple years later I wrote the cookbook, SOMEONE'S IN THE KITCHEN WITH MOMMY, which is a cookbook designed for cooking with toddlers on up.

Over the years I've cooked in both of my daughter's classrooms, I've cooked with girl scout troops, and nieces and nephews and after all of this cooking with kids, you know what I've learned? That there is magic in it. Much like how everyone seems to be physically drawn to the kitchen during parties and holidays. There's something about cooking with kids that makes them smile, that makes them feel good about themselves, that helps them be open minded about trying new foods, that gets them talking about what's really going on in their lives and in their hearts (This part comes in handy when you are cooking with your "teen" children BTW).

Come check out the chat: Healthy Kids, Healthy Habits

~Elaine

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Best Starbucks Choices For Winter

Oh I've been watching the little signs in the Starbucks I frequent announcing that the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back! And I waited for the first truly cold day to arrive, and like clockwork, I ordered a Pumpkin Spice Latte (nonfat milk, no whip). Had absolutely no idea what the calories were, but it didn't matter because at that moment I was celebrating my favorite season of all - fall.

But now that we are well into October, we all need a reality check. What exactly are the calories in those mesmerizing pumpkin spice lattes? What are our best choices in hot, winter drinks at Starbucks? Let's have a look shall we?

Drinks with around 200 calories or less!

Caffe Mocha
With steamed milk and mocha syrup
(Ordered with nonfat milk and no whipped cream)
Grande size = 220 calories, 2 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 42 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 14 g protein, and 35% Daily Value for calcium
Tall size = 170 calories, 1.5 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 33 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 11 g protein, and 30% Daily Value for calcium

Cinnamon Spice Mocha
With espresso, steamed milk, bittersweet mocha syrup, cinnamon syrup, and a dash of cinnamon
(Ordered with nonfat milk and no whipped cream)
Tall size = 170 calories, .5 g fat, 32 g carbohydrate, <1 g fiber, 11 g protein, and 30% Daily Value for calcium

Vanilla Latte
With espresso, steamed milk, vanilla syrup
(Ordered with nonfat milk)
Grande size= 230 calories, 0 g fat, 42 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 14 g protein, and 40% Daily Value for calcium
Tall size = 170 calories, 0 g fat, 31 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 11 g protein, and 30% Daily Value for calcium

Pumpkin Spice Latte
With pumpkin and holiday spice flavors, espresso, steamed milk
(Ordered with nonfat milk and no whipped cream)
Tall size = 210 calories, 0 g fat, 40 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 12 g protein, and 35% Daily Value for calcium

Caffe Latte
With espresso and steamed milk
(Ordered with nonfat milk)
Grande size = 160 Calories, 0 g fat, 24 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 16 g protein, and 45% Daily Value for calcium
Tall size = 120 calories, 0 g fat, 18 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber, 12 g protein, and 35% Daily Value for calcium


One drink you won't see on this list...
It's the White Chocolate Mocha and I'm in mourning too... I haven't had these in a while but I still remember them fondly. Maybe they'll come up with sugar-free white chocolate syrup, who knows. Even with no whipped cream and nonfat milk a Grande adds up to 340 calories and a Tall adds up to 260. Still... this is a HUGE improvement over the Regular White Chocolate Mocha (with whole milk and whipped cream), which totals 510 calories and 24 grams of fat (16 grams saturated fat) for a Grande.


Fall Tips For Calorie Watchers
* Switch to "Sugar-Free Syrup" in your drinks. Each pump of this syrup adds ZERO calories. If you order it instead of the regular flavored syrup it will save you 20 calories per pump! If you order it instead of the mocha syrup, it will save you 25 calories per pump!
* If you absolutely LOVE whipped cream with your hot coffee drinks, I have two words for you: "LIGHT WHIP". Just say those two words when you order your drink and most of the time this will get you about half the regular amount of whipped cream, which for a Grande size drink will save you about 65 calories and 6 grams of fat.
* Keep it simple. The good old Caffe Latte with simply espresso and steamed milk is the lowest of the low with 120 calories in a tall size. It also has the most calcium, since it makes up with milk what it loses in syrups.

~~Elaine

Related Topics: The Buzz on Coffee, Cut the Coffee Calories

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