Eating In: Café Steamers - "Grilled Basil Chicken"

Today I continue the process of clearing out my stockpile of frozen lunches by diving into one of the Mediterranean Inspired dishes from Healthy Choice's line of Café Steamers: Grilled Basil Chicken.

Primary Ingredients: Grilled Chicken, Whole Grain Pasta, Red Peppers, Green Zucchini, Spinach, Basil Tomato Sauce
Calories: 270
Fat: 6 g
Fiber: 7 g
Protein: 20 g
Sodium: 600 mg
Carbs: 34 g

Let's not mince words, this dish was disappointing. So disappointing in fact, that I seriously debated just throwing it away halfway through.

Basil, unless used in excess, can provide a subtle yet delicious flavor to many sauces and foods. Given the relatively high sodium count, one would expect that the dish would be relatively salty. Color me surprised when, upon eating my first bite, the only word that came to mind was "bland". Really, that one word describes the whole dish.

It was not until the pasta and sauce had cooled to an annoyingly lukewarm temperature that I was able to taste anything that came close to how the whole dish should have tasted from the start. Due to the cooling, I could only guess that the sauce had attached to the rest of the food in large enough "globs" (a disgustingly accurate word, sadly) that some semblance of a real basil sauce had formed. The issue here is that a good sauce can portray its flavor without having to be highly concentrated in a single forkful.

The protein, often my favorite part of any dish, only contributed to my disappointment. The "grilled chicken" must have been left on the grill a little too long, because every bite was dry and chewy. Not quite "well-done steak/leather" chewy, but far too close for my taste.

The vegetables, like in almost every other Café Steamers' dish, were par for the course in their quality. Rather than praise however, that is just a neutral comment amidst a sea of letdowns.

Is the Grilled Basil Chicken terrible? No. But it's definitely not good. If nothing else, I would consider it edible. If you have absolutely no other choice and are dying of starvation.

I can't and wouldn't ever recommend anyone try this dish. Some of you may try it anyway, thinking "oh it an't be that bad", and that's your prerogative. As for me, I'll never touch this dish again.

*** Overall Score: 1.5 / 5

For additional information from Healthy Choice on this product: Click Here

Eating In: Asian Inspired Café Steamers - Part 3/3

Welcome to the much-delayed final chapter of the Asian Inspired Café Steamers: Sweet & Spicy Orange Zest Chicken.

Primary Ingredients: Chicken, White Rice, Sugar Snap Peas, Red Peppers, Scallions
Calories: 300
Fat: 4 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 17 g
Sodium: 380 mg
Carbs: 49 g

The sauce, while not particularly spicy, was deliciously sweet with a hint of tangyness from the orange zest flavor. The chicken was of decent quality, par for the course wih Healthy Choice Steamers. The sugar snap peas, despite being a bit soggy (some more than others), maintained a crunchiness that helped to break the fairly monotonous texture of the meal.

Overall, the meal was satisfying and delicious. If I have any qualms with the "Sweet & Spicy" chicken, it's that the spice level is incredibly weak. To advertise a product with the word "spicy" in the name, only to have a mild heat at best, is very misleading in my opinion.

*** Overall Score: 4 / 5

For additional information from Healthy Choice on this product: Click Here

Eating In: Asian Inspired Café Steamers - Part 2/3

Welcome to part 2 of the Asian Inspired Café Steamers edition of Eating In. Today's review is a personal favorite: General Tso's Spicy Chicken!

Primary Ingredients: Chicken, White Rice, Carrots, Scallions, Red Pepper, Soybeans (Peas?)
Calories: 300
Fat: 3 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 15 g
Sodium: 500 mg
Carbs: 53 g

"Chicken Tenderloins with Rice and Vegetables in Authentic Spicy Brown Sauce"


Whenever I order Chinese takeout or go to a Chinese restaurant, the first thing I look for on the menu is their General Tso's. If they don't have that specifically, then I search out the closest alternative in the area of spicy chicken. Bearing the General Tso's name, this dish has a lot to live up to for me.

Luckily, unlike the Sweet Sesame Chicken, this meal did not disappoint.

For a boxed meal, I was pleasantly surprised at the heat put forth by the brown sauce. If you aren't a fan of spice, I recommend avoiding this meal. I would have preferred more spice personally, but I'm the kind of guy that goes into an Indian restaurant and orders a dish at "Indian Hot", as they call it. The sauce has excellent flavor that makes up for the fact that the chicken has not been deep fried like its very unhealthy namesake, and complements the other ingredients well.

The chicken was of good quality, as only one piece had that annoying "dry" texture; and the rice accompanied the rest of the dish excellently. Unlike the sesame chicken, where a different kind of rice would have improved the overall taste, the brown sauce was strong enough that it allowed the rice to act as a proper bedding that helped balance the flavor. The vegetables added a nice element of crunch to the dish, though very little in regard to the overall taste. They added some very subtle flavors, but nothing outstanding that really enhanced the sauce itself.

Though it may be somewhat off topic, I question the soybeans listed in the ingredients. Not the quality of them, but whether or not they are actually soybeans. Given the texture and taste of the "beans" individually, I would go so far as to say that these are actually peas. Even after searching online to compare the two, I have yet to find a soybean that looks as much like a pea as these do. But I digress...

The only real complaint I have about the dish is that it may be too salty. The jump in sodium between the Sweet Sesame Chicken (330 mg) and General Tso's (500 mg) is quite drastic, and is evident in every bite. At times it is difficult to distinguish whether I am tasting the heat of the sauce or the saltiness, though in the end I'm sure that the added sodium works to enhance the spiciness overall.

Despite its higher sodium however, it is still much lower than say, a Lean Cuisine sandwich such as the Chicken Club Panini. You get an entire dish of the General Tso's with 500 mg of sodium, while a single serving of the Chicken Club Panini consists of 675 mg of sodium. That is a 7% difference in the % Daily Value!

I had high expectations of the General Tso's Spicy Chicken from Healthy Choice, and it lived up to those with very few exceptions. The meal was delicious and definitely satisfied my spicy side.

Needless to say, the General Tso's Café Steamer will continue to be a staple in my frozen-lunch repotoire for a long time to come.

In Short: "YUM!"

*** Overall Score: 4.5 / 5

Be sure to check back next time for part 3! What promises to be "the best of both worlds", the Sweet & Spicy Orange Zest Chicken!

For additional information from Healthy Choice on this product: Click Here

Eating In: Asian Inspired Café Steamers - Part 1/3

Welcome to another edition of Eating In with Another Picky Eater! Today's review is the first in a 3-part series of the Asian Inspired Café Steamers selections from Healthy Choice.

Chinese food is admittedly one of my guilty pleasures, as I find the food absolutely delicious despite falling into a level of unhealthiness that could send a person with high blood pressure into fits. The chance to enjoy some of my favorite meals from the buffet, recreated as a healthy dish for lunch, is exciting though worrisome at the same time. While a dish may be healthy (or at least healthier) in comparison to its inspiration, healthy does not necessarily mean yummy. Of course, as the old saying goes: "Nothing ventured, nothing gained." So let's get started.

First up is the Sweet Sesame Chicken!

Primary Ingredients: Chicken, White Rice, Snow Pea Pods, Carrots, Mushrooms
Calories: 340
Fat: 5 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 17 g
Sodium: 330 mg
Carbs: 55 g

"Chicken Tenderloins with Rice and Vegetables in Sweet & Spicy Sesame Sauce"

First and foremost, this dish definitely lives up to its "sweet" name. I would best describe it as somewhat of a dull sweetness that relies almost entirely on honey, countered by a spicy heat that is minuscule at best. The sweet (and spicy according to the box but not my taste buds) sauce, while refreshing for the first few bites, quickly becomes boring and somewhat bland.

As opposed to extra spice (which isn't what one looks for in their sesame chicken), I feel that additional salt was needed to improve the dish somewhat. With a sodium count of 330 mg (surprisingly low for a Chinese meal), the sesame chicken excels from a health mindset. But the lack of sodium and boring sauce are hindrances on a dish that had the potential to be a sweet, delicious surprise in contrast to the super-salty sesame chicken found at many Chinese restaurants.

Adding to the "meh" factor of this dish is the white rice. For me, rice is used to mix up with a delicious sauce and allow you to eat it with a fork while also providing texture to each bite. The problem here is that the white rice contributes no flavor whatsoever and leaves the sauce just as "meh" as ever. A serving of brown rice would have added some subtle flavor that would have helped redeem the dish somewhat.

The vegetables were good overall, tasting fresh (as much as frozen vegetables can) and adding some much needed texture. The mushrooms were a personal favorite, as it is rare to have them in a microwaveable meal and not be disgustingly slimy. There is a downside however, the snow pea pods. Not only did they lack any particular taste, but they were very soggy and limp. Not quite to the point of being mushy, but disturbingly close.

Finally, the chicken. The protein. The main attraction of any meat eater's breakfast/lunch/dinner. Well, to continue the pattern..."meh". The tenderloin pieces have some [very] light seasoning aside from the sauce, and are of average quality at best. They were very dry as well, which could mean that I cooked it too long in the microwave. If that is true however, then this particular dish heats up faster than any other Café Steamers dish I've ever had.

Was this a delicious lunch? No.

Was this a bad lunch? No.

The Café Steamers Sweet Sesame Chicken falls into a very gray area for me. It's not bad by any means, a decently sized meal that doesn't offend the senses with any mystery smells or gross textures (though the pea pods did come close). Yet at the same time, I have no desire to eat this meal ever again. If Healthy Choice ever changes the recipe a little, like using whole grain brown rice instead of white or even adding a small amount of sodium/salt to counter the dull sweetness of the sauce, I may consider trying this again.

In Short: "Meh"

*** Overall Score: 2.5 / 5

Check back next week for part 2! General Tso's Spicy Chicken!

For additional information from Healthy Choice: Click Here

Eating In - Lean Cuisine: "Salmon with Basil"

After a lengthy hiatus, welcome back to "Another Picky Eater"! In addition to upcoming restaurant reviews, I will also be reviewing meals you can buy at a store and recipes that my wife and I cook. These will be part of the "Eating In" editions of this blog. Up first... "Salmon with Basil" from Lean Cuisine.

Primary Ingredients: Salmon, Whole Wheat Orzo Pasta, Spinach, Carrots, Yellow Carrots, Basil Cream Sauce
Calories: 210
Fat: 6 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 15 g
Sodium: 590 mg
Carbs: 25 g


Over the years (especially as a college student) I have experienced my fair share of microwaveable meals that have – to put it lightly – not been the tastiest thing I’ve ever eaten. Thankfully many companies have updated their existing recipes and created new meals that actually taste good, believe it or not. Of particular note is Stouffer’s Lean Cuisine brand, which has expanded its affordable (and generally tasty) line of products in recent years.

I recently tried the Salmon with Basil, a part of their Spa Cuisine line, which seems to have a focus on whole grain pastas, high fiber (5-6 grams per serving), no preservatives, and a good amount of vegetables included. The no preservatives aspect holds true as far as artificial/chemical preservatives for this meal, but I have read reviews online of other Spa Cuisine meals that are questionable in this regard. As far as vegetables go, between the carrots, yellow carrots, and spinach you get 2 servings of vegetables from this meal, which is fairly impressive.

In regards to the meal itself, I have to say it was a bit of a mixed bag. The orzo pasta (which looks like large pieces of rice), spinach, and carrots were all quite good. There was a fair amount of garlic, though I would have preferred more for additional flavor, and the cheeses used weren’t so overpowering that I couldn’t taste the intricacies of the different vegetables and the pasta.

What felt out of place, strangely enough, was the salmon. In comparison to everything else, the salmon was rather bland and dry. You can only expect so much from a microwaveable meal, but several the pieces looked and tasted overcooked, which severely dulled the delicious natural salmon flavor. I feel that an alternative protein like cuts of chicken breast or halibut would have been more appropriate and appealing in regards to overall taste. Then again, I don’t think there are any microwaveable meals out there with halibut...but there should be!

Overall, this is a decent meal that is worth a try. It takes approximately 5 minutes to prepare, with none of those annoying cold/still-frozen spots (in a halfway decent microwave). The serving size is fairly generous in comparison to some “healthy” meals that reduce portion size to make it “healthier for you”. Due to the cheeses and pasta used, this is in no way dairy or gluten-free friendly, but that is to be expected with nearly any non-specialty microwaveable meal. The primary downfall is the overall taste of the meal. While nothing outstanding, I enjoyed all of the pasta and vegetables, but was quite disappointed in the protein’s quality. A little lemon juice and even a [very] small amount of pepper would have been of benefit to the salmon, but as the standalone protein of the meal it fell short of my expectations.

*** OVERALL SCORE: 3.5 / 5

For additional information from Lean Cuisine: Click Here

I'm always looking to improve my blogs, so if you have any input please leave a comment below and let me know what you think; what else you would like to see reviewed; what can be done to improve the blogs as a whole. Thank you!

Taste of Minnesota in Saint Paul, MN - Part 2

Welcome back to my review of the Taste of Minnesota! Last time, we left off with a very salty yet delicious hickory grilled pork chop on a stick. And now...the rest of the story!

At this point in the day we started getting a craving for some fries, and stopped at the first booth we came across with them on the menu. The Northwoods Steak Buffet prepared their fries fresh from whole potatoes they cut and fried right in front of us. They were fairly average taste-wise, and not crunchy at all. Being fresh from the fryer, I expected the ones on the bottom to be soggy, but the entire cup basically felt and tasted like hot and soggy potatoes. These are fries, not soup potatoes. I expect better if they're going to charge me $3.00 worth of tickets.
Northwoods Steak Buffet - Small Fries: 5 / 10

My next stop was the Cheese Comet booth, where they were selling cream cheese-filled pastries that had a deep fried crust. There were two flavor choices: strawberry and cinnamon-sugar. Expecting a taste that might rival the mini donuts from earlier that day, I picked the cinnamon-sugar Cream Cheese Comet. I was disappointed to say the least...not that the comet was bad, but it didn't taste anything like what I expected. The sweetness of the cream cheese was completely masked by the cinnamon-sugar filling, which was filled with sugar beyond the point of enjoyment. The crust's texture was fair, crunchy on the outside and moist (almost cake like) on the inside, but lacked any taste beyond the cinnamon-sugar goop cooked inside. Perhaps the strawberry flavor would have been better, but I opted to not give them any more of my tickets.
Cheese Comet - Cinnamon-Sugar Comet: 4 / 10

Feeling the need to get the cream cheese comet's taste out of my mouth, we got a lemonade from the Gass Station booth. There's not much to say really. It was sugar water with a lemon in the cup. A simple lemonade stir-in mix would have been just as good, if not better. It would have been more worth the money too.
Gass Station - Lemonade: 4 / 10

My next taste came from a booth that had called my name every time we passed it that day: the Cheese Curd Factory. Refusing to be content with the regular cheese curds, I purchased the Cajun deep fried style. That was my first time trying a deep fried curd, and expected somewhat of a mozzarella stick-like texture. I was quite surprised when my first bite was into a very solid piece of curd instead of a melted hunk of cheese inside the fried breading. Though I was admittedly disappointed at first because of my expectations, I really did enjoy the cheese curds. They had a very nice taste that was accented by the infused Cajun spice, and even the saltiness was at a tolerable level. My only critique is that I wish it had been a little spicier. When I hear the word “Cajun” I expect them to bring on the heat!
Cheese Curd Factory – Cajun Deep Fried Curds: 7 / 10

My last stop of the day was Safari Kenya, and was a style of food that I have never actually tried before. I tried two of their items, the Meat Sambosa and Mango Juice. The sambosa was undoubtedly the best thing I had all day, rivaled only by the sweet corn from Hickory Hut. It contained savory meat, onions, chilies, red & green peppers, etc. all cooked within a fried dough that accumulated in a dish of amazing flavor and heat. Their mango juice was also excellent. It tasted very fresh and didn’t seem like there was any sugar added at all, instead relying upon the natural sweet flavor of the mango. I was sad to learn that it was actually from concentrate with a small amount of sugar added, but I wouldn’t have known the difference had I not asked. Although Safari Kenya is not an established restaurant at this time, they apparently do have plans to give it a try if demand is high enough. Based on the taste of their sambosas alone, I believe they would have no problem getting lots of business. In fact, I will be there on opening day when and if they establish a restaurant in the Twin Cities. Come on Safari Kenya, do it! You know you want to!
Safari Kenya – Meat Sambosa: 10 / 10
Safari Kenya – Mango Juice: 9 / 10

Despite my desire to continue sampling foods around the festival, my stomach was filled with [mostly] fried food, my feet were in pain from walking around for hours in sandals, and the heat was becoming exhausting. So I bid it farewell until next year when I will once again sample new foods, retry some of my favorites (I’m looking at you Safari Kenya and Hickory Hut!), and risk dehydration by over-salted meats.

Until next time, this Picky Eater needs to jump on a treadmill for a few hours...

Northwoods Steak Buffet
2085 Northdale Blvd NW
Coon Rapids, MN 55433

Cheese Comet
No Info Available

Gass Station
No Info Available

Cheese Curd Factory
No Info Available

Safari Kenya
No Info Available

Taste of Minnesota in Saint Paul, MN - Part 1

Taste of Minnesota, an annual festival in Saint Paul that bring people from all around to see concerts, buy some locally made trinkets, get smacked in the face with a barrage of less than subtle advertising, and of course: get a taste of the food Minnesota has to offer.

To any potential patrons of ToM 2011, be forewarned that entry was $20 per person this year.  On top of that, food is not purchased with money, but tickets you must purchase beforehand.  The 2010 exchange rate was 8 tickets for $5, so be sure to bring plenty of cash if you want to get the full experience.  There are on-site ATMs, but who wants to deal with those charges?

To get back on topic, the food I tried this year ranged form the "Absolutely Delicious!" to the mediocre at best.  Aside from free samples, i tried to be very picky about where my food came from in order to get the most for my mon- er, tickets.  Despite their gigantic booth I avoided Famous Dave's because...well I've eaten at the restaurant enough to know what the food tastes like.  Then other booths like Joe's Crab Shack (very hard to resist) and Crave  were avoided because I would rather eat at their restaurants than eat the same things while walking around in the hot sun.

My first sampling came from the Bubba Gump Shrimp booth.  I grabbed one of their hush puppies, which I've sadly never had in the restaurant, and have to admit I was rather underwhelmed with it.  Despite the mixture of breading, fish, corn, and scallions each bite was regretfully bland.  I feel that much of the blame must be placed on it being very hot and straight from the deep fryer.  I enjoyed the taste that did get through, but too much of it was masked by the still hot oil that scalded my tongue.
Bubba Gump Shrimp - Hush Puppies: 6 / 10

Despite the lower score, I do plan on trying the hush puppies at their Mall of America restaurant location in order to determine whether this was a fluke.

The next sampling I received was the new Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (good old Blue Box) called simply: Homestyle.  I won't lie, it was good.  Darn good.  On the very first bite an image of my mom making Velveeta Shells & Cheese when I was a kid popped into my head.  The smooth creamy texture of the cheese coating perfectly textured noodles made me forget this was even Kraft brand for a moment, as their always tastes so artificial in my opinion.  Even though Jill can't eat it, I plan on getting this to have with dinner one night while she is at classes.
Kraft Macaroni & Cheese - Homestyle: 8 / 10

My first "purchased" taste of the day was from the 5-8 Club: a cheeseburger called the Juicy Lucy.  For anyone that doesn't know, the Juicy Lucy is a cheeseburger with the cheese melted inside the beef patty.  This burger was a milestone for me in two ways.  First, I've never eaten a cheeseburger with the cheese on the inside.  Second, I finally bit the bullet and ate a burger with pickles after refusing for 26 years.  Anyone that knows my eating habits is undoubtedly concerned for my well being right now, but don't fret.  The pickles obviously didn't kill me like I thought they would all these years.  Truth be told, the burger was incredibly delicious!  Although the beef was cooked more than I prefer, the melted cheese was an incredible surprise that truly helps the burger live up to its name.  It would have been perfect had the beef itself just been a little less dry.  Oh and the pickles were okay too.
5-8 Club - Juicy Lucy: 9 / 10

My next taste was found and purchased by my wife at the Tea Garden booth.  She got a Kiwi Mango iced tea with the optional "bubbles".  The first thing I noticed (other than the dark bubbles sitting at the bottom of the cup) was the size of the straw.  It is made very wide to let the bubbles slide up with each drink, drastically increasing the amount of tea received at a time.  Being a fan of tea, I found the drink to be quite delicious.  Not to sweet and not bitter, the fruit flavors brewed excellently together.  The bubbles did take me by surprise however.  The taste, while not really adding anything to the drink itself, is pleasant and fruity.  Whether this varies from drink to drink I am unsure.  The strangest part of the bubbles is their texture.  The outside feels like wet (almost slimy) Jello, with the core feeling closer to warm gummy bears.  At first I didn't know what to make of it, but with each drink the image of drinking gummy bears became stronger until I fell in love with it!
Tea Garden - Kiwi Mango Iced Tea w/ Bubbles: 9 / 10

My next taste came from the Tom Thumb Donuts stand, where I got their signature (and most popular) item: Mini Donuts.  They were everything a donut lover could want.  All 16 little donuts were warm, fresh, fluffy, light, and right on the nose in sweetness.  If they kept these under a heat lamp like some places do, they sure fooled me, because they felt and tasted as if they had just been made (without the heavy grease from a deep fryer).  Then the cinnamon-sugar powder was absolutely perfect on these, covering them in a sweet almost-glaze of deliciousness that will make you feel like a kid again.  If you ever see a Tom Thumb Donuts stand, get these.  I know I will!
Tom Thumb Donuts - Mini Donuts: 9 / 10

Our next stop was the Hickory Hut, advertising their grilled Sweet Corn and their Pork Chops on a Stick (or Steeek, as I prefer to say) on big banners.  My wife decided on the corn without any butter, and skipped on the huge shakers of salt and pepper in order to get the delicious natural flavor.  Thank goodness too, because it was one of my favorite foods the entire day!  It was perfectly cooked, no burn or char marks like you would expect from a grill, and it needed no butter whatsoever with its natural sweetness.
Hickory Hut - Grilled Sweet Corn: 10 / 10

The Pork Chop on a Stick/Steek was another delicious treat from the Hickory Hut.  Cooked with the bone still inside to preserve the moisture, the chop was extremely tender - just short of falling off of the bone and/or stick if you will.  The delicious taste of hickory fresh off the grill, while delicious, was extremely salty.  Normally this wouldn't be a big deal but when you're out in the hot sun, the last thing you want is a huge bite of salt.  Truth be told that was its only real downfall, though it was a significant one.
Hickory Hut - Pork Chop on a Stick: 8 / 10

And so ends Part 1 of our visit to the Taste of Minnesota festival.  Part 2 to come very soon (much sooner than it took me to write out this first one, I guarantee).

Taste of Minnesota
http://www.tasteofmn.com/

Bubba Gump Shrimp Co.
Mall of America
396 South Avenue-Level 3 S396
Bloomington, MN 55425
(952) 853-6600
http://www.bubbagump.com/

Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
http://www.kraftbrands.com/macandcheese/

5-8 Club
5800 Cedar Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55417
(612) 823-5858
http://www.5-8club.com/

The Tea Garden
http://www.teagardeninc.com/

Tom Thumb Donuts
http://www.tomthumbdonuts.com/

Hickory Hut
647 University Avenue West
St Paul, MN 55104
(651) 224-9464