Amy’s five new Light & Lean meals all contain less than 300 calorie and 5 grams of fat.  They are:

• Bean & Cheese Burrito
• Roasted Polenta
• Spaghetti Italiano
• 3 Cheese Penne Marinara
• Sweet and Sour Asian Noodle

You can find them in the freezer section of many grocery stores for under $5.00.  Don’t the flavors sound good?

Bean & Cheese Burrito

Since I really enjoy Amy’s other Burritos, I already knew that this one would be good!  The wrap is filled with plenty of beans and cheese making it taste great.  The burrito was a little bland, but I would much prefer that than it being overly salty, as many frozen meals are.  This burrito clocks in at 280 calories and 5 grams of fat.  Add a piece of fruit, and this would make a perfect quick lunch.

And, the best part?!  The ingredients are R-E-A-L!

(from the website) Ingredients : 0g Trans Fat/No Added MSG/No Preservatives Organic pinto beans, organic wheat and whole wheat flour, filtered water, organic brown rice, organic tomato puree, organic onions, organic bell peppers, expeller pressed high oleic safflower and/or sunflower oil, Cheddar and Monterey Jack Cheeses (pasteurized milk, culture, salt, annatto, enzymes [without animal enzymes or rennet]), sea salt, organic sweet rice flour, spices, organic wheat gluten, organic garlic, organic cornstarch. Contains milk and wheat.

Roasted Polenta

I was most excited to try the Roasted Polenta.  I don’t eat polenta very often, but when I do, it always tastes so good!  And, it is paired with swiss chard – yum!  This meal was by far my favorite!  I heated this in the microwave and the polenta was soft, but the outside was still a bit crisp.  The combination of the polenta, swiss chard and tomato sauce was delicious.  Really good for a frozen meal!

At only 140 calories and 4 grams of fat, this would make a really good snack!  Or, pair it with something else to make more of a meal.  I don’t know about you, but 140 calories isn’t enough of a meal for me.

(from the website) Ingredients : 0g Trans Fat/No Added MSG/No Preservatives Organic tomato puree, organic zucchini, organic swiss chard, organic lowfat milk, organic cornmeal, organic onions, filtered water, mushrooms, Monterey Jack Cheese (pasteurized milk, culture, salt, enzymes [without animal enzymes or rennet]), organic bell peppers, extra virgin olive oil, grade aa butter (cream, salt, annatto), organic garlic, sea salt, organic evaporated cane juice, black pepper. Contains milk.

Spaghetti Italiano

This spaghetti and meatballs dish tasted yummy, but there wasn’t anything particularly special about it.  Don’t get me wrong, I ate every last bite because it tasted great.  The meatballs were crumbly and mixed in to the pasta, which I liked.  The meatballs are made of lentils, quinoa and tofu and I could see bits of lentils and quinoa.  The other thing I liked – there were whole pieces of broccoli!  It was nice to have chunks of veggies in the meal.  At 240 calories and 5 grams of fat, this could be a good meal paired with a slice of toast.

(from the website) Ingredients : 0g Trans Fat/No Added MSG/No Preservatives Organic pasta (organic semolina flour, organic whole wheat flour, water), organic tomato puree, organic zucchini, organic onions, filtered water, organic broccoli, organic long grain red rice, organic tofu (filtered water, organic soybeans, nigari [magnesium chloride, a natural firming agent]), organic quinoa, wheat gluten, extra virgin olive oil, organic green lentils, organic bell peppers, se salt, organic garlic, organic unbleached wheat flour, basil, expeller pressed high oleic safflower and/or sunflower oil, flax seed, spices, organic evaporated cane juice, black pepper, fennel seed, honey, natural hickory smoke flavor, yeast. Contains soy and wheat.

3 Cheese Penne Marinara

I was pleasantly surprised by this meal!  It is a freezer meal, so my thought it that the pasta would be mushy and the meal would be flavorless.  I should have known better from Amy’s, though.  It tasted a lot like baked ziti, which I love!  It had a decent amount of cheese, too.  Not exactly like homemade, but perfectly fine in a pinch.  I really enjoyed it!  It clocks in at 270 calories and 5 grams of fat, so pair it with a side of veggies or a big salad and you could have a good meal.  I roasted some broccoli and stirred it right in to the penne.

(from the website) Ingredients : 0g Trans Fat/No Added MSG/No Preservatives Organic pasta (organic semolina flour, organic whole wheat flour, water), filtered water, organic tomato puree, organic onions, whole milk Mozzarella Cheese (pasteurized whole milk, vinegar, salt, calcium chloride, enzymes [without animal enzymes or rennet]), Fontina Cheese (pasteurized milk, culture, salt, enzymes [without animal enzymes or rennet]), Parmesan Cheese (pasteurized part-skim milk, culture, salt, enzymes [without animal enzymes or rennet]), sea salt, extra virgin olive oil, organic garlic, black pepper. Contains milk and wheat.

Sweet and Sour Asian Noodle

This was the only meal that I didn’t really like.  And, I think it was because of the flavors.  The noodles were not mushy and there were chunks of veggies and tofu, which was great.  But, I tasted too much sesame oil, and I’m not a huge tofu fan.  I still gobbled it right up, paired with a fresh salad, but it just wasn’t my favorite.  The meal has 250 calories and 3 grams of fat.

(from the website) Ingredients : 0g Trans Fat/No Added MSG/No Preservatives (Vegan) Organic rice pasta (organic rice flour, water), organic broccoli, organic green beans, organic carrots, organic tofu (filtered water, organic soybeans, nigari [magnesium chloride, a natural firming agent]), organic cabbage, organic tamari (water, organic soybeans, salt), pineapple juice, organic evaporated cane juice, organic bell peppers, organic green onions, organic onions, filtered water, organic lemon juice, organic ginger, organic sesame seed oil, organic cornstarch, organic garlic, expeller pressed high oleic safflower and/or sunflower oil, spices, black pepper. Contains soy and sesame seed oil.

Overall, I really enjoyed these meals and would definitely consider purchasing them to have as back up in my freezer for nights when cooking isn’t an option.  But, I still prefer home cooked meals if I have the time.  With kids, though, you never know what is going to happen.

Amy’s Kitchen has a large variety of other frozen dinners meals, such as pizza, desserts, chili, breakfast bowls, snacks, etc.  I would definitely try feel comfortable buying these meals due to the real food ingredients, and because they taste pretty good!  Since these Light & Lean meals all come in at under 300 calories (some well under 300 calories), I felt that I needed to eat something else along with the meal.  I mainly ate the meals for lunches and paired them with a yogurt and a piece of fruit.  By doing that, they made a perfectly satisfying meal.

Thanks, Amy’s Kitchen, for letting me try these meals!

It really makes you think…how do we know when foods are truly organic??  And, how can we find that out?

Two of my favorite veggies are sweet potatoes and kale.  My favorite ways to eat them?  Low and slow sweet potatoes and kale chips!

Low and Slow Sweet Potatoes

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
• Wash your sweet potato and cut into round slices.
• Place your rounds on a cookie sheet and brush with coconut oil.
• Bake at 350 for 30 minutes, then increase the temperature to 400 and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
• Serve with coconut butter!

They come out perfect every time!

Kale Chips

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Tear kale into bite size pieces and wash.
• Spread out on a cookie sheet, mist with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Bake at 400 for 5-7 minutes until edges are browned.
• Serve with ketchup!

YUM!

With these two delicious veggies, all you need to add is a protein.  I grilled up an apple and sage Field Roast Veggie Sausage, but I served this to my husband with a piece of chicken.  Anything would work.

This meal was perfect after a long day at work.

Enjoy!

On the menu tonight – Lentil Bolognese.

Ingredients (serves 6-8):

• 1 lb whole wheat elbow macaroni
• 1 cup green lentils
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 large carrot
• 2 celery stalks
• 1 zucchini
• 6 white mushrooms
• 2 14.5oz cans diced tomatoes (no salt added)
• 2 tbsps tomato paste
• 1 large handful fresh basil, chopped
• pinch red pepper flakes
• salt + pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Start by putting 1 cup of lentils in a pot (or rice cooker) with 2 cups of water.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  Cover and simmer for about 25 minutes, until tender.

2. Next, bring a pot of salted water to a boil.  Add your pasta and cook until al-dente, about 7-9 minutes.  Drain, rinse with hot water to prevent sticking and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, get to work chopping your veggies! Mince your garlic, onion, carrot, celery, zucchini and mushrooms.

4. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil.  Add your onion and garlic and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.

5. Add your chopped carrots and celery and cook for 3-5 minutes, until tender.

6. Then, add the zucchini and mushrooms and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, until just tender.

7. Add the 2 cans of tomatoes and tomato paste and cook on medium-low heat until warm.

8.  Add cooked lentils and basil.

9. Mix everything together and simmer until ready to serve.

10. Serve warm over pasta with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast.

This makes a terrific weeknight dinner because it only takes about 40 minutes to prepare start to finish and tastes delicious!  Vegetables make super simple dinners and when you pair them with beans or a grain (or both!), you add protein to keep you satisfied.

This recipe will serve 6-8 people.  You can cut the recipe in half, or make the full recipe and save it for leftovers.  It keeps very well in the fridge or freezer!

But, my goals didn’t stop there.  Cooking more and eating healthy real food has been even more of a priority for me.  I have only been shopping around the perimeter of the grocery store (except for a few items) and picking up delicious fresh fruits and veggies each week.  It is really easy to eat healthy if you only have healthy foods in your house.  I used to be so good at this (check out my pantry here!), but after having a baby I got a little off track.  But, I’m back!!

My pantry is re-stocked and I am getting back in to cooking delicious and healthy meals for my family.

It is the end of the week, so our fridge is looking a little bare, but that didn’t stop me from making a delicious lunch!

Tuna Bean Pasta

serves 2-4, depending on how hungry you are

Ingredients:

-1 can tuna, white albacore

-1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)

-1 cup whole wheat pasta, cooked

-1 cup frozen broccoli, thawed while cooking pasta or in microwave

-2 tbsp dijon mustard

-1/4 cup relish

-pepper to taste

-avocado for garnish

Throw everything in to a bowl and mix!  Viola!  A simple, delicious, healthy meal!!

This meal was delicious.  If you like tuna, it is a must.  You could even serve it over a bed of greens to get in more nutrients.  It would be a perfect meal after a long day at work, or something that you could make and grab for lunch each day.

With the addition of the avocado, this meal is a great balance of protein, veggies, fat and carbs.

Try it!!

The past week, I have been starting my day off with a glass of fresh squeezed juice.  I have been feeling dehydrated, tired and just crappy lately, so starting my day off with a lot of vitamins and nutrients is a great way to start the day.  I feel re-energized!

Beets, carrots, apple, 1/2 lime and a knob of ginger were in the mix.

Refreshing and delicious on these hot and humid summer days!

Juice is a great way to get a natural boost of energy and essential vitamins in to your diet.  The calories do add up, but a glass every morning or every few mornings won’t do any harm as long as you eat healthy the rest of the day.  Healthy eating makes me have more energy and feel much better about myself.  And, now that I have a little one to raise, it is important to me to get her on a healthy track right from the start.

On Saturday morning, we took Hayden out for a walk through the trails at Elm Bank in Wellesley.  It was a gorgeous day; perfect for some exercise!

After our walk, we toured the gardens, including the children’s garden!

And, we had a picnic on the grounds and relaxed.

Once home, I made up a batch of Angela’s Veggie Burgers and we had a delicious meal!

These burgers are delicious!  Jam packed with oats, beans, nuts and carrots, these burgers are filling and healthy!  I piled my burger high with cheddar cheese, avocado and a slice of tomato.  And, served them with sweet potato fries and corn on the cob.

What a perfect day!

She has changed so much over the past 3 months, but I have noticed the majority of changes over the past month.

Hayden – 1 month old

Hayden – 2 months old

Hayden – 3 months old

She has her own little personality now!  She is smiling all the time and “talking/cooing”.  And, this past week - she has been sleeping 8-10 hour stretches at night!  A huge change from the 2 hour stretches that we were getting only 2 months ago.  Time flies!

Now that 3 months have gone by, my husband and I have vowed to get back on track with our eating.  We haven’t been eating poorly, but we have been getting a lot of takeout because it is just so much easier.  We are now on more of a sleep schedule with our daughter, so it should be easier for us to make this work.  It is hard to get back on track!

I have run a few times over the past month, but I am ready to make that a priority again (behind being a mom, of course!).  Being a mom means that I need to set a good example for my family.  Healthy living is important to me, therefore, it needs to be a priority.  I want to get back on the road…and back to the kitchen.  Summer is the perfect time to do both with the longer days and nicer weather, it is easy to stay motivated.

And, this baby girl is even more motivation to get back on track!

On March 31, 2011 my husband and I welcomed our new baby girl at 7:19pm!

Hayden Lynne weighed in at 9 lbs 5 oz and was 20 inches long.  She was a big girl!

We have been having the time of our lives ever since.  We love Hayden so much and cherish every second with her.  It is amazing that two months have passed.  She turns two months old today!

She has changed so much in the past two months, just look at these photos…

Two Days Old

Two Weeks Old

 

One Month Old

Six Weeks Old

Two Months Old

I will be back with updates on my labor and how we have been adjusting to life as parents…it is the best!

We headed out for lunch at Rawbert’s Organic Garden Cafe.

We both weren’t really sure what to expect at this cafe, but we knew that it was a mix of raw and organic cuisine using dehydrators and low-heat ‘cooking’ in order to preserve the food’s enzymes.    I knew that this place was perfect for me and after looking at the menu, we were both pleasantly surprised!

Everything on the menu sounded delicious, it was a really hard decision as to what we should get.  So, we went all out and got a bunch of stuff!

Brant immediately browsed the organic beer selection, while I went straight to the juice menu.

This gorgeous drink was a mix of Apple, Carrot, Celery and Beets.  It has been awhile since I have had a fresh squeezed juice and this was awesome.  Time to start making that at home again!

For our appetizer, we decided on Kale Chips.

These delicious and crunchy kale ‘chips’ were dehydrated with cheesy sunflower and red pepper dressing (website).

For lunch, I had the Thai Spice Wrap.

A lavash filled with sunseed croquettes and bean sprouts with an almond butter sauce and sweet chili date sauce (website).

It was awesome.  So flavorful, and the sunseed croquettes were perfect.  They almost tasted like an un-fried falafel.

Brant ordered the Monk Bowl, which was so interesting to both of us…and SO good!

From their website:

As the tradition goes, Monks make their rounds once daily before noon for alms of food
offerings from householders. Living on the charity of others, they can focus all of their
energy on spiritual development. With their bowl in hand they gratefully accept what
is given. In keeping with this tradition, you may accept our daily monk’s bowl special.

Lettuce, choice of brown rice, quinoa or bean sprouts, and a choice of topping.
Our toppings include a choice of either gaucamole, avocado, sunseed burger,
portobello burger, or falafel. Covered in a soup d’ jour.

He decided on lettuce and brown rice topped with corn chowder, veggies and pumpkin seeds.  The soup acts as the sauce, which is delicious.  Definitely something to be recreated at home.

We had such a great meal, but couldn’t leave without trying some of their raw desserts.  They were, in fact, why I wanted to try out this restaurant in the first place!

Tirimisu

Apple Pie

Holy moly!  Both desserts were absolutely delicious!  The tirimisu was a special, but I am dying to know what it was made out of.  It was better than a ‘real’ tirimisu…creamy and delicious.  The apple pie was their exotic take on an American classic made fresh with organic native apples, apricots, raisins, ginger and spices, set in our walnut/pecan cinnamon crust (website).  It had so much flavor.

Both desserts were so good, but so rich and delicious that we basically had to be rolled out of the cafe!

The atmosphere inside was great too.  It’s a small restaurant with table service, but they move people in and out pretty quickly.  We arrived about 1:30pm on a Saturday and got a table right away, even though it was pretty full!

We would go back to Rawbert’s in a second…especially for the desserts!