Meal Survivor

Wholly Guacamole at Target

2012-03-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

What to get: Wholly Guacamole, box of six 2oz packets (also available as one large family size packet)

Where to get it: Target Stores (and Fresh & Easy, too).

Each box contains six of these packets

Why we approve: Guacamole is almost pure avocado, and super healthy. Guacamole makes almost anything taste better, including leftover chicken and raw veggies!

Preparation: Just tear open a packet and squeeze the guac onto your food or plate.

Variations: Great on meat, chicken, veggies, or eggs. It takes everything to the next level. Guacamole should be enjoyed with breakfast foods, lunch foods, snack foods, and dinner foods!

Pros: Avocado is a practically a superfood. A measured amount means controlling portions and calories is easy. Vacuum sealed packets keep it fresh and green. Just enough salt and peppery zing. 100 calories is more than you expect. As you can see in the above picture, it's quite a little blob of awesome.
Cons: More expensive than making your own, but still not bad. Garlicy...

Enjoy!

Bumble Bee Premium Wild Pink Salmon Packets

2012-03-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

What to get: a packet of Bumble Bee Wild Pink Salmon
Where to get it: your local supermarket chain

Why we approve: It's ridiculously convenient to open a packet of salmon and eat it. This salmon is a name brand so it can be found virtually anywhere and for under 4 dollars you get a pretty good serving. The whole packet has almost 30 grams of protein and only 120 calories, which leaves you a lot of space to combine it with other things.

Preparation: Just open the packet and place the meat on top of your salad, inside a wrap or on your plate.

Variations: You can make a salad: choose your base: lettuce, spinach or arugula, add the salmon on top, and then finish with a handful of nuts, seeds, or some Parmesan cheese. In the picture below I mixed romaine hearts, one packet pink salmon, 1 oz cheddar cheese, topped it with sundried tomatoes and made a quick dressing from 1 tbsp mustard and 1 tbsp sour cream with a touch of lemon. You can also make a wrap, using some cheese slices and sprouts, or you can just enjoy the salmon with some baby carrots on the side. For paleo minded folk, salmon would be great with a handful of nuts.

Pros: very quick way to get protein, low in calories. Great if you are on a fat loss diet. Extremely satisfying for the calories it contains. Good source of Omega 3s.
Cons: you have to mix it with something to make a complete meal. It's fast if you just add nuts or string cheese, slower if you choose to do a salad or sandwich.

Let me know how you salmon :)

Trader Joe's Salmon Burgers

2012-02-28T20:22:00.001-08:00

What to get: A box of Trader Joe's Frozen Salmon Burgers (box of 4)
Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we approve: The salmon burgers have a modest amount of ingredients and they provide a very good amount of protein and calories: two patties will give you 220 calories and 30 grams of protein. Two of these patties with a small side salad are surprisingly satisfying.

Preparation: Cook the patties from frozen. Heat the pan and gently coat it with either light olive oil or expeller pressed coconut oil (tasteless). Let them cook for 7-8 minutes per side.

Variations: You can serve these with a side salad, with steamed vegetables or with a dash of Parmesan cheese. Feel free to add extra lemon pepper as these are just fish, not seasoned with anything.

Pros: These are low calorie, high protein and taste good. These are great if you are the only fish eater when everyone else is eating burgers and you don't feel like beef.

Cons: I can't see how these are better in any way than just having fish. We really don't know what natural flavor is, so while these are very easy, maybe you can opt for fish instead.

Trader Joe's Frozen Turkey Burgers (and green beans)

2012-02-24T19:16:00.001-08:00

What to get: A box of Trader Joe's Frozen Turkey Patties (box of 4), a bag of Trader Joe's frozen green beans

Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we approve: The turkey burgers have few ingredients; just turkey and spices. The green beans are just green beans, already cut to a nice length, and cook up nice and crisp.

Green beans are green beans

Turkey burger ingredients

Turkey burger nutrition

Preparation: Both can be cooked from frozen. The turkey patties were cooked on a hot skillet and were still pretty juicy after cooking. The green beans were steamed, then tossed with Himalayan salt and lemon zest (dried lemon peel from Penzley's, in this case).

Variations: You can eat it just like a burger. I had two for dinner with some TJ's pesto, a salad, and steamed veggies. Awesome.

Pros: The turkey has lots of protein, low calorie, no bad guys, tastes good to me (Roland). The green beans are as good as fresh and better than canned. I will buy these again! Both are extremely cost effective. Quite a deal!

Cons: Galya didn't really like the turkey, but love the green beans. She claimed they had a weird aftertaste, but I just think they taste like turkey burgers. I will buy them again. Cons of the beans? None.

Note: I marked this as both paleo and vegetarian, but you'll have to think; the turkey is paleo and the green beans are vegetarian and paleo enough for me (green beans are mostly pod and hardly any bean).

Bar Harbor Clam Chowder from World Market

2012-02-15T16:52:00.000-08:00

What to get: A can of Bar Harbor New England Style Clam Chowder
Where to get it: Cost Plus World Market

Why we approve: We love New England Style Clam Chowder, but only eat it when we eat out. It does take great ingredients and quite a bit of time to prepare your own and getting this in a can is a great way to enjoy clam chowder in a pinch. It has a high quality source of protein, a very good amount of iron, and it's a great way to refuel in the middle of your day. Because it's very filling you can only have the recommended serving size and still feel like you've eaten something substantial. Feel free to double up the serving if this is all you are having, otherwise we advise you to pair it with some extra protein - let's face it - 150 calories is only a part of a meal. There are no nasty ingredients and for a canned food this is awesome.

Preparation: open the can, measure your desired amount and place in a pot. Add 1/4 cup of water for each serving and heat up. Sprinkle black pepper and salt if you like. If you have the calories in your budget, some heavy cream could also taste very nice as an addition.

Variations: Serve this soup with a couple of extra slices of turkey, leftover chicken, hard boiled eggs, sharp cheddar cheese. If you want to stay the fish route, you can also open a can of sardines.I personally had a cup alongside some leftover meat and a cup of steamed green beans. Veggies will keep you full and extra protein will keep your energy stable.

Note: This soup has potatoes, but do not be carbophobic - on a workout day or in the middle of your day some carbs are perfectly fine, even on a fat loss diet.

Pros: great taste at a reasonable price, and we bought it in a store that sells furniture ;) Crazy! Good ingredients, no preservatives and no MSG. Oh yey! Texture is wonderful, and there are quite a few clams in it. I think everyone on a fat loss diet would like to have this in their emergency stores for when they feel like a comforting soup and they have no time.

Cons: You need a bit of extra protein on the side unless you want to eat the whole can. You need to preserve the rest in a jar if you are not serving the whole can.

My overall rating of this soup is very positive and I love the Bar Harbor New England Style Clam Chowder .

Bon apetit!

Dennison's 98% Fat Free Turkey Chili with Beans

2012-02-07T20:34:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I'm so hungry when shopping that the prospect of cooking when I get home is hard to take. Chili is one thing that's quick and satisfying for me, but it's not always easy to find one that both tastes good and uses healthy ingredients.

I spent a long time in the chili aisle, staring at the shelves of chili. Don't let the relatively healthy list of ingredients lull you into a false sense of chili security. Nearly all of the name brand chili cans on the shelves had many of the "bad guys" that we've warned about before. Most had soy, soybean, corn and vegetable oils, added wheat gluten, and all sorts of mysterious artificial ingredients. Always read the labels carefully.

What to get: Dennison's 98% Fat Free Turkey Chili with Beans

Where to get it: Your grocery store. I got this can at Pavilions, but I have seen it at Ralphs and Albertsons, too.

Why we approve: Protein and fiber, with few added bad guys make for a good bowl of chili. We don't specifically approve of foods that are nearly fat free, but that does mean that there are few of the bad fats that are so popular in modern day processed foods (again, see the bad guys). Also, because it's low fat, it means you are free to add fats that you approve of in the form of garnishes or toppings. Read on...

Preparation: We prefer a saucepan to the microwave, but do what you will!

Variations: Top with sour cream, cheese, guacamole or avocado for the fat that you need in your diet. I'm a guy, so I ate the whole can, topped with about 130 calories of cheese and sour cream. The bowl plus toppings weighed in at about 550 calories, 16g fat, 60g carbs, 14g fiber, and 40g of protein.

Pros: Available at your normal, everyday supermarket and even some convenience stores. It has that great chili taste that you might have grown up with, reasonable calories, and a decent amount of protein. Low fat means you get to add your own fats, which are going to be tastier and healthier than anything they were likely to put in the can at the plant. There are lots of beans if you like that. The whole can is the perfect size meal for many guys.

Cons: Women might find one serving to be pretty small (it's only 3/4 cup, after all). Even though the taste was a pro, it's also a con; some people won't care for that canned chili taste. Low fat seems to have encouraged a lot of carbs. They have to put something in those cans to take up space, and in this case it was lots of beans.

Cottage cheese pesto dip

2012-02-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

What to get: a tub of cottage cheese and a jar of basil pesto, carrots, snow peas, celery, etc, for dipping
Where to get it: Your grocery store

Why we approve: Most people would not consider savory cottage cheese, yet it's awesome in combination with vegetables. You will get both protein and veggies, fiber, flavor, and long lasting satisfaction. This dip also makes the texture very smooth - and takes care of the fact that some people hate cottage cheese exactly because of the texture. Get it to look like cream cheese and you can use this as a snack between meals or a meal in itself, along with some veggies, or if you are very hungry, also along a cup of soup. I really like it pre-workout because it's not heavy at all and keeps me full for hours. One cup has 30 grams of protein and depending on the type of cottage cheese, this dip will have between 300 and 400 calories.

Preparation:Measure 1 cup of cottage cheese and 1 tbsp basil pesto and blend in a blender (better to use an immersion blender - easier to clean). Chop up some veggies, such as carrots, celery, snow peas, and use for dipping.

Variations: You can make a sweet cottage cheese parfait if you want something sweet - here is a RECIPE.

Pros:great taste, reasonable calories, lots of protein, very easy to make! It literally takes 2 minutes to make something super delicious.

Cons: You still have to blend and wash your blender, but you will probably burn some calories doing so, so don't complain ;)

Bon apetit!

Broccoli and cheddar soup from Fresh&Easy

2012-01-26T14:36:00.000-08:00

What to get: a tub of Broccoli & cheddar soup
Where to get it: Fresh&Easy Market

Why we approve: Because it's a pain in the butt to make your own? NO! Broccoli and cheddar is a super easy soup to make, yet we are all about saving you time here. On a day when you are a meal survivor, you have no time for making your own. This one has great texture, amazing taste and hardly has any added ingredients, that we don't approve of. It has real cheese and real cream. From a weight loss or maintenance perspective this is a great central dish to your meal: it has 260 calories per cup, and 14 grams of protein.

You can serve with some hard boiled eggs or fresh mozzarella cheese or turkey breast on the side and you will have a very satisfying meal.

Preparation: open the package, measure out your desired amount and place it in a pot. Add 1/4 cup of water for each cup of soup - I feel that it needs a bit of thinning, it's super thick. Use the microwave instructions from the package ;)

Variations: Serve this soup with a couple of extra slices of turkey, leftover chicken, hard boiled eggs, mozzarella cheese. You can also add some spinach or arugula leaves while heating it up to spike the greens content.

Note: This soup really goes bad close to expiration date. I find this to be the best testimony for real ingredients and no nasty preservatives :)

Pros: great taste at a reasonable price, saves time and it's very filling. They have a 2 for 6 dollar special right now, so it's very well priced. The taste is better than you would expect from anything store bought. You could eat this cold in the office along your hard boiled eggs.

Cons: This soup has a bit more sodium than some of you may be comfortable with. Make sure you eat your fruits and veggies that day, and drink plenty of fluids.

My overall rating of this soup is very positive ;) Give it a shot!

Bon apetit!

Beef chili from Trader Joe's

2012-01-12T12:43:00.000-08:00

What to get: a can of Beef Chili
Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we approve: This canned meal is very delicious and provides convenience when you are really in a rush. In my perfect world once a month you make a huge pot of chili and freeze batches of it so that when in a hurry, you can use your own chili and know exactly what went in your recipe. This can is the next best thing. It's very thick and meaty, has visible beans that have a nice texture. They are not cooked beyond recognition and they are very tasty. From a weight loss or maintenance perspective this is a great central dish to your meal: it only has 240 calories per cup, and 18 grams of protein. Since it has a whooping 6 grams of fiber it will satisfy you for a long time. At 27 net grams of carbs and 7 grams sugar it may be better to have this in the middle of the day or on a workout day. Serve it alongside vegetables, not starches.

Preparation: open the can, measure out half for one serving and place it in a pot. Heat and pour in a bowl.

Unless you are heating everything, you will have leftovers in the can. Remove them from the container and move to a glass or tupperware one to keep in the fridge.

Variations: You can serve this many ways: you can add some grated cheese, or accompany it with a large green salad. You could also prepare some sauteed vegetables, or just have raw cut up peppers and baby carrots to add some color and crunchiness. You could serve it as a sauce for spaghetti squash or thin it out and enjoy as a soup.

Pros: High in fiber, good amount of protein, pretty satisfying and great flavor, no trace of metal taste. You can eat it cold.

Cons: There are a number of ingredients, such as natural flavor, that I am not very comfortable with, so I would not make a staple food.

Beef and barley soup from Fresh and Easy

2012-01-09T18:51:00.000-08:00

What to get: a tub of Beef and Barley soup
Where to get it: Fresh&Easy Market

Why we approve: This soup is a winner in a few departments: it's thick and extremely satisfying, it's a recipe that takes forever to make at home and it's super delicious. From a weight loss or maintenance perspective this is a great central dish to your meal: it only has 110 calories per cup, and 8 grams of protein. Double the serving and you have 16 grams of protein - not too bad. They put kale in there, which adds texture, and the barley is not a lot but proves that we love the childhood memory of this soup, because it's fun to chew on. There are not huge chunks of beef in there, so you can fix that by adding some slices of roast beef on the side.

Preparation: open the package, measure out your desired amount and place it in a pot. Add 1/4 cup of water for each cup of soup - I feel that it needs a bit of thinning. For those of you microwave loving folk, I am sure a microwave instruction is on the package - I personally have no clue how to heat anything in a microwave.

Variations: Serve this soup with a couple of extra slices of roast beef, and why not some leftover chicken or pork. You can even add some crisp bacon bits if your diet permits. Grate cheese on top? Why not! I have a feeling that you can add some precooked quinoa or barley and thicken it up with a more solid carbohydrate source if you have had a very active day. Feel like more greens? Add a cup of spinach leaves and a bit more water while you are heating it.

Note: I found this soup to be a bit salty. Roland said it was not salty enough. At 300 mg of sodium per cup I don't think in needs any extra.

Pros: great taste at a reasonable price, saves time and it's very filling. They have a 2 for 6 dollar special right now, so it's very well priced. The taste is better than you would expect from anything store bought. The ingredients are mostly good. You could eat this cold in the office - maybe along some string cheese :)

Cons: There is no telling what the natural flavoring in there is. Well, those are the risks of a grab on the drive home meal - it's a small amount, so I would not sweat it.

Bon apetit!

Roasted Rosemary Chicken Breast with Wild Rice Pilaf

2012-01-07T09:01:00.000-08:00

Here's another winner from Trader Joe's prepared fresh food section.

WHAT TO GET: Roasted Rosemary Chicken Breast with Wild Rice Pilaf
WHERE TO GET IT: Trader Joe's

WHY WE APPROVE: Very tasty, excellent nutritional stats, easy to dress up and make a full meal, low (310) calories, great for a lunch or dinner, very little bad stuff in it

PREPARATION: Puncture film with fork and microwave on medium for 5-7 minutes OR pierce film and bake in a 350 oven for 20-30 minutes. (why you puncture for microwave but pierce for oven, I do not know. These are the TJ's instructions.) This item serves two.

VARIATIONS: I took out one chicken breast and half of the rice, since I was eating alone, and microwaved for 4 minutes on medium.
You should add veggies on the side, I took some fresh spinach and put it over the top the last minute and it was great. Any sort of salad or veg rounds this out perfectly. Since the chicken skin is included on the breast, I peeled it off--not because I dislike chicken skin, per se, only flabby chicken skin. Perhaps if I had baked it it would have gotten nice and crispy.

PROS: Very nice nutritional stats--26 grams of protein and 15 grams of fat to keep you full (removing the skin will subtract between 7-14 grams of fat), it tastes good so you don't feel deprived; rice fans will be happy with the pilaf and it isn't so much that it will blow your diet; easy to prepare

CONS: Not much in the way of veggies--the label states that there are onions, carrots, mushrooms, spinach, and red bell pepper, but they are miniscule amounts. Contains nutrient deficient white rice, but in the context of an overall healthy diet it's not a big deal. Not much nasty stuff in it except a small amount of canola oil and sugar. I'm very sugar sensitive and it didn't bother me, so it couldn't be much.

Trader Joe's Butternut Squash & Creamed Spinach Gratin

2011-12-22T12:46:00.000-08:00

What to get: a box of Butternut Squash & Creamed Spinach Gratin
Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we approve: This dish is a great way to get some vegetables and makes a good main dish or side dish depending on your size and appetite.One serving has 140 calories BUT we advice you to go for 2 servings, since that will give you 280 calories, 4 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein. The ingredients are ok, save for a little bit of corn starch, but it's nothing to complain about since it would take you an hour to make this from scratch.

Preparation: open the package, peel off the plastic wrap.Preheat the oven to 350 F and cook for 20 minutes. The cheese melts and it tastes delicious.

Variations: You can serve two servings of this dish along with a salad and a couple of hard boiled eggs or an omelette, to get extra protein. You can also serve it as a side to chicken or turkey. Last night Roland had 2 servings alongside some beef and I had two servings with a large vegetable salad and avocado.

Pros: great taste at a reasonable price, saves time and it's very filling. This meal is also very office friendly, as it can be used with a microwave (I am not a fan at all, but if it's a desperate time, what can you do?)

Cons: two servings will still give you 24 grams of carbohydrate, which is fine if you had an active day, but it's pushing the limit if you already ate some carbs and you are not very active.

Soup and sardines, why not?

2011-12-15T22:54:00.000-08:00

What to get: a can of Wolfgang Puck organic roasted red pepper with tomato soup and a can of sardines
Where to get it: your close to home chain-type supermarket is very likely to have it all; we've also found some awesome soups at Big Lots - worth giving it a try!

Why we approve: This soup is a way to save yourself some kitchen trouble and provides a ton of flavor and a couple of servings of organic cooked vegetables. It tastes delicious - in fact, for canned (or any) soup, it gets a 10. You get 170 tasty calories, and has an acceptable 8 grams of sugar. The ingredients are very close to what you would use at home, save for a few thickeners. This soup is an excellent side for a more plain type of protein, such as a piece of grilled chicken, or a cup of cottage cheese.

Preparation: open the can, pour the contents in a pan and warm over medium heat for a few minutes.

If you are having this soup with sardines, like I did, open the can, drain, mix the sardines with some lemon juice and black pepper and enjoy on the side.

Variations: In the picture, you can see the soup seasoned with some Parmesan cheese. Feel free to have it with some cheese on the side, if calories permit. You could thicken this soup with corn, cooked carrots, shredded beef, it's up to you and the type of leftovers you have in your fridge. Great accompaniments are: grilled chicken or turkey breast, cottage cheese, string cheese or some roast beef.

Pros: great taste at a reasonable price, 2 minutes from can to spoon.

Cons: this soup is a bit heavy both on calories and carbohydrate

Tomato Bisque – Boxed Soups from Big Lots?

2011-11-27T15:33:00.000-08:00

I have to admit that I wasn't thinking healthy or delicious when I decided to try a box of soup from Big Lots, but here I am writing about it! As I hope is obvious, we aren't a typical review site; we do review foods, but if we don't like them, why bother putting them up? We focus on the positives so you can grab and go!

As you can see in the picture, there's some cheddar on the plate. I was actually craving that grilled cheese and tomato soup feeling from childhood, but I don't find grilled cheese to be worth the calories. I sliced up two ounces of extra sharp cheddar from Trader Joe's, and it hit the spot. Sharp cheddar and tomato soup are great together!

Tomato Soup and Cheddar

What to get: 1 32oz box of Imagine Bistro Organic Fire Roasted Tomato Bisque, Sharp Cheddar Cheese from Trader Joe's or your local grocer.

Where to get it: Big Lots

Why we approve: To be honest, it's more of a snack and a comfort food, but it tastes great, and if you can be satisfied with a mug of really good tomato soup and some nice cheese, this is great. It has pretty good ingredients, few added bad guys (you just have to shake your head at the small amount of canola oil and deal with it).

Preparation: Heat the soup. Slice the cheese. Eat.

Variations: The carton contains four servings, so for dinner, you have options. Serve alongside leftover roast chicken of fish and a side of steamed vegetables like zucchini.

Pros: Delicious, thick, and rich. Resealable container. Only 120 calories per serving, but it tastes like more than that! Good stuff.

Cons: The soy sauce in the soup contains some sketchy things (natural flavor, etc.), but the amount of soy sauce is likely small. Seed oils are used, but in small amounts. Their other soups proudly claim to be "gluten free," but they don't claim this one is. I don't see any gluten ingredients on there, but there might be something "hidden."

There are more Big Lots soups coming up, too! There's some good stuff to be found in some unlikely places...

Trader Joe's Turkey "Meatloaf Muffins"

2011-11-16T14:30:00.000-08:00

Where to find: Trader Joe's
Why we like it: decent nutritional content, total comfort food
Why we don't like it: a lot of added sugar along with the mashed potatoes can send the sugar sensitive off the edge. Not really enough vegetables to be considered for a regular rotation in a healthy diet, ok for an occasional comfort meal.

I have very mixed feelings about this item, in the frozen food section of Trader Joe's. Originally, I was impressed by the decent nutritional stats for two Muffins; seemed like it might be a great "comfort food" meal--one serving is not really enough food, so I had two. After removing them from their plastic molds, I saw that there was not much spinach to be found. After microwaving (the package says you can "fancy them up" by fluffing the potatoes), the little molds looked just as they had frozen. Picture has fluffed and unfluffed potatoes. Needless to say these Muffins are not attractive like the box.

The flavor is very yummy and this shepherd-pie like meal is definite warm-your-belly fare. The turkey was almost as good as beef meatloaf, savory with ketchup; I really enjoyed it and kept saying "yum" as I ate it.

I was a little concerned about the potential for blood-sugar abuse in this meal, though. The mashed potatoes are very high on the glycemic scale, however often I can get away with eating this sort of thing just so long as I have a nice amount of protein and fat with it.

Alas, about an hour after eating my tasty muffins, I started to feel a blood sugar crash, and in examining the label more carefully I saw that the second ingredient is Ketchup, and the second ingredient of the Ketchup is Sugar. So, the deceivingly good carb count is not from Spinach (of which there was little) but from Sugar. Which explains my reaction.

This item is a good example of something that can be experimented with. Some people may be able to get away with eating it, along with added vegetables, but others might have too much of a reaction to the sugar to bother with it.

It's worth a try if you are burned out on "diet food" and want a little comfort. Sugar sensitive, beware!

Chub Rub Meatloaf

2011-10-24T17:45:00.000-07:00

Chub Rub Meatloaf – A little play on words as I experiment with this super easy meatloaf.

chub rub meatloaf

What to get: One 3 pound chub of 80% or 85% lean beef, spice rub or dry rub

Where to get it: your close to home chain-type supermarket

Why we approve: This meatloaf takes very little hands on time to make days worth of leftovers.

You may notice that I'm about to, yet again, deviate from our standard Meal Survivor format. That's because this time I'm going to cook something. But, I'm going to cook it using the Meal Survivor methods of using things that you can easily purchase, making your healthy eating easy and convenient!

There's nothing less convenient to me than mixing ground meat in a bowl. As much as I love meatballs and meatloaf, I hate to squish the ground meat around with my fingers. Hate it. I pondered this fact as I held a full 3lb chub of ground beef in my hands at the supermarket. If I really bought something this big, I'd almost have to get my hands dirty.

Or would I?

Could I not apply the same dry rub principal that we often use for steaks and roasts to an entire, unadulterated chub of ground beef? Perhaps...

What's a chub?

What is a chub, anyway? It's this...

economical 85% and 80% lean beef chubs

They also come in 70% lean at one extreme and 90% and 97% at the other. I never buy the leaner ones because they are too expensive and dry out when cooking. The 70% one just sounds gross. I already get a lot of fat from the 85% lean beef!

I typically buy the 80% for burgers and meatloaf because it tends to stay more moist, but if the 85% is a better deal (on sale) I'll pick that one up, instead. In this case, I believe the 80% was $8.99 for 3lbs, while the 85% was $12.99.

Nutritionally, they aren't dramatically different, especially when you see how much of the 80% beef's fat renders out.

80% lean beef

85% lean beef

And remember, the slightly fattier beef tends to stay more moist during cooking.

What's a rub?

A rub or dry rub is a mixture of spices that you rub (of course) over the meat. You let it sit on the meat for several hours to "all day long" absorbing the flavor into the interior of the meat.

You can buy many ready to use rubs at the supermarket.

rubs, galore

BAM!

Just beware the use of MSG (monosodium glutamate) and other strange ingredients like "natural flavor" and Red Dye #40, neither of which are natural. I would say that 75% of the dry rubs in the supermarket were filled with this type of junk.

Emeril's Essence, while not actually labeled a rub, is a good choice, as are several of his bottled rubs.

granulated and powdered spices are still spices

Strangely, also decent were the high end "store" brand rubs, while the perceived high end rubs of the major labels were filled with fake stuff and artificial flavor enhancers.

A note about salt. Salt is not to be feared in these rubs, in fact if you don't get one with salt already in it, you're going to have to salt your meatloaf yourself. Salt is essential to keeping a meatloaf moist. Really! It's science! You didn't know that? Now you do, so use salt.

Chub Rub Meatloaf

Makes 3 lbs of meatloaf, or 9-12 servings

Ingredients

3 pound chub of 80 or 85% lean ground beef
table salt (nothing fancy)
spice rub

Directions

Carefully unwrap the chub by slitting the package lengthwise and peeling it off. Sprinkle the chub with salt and the rub, using your hands to make sure it's covered evenly. Some of the rub will fall off onto the work surface, so don't be afraid to roll the chub around to pick up the those spices!

Loosely wrap the rubbed chub in some plastic wrap or foil, place it on a platter, and stick it in the fridge. Let it rest (and the rub do it's work) for several hours or all day. This is important for both flavor and moistness. Time is of the essence! ...Emeril's Essensce, in this case! ;)

rubbed chub

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the unwrapped chub on a baking pan or cast iron skillet and bake for about 90 minutes. If a tube shaped meatloaf is weird to you, then feel free to flatten it a bit before cooking.

ready for the oven

I inserted a meat thermometer into one of the ends of the loaf and cooked it until it was about 140° F. After a few minutes out of the oven, the temp was up to 150°. It was certainly done, but still a bit pink inside, which kept it moist. If you like it more cooked, then give it more time.

By the way, never cut right into a meatloaf after pulling it from the oven. Always let meat "rest" for 15-20 minutes before cutting into it, otherwise the juices will flow out onto the cutting board and all your careful salting will have been in vain.

ready to eat

Variations: Eat it cold or reheat it in the microwave. If you're on a higher fat diet, please try pan frying the slices in a little bit of oil or fat. Try topping it with salsa or a tapenade instead of the typical ketchup.

Pros: high in meat and protein. Easy. Lots of leftovers. Meatloaf seems to be one of those foods that's even good cold.

Cons: if you don't salt it enough on the outside, the inside can be bland. Because you don't kneed the meat into a loaf, the inside texture can be a little crumbly in spots. Not bad, just inconsistent. It's a big tube of cooked meat, and might seem weird, although you can flatten it out a bit before cooking if you like.

A Meal Survivor tip: The Bad Guys

2011-10-13T23:37:00.000-07:00

Before shopping, reread the list of Bad Guys. Better yet, print it out and carry it into the store with you. You might even copy the list into a note or memo on your smartphone. Just know that list.

Here's the list of worst offenders...

YOU WANT TO COMPLETELY AVOID:
CORN OIL
SOYBEAN OIL
VEGETABLE OIL
SEED OILS (SUNFLOWER, SAFFLOWER, ETC.)
MARGARINE
SHORTENING
HYDROGENATED FATS
TRANS FATS
NON DAIRY CREAMER
HIGH SODIUM FOODS

At the store, compare product ingredients to the list, and when you find them on a product in your hand, put it back on the shelf.

Addams Family Peanut Butter?

Do you see any Bad Guys on this list?

How many good guys does it take to make up for the Bad Guys? You really just can't...

There are better, more natural peanut butters out there. ...and get your omega-3s from fish, for Pete's sake!

Spinach Scramble with Toast

2011-10-12T15:10:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Eggs, Fresh or Frozen Spinach, Ezekiel or other high-quality bread, butter
Where to buy: Any grocery store, supermarket or Farmer's Market
Why we approve: Tasty, fast, and a perfect meal

As I was eating my lunch, I realized that a lot of my meals fit into the "under 10 minutes" category and I may as well post them--especially since this week I am childless and cooking for myself and suddenly have lots of free time to post.

I often have eggs for a meal. Let me rephrase that. I eat eggs every day for some meal or another. One of the main reasons I do is that I have chickens who lay amazing, tasty eggs. Because they're mostly pasture-raised, free range chickens, the nutritional content of my eggs is fabulous, with a great balance of Omega 3's. I suggest you buy the best kind of eggs you can, choosing organic and free range or farmer's market--pasture raised are the absolutely the best-- when you can. Eggs are incredibly healthy, and now that the cholesterol scare has worn off, I hope most people realize that whole eggs are just about a perfect food.

My method of cooking this meal is to put a little butter in a cast iron pan (whatever pan you have will do) and putting in frozen or fresh spinach (I use Trader Joe's frozen). I usually use about 1/3 of a pound or more. Cover and leave on low for 10 minutes; if there's a little water in the pan, drain it and set aside.

I then scramble the eggs, use a little more butter in the pan (I use organic or Irish Butter from Trader Joe's, the latter is from pasture-raised cows) and pour in the eggs, letting it set and stirring infrequently. When the eggs are just about done, add the spinach and stir gently. Do not add the spinach to the eggs until the eggs are cooked unless you want an unpleasant-looking,green tinged eggs. If I'm in a hurry I just push the spinach to one side of the pan and scramble on the other side, combining at the end.

I dress this scramble up in all sorts of ways. Sometimes I use artichoke hearts from TJ's--about a half a pound given the same treatment as the spinach, above; the only difference is that you don't have to be so vigilant about the mixing. Saute some onions, put in leftover veggies, mushrooms, just about anything is good. A sprinkling of cheese is good, or hot sauce.

I eat my scrambles with toast, I prefer Ezekiel bread as I'm a little intolerant of grains. In the above picture I had already taken a bite out of my toast when I realized I needed to include it in the shot. I cleverly hid the bitten off part under the eggs.

This meal keeps me filled up for hours. I add extra bread or starchy carbs if I've just worked out, but I think the addition of butter and a large amount of vegetables is the satisfying part of the dish for me.

There are no cons to this dish--it's healthy, satisfying, and quick!

Lite Kettle Corn snack bags

2011-09-23T18:52:00.000-07:00

What to get: Kettle Corn (one bag of six bags)

Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we approve: low calorie, satisfying snack, self contained calories, my kids like it, a little sweet, a little salty, but not too much of either.

Preparation: Open the bag

Pros: Tasty and low in calories. Not too sweet and not too salty. Individual bags help limit scarfing. $1.99 for six bags. Low in sodium at 120mg. No gluten.

Cons: Sunflower oil is high in omega-6s, but if you keep them to a minimum in the rest of your life, a little shouldn't be too bad. Some people don't find it sweet or salty enough. There's still five more bags to scarf if you have no willpower.

I like this stuff. It takes longer to eat than a similar size bag of chips and is far more satisfying. I try to keep a six pack of these in the car because it tides the kids over until dinner on a long drive.

Polenta and tuna lunch

2011-09-16T19:03:00.000-07:00

What to get: 1 packet Sunkist Tuna, 1 avocado, 1 roll of cooked polenta
Where to get it: your close to home chain-type supermarket is very likely to have it all; I got my polenta roll at Trader Joe's

Why we approve: This meal takes only minutes to assemble, since all the ingredients require zero cooking. Tuna in a package is very convenient and always delicious. If you opt for the packed in water, you get a whooping 18 g of protein in a very small amount of calories. This may be all a girl needs for lunch, for heavier individuals, go for one of the larger pouches and get 4 instead of 2 oz of tuna.

Avocado has healthy fats and is very filling, and polenta is a great, satiating and delicious precooked source

of carbohydrate.

You can get polenta precooked in a roll (kind of like salami) at the store, or you can get dry polenta and cook it according to directions on the package. All you need to do after is to place it in a container where it can solidify and you have enough cornmeal for a few lunches or dinners that you can pull out of the fridge anytime.

So let's recap: this meal has polenta for the carbohydrate, tuna for protein and avocado for the healthy fats. You can serve it with some vegetables or grab some carrots or cherry tomatoes out of a bag and you have a meal.

Preparation: cut two slices from the cooked polenta roll and heat in a pan. You can use a touch of butter and salt and pepper if you wish to spice it up. Feeling adventurous? Use lemon pepper. After you heat up the polenta, serve on a plate, top with the fish and cubed 1/2 avocado and enjoy.

Variations: You can use other types of tuna, not necessarily in a pouch. You can try salmon or sardines, instead, especially if you are pregnant or nursing. Sardines have a lot less mercury than tuna, and are a safer choice for all of us if we eat fish regularly. You can top polenta with turkey breast or roast beef, pastrami or prosciutto. See, you just built so many different meals with just changing the meat! Of course, you can also use sun dried tomatoes, pickled peppers, and olives, to make that meal more interesting. Overall, this is a very good option when you can get to a plate and knife and can even be office friendly if you are willing to eat it cold.

Pros: high in protein, and good fats, no actual cooking involved, you can eat it cold, too
Cons: you need some assembly time to prepare it

Thailand Mushroom Rice Noodle Soup Bowl

2011-09-13T23:16:00.000-07:00

What to get: Thailand Mushroom Rice Noodle Soup Bowl
Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why 'we' approve: The 'we' is the 'Royal We,' meaning I approve, but I doubt the girls would. It's salty, but if you love and miss ramen, this might fit the bill. It's inexpensive, convenient, and not particularly bad, ingredient wise. You'll have to eat something extra for protein, unless it's just to tide you over.

Preparation: Boil water (about 1 1/2 cups). Open the bowl halfway, leaving the lid half attached. Tear the seasoning packets open and add to the bowl. Add the boiling water and close the lid for three minutes. Eat.

Aside from autolyzed yeast extract and rice bran oil, it's not too shabby, healthfulness-wise. Gluten free, which is a rarity for noodle soup.

inside the bowl

Variations: Add some leftover vegetables, chicken, or hardboiled eggs to the soup.

Pros

Very easy to prepare
Satisfying like ramen used to be (because you're not eating ramen anymore, right?)

Inexpensive
It's soup in its own bowl
Gluten free noodles!

Cons

Ridiculously salty. Not just high in sodium, but actually extremely salty tasting. I ate it, but Galya passed because of the saltiness.
Why use rice bran oil, which has zero flavor? We tried it and tasted nothing. Might as well throw that packet away. Sesame seed oil would have been tasty.

just skip the rice bran oil

Don't try sipping from this bowl, because it will run down your chin and onto your shirt because of the turned under plastic lip.
Needs something extra to be a complete meal (I added two eggs to mine).

Dinty Moore Beef Stew – Slim pickings at Walmart

2011-09-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

Over on the JP Fitness Forum, the challenge of Walmart was thrown down, and I accepted.

I'm going to take off from our normal format, today, as I'm not wholly recommending this dish, nor am I dismissing it. It's there if you need it.

Walmart

I'll admit that it was a lot harder than I thought to find something quick and easy there on the shelves. I didn't expect gourmet or extremely high quality ingredients, but I thought there might be one or two things to take home and try. Not so easy... I spent about an hour looking at boxes and cans, just to find one or two items that were halfway decent.

Dinty Moore Beef Stew

I remember this stuff from my childhood. In fact, I picked it up for that very reason, only to find that it's not all that bad.

I'm not saying it's perfect, but you could do worse than those ingredients.

It's nostalgic and not bad in a pinch. It's self contained in a plastic, microwaveable dish, too.

I ate it for lunch, and I enjoyed the flashback. I think it was under $2.00, too.

You can also find things like jerky and nuts, but beware the jerky and nuts, too. Some of the jerky is laden with msg, while many of the nuts are coated and cooked with bad things. See the pic, below.

unfortunate nut ingredients

I would like to point out that some Walmarts sell raw ingredients, so meat, dairy, eggs, fruit, and veggies are available. This blog, however, isn't about shopping for staples at Walmart; it's about finding a quick and easy meal that you can take home, warm up, adding minimal extras, and eat. It's hard to do that at Walmart, unless you want microwave stew.

too long, did not eat

2011-09-03T14:26:00.000-07:00

We scour the shelves of your stores to find you foods that are healthy, tasty, and good for fat loss, but sometimes I just shake my head at what I find. I can't say that every food that has a long list of ingredients is a bad-for-you-food, but the odds are against it.

...and don't let the word "natural" fool you.

Leftover salmon veggie scramble

2011-08-31T23:06:00.000-07:00

What to get: frozen salmon fillets, onions, cherry tomatoes, baby carrots
Where to get it: Trader Joe's or your local grocery store
Why we approve: cooking salmon in bulk and having some leftover enables you to make a quick and nutrient rich meal in a matter of minutes

Preparation: to bulk cook your salmon, defrost by leaving it in the fridge for a day or outside in a bowl for a couple of hours. Take out, season with salt and pepper, and cook in a pan over medium heat for 15 minutes. You should have beautiful salmon to leave in the fridge to top salads, include in sandwiches and mixes. It should last for 3-4 days in an air tight container.

To make this recipe for 1 I used:

1 salmon fillet, precooked
1/2 white onion
1 cup baby carrots
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes
1 tbsp olive oil
a few sprigs fresh thyme from our balcony

Use a cast iron pan to heat up the oil and cook the onions until translucent. Add the carrots and cherry tomatoes and cook for an additional 10 minutes. You can add some salt to taste and cover the vegetables for another 5 minutes. Once everything is soft and the onion looks like it's caramelized, you can add the salmon, cut in strips, and the thyme, and stir in. Turn off the heat and let everything cool off for a few minutes. Serve by itself or with a touch of guacamole or sour cream.

Variations: You can use any vegetable you like, such as zucchini, broccoli, cauliflower or green beans or snap peas. See what's in your refrigerator and use it without hesitation.

Pros: very easy to prepare, rich in protein and good fats, abundant in fresh vegetables and fiber
Cons: you still need to have precooked salmon. This may work with canned, but I haven't given it a try.

Let me know how you cook your left over salmon?

Ready to eat Dal

2011-08-29T17:36:00.000-07:00

What to get: Dal Makhani

Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we approve: high in fiber and moderate in protein, extremely rich in flavor and satisfying, great side for vegetables, cheese, plain meat or eggs, lots of healthy spices

We chose this meal because it has a rich buttery flavor and just screams Indian. You could make it on your own, but it will take hours. This packet will take 1 second to open.

Preparation: Either heat the packet in hot water, or open and heat on the stove.

Variations: This is not a great stand alone meal. You can either mix it with some plain canned beans, lentils or chickpeas or serve it alongside scrambled eggs, a piece of plain meat, or 2 or more oz of cheese. It is a really spicy, so you can easily dilute it with water and add a touch of heavy cream to make a thick soup that you can enjoy with your choice of lean protein.

Pros: saves you a ton of time if you like Indian, good source of fiber and protein. Healthful spices that you find in this dish are not something most people use daily, so give it a go - it will do you good.

Cons: you still need to add something to make this a complete meal; we are not worried about sodium here, but if you are watching it - 670 mg may put you on the high side. Like all of these Indian dishes from TJ's, it's got sunflower oil, which is a seed oil, and high in omega-6s (remember to watch your seed, veggie, and soybean oil intake elsewhere for your best health results!).

Beans and legumes eaten in moderation can be great - and this is one easy and fast way to get lentils. Let us know if you like dal, we would love to hear!

Eggplant hummus and veggie plate

2011-08-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Trader Joe's Eggplant hummus
Where to buy: Trader Joes
Why we approve: it contains only natural ingredients and no artificial oils. The only fat is sesame tahini. It has 35 calories per tablespoon and not much protein, but it pairs well with other sources of protein.

Preparation: just open and enjoy. It is delicious.

Variations: this is not a stand alone food. If your goal is to get a full meal you can pair it with 2-3 oz of cheese and vegetables, to make a satisfying vegetable plate or you can serve it next to some plain chicken breast and add vegetables, such as raw or cooked carrots, peppers and green beans.If you need to, you can use this hummus in a wrap with some turkey or roast beef, or even add lamb, for a nice Middle eastern kick!

How much you will eat depends on your goal weight, but in my case (125 lb female) I had 4 tbsp of the hummus and 2 oz cheese together with these veggies for lunch.

Pros: delicious, great texture and good source of fats and fiber

Cons: not a lot of protein, so you need to pair it with something else, such as cheese, chicken, lamb, eggs etc.
It also has a strong garlic taste, so if garlic is not your thing this may not be your best bet. You may want to opt for the plain hummus, which is a lot less gralic-y.

I like this dish because it's a great quick lunch or an appetizer if you have health conscious guests over. Making your own eggplant hummus will also take hours, and if you are reading Meal Survivor, you probably don't have that sort of time on your hands right now. This is a winner prepared dish from the cold section where you can also find a few other types of hummus, so if you tried them, please let us know and share your thoughts!

Palak paneer

2011-08-21T10:07:00.000-07:00

What to get: Palak Paneer
Where to get it: Trader Joe's
Why we approve: It's an easy way to get a relatively healthy side dish. Vegetables. It makes spinach delicious. Gluten Free. Vegetarian.

the non-photogenic palak paneer

The palak paneer story, as read from the label:

Palak paneer is a traditional recipe from Rajasthan, the northwestern province of India. Palak, Indian for spinach, is slow cooked for hours with ginger and garlic until it turns into a purée. It is then simmered with onions, tomatoes, and spices and finished with cubes of paneer, a soft Indian cheese made from whole milk. Serve with basmati rice, naan or pita bread.

Preparation: Boil in bag or microwave. Easy.

Variations: It's really good as a side dish with grilled chicken, but I've also had it in a bowl with a couple of poached eggs nestled into it. Good stuff.

Pros: spinach (eat it!), whole milk paneer (skim and low fat milk are actually no better for you), tasty, no weird ingredients, and tastes as good or better than the same dish from some Indian restaurants!

Cons: sunflower oil. We should dramatically minimize seed oils, and sunflower is no exception. Sunflower oil is high in omega-6s and we already have too many in our diets. However, I've done the math (subtracting the fats from the cheese and the cream, this likely has ~5-6g of fat from the seed oil), and as part of a healthy diet where one is minimizing the 6s, I do approve. I eat this one myself.

This really tastes like decent palak paneer from a restaurant, so enjoy!

So delicious coconut icecream

2011-08-19T11:20:00.000-07:00

What to get: So delicious coconut ice cream - carton or Minis on a stick
Where to get it: Vons, Pavillions or any large supermarket close to you
Why we approve: We believe in incorporating sensible treats into a fat loss diet. Most of my clients can choose to get around 10% of their daily calories in treats if they like. Yes that's right :) Look at this ice cream - a serving will give you anywhere between 70 calories (for the Minis) or 150 calories for the more generous portion of the carton; comes in plenty of flavors and the additives are minimized, doesn't seem to make you eat the whole package! You don't want to give up ice cream just because you have a fat loss goal in mind. You can have your ~~cake~~ ice cream and eat it too!

We found this ice cream a few months ago during our ''everything coconut phase''. At the time we were experimenting with coconut cereal, had switched most of our cooking oils to coconut oil and were enjoying a few really delicious coconut recipes. So why not try coconut ice cream? There are a few brands on the market, but when you get an ice cream craving at 10 at night, you only have your local supermaket to cruise.

A regular serving ice cream, where the ingredient list on the boxes was acceptable, would still give around 220-250 calories, so we decided to try this, both for the coconut flavor we love and the really sensible energy content. If you are looking to cut calories, those 100 matter :) This ice cream also provided a generous amount of fiber (6 grams) so we felt like it was a winner!

Preparation: Use a measuring spoon or a scale to figure out how much a serving is. Honestly. Eating from the carton is not a good idea. If you just exercised, have a higher body weight goal, or you have the calories to spare, certainly go for double serving, just bear in mind carbohydrate will go higher.

Variations: You can get this ice cream in many different flavors, vanilla is our favorite. Top it with blueberries, pineapple chunks, raspberries or any fruit you really love. If you can afford the calories, some coconut chips lightly toasted may also work very very well.

Below is the Minis option of the same ice-cream, there are very small differences, such as the serving size (40 grams and only 70 calories), it is also a bit creamier, and if you let it thaw a tad it tastes just like chocolate mousse (mmm...). We like that kind because you can have just one - great for the ladies, or you can go back for seconds and still fit within 140 calories!

Overall this is a great choice if you are looking for a treat and if you want to get more varied fats into your diet.

pros: coconut fat is a special type of fat that may help in your diet, these ice creams are delicious and have a very sensible amount of calories and sugar for the taste and satisfaction they provide

cons: we have no idea what natural flavor is, it could be anything out of a long list of naturally derived substances; any time you see that on a label, it's a mystery - it could be absolutely innocent or it could be something like msg - moderation is key! We hope at some point we start seeing labels that are 100% honest about ingredients.

Tell us what your favorite coconut ice cream flavor is and how do you serve it! We would love your feedback! Also, we have just started building this site, so let us know what you need and what type of products you would like to see reviewed! Drop us a line at eatloveandtrain [at]gmail [dot]com!

Greek yogurt and Pure bar

2011-08-16T20:10:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Plain full fat Greek yogurt and Pure bar (pictured cherry cashew)
Where to buy: Trader Joes or get the bars online
Why we approve: There are no thickeners in this yogurt, it's naturally strained. It also has fat which satiates, unlike the fat free versions. 1 cup has 9 grams of protein. Pure bars are absolutely delicious and made from 100% orgranic natural ingredients.

This is a great combo if you are looking for a quick breakfast or if you are hungry for something sweet in the late afternoon or after a workout. The combination of slightly tart and creamy strained yogurt and the sweet, velvety, fruity bar is one you will keep going back for. Remember, there is a lot of concentrated flavor in one of those fruit and nut bars!

Preparation: none is necessary. Peel/open and enjoy. You may need a spoon if you are on the run, Trader Joes will be happy to give you one.

Variations: Pure bars come in many different flavors, make sure to check out their website, but TJs carries only two - the cherry and the chocolate. You can add whey protein to your yogurt if you need a protein boost, since a cup of yogurt and a bar only come to 15 grams. This is not meant to be a big meal, and it provides about 460 calories and 29 grams of carbohydrate, so I would not have it every day if fat loss was the main goal as you can spend your calories on something that has both more protein and less carbohydrate.

Another thing you could do is just have the Greek yogurt and add some raw nuts, such as almonds or walnuts.

Pros: Very very delicious and satisfying. It is an excellent choice for breakfast or after a workout.

Cons: It does have quite a bit of carbohydrate, so watch for the meal timing, especially if you are female or you are looking for faster fat loss. The bar uses agave nectar for sweetening, and we think they could easily just skip that and make it less sweet.

Citrus Chicken Salad

2011-08-15T17:19:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Citrus Chicken Salad
Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we like it: lean protein, nice variety of unusual nutrient-rich ingredients (daikon radish, green papaya, red cabbage in addition to regular greens); tasty

Cons: not really a meal. A snack for most people at 220 calories. Also, the dressing is canola oil and adds double the calories of the salad--if this were a good oil, that would be ok, but that is a lot of questionable-quality fat.

This salad is very tasty and has some fun ingredients--it's very Thai tasting, and the fish sauce is a very clear note in the dressing. I had this item as a light dinner and found myself hungry a few hours later--I'm not sure what I would add to make it a full meal. Maybe I could eat two of them and only use half the dressing--that would provide a decent level of protein. Overall, a bit expensive for a snack but if you like Thai flavors it could be a nice occasional light meal.

Stuffed Cucumbers

2011-08-11T22:44:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Persian cucumbers, canned salmon, avocado, lemon pepper
Where to buy: Trader Joe's or get the cucumbers at your local farmers' market
Why we approve: This quick to make meal is packed with protein and healthy fat and provides a good amount of fiber.

Preparation:
Open the can and pour the excess liquid. Depending on how big of a can you bought go for 2 servings (26 grams of protein) or 3 or 4 if your target weight is higher. Mix in half an avocado, season with lemon pepper and a touch of lime juice and you are ready with the stuffing. Cut two or more Persian cucumbers and gently core them to make space for the stuffing. Distribute stuffing and enjoy!

Variations:
You can get braver and add a touch of Tabasco sauce to hive heat to this meal. If you are eating it post workout and need some carbs it will be very nicely paired with a baked potato. You can also use the stuffing and cut up cucumbers inside and roll all of that up in a tortilla.

Pros: high protein, healthy fats
Cons: the fish comes from a can, but at least it's wild salmon, fishy aftertaste which some people may not enjoy but is easily remedied with an apple or other crisp fruit or vegetable

Tuna in red panang curry sauce

2011-08-11T10:35:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Tuna in red panang curry sauce
Where to buy: Trader Joe's
Why we approve: 26g protein, coconut milk is a healthy fat, delicious, only 240 calories per package
Preparation: Cut open the pouch, pour into a bowl, and microwave OR do the "boil in bag" thing with the pouch. Alternately, eat it at room temperature (my favorite temperature)
Variations: Stir in an addition can of tuna (drained, please) when you need more protein. Add in chopped summer squash or zucchini for a one dish meal. Garnish with coconut milk or coconut cream when you're looking to add some extra healthy fats. Need carbs, looks like the box suggests some rice, but I'll take some tropical fruit after lunch. Mango, anyone?

Like the Green Curry version, this packaged meal from Trader Joe's can be found in their boxed meal isle, close to tapenades, olives and some sauces. This is the red curry version, with plenty of coconut milk flavor, a little heat, and a nice dose of ginger. It's got enough tuna to make me happy, too.

For some strange reason, the red is supposed to be spicier than the green, but we don't find that to be the case. The type of hot is different, but the green actually burns more. However, neither is particularly spicy by my standards, and I can eat either one and train immediately. That's not hot in my book!

I love this red curry, and keep boxes in my cupboard at all times, going through at least 2-3 per week! Love it!

pros

Only 240 calories
26g protein
delicious
coconut milk = tasty
good eaten at room temperature
you can put it on the dashboard and heated up in the sun on a hot day
spicy, but not too spicy

cons

the mere presence of mung bean may make the paleos avoid this, which is a shame. What's a little legume between friends?
tearing open the packet can get a little messy, so careful not to splash red on your lily white shirt
a little hot. Not to me, but your mileage may vary

Sparkling ice tea

2011-08-07T15:48:00.000-07:00

What to buy: tea in bags, sparkling water
Where to buy: your closest grocery store
Why we approve: it has zero calories and is more refreshing than regular ice tea

On a hot day, we all want to reach for some soda. For a lot of us, even the diet varieties are off the list as they trigger unwanted sugar cravings. At a restaurant, I will often order unsweetened ice tea or sparkling water, but I recently discovered, that making my own ice tea at home was easy and convenient.

Preparation:
To make ice tea, I normally boil 4 cups of water and then soak 4 tea bags for about 10 minutes. I take them out and then keep the thick tea in the fridge. When I feel like it, I just use a few cubes of ice in a glass and fill it up with the tea - there you have it - delicious and refreshing.

This weekend I thought, why not add just a bit of ice tea and fill up the rest with sparkling water? The result was amazing - bubbly, touching your tongue with coolness and very very satisfying. I used cinnamon spice tea, so it was even slightly exotic. For those of you who need sweetener - honey, maple syrup or Stevia (leaves or powder) will all do just fine! If your goal is fat loss, stick to Stevia, if you are maintaining you can be a little bit more liberal and spend your calories on some of the other sweet flavorings.

Enjoy your hot summer days with a glass of sparkling ice tea and let us know what you think!

Variations: Feel free to add lemon. lime, orange or graperfuit, as well as vanilla extract, honey, maple syrup or Stevia

Pros: refreshing, easy to make and zero calories, unless you add sweetener
Cons: you might like your sparkling drinks a lot sweeter, it works for me

Wild Salmon in Yogurt and Mint Sauce

2011-08-07T13:57:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Wild Salmon in Yogurt and Mint Sauce
Where to buy: Trader Joe's

Here is yet another Trader Joe’s prepared meal that is so good it’s amazing that it’s frozen. Perhaps one of the reasons it's so good is because it’s produced in France. I remember when I visited France almost 20 years ago, they already had excellent frozen East Indian food; they've got years of experience making frozen food edible; we’re finally catching up with the quality over here.

The ethics of transporting frozen food halfway around the globe aside, this is a satisfying, tasty dish with a nice hunk of salmon. Weighing in at 24 grams of protein, this will keep you filled up for a few hours and give you a nice dose of Omega 3's, which we all need in our diet.

Unlike most American frozen foods, this salmon actually needed a little salt, but was tender and moist and not overly fishy. The salmon is on top of a bed of spinach and orzo, and the mint and creaminess of the mixture goes really well with the flavor of the salmon. Add a salad or any sort of veggies to this dish and it is absolutely perfect for a dinner post workout if you’re in fat loss mode, since it has 34 grams of carbs and you'll add more with vegetables or salad; or it’s also really great for maintenance.

This dish is such a great deal and yet another example of restaurant-quality food in the frozen aisle that has great nutritional stats for anyone.

Chicken sausage

2011-08-04T21:48:00.000-07:00

What to buy: misc chicken sausages
Where to buy: Trader Joe's

Up on the top shelf in the meat section, Trader Joe's has ten or so sausage choices. They are all precooked, and I think they are all chicken-based sausages. But, even those who don't dig chicken should dig these, as they are more sausage tasting than chicken tasting.

My family has tried most of them, but these two are our favorites, but there's also a tasty basil version that you should try. I really like the apple ones, but my son thought it was weird to find pieces of apple in the sausage. However, if that's your thing, eat up.

The packs of sausages are 4 or 5 to a package, and are each 12oz, which is about 2-3 servings. Grab a few and mix and match to make the family happy. There are sweet, fruity, garlicy, and spicy ones to try, so have a field day!

Sweet Italian

Sun-Dried Tomato

These sausages are all pre-cooked, so you only need to reheat them on the grill or in a pan, but they do grill up nicely!

I like to serve sausage with simple cut up veggies, like Persian cucumbers, bell peppers, and grape tomatoes, but you can also go for a simple chopped veggie salad, if you like.

All of these sausages are pretty low in fat, so you may have to serve with some avocado to get what you need in that department.

Serve sausages with mustard. I prefer yellow.

Leftovers salad

2011-08-02T16:58:00.000-07:00

What to buy: avocado, cherry tomatoes, basil
Where to buy: Trader Joe's
Where to get leftover meat: restaurant, last night's homemade dinner, local Deli counter
Why we approve: It has at least 20 grams of protein, healthy fats and satiating fiber

We went to a wonderful Cuban restaurant last night and I ordered our favorite - Osso Bucco . If you haven't tried this heavenly way to enjoy a pork shank, please order it the next time you see it on a menu.

The serving was too large, so I took some of the meat home and used it in this 5 minute salad that you can make to enjoy at home or take to the office every time you have some leftover meat.

Preparation:
Serves 1:
4 oz cold meat
1 cup cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup loose basil leaves
1/4 avocado
salt to taste

Chop the basil and mix with the cherry tomatoes, cut in half. Salt and mix one more time. Cut the meat in thin slices, place on top and top with the mashed avocado. Enjoy immediately :)

Variations: This salad combines essential protein, the awesome fats of avocado, and enough fiber to keep you full for hours. If you wish, grab a tortilla and make it into a delicious sandwich to take to the office and make everyone jealous of your lunch! You can also double up on the meat if your target body weight is higher than the regular female.

Pros: fast, easy and convenient to make if you have leftovers
Cons: you need to have leftover meat or cold cuts (keep a few cans of salmon, tuna or sardines and replace with those instead)

Two 5 minute arugula salads

2011-07-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

What to buy: arugula in a bag, canned salmon, fresh pork loin, avocado, Thai Green Curry Summer Sauce
Where to buy: Trader Joes
Why we approve: arugula has a lot of flavor, and takes a while to chew, unlike other tasteless leafy greens, it is bite sized, and combines very well with any sort of meat; the Thai Green Curry Sauce has healthy coconut fats and adds a lot of flavor for a moderate amount of calories; salmon or pork are a great source of protein

On a recent trip to Trader Joes we picked up a huge bag of their delicious and crip Organic Wild Arugula. Just two cups of it make a great tasting and memorable salad. You can have it at home or take it to work, either way it makes a great meal!

Here are the two salads I had for lunch the last couple of days:

Preparation:

Pork loin honey arugula salad

We always have a piece of meat that we precooked, whether it's pork loin or roast beef. It's handy for a sandwich, to cook stir-fry or to top a salad for a protein rich lunch.

It's easy to slow cook or oven cook a piece of meat once a week, it takes no preparation time and always ends up delicious.

Serves 2:

4 cups arugula leaves

8 oz pork loin (previously cooked)

1/2 avocado

2 tbsp mustard

1 tbsp honey

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tbsp olive oil

pinch sea salt

Cut the pork loin in strips or cubes, the avocado in cubes and mix the mustard, honey, olive oil and lemon juice. Put the arugula leaves in a bowl, sprinkle the salt and pour dressing on top. Stir well and serve.

Wild salmon Thai salad

For this salad I used a can of wild salmon and a can of Thai Green Curry Summer Sauce. You can get them at Trader Joes - the wild salmon is a generous can of two servings and the sauce can be used in salads or for cooking. It's mild and creamy and you can really taste the coconut in it!

Preparation:

Serves 2:

4 cups arugula leaves

6 oz canned salmon (1 can)

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp Thai Green Curry Sauce

pinch sea salt

In a bowl, mix the arugula leaves, salmon, olive oil and sea salt. Mix and dress with the curry sauce. Enjoy with a glass of home made lemonade! Les us know what you do with arugula!

Variations:

You can make either salad with any type of meat or fish you have at hand, including smoked fish, such as lox. You can chop more vegetables, such as cucumber, tomato or pepper and double up on the protein if you are feeling really hungry or your target body weight is relatively high. For example, I want to weight 125 lbs and I shoot for about 4-6 oz of protein per meal.

Pros: Arugula is delicious and the salads are complete meals.

Cons: It takes about 5 minutes to make each salad and another 5 to clean up, sorry! Try to do it faster or do it the day before to save time!

Eggplant Parmesan

2011-07-12T15:27:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Eggplant Parmesan

Where to buy:Trader Joes
Why we approve: It tastes just like lasagna and it saves some carbohydrate. It normally takes a very long time to prepare eggplant parmesan at home so this is a great time saver if you are craving the taste!

We were given samples of this meal while shopping at the local TJ's and we thought - nah, there is no way this is satisfying. So we gave it a try and guess what? We were wrong. We found that this extremely delicious, flavorful, and meaty tasting Eggplant Parmesan is strongly reminiscent of a vegetable lasagna. It fills you for hours and makes you feel like you had a substantial Italian restaurant serving of Eggplant Parmesan, only it's guilt free.

It packs only 370 calories per plate and if you serve it with a side of salad topped with cheese and egg, you will get plenty of protein and unbeatable satisfaction.

Have this dish cold or warm, you will find it in the ready cool meal section of Trader Joes, next to the vegetables.

Preparation:
Take out of the package and heat in an oven at 400F for 15 minutes or follow the microwaving instructions on the package ( I personally do not use microwaves).

Variations:
One serving has 16 grams of protein. If you are shooting for more, have eggs or cheese on the salad you pair it with. You can also brown some ground beef and make it non-vegetarian lasagna. Let your appetite be your guide!

Pros: It's really delicious and satisfying for how good it tastes.
Cons: There are small amounts of wheat and soy in this meal, so I would not have it often. It's also a little carbohydrate heavy, so I would only have it post workout.

Trader Joe's Lemon Chicken Salad

2011-07-10T09:47:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Lemon Chicken Salad
Where to buy: Trader Joes

Here's a salad that's truly grab and go. You won't have to modify this one at all.

The label is deceiving, as usual--there are two servings to this small container--total calories 400, 24 grams protein, 26 grams fat, 18 grams carbs. For many people, this is an ideal diet lunch or dinner; the fat content will keep you satisfied for hours. For those who prefer a little more in the way of carbs, a bit of the dressing can be discarded and you can add a small piece of fruit.

When I tasted this salad, I had high marks all around--it's tasty, has lots of nutritional value, and best of all I don't have to do anything except grab it and eat.

Curried red lentil soup with Brie

2011-07-06T11:19:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Curried lentil soup from Pacific Natural Foods, Brie cheese
Where to buy: Vons
Why we approve: One serving has around 140 calories and you can easily double that for a general serving. The ingredients are great for a boxed product and the fat comes from coconut (yey!). One serving has about 5 grams of fiber and it's really really filling!

Cooking lentils can be a tiresome and long process, but luckily there are some brands on the market that offer really good tasting lentil soup. It's simple and easy: you take the box home and you enjoy 2 to 4 small or generous servings of soup.

Preparation:
I enjoyed this soup cold, pouring 1 1/2 cups in a bowl and then adding 1.5 oz of Brie cheese to it. It was refreshing, filling and delicious and the cheese and curry combine beautifully! This amount of ingredients will give you about 17 grams of protein, so if you want more, just add a bit more cheese!

Variations:
Because it's high in fiber, this meal is extremely satisfying and can be a great midday lunch, if you are in a hurry. You could even take a couple of different boxes of soup to work and make a bowl of soup every day. Given the many flavors available on the market, and all the types of cheese or meat that you could top soup with, it's a great option! You can serve the soup with extra roasted or steamed vegetables, cut different types of cheese on top, or even hard boiled eggs or add ready to eat meats such as pork, beef or lamb.

When looking for a soup make sure you go for organic, possibly low sodium and read the label carefully to make sure there are no hydrogenated oils.

Pros: delicious, convenient, high in fiber and quality fats
Cons: you still need to add protein to it and it may be a bit sweet for some people

Mango soda

2011-07-06T11:03:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Soda water, Naked fruit juice
Where to buy: Vons
Why we approve: diluting juice with soda saves calories and carbohydrates and can be very refreshing

It's summer and it's hot and you wish you could just chug down a bottle of ice cold fruit juice. For me, that moment of strong desire comes as I wait in line at the grocery store, where hundreds of little colorful bottles of fruit juice stare at me. It's after a workout and I am thirsty, but I also know there is too much sugar and calories in one of those little bottles.

The solution is easy: dilute to get more liquid and lose some calories, but dilute with ice and soda water, so you get the satisfaction of the cold drink and soda pop all wrapped into one healthy drink.

Preparation:
For this experiment I used mango juice, but you can use any of the natural fruit juices you see at the store. The bottle usually serves 2, but when you make Mango soda you can serve 6. Instead of 180 calories, you only get 60 per glass, and you can enjoy a rich juice flavor, quench your thirst and not add inches to your waist.

Here is what you need to make 1 glass of mango soda:

1/3 cup mango juice
3 cubes ice
soda water

Place mango juice and ice in the glass and pour soda water to the top. Enjoy! Let us know what other flavors you tried, I am really excited about some berry or pomegranate juice!

Variations:
You can take this experiment a step further and fresh squeeze your own juice at home, it may even be something you can teach your kids, it makes for a fun summer afternoon project!

Pros: easy to make, delicious and refreshing
Cons: it's still better to squeeze your own juice

Tuna in green curry sauce

2011-06-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Tuna in Green Curry Sauce, frozen green peas
Where to buy: Trader Joes
Why we approve: 24 g protein, coconut milk is a healthy fat, delicious, only 230 calories per package

This packaged meal from Trader Joe's can be found in their boxed meal isle, close to tapenades, olives and some sauces.

What I love about it: at only 240 calories per package, it offers 24 grams of protein. It has precious coconut fat (mmm), which as you know, is easily used for energy and hard to store as body fat. It has an abundance of spices, such as galangal, turmeric and sweet basil. The flavor is wonderful and it is only mildly hot. You can really taste the green curry and the green curry paste spices!!!

Preparation: Cut open the pouch, pour into a bowl, and microwave OR do the "boil in bag" thing with the pouch. Alternately, eat it at room temperature.

Variations:
You can eat it as it is or add some more vegetables to it or more coconut milk or sour cream. This will add volume, taste and calories and make it a complete meal.

I've had this meal on numerous occasions and I have mixed it with wild rice, cous cous, оr quinoa. Since these are carbohydrate heavier, I would only recommend them in the meal following your training or other physical activity for the day. If you haven't been active, add some green peas, zucchini, or bell peppers.

Here is how I made the green pea version below:

1. I opened the packet and placed the contents in a pot.
2. I added 1 cup frozen green peas and 1/2 cup water.
3. I cooked for 10 minutes over medium heat.
4. I added 1 tbsp sour cream and stirred.

That is all. It was delicious and the large tuna flakes were very meaty and nice. The small and sweet green peas are a great contrast for the mild curry sauce. This meal screams with flavor and you will love it!

It took literally 5 minutes to make and with the 10 to cook I had a meal 15 minutes after getting home. Who would not like that?

Let me know how you liked it or check out the review of Tuna in red Panang curry sauce by our very own Roland!

Pros: it's very delicious, and packs a good amount of of protein and healthy fats
Cons: it's a bit hot for some people

Trader Joe's Tandoori Style Butter Chicken with Butternut Squash, Spinach and Peppers on Rice

2011-06-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Tandoori Style Butter Chicken
Where to buy: Trader Joes

Here is one dish that is about as good as you can get with prepared foods! Not only does it taste terrific, but it includes nutrient-dense ingredients that are uncommon and really, really good for you—butternut squash? Red Peppers? Fresh Spinach? You betcha! These ingredients are packed with antioxidants and flavor.

At 360 calories and over 40 grams of carbs, it’s a little carb heavy for women on a diet, but not a disaster by any means. If I were dieting (I’m only 5’4”) I would probably leave some of the rice and add a big green salad with lots of veggies and a good olive-oil based dressing—this will up the healthy fats and add more bulk to keep you full longer.If I had just worked out, I would go ahead and eat the rice.

I think the major reason this dish tastes so good is that it is in the fresh case; the spinach doesn't get that seaweed-y texture, it's just wilted enough and tender. The squash is an unusual addition, but the texture is really good and satisfying. A few raisins thrown in add a sweet surprise; this dish won't make you feel deprived and diet-y, although it is just about perfect for a dieter's meal.

Overall, I would give this dish an A- due to the rice; but honestly it is a great choice for both fat loss and maintenance. The taste is as good as many restaurants and the variety of veggies is outstanding.

Punjab helper

2011-05-30T10:19:00.000-07:00

What to buy: Trader Joe's Indian Fare – Punjab Eggplant
Where to buy: Trader Joe's

When I picked up this Trader Joe's box, I assumed it would be more of a side dish. I got that idea based on the box's picture, which is a bit misleading. The photographed dish looks chunky and thick and delicious. It is not chunky, but it is sorta thick, and it is delicious. Very.

Is it the side dish you really want and need? Not really. It's not quite satisfying enough for that. But, because of it's sheer deliciousness, I feel the urge to buy this stuff again and again. ...and cook with it.

Like most of the Indian Fare at TJ's, this stuff is pretty tasty and full of pretty healthy ingredients. My only quibble is the use of sunflower oil, and with 18g of fat per package, that amounts to a little over a tbsp of omega-6 rich oil. Not so good, but since this is going to be spread over a meal for a family, not all that bad. So, should you allow yourself to overlook the evils of yet more omega-6s, read on and remember to minimize omega-6s (soybean oil, corn oil, etc.) as much as possible, because it's everywhere.

Punjab helper

Most of us remember the nastiness of Hamburger Helpers, and while certainly easy, they are also decidedly nasty and unhealthy, too. The beauty of this Trader Joe's boxed food is that it can take a pound of ground beef, lamb, turkey, chicken, or even cauliflower, and make dinner easy and delicious.

Choose your own adventure

In a skillet with a cover, brown your chosen meat, and drain it. Vegetarians and those who just want eggs instead of meat tonight should skip this step and look for the egg option, below.
Chop up enough cauliflower, carrots, peppers, etc for the family. Cut them into bite sized pieces for ease of eatage.
If desired, cut some peeled potatoes into bite sized chunks or cubes.
Add your chopped veggies (and potatoes) to the pan.. Add the Punjab Eggplant and stir to coat. Cover and simmer until the veggies are tender. 10-20 minutes.
If you didn't use potatoes, you might want to serve over rice. ...or not.
Eggs. If going the egg route, I recommend topping your finished Punjab helper with some poached or fried eggs, with the yolk still slightly soft and runny.

Note: It's beyond the scope of this article to describe how you might make a layer of egg over the entire dish, then bake it into a delicious casserole, but suffice it to say that it ~~was~~ would be delicious!

Olive guacamole

2011-05-08T00:08:00.001-07:00

What to buy: Olive Tapenade, Avocado
Where to buy: Trader Joes
Why we approve: both avocado and olives are excellent sources of fat and this makes a great side or dip

Trader Joe's olive tepenade is one of my favorite ways to add olives to salads, dressings, omelets, even fish...You don't have to deal with the pit inside the olive, the olive is already cut, and ultimately that saves you time!

Preparation:
To make this simple olive guacamole you need:
1 small avocado
2 tbsp olive tapenade
dash of lime juice (optional)

Core the avocado, mash it with a fork and mix it with the olive tepenade. You may wish to add a dash of lime juice, but that is entirely up to you.

Variations:
This recipe can be used as a side or a dip. Use this olive guacamole to dip veggies, spread in sandwiches or as a nice side to omelets and baked potatoes. You can also pair it with white meats or fish. Make sure you keep your serving sizes reasonable ( one avocado can have as much as 400 calories) if fat loss is your goal.

Pros: it's really easy to make and very very flavorful; offers healthy fats for meals that are lean and keeps you full a long time
Cons: it is quite heavy in calories and you need to watch serving sizes