Chicken red medallions with coconut curry sauce

What to get: a box of Chicken red medallions with coconut curry sauce

Where to get it: cooler section at Trader Joe's

Why we approve: this dish is simple yet full of flavor. 22 grams of protein per serving, not too bad on the carbs (18 grams total). By the way package suggests 4 servings and that's wishful thinking as it's exactly two (unless you are a very tiny human, which we are not). The chicken is very well cooked and the sauce is excellent.


                                              

Preparation: The package suggests you microwave of warm up in hot water. We did the latter. Once the pouch is out it's really easy to heat it up. Just place in boiling water for a few minutes.

                                                  

Variations: You could potentially eat this cold if you were in a hurry. The next time we buy this item we will probably add extra chicken strips to it. You can also serve over rice noodles or rice if your diet permits. We enjoyed this with a giant green salad and steamed baby green peas.

                                                

Pros: no cooking, good amount of protein, no nasty ingredients.

Cons: not enough chicken in our opinion, and maybe a bit high on sugar for a main dish

Wild Planet Canned Tuna

What to get: many cans of tuna, Wild Planet

Where to get it: Pavilions,healthfood stores, online

Why we approve: tuna is a satisfying and rich source of protein. This little can is 5 oz and packs around 30 grams for hardly 200 calories. Which means your fat loss diet will love it. Which means you can have it often. It's not fishy. It's sustainably caught. The can is BPA free. There is no extra oil or extra water in it. It packs omega 3s. Best of all - it's not fishy. The same company makes amazing sardines, however, they ARE fishy (well, they are sardines). Another thing about those sardines - you can get them for about 3 dollars. Same sardines at healthfood store - 8 dollars. Just saying. Check prices online before you put a can of golden anything in your basket. For 8 dollars you can have a grassfed steak.

Preparation: open the can and chop on top of salad, or mix with avocado (my favorite way).

Variations: In most grab and go scenarios, you will need to eat this fast. Squeeze lemon and season with pepper and salt, spread on seaweed, enjoy in salad, or if you eat wraps and sandwiches, use that as a filling. If you have more time, you can make tuna cakes or casseroles. It's that awesome.

Pros: no cooking, tons of protein, delicious.

Cons: you don't like fish? You are afraid of too much mercury?

Enjoy and let us know what you think on Facebook!

Rosemary ham

What to get: Trader Joe's Rosemary Ham
Where to get it: Trader Joes cold section

Most supermarkets have a deli section, where you can grab some cold cuts if on the go.It's fast, delicious and convenient and as close to packing some meat from home as it gets.

Why we approve: it's convenient, ready to eat and high in protein. Other than ''natural flavor'', which we will never be able to determine the nature of, it is pretty clean of bad guys and it's an acceptable snack. The rosemary really gives it a nice touch!

Preparation: just open the packet and enjoy

Variations: If you are low carbing, serve it with some avocado and nuts of cheese for extra calories, and maybe some veggies on the side. Otherwise, you can roll it up in a tortilla wrap or use it in a sandwich. I have shown my low carb version above. That ham would be pretty good in an omelet, too!

Pros: easy to grab and eat right out of the bag when in a hurry

Cons: as usual, there is natural flavor in it (^&^%%#!!)

 

Bacon wrapped scallops from Target

What to get: a box (or more) or Archer Farms bacon wrapped scallops
Where to get it: Target frozen food section

Why we approve: it's a good source of protein and fats, and the ingredients are ok. All the nitrates you see are coming from the bacon and if you have been keeping up with recent studies, you would know they are not a big deal at all. Just make sure you don't eat this every day 3 times a day and you will be fine. Honestly it's very convenient if you want a quick appetizer or even if you want to make this your main protein source for the meal. 250 cals and 14 g protein for one serving or double up for a meal!

Preparation: preheat the oven to 375F.  We transferred the frozen bits to a cast iron pan, but you could do it on a cookie sheet or a foil covered pan (to save time from washing). Cook for 20-25 min or until you see the bacon is golden brown.

Variations: Like I said you can serve these as an appetizer, before your meal, or eat them as a main protein source alongside some salad or soup. They would be amazing with some tomato basil soup and rice crackers on the side (if carbs permit). Another good option would be to combine them with split pea soup (Trader Joe's have an excellent canned version). For the person in a hurry, while they are cooking, you can just toss some salad greens with balsamic dressing and top your salad with the bacon and scallops.

Pros: Good amount of protein, satisfying, great taste. Moderately easy to prepare and great for company.
Cons: Price is around 5$ which is a bit much for the amount of calories, but the quality was good for a frozen product so we are still giving it a positive review!

Cashew Kale Chips - a new snack from Trader Joes

What to get: A bag of Kale chips from the packaged snack isle, close to the toasted seaweed
Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we approve: we must admit veggie chips are a disappointment 99% of the time, but not this time. The recipe kicks ^$$!. This bag gives you two servings of delicious kale and dried veggies, some cashews and no nasty ingredients. There are not too many calories (150) and plenty of satiating fiber.

Preparation: Open the bag and try not to eat the whole thing. Someone with a sense of humor put a zipper on top to keep it fresh assuming the one who tries this stuff actually has self control. It's crunchy, it's delicious and you won't be sealing the bag so find someone to share it with.

Variations: You can eat this as a snack alongside some blander foods like string cheese or some Greek yogurt, or tuna for that matter. Other than eating it straight from the bag, you can use the chips to top some green salad or as a way to top an appetizer, such as goat cheese bites or roasted stuffed mushrooms. As a meal survivor item, I would pair this with a convenient source of protein: cottage cheese, hard boiled egg, fish...


Pros: This snack saves you a lot of time - just imagine cleaning, drying, and roasting the kale chips, let alone coating them in delicious salty-sour nutty mixture like TJ's have done! No way! This is a great way to get dried veggies in and add crunch to your lunch, snack or salad.

Cons: Most people would frown at the price of 3 + dollars since this bag only has 2 servings. May I kindly remind them that buying kale and adding the other ingredients + time would definitely come up to more than 3 dollars. Yet price is a limiting factor when it's only 2 oz of food. Another negative is that it's hard to stop at just one serving ;) No cons indeed.

Let us know what you think and enjoy!

Spinach, poached egg and cheese - 5 minutes to your plate

What to get: a bag of organic spinach, eggs, butter, cheddar cheese
Where to get it: your local supermarket or Trader Joes

5 minutes to a yummy dinner

I love tossing a few fresh ingredients in a pan and getting a delicious dinner in a matter of minutes. Sometimes Roland feels like having some meat, and I prefer to eat a lighter dinner, and last night was one of those nights. This meal also makes great breakfast, or a delicious stuffing for a lunch wrap or breakfast burrito. 

This is a super simple recipe for 1  :) To feed more, simply double, triple, etc, the suggested amounts:

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh spinach
1 tbsp butter
1 egg
1 oz cheddar cheese
pepper to taste

To make, place the leaves with a few tbsp of water in a pan, and let them cook until the leaves have wilted. Add the butter, season with the pepper and stir. Add the cheddar cheese in small pieces, crack the egg on top and cover with a lid. Let it cook until the white has hardened completely.

Move to a plate, let it cool off and enjoy!

Kefir on the go

What to get: a bottle of plain Kefir
Where to get it: your local supermarket or Trader Joe's

This is the Lifeway brand, which has a nice zing to it!

What is it? a yogurt-type drink, result of natural fermentation


Why we approve: Kefir is an ancient fermented drink that provides protein, fats, carbohydrate and a modest amount of calories. One cup has 10-14 grams of protein depending on the brand and the thickness. Another really really cool thing is that due to the activity of the bacteria that turn milk into kefir, most lactose is almost entirely eliminated and it can be consumed even if you don't tolerate dairy very well.

Preparation: this is the ultimate on the go dairy product. Just open the cap, pour in a glass or enjoy directly from the bottle. Why share?

TIP: always buy full fat or reduced fat versions, stay away from non fat / zero fat.

make your own flavors with real ingredients at home, do not fall for the gazillion flavors at the store. get plain and upgrade it yourself.

 Variations:  I like Kefir on its own, but you can enhance the flavor by mixing it with fruit. Blend it with strawberries, blueberries or pomegranate. Yes, you can buy it flavored at the store, BUT that comes at the price of sweeteners and additives. No thank you! For a complete meal on the go you can pair some kefir with a fruit and nut bar, or a handful of nuts.

Trader Joes Kefir is very smooth and good for beginners. It's not too sour

Pros: tastes good, great source of protein, healthy for your digestive and immune system

Cons: can be a bit expensive, and some varieties may be way too sour; for some people just Kefir may not be enough of a meal, unless they combine it with other foods

Enjoy and be healthy!

Steamed lentils from Trader Joe's

What to get: Trader Joe's steamed lentils (salad section)
Where to get it: Trader Joe's

Why we approve: lentils are filling, low in calories, high in protein and fiber and provide a cool plant source of iron. These are very easy to use, because they have already been steamed - that frees you from soaking, boiling, draining, etc. By all means feel free to do that when you are not in meal survivor mode, but when in a hurry these are a life savior.

Preparation: You can put these in a salad, in a dip, a soup, a stew, or make lentil burgers. Open the packet, stir and use as you like. I prepared two salads in a pinch. It's good to combine lentils with tomato or lemon juice, as that helps absorb the iron, so a meal with tomatoes is always great.

Tomato and feta cheese salad: mix lentils with crumbled feta, a chopped tomato, some fresh mint, a dash of ground cumin and olive oil. Stir well and enjoy cold. 

Sweet corn and tomato salad: mix lentils, cooked corn, chopped tomato, season with sea salt and black pepper, drizzle olive oil and enjoy!

Variations:You can use lentils in hummus instead of chickpeas or serve them alongside lamb, instead of beans in a burrito or in a soup. For the purpose of fat loss and maintenance, toss them in salads or eat when in a rush. Our friends Jo and Ashley make a really cool dip mixing the lentils, a container of fresh salsa and some feta cheese - you can get it all at Trader Joes and it makes a great dip for a party!

Pros: We love the taste and texture and they are very very convenient. Good source of protein and fiber! Great satiety!

Cons: It is still a mystery what natural flavor means. We will never find out. As with all prepackaged foods, stick to the best you can find and always make an effort to eat home meals cooked from scratch to compensate for those times when you have to be a meal survivor! 

Enjoy these! They rock!

Voskos Greek Yogurt + a strawberry parfait idea

What to get: a small box of Voskos plain greek yogurt, strawberries, stevia and vanilla from your pantry
Where to get it: your local supermarket chain

Why we approve: A serving of this yogurt provides a whooping 23 grams of protein. This particular one was low -fat, but feel free to go for a full fat version. The portion is self limiting. That means no going back to the tub to get second helpings and sabotage yourself. The ingredients are natural and there are no nasty thickeners and fillers.

Preparation: You can eat Greek yogurt on its own, with a handful of nuts or fruit, or use it to make dessert like I did. To make strawberry parfait, mix the yogurt with a few drops of vanilla extract and a small pinch of stevia. Beat it well until it mixes thoroughly. Top with strawberries.

Variations:You can use Greek yogurt to substitute for sour cream in your regular recipes, or you can use it to dip veggies and fruit. I sometimes throw it in a blender with some fruit and spices and make a smooth dessert. Peaches, bananas, pineapple, and berries, all work very very well!

Pros: This particular kind of Greek yogurt is very smooth and it's not bitter or tart like other varieties.

Cons: It can be more expensive than making your own at home. To do that, just place regular plain yogurt in a cheese cloth and let it strain for a few hours. 

 

Trader Joe's Spinach Mushroom & Cheese QUICHE

What to get:Spinach Mushroom & Cheese QUICHE
Where to get it: Trader Joe's frozen food section

 

Why we approve: A serving provides 20 grams of protein and 480 calories - this is a very OK meal if you are craving quiche. The portion is self limiting. That means no going back to the pan to get second helpings and sabotage yourself. The ingredients are ok and any suspicious items like white flour (we usually frown upon it and sunflower oil (also frowned upon) are in small amounts. If you eat this once a week you are more than fine.

Preparation: Open the package. Keep the quiche in the paper tray. Preheat the oven to 400F and cook for 20 minutes. Read package for microwave instructions. 

Variations: I enjoyed this with an arugula salad. If you need more protein, feel free to melt a bit more cheese on top or to even crack an egg and bake it on top. Serve alongside a salad or a cup of vegetable soup for a complete meal.

Pros: It's self limiting in serving size, it's also crazy delicious.

 

Cons: It does have 38 grams of carbs which makes it ok for an active day, but bad if you are too sedentary. Also, it's not big at all - we have pictured it next to a kindle to kind of give you an idea.

Enjoy! 

Light string cheese

What to get: a package of light mozzarella string cheese
Where to get it: your local supermarket; we get ours at Target (Market Pantry) or Safeway

Why we approve: String cheese is just cheese packaged in a way you can take it with you where you go. It's the ultimate way to confront the drive through! At 8 grams of protein per serving it's a blessing for the active and busy person. The light version is a great choice if you are dieting, but please feel free to go full fat if you can allow the extra calories.

Preparation: Just tear open a packet and take out the string cheese. That's all.

Variations: You can have these as your main protein source, choosing 3-4 or 5 with lunch, or use them as a snack eating 1 or 2. Add them to 1-2 oz of nuts, or have them alongside a banana to build a complete meal. Here are our favorite combinations: string cheeese + walnuts + raisins; string cheese + almonds + banana, string cheese + 1/2 avocado + bell pepper; string cheese + apple.

Pros: Really, the only reason you want this is convenience and portability and it has both!

Cons: It is wrapped in plastic wrap and we want to minimize our exposure to wrapped packaged products. As with other meal survivor items, this is your alternative when you have no time at all. There are brands like THIS ONE, who claim that their string cheese is packaged in a BPA free wrap.

Enjoy!

Bumble Bee Premium Wild Pink Salmon Packets

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

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. 

Bar Harbor Clam Chowder from World Market

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!

Cottage cheese pesto dip

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

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

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

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!