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Shakeology Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake

Some of my clients really love their shakes, and while I generally recommend whole foods and solid meals over shakes, I do understand that they have their benefits. They are convenient, easy, and can be tasty, filling, and satisfying to many people. Personally, a shake leaves me feeling like I still haven't eaten, so I only use them when I have to.

A good shake is pretty hard to find. You see plenty of protein powders on the market, but the list of bad guys is often much longer than the good guys where the ingredients are concerned. Soy predominates the 'ready to go' shake markets, unfortunately, but Shakeology is different! No soy!

While I'm primarily reviewing the chocolate one, today, know that they also have many other flavors, plus vegan varieties that also do not use soy protein, so kudos to them!

Shakeology Chocolate Meal Replacement Shake

What to get: A box of 24 convenient packets or a tub of 30 servings.

Where to get it: You can order it directly from Team Beachbody.

Why we approve: Gluten free, uses stevia as a sweetener, lots of vitamins, minerals, and 'superfoods.' No soy based protein powders. Delicious!

Nutrition: Calories, 140 per serving (can contains two servings), Total Fat 1g, Sodium 100mg, Carbohydrates 17g, Fiber 3g, Sugars 9g, Protein 17g

Preparation: I used 1 cup of water and 6 ice cubes. That's it. It was thick and rich and delicious. It was similar to a chocolate shake from a drive thru, only more rich and chocolate tasting.

Variations: Toss in a frozen banana or a good amount of coconut milk for more of a meal. I lean more toward adding extra healthy fat, but that's because people don't get enough fat. Add fat.

Chocolate & Tropical Strawberry (not reviewed in detail)

Cons: A little low in calories and very low in fat. It's enough to tide me over, but not a true meal replacement for me unless I have some nuts on the side, or add in something like coconut milk. However, if you eat meals or snacks every 2-3 hours then this could be perfect, as this is just enough to tide one over. A little gritty, but not too bad. Expensive, but if you truly replace a meal, particularly an unhealthy meal, it may be worth it for you for the convenience. '70 Healthy Ingredients' can make it hard if you find the culprit if you are sensitive to one or more of the ingredients. That doesn't make it bad bad, but it's something to keep in mind.

Pros:  The perfect 'tide me over' size snack. It says it contains over 70 Healthy Ingredients, so if you're looking for anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, and 'superfoods,' this is one stop shopping. The chocolate shake was thick and rich and delicious. It was similar to a dark chocolate shake from a drive thru. Gluten free. Vegan varieties are available, and from what I saw, they use primarily rice protein, which is preferable to soy. Convenient. Even drinkable with water and a shaker bottle only. Delicious.

Stagg Vegetable Garden Four Bean Chili

No matter how hard you look, a decent canned chili is hard to find. They might taste great, but check the labels, as they tend to filled with things you don't want to eat! 

I looked long and hard at the supermarket until I found a can of chili that met MealSurvivor standards. Actually, I found two, but one tasted terrible!

This one tastes good and has decent ingredients, but don't make the mistake of thinking that other Stagg's are similar in quality. Not so, as most cans of Stagg had soy and/or soybean oil, plus other things that make me shudder when I say them. ;)

Stagg Vegetable Garden Four Bean Chili

Stagg Vegetable Garden Four Bean Chili

What to get: A can of Stagg Vegetable Garden Four Bean Chili

Where to get it: Most supermarkets (I get this at Pavilions or Vons).

Why we approve: Chili is filling, and a meal in itself. Few questionable ingredients (Natural Butter Flavor?).

Ingredients: Water, Tomatoes, Beans, Black Beans, Kidney Beans, Corn, Tomato Paste, White Beans, Chili Seasoning (spices. Paprika. Sugar. Salt. Flavoring), Dehydrated Onions, Dehydrated Carrots, Modified Cornstarch, Jalapefio Peppers (contains Salt, Vinegar), Cornmeal, Salt, Onion Powder, Dehydrated Bell Peppers, Dehydrated Tomatoes, Spices, Garuc Powder, Natural Butter Flavor.

Nutrition: Calories, 200 per serving (can contains two servings), Total Fat 1.1g, Sodium 890mg, Carbohydrates 37.0g, Fiber 8.1g, Sugars 8.9g, Protein 10.0g

Preparation: It's a can of chili. Open it and heat it. I eat big meals, so I ate the whole can, plus some cheese.

Variations: Top with cheese, avocado, or sour cream, because it's really low in fat.

Cons: A little salty for some, and too low in fat to be satisfying for some.

Pros: Easy to keep in the office, filling, and contains no animal protein or gluten.

 

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!

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!

Wholly Guacamole at Target

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!

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

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).

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!

Trader Joe's Butternut Squash & Creamed Spinach Gratin

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?

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?

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...

Spinach Scramble with Toast

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

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.