May 29, 2007
· Filed under 3 Stars, Drink Review
Nestle “Carb Select” Fat Free w/Calcium Hot Chocolate
3 Stars
Nutrition facts for one packet of hot chocolate(25 Calories, 0 g Fat; <1 g Fiber; 5 g Carbohydrates)
Alrighty, so I know that the last days of May are kind of a strange time to be enjoying a hot chocolate, especially considering I live in Houston, Texas, but what can I say, I had a craving! So I swung by my local Kroger and picked myself up the lowest calorie/carb and fat Hot Chocolate that I could find- and boy did I get what I ordered.
This package does in fact taste like Hot Chocolate, don’t get me wrong- and it actually tasted great at first. While this may be due to the fact that I was really craving hot chocolate at first I enjoyed it. Then the headache came, which for me is really unusual, I hardly ever get headaches ( knock on wood).
So to make a long story short I could not finish the beverage and had a friend take a sip, and apparently that was explanation enough for her as to why I had a headache! So I am torn, which is strange, because some might even say it made me sick- but I’m not that dramatic. I’m going to have to try it again tomorrow and update the post after I have gotten over the initial craving.
Here is what some other sites have said about the product:
- The Lunch Ladies from KVUE in Austin, Texas did not seem to enjoy the product and only gave it two lunch bags out of five.
- Hungry Girl recommended the Nestle “Carb Select” Hot Chocolate with mini marshmallows ( a slight upgrade from my plan “Carb Select”, but then those would have to be some pretty amazing marshmallows..)
So overall I wasn’t very impressed, for obvious reasons, and I am starting to think that maybe Hot Chocolate and Diet might just be an oxymoron.. I mean it is powder chocolate!
May 26, 2007
· Filed under 5 Stars, Food Review, Quaker
P.B. & Chocolate Chip Rice Cakes
5 Stars
Nutrition facts for one rice cake (60 calories, 1 g fat,12 g carbohydrates, 1.0 g protein)
Aww Quaker, we certainly do have quite a love affair. Almost every morning during the week I consume your various oatmeal products. Only until recently though did I realize just how much you and I belonged together.
Today I had a Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Rice Cake ( yea I know long name, I think you could burn the calories in one of these just saying that ten times fast, jk : ) It was delicious! Although I should preface all of this with- I love rice cakes. If you don’t, I am sure you will find some low cal treat you love, but I love rice cakes. If you have never tried rice cakes- the you should, and if you haven’t tried them recently then you should try again… you never know.
The best part about this rice-y treat is that it combines two of my greatest and most dangerous loves: peanut butter and chocolate. There are few treats that I can have which satisfy both desires while maintaining my waistline but I think this Quaker treat will do the trick.
An even better way to enjoy this rice cake treat is to put peanut butter on top of it, especially that chunky peanut butter.. sooo good.
They are so easy to transport to. After I bought the pack at the grocery store the next morning I stuck one in with my oatmeal packet on the way to work in a little plastic baggie. Working at a bagel shop it is always nice to have a low carb and low cal alternative constantly on hand.
This is so yummy though, you should definitely give it a try! There are lots of other flavors to. I think we have all proubably had the apple cinnamon, but with the new “Quakes” movement ( another yummy Quaker product) I think it is time to give Quaker Rice Cakes another chance : )
May 26, 2007
· Filed under 4 Stars, Chicken, Food Review
Flat Out! Light Wraps-Original
4 Stars
Nutrition facts for one light wrap (90 Calories, 2.5 g fat, 16g carbohydrates, 9 g fiber, 9 g protein)
Tortillas, to me, really are the only sane breading product. I have always despised sliced bread and its ridiculous serving information produced for- ONE SLICE of bread! Who eats just one slice of bread?!? Tortillas on the other hand are what they are- a serving of bread, and their serving size reflects that. A tortilla wrapper would never say- serving size, half of a tortilla!
ANYWAY, I don’t know if I have mentioned it before on the blog but I happen to work at a sandwich shop and so I have had and made many a sandwich wrap. Today for dinner I tried the Flat Out wraps with delicious results!
The Flat Out! Tortillas are ingenious in their design. Of course it is wonderful that they are low- carb and the light version I had was very filling as well as delicious. Their “flat out” design is what I am really attracted to though as an on the go student. Working at the sandwich shop wrapping up a sandwich, I have come to acknowledge, is a delicate art form. Completed correctly a delicious sandwich results, however produced incorrectly a sloppy and uneven mess is often the product. The Flat Out oblique shape makes wrapping much easier than the other typical 12″ tortillas.
*Tip: Fold in the sides first! That’s how you create those handy pockets! After folding the sides in slightly then roll the tortilla up.
I made a Southwestern-y Chicken wrap for dinner with the Flat Out Wrap and it was so easy! You’d be shocked how many great leftovers can be wrapped up in one of these tortillas! Last night my family and I had Knorr Sides Southwestern Plus ( which was very yummy) and grilled chicken with veggies. So tonight I took some of the rice a piece of the chicken tenderloin torn up and some swiss cheese popped it int he middle of the tortilla placed it on a plate and popped the whole thing in the microwave for thirty seconds. The end result- a yummy cheesy chicken and rice wrap. A great way to get rid of those random left overs huh? : )
Here is what some other reviewers have thought of the wraps:
- I.Ate.A.Pie.Net reviewed the multi-grain variety of the Flat Out wraps. This review not only gives a positive review of the multi grain variety but also has lots of recipe ideas.
- Low Carb Friends has a great thread going on their discussion board about the wraps and different recipes for using them, as well as different stores where they can be found ( I found mine in my Walmart Supercenter near the deli.)
I really enjoyed my sandwich and I hope that you try and the wraps and invent a fun wrap from leftovers in your fridge. I gave this product four stars because I thought the taste of the bread alone was kind of bland. Then again I did try the light version. Topped with my chicken, rice, and cheese mixture the combo was great!
May 21, 2007
· Filed under 5 Stars, Food Review, Icecream
The Low Fat Lowdown on Yummy Ice cream
Hey guys, I just got my Self magazine for June in the mail today, and you should pick it up : ) Outside of their usual interesting tidbits about diet and health they also had a section reviewing a great love of mine, ice cream. Personally, I am a big fan of Bluebell’s ‘Birthday Cake’ which packs in 190 calories and 9 grams of fat per serving, but hey, as long as it is ice cream! Right?
According to the article in ‘Self’ their staff tested 24 different flavors ( wouldn’t you love to be paid to do that for a living?)! And their results were ( drum roll please)…
- Best Caramel: Breyers Double Churn Free Caramel Swirl (100 calories 0 g fat)
- Best Vanilla: Friendly’s Smooth Churned Light Vanilla Ice Cream ( 100 calories, 3.5 g fat)
- Best Chocolate: Friendly’s Smooth Churned Light Forbidden Chocolate Ice Cream ( 110 calories, 3.5 g fat)
- Best Mint: Dreyer’s/Edy’s Slow Churned Light Mint Chocolate Chip( 120 calories, 4.5 g fat)
- Best Peanut Butter: Dreyer’s/Edy’s Slow Churned Light Peanut Butter Cup ( 130 calories, 6g fat)
- Best Coffee: Starbuck’s Low fat Latte Ice Cream (170 calories, 3 g fat)
I haven’t tried any of these but I am really excited to! I’ll probably start with the peanut butter. If anyone has tried one of these any loved it or hated, let me know : )
May 18, 2007
· Filed under 3 Stars, Drink Review, Soda
Diet Cherry Vanilla Coke
3 Stars
In honor of Coca Cola I have written the following ode of my love:
Oh Coke/how I adore thee/you quench my thirst/ and you are oh so calorie free…
I purchased my first box of Diet Cherry Vanilla Coke because there was a sale and because it sounds to me like an unstoppable trio- Cherry, Vanilla, and Diet Coke!
Here’s the thing- maybe this is just the box I purchased but this Coke variety seems to go flat and tasteless for me in no time at all, which I am not a very big fan of. I have a tiny little bladder and therefore it takes me a while to drink a whole can of Coke. Leave a comment though if you have purchased the beverage with better results : )
Otherwise though this is a delicious beverage if you are a fan of the Cherry Coke and/or the Vanilla Coke varieties. ( Although I’d say it is probably more important that you are a fan of the Vanilla Coke because that is the overwhelming taste).
And hey, this would also make an excellent root beer floaty beverage, minus the root beer of course, but with a fun diner twist. Check out the Self Magazine post on low fat/low cal ice cream for some healthy alternatives to the traditional root beer float : )
May 17, 2007
· Filed under 3 Stars, Chicken, Food Review, Frozen Dinner, Lean Cuisine
Lean Cuisine Roasted Garlic Chicken
3 Stars
Nutrition facts for this Lean Cuisine( 180 calories, 7g fat, 9g carbohydrates, 21 g protein)
I was a little disappointed with this Lean Cuisine Meal. Although the meal did receive three out of five stars that it did was chiefly based on the taste of the food, which in all actuality wasn’t that poor. My stars are in praise of the food but in disappointment regarding the Lean Cuisine empire. Because unfortunately once I started tasting this wonderful meal- it it was gone : (
I think compared to the other Lean Cuisine’s that I have eaten in my life this one had a very tiny serving size. There were four little mini pieces of chicken and a shallow side of creamy spinach.
The even more disappointing fact was that while there wasn’t very much food in the Lean Cuisine meal, the taste of the food that I did get was great! I really enjoyed the chicken and the spinach portions of the meal. It wasn’t something I would ever have gotten at a restaurant or a fast food place. Personally, this is most of the reason why I eat Lean Cuisine etc. anyway. They are meals that i would not normally trust as being “lean” anywhere else. Because Roasted Garlic Chicken and creamy Spinach anywhere else, jeepers, holy calories…
In this particular Lean Cuisine though there seemed to be more sauce in the garlic chicken side of the container than chicken. My only hope is that this large amount of sauce also contributed to a large amount of the calories in the dish- in which case I guess this wasn’t all that bad of a deal. Not only was it low in calorie but since eating plain garlic cause by itself is nauseating maybe I had an even lower calorie dinner than I thought.
Here is what some other people have said about this meal:
- If a garlicky chicken-y dish is what you are craving Heat.Eat.Review did a review of the Lean Cuisine Roasted Garlic Chicken Pizza and gave it 4/5 stars
In the end I’d say three stars is about all I can give this meal- and actually I feel pretty generous. Perhaps because there are so few calories in this meal Lean Cuisine could consider uping the portion amounts! I know that these meals are supposed to be, well, lean, but I think a 180 calorie “meal” is a bit more of a snack.
May 15, 2007
· Filed under 5 Stars, Breakfast, Food Review, Oatmeal, Quaker
Quaker Weight Control Oatmeal
5 Stars
Maple and Brown Sugar facts may vary between the varieties( 160 calories, 3 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 29 g carbohydrates,6 g fiber, 7 g protein)
Ah, mid meal snacking. Is it just me or do those long hours between meals just seem far to long sometimes? And then of course somewhere in there the obsessive thoughts about cookies and other yummy treats begins and the next thing you know… it starts, uncontrollable consumption of foods that when properly fed you would never consider eating.
Well ( keyboard drum roll please) this oatmeal has been my ticket to a snacking free morning. As a college student it’s pretty vital that my stomach grumblings do not interrupt my eleven o clock class. But this line of oatmeal is sooo filling. I like that I get twice the amount of oatmeal in one of the Weight Control packets and that it doesn’t have twice the calories/fat/or carbs. It’s also extra low in sugar. The box says 1 gram but then it has an asterisk next to it which states that the 1 g is actually a non nutritive sweetener. This is a huge plus for me because now my mom who has diabetes can eat the yummy-ness with me, although I can understand why for some it might be a minus.
My favorite flavor is banana bread and then cinnamon. I haven’t tried the maple brown sugar yet but I am sure it is just as yummy as the rest.
Here’s what some other reviews of the product:
- At I.Ate.A.Pie.net they seem pretty impressed with the product quality and gave it all five of their mouth marks, although they do voice some criticism towards the weight loss claims located on the product, or the lack there of.
- Hungry Girl reviewed the Weight Control Oatmeal as well as some other oatmeal varieties on her site.
- Diet-Blog has an interesting perspective on this line of oatmeal and ‘weight control’ foods in general.
May 12, 2007
· Filed under 5 Stars, Fast Food, Food Review, McDonald's
McDonald’s Southwest Salad
5 Stars
(With grilled chicken: 320 calories, 9 g fat,3 g sat. fat, 30 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 30 g protein)
(With crispy chicken: 400 calories, 16 g fat,4 g sat. fat, 41 g carbohydrates, 7 g fiber, 25 g protein)
According to the WWatchers formula this salad is worth exactly 5.75 points.
Wow I have to say- This salad completely rocked my McDonald’s world! I have always hated it when my parents decided to ” go out” only to end up eating at a place like this- you know your typical waaay calorie overloaded fast food joint, where even the salads aren’t “safe”. BUT, I take it all back now and I have a feeling trips will be much more pleasant, because the Southwest Salad has opened my eyes to the beauty of fast food.
I bought the grilled chicken version of the Southwest salad at McDonald’s. Unfortunately, or fortunately, and didn’t even need to try the salad dressing (but I hear from others that it is very good, it is made by Newman’s Own)! There were so many flavors already in the salad that I didn’t need the dressing at all, and the lime was a nice flavor touch too! A great feature of this salad is that there is just so much to it. Other salads from fast food joints that I have tried had TONS of lettuce and then a tiny little serving of extra stuff, this salad has a nice balance between lettuce and the sides.
Of course just because this salad was delicious and not that bad doesn’t mean that all fast food salads are safe- I’d definitely do some serious research before jumping off into the fast food salad category.
Here are some other sites that have looked at this very popular salad:
Southwest Salad Challenge This article at Associated Content compares the Southwest Salads from Arby’s to those at McDonald’s.
Diet Detective The Diet Detective names the McDonald’s Southwest a “Calorie Bargain” and reviews the taste and cost.
I’d definitely recommend this yummy and filling salad to others, and now that I’ve tried it, McDonald’s isn’t that daunting of a prospect! Although for some the price is a con, I can certainly understand and felt myself cringe when faced with the choice to buy a cheap burger or an almost five dollar salad… Ultimately, I know a lot of people are trying this salad though, and because it is a fast food joint quality can vary from place to place- so leave a comment and let me know what you thought of it- yea or nay?
Since I ate the salad and loved it my mom has also tried it. While she normally would order a quarter pounder meal with fries ever since trying the salad she has been hooked. I’m excited for McDonald’s and that this salad is getting so much press and doing so well, because hopefully it means changes for fast food in the future : ) We can dream right?
May 11, 2007
· Filed under 4 Stars, Breakfast, Cereal, Food Review
Kashi Honey Oat Cereal
4 Stars
(110 calories, 1.5 g fat,0g sat. fat, 25 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 4 g protein)
Wow, you want to talk about an impulse buy! I bought a serving of this cereal whilst trying desperately to get rid of the last of my dining bucks at Texas Tech before summer vacation. You have no idea how hard it is to spend six dollars at the school store when all you really want is to go home and enjoy the summer!
But boy am I glad I did make the stop and picked up some of this yummy stuff. I love Cheerios so I knew any Cheerio-ish resembling cereal would rock my world. I ate it with a banana, because well who wouldn’t?
This particular Kashi cereal is part of their Heart to Heart line of cereals- with other heart healthy benefits, it also lowers cholesterol. Major props to the guy/gal who thought up the heart shaped cereal motif. Very clever.
I don’t normally eat cereal like this for breakfast, I have always found oatmeal to be way more filling for longer during the day. But I have to be honest, I had this for breakfast today and Kashi Honey oat Cereal is now officially beating the oatmeal hunger record. It’s about half an hour after when I typically start getting restless for lunch- so way to go Kashi : )
May 10, 2007
· Filed under 3 Stars, Chicken, Food Review, Frozen Dinner, Lean Cuisine
Lean Cuisine Chicken Enchilada Suiza
3 Stars
(270 calories, 4.5 g of fat, 47 g carbohydrates, 13 g fiber)
Okay, so being a Midwestern girl( I’m originally from Chicago, Illinois although I live in Houston, Texas now) I admittedly do not have that high of standards as far as my Mexican food is concerned. But I honestly liked this enchilada meal!
The meal overall was very filling and tasty, although it was a little spicy. I’d definitely recommend having a beverage near by during consumption : )
Oh, and as unique as that sauce may be ( it comes with a sour cream sauce) don’t eat it all in one bite! You’ll need the majority of the sauce for the rest of the enchilada. Unfortunatly without it, the enchilada has no taste- at all ( this is the majority of the reason why the meal reason only three stars although it was yummy, who can enjoy a meal if the only really great part is the sauce?)
I did pick up a tip online before consuming- apparently this dish is best when heated a little longer than stated on the Lean Cuisine box- I heated mine for the full ten minutes. I took it out after eight, and as expected the sauce still looked a little watery.
If your standards are high for enchiladas than this may not satisfy you but for a low bar girl with a hankering for spicy food this definitely fit the bill.
Here’s what Abi over at Heat.Eat.Review had to say about this meal. It doesn’t seem like their that big of a fan but the commentator seemed to like it as much as I do- satisfied while accepting its faults. Hey who’s perfect?
