Curry Classics Chicken Biryani

August 25, 2006 | Reviewer: Abi

When they say ‘garnished’, they mean it. This meal contained all of three strips of onion. At first I was quite disappointed in this lack, then I realized that it is rather difficult to eat long strands of microwaved onion.

Price: $3.49
Serving: 1 package, 10 oz.
Calories: 480
Fat: 23%, 15g
Sodium: 34%, 810mg
Carbs: 17%, 51g
Fiber: 15%, 4mg
Protein: 34g

Curry Classics says: Spiced boneless chicken prepared with basmati rice and garnished with sauteed onions.

Abi says: When they say ‘garnished’, they mean it. This meal contained all of three strips of onion. At first I was quite disappointed in this lack, then I realized that it is rather difficult to eat long strands of microwaved onion. I would enjoy large chunks of sweet onion, preferably Walla Wallas or 1015’s. I used to drive on 1015 to get to my job as a teacher. It was a very nice road, and yes, they grew onions there. But this review isn’t about the onion, it is about Curry Classics’ Chicken Biryani. I’ve never had the meal in a restaurant or at home, so I’m not sure if I should be comparing it to something grander and much more enjoyable. Not to say this meal wasn’t enjoyable. It was delicious. Three hours later and I am still full. Ok, so I had a piece of naan with my meal. But still, it is quite filling.

Reading a wikipedia article on biryani has taught me that it is a quite popular dish. I can certainly see why. Who wouldn’t love some chicken marinated in yogurt and spices and coconut milk then mixed with some other spices and basmati rice? Wow.

I now have a new mission in life: find some biryani in DC.

Update: I found some Biryani at Indique. While the Indique Biryani was scads better than the Curry Classics offering, I realized that Curry Classics has a trustworthy product in freezers across DC. Sure, their Chicken Biryani doesn’t contain sweet golden raisins or crunchy sliced almonds, but it does deliver on the most important parts of a good biryani: well-marinated, well-seasoned chicken, and fragrant, flavorful rice. I’ll definitely be purchasing this meal again.

Filed Under Chicken, Curry Classics Reviews, Four Stars, Tandoor Chef Reviews | 5 Comments

Stouffer’s Vegetable Lasagna

August 23, 2006 | Reviewer: Heather

Let’s just say that if the most impressive thing a company has to tout about a product is “No Preservatives,” you should know that you’re not about to eat the most healthful of meals.

Stouffer's Vegetable Lasagna

Price: $2.00
Serving: 1 package, Size: 10.5 oz
Calories: 390
Fat: 27%,18 g
Sodium: 30%, 730 mg
Protein:17g
Carbs: 13%, 40g
Fiber: 16%, 4g

Stouffer’s says: Lasagna layered with a colorful medley of carrots, spinach, broccoli and onions with a parmesan and romano cheese sauce.

Heather says: I’m a little shocked at myself for having bought this particular entree, and even more so that I had the gall to review it here. And I have but one defense for my non-healthful choice: comfort food. Between grad school and job interviews, my life has been a perfect storm of anxiety lately. I also woke up a good hour late for work, and - frankly - it looked like the most satisfying thing that could be procured from my kitchen in the ten seconds I spent pondering lunch as I headed out the door.

I used to eat this fattening little thing all the time back in my nonprofit days. I loved it for many reasons, not the least of which is the consistency with which it pleased me. It also reminded me of my favorite Marriott Hotel veggie lasagna. I traveled all over the country for the above mentioned non-profit job, but I swear that the white-sauce veggie lasagna served by Marriotts the world over tasted consistently delicious every time. In fact, it tasted very much like this thing it just took me ten minutes of monopolizing the office microwave to heat up.

I should digress to mention the cover of the box. Let’s just say that if the most impressive thing a company has to tout about a product is “No Preservatives,” you should know that you’re not about to eat the most healthful of meals. However, the back of the box did helpfully inform me that this meal counted as vegetable serving = 1. Unfortunately, what it did not say was that serving of animal fat = too friggin’ much.

In its defense, this meal did provide 40% of my daily Vitamin A allowance, 35% of my daily calcium allowance, and 100% of my daily cheesy deliciousness allowance. In my eyes, it is redeemed.

Filed Under Four Stars, Pasta, Stouffer's Frozen Meal Reviews | 14 Comments

Kashi Week

August 22, 2006 | Reviewer: Abi

Kashi Week, August 28-September 1, 2006

Hello fellow frozen food aficionados! We’re kicking off September with a week of Kashi reviews! Just kidding, we’re actually kicking off the last week of August with the reviews. Starting August 28th we’ll be featuring five Kashi meals, a new one each day!. Nicole’s already given Kashi’s Southwest Style Chicken a try, now be prepared for five more reviews! We’ll be heating, eating, and reviewing:

Sweet and Sour Chicken
Chicken Pasta Pomodoro
Black Bean Mango (for all of you vegans out there)
Lime Cilantro Shrimp, and
Lemon Rosemary Chicken

A big thank-you to the folks at Kashi for sending us the meals. Yes, we got free meals! Plus, they came with dry ice, which endlessly fascinated Nicole (or so I was told, I was on vacation). I guess she spent the afternoon pretending to be a fog machine.

While HeatEatReview accepts free meals, we do not give out stars like they’re candy. Our reviews are solely the opinions of individual reviewers and in no way influenced by any person or organization providing said meals. We like free things, but we’re not willing to give up our independence!

Finally, I’d like to give an enormous thank-you to all of HeatEatReview’s readers. We appreciate your comments, suggestions, and corrections. It is nice to know that we’re helping others find delicious microwaved meals and avoid awful ones.

Sincerely,
Abi Jones
Editor, HeatEatReview.com

Filed Under Kashi Frozen Meal Reviews | 3 Comments

Boston Market Lasagna with Meat Sauce

August 21, 2006 | Reviewer: Nicole

Oh Glorious Fat and Sodium! Nicole dives into a Boston Market Lasagna with Meat Sauce while the rest of us wonder why she hasn’t yet had a heart attack.

Boston Market Lasagna with Meat Sauce

Price: $1.72 (sale, of course)
Serving: 1 package, 12.5 oz.
Calories: 500
Fat: 35%, 23g
Sodium: 54%, 1290mg
Protein: 22g
Carbs: 16%, 49g
Fiber: 17%, 4g

Boston Market says: We hand place fresh-made lasagna noodles into each tray, adding a meaty sauce along with real Ricotta, Mozzarella, Parmesan, & Romano Cheeses. A bit of smoked Provolone cheese is added for a special twist. An Italian favorite with a Boston Market® touch.

Nicole says: I am accustomed to insubstantial microwavable lasagna - a few pasta sheets, a bit of cheese, a few chucks of meat if you’re lucky, all floating in a pool of bland tomato sauce. Based on those previous experiences, I was prepared with both a fork and spoon to eat this meal. Shockingly, this lasagna is solid and thick enough that a knife would have been a better idea.

And the taste - oh glorious fat and sodium! Oh, my lovely cheese. As you all know, lasagna is Italian for “lots of cheese,” and Boston Market doesn’t skimp - a covering layer of mozzarella melted atop my lasagna, and a generous layer of ricotta et al between the four sheets of pasta. The meat chunks in the sauce are large, and though not particularly lean - a bit chewy even - and they are flavorful. The sauce is good and doesn’t interrupt the pleasure of lasagna consumption with sugaryness.

Yum, cheese…. yum, meat… yum, cheese… this meal is actually filling. And though I’m a little girl, I have a big appetite.

(I’d like to verify that yes, Nicole is rather petite. She is also a hungry person and she enjoys large meals. She stays small by expending energy via tottering around on too-high heels. -Ed.)

Suffice to say that I’m returning to Giant Foods ASAP to invest more money in this tasty, super cheap meal. And 500 calories! That’s an entire 27.4% of the calories yours truly is supposed to take in daily, all in one meal!

Cooking Note: The box recommended a cooking time of 5 minutes and 30 seconds. This produced a hot meal with some burning and/or hardening along one edge of the lasagna.

Filed Under Beef, Boston Market Reviews, Five Stars, Pasta, Pork | 6 Comments