Heat Eat Review

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New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin. ~Mark Twain

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Lean Cuisine Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry

August 18, 2006 | Reviewer: Abi

I like my meats to have a consistency that says “this came from an animal,” except of course when that meat is a hot dog. In the case of a hot dog I prefer a startlingly smooth texture not normally seen in the meat world.

Price: $2.00
Serving: 1 tray, 10 oz.
Calories: 300
Fat: 7%, 4.5g
Sodium: 29%, 690mg
Carbs: 17%, 49g
Fiber: 12%, 3g
Protein: 17g
WW Points: 6 Points
Diet Exchanges: 1 1/2 Lean Meat, 2 1/2 Starch, 1 Vegetable

Lean Cuisine says: Roasted chicken breast topped with water chestnuts, carrots and red bell peppers in slightly sweet teriyaki sauce accented with pineapple. Vermicelli pasta served on the side.

Abi says: I like my meats to have a consistency that says “this came from an animal,” except of course when that meat is a hot dog. In the case of a hot dog I prefer a startlingly smooth texture not normally seen in the meat world. It is with that premise in mind that I begin my bashing of Lean Cuisine’s Chicken Teriyaki Stir Fry.

If you’re standing in the frozen food aisle of your local grocery store and mulling over your teriyaki choices, I have this tip for you: choose the Lean Cuisine bowl. There was something in that bowl’s sauce that had my licking my chops. This meal, which should have been the tray equivalent, was bland in the sauce arena AND contained mushy chicken. I just don’t get it, why would someone say ‘ooooh, let’s give those folks in cubicles some mediocre meat’. Nope, we’re suffering enough in our little pseudo office spaces. The last thing we need is globs of meat masquerading as chicken.

Ok, so I liked having noodles instead of rice. Sometimes I get tired of the rice options in these meals. But that doesn’t make up for the rest of this meal. Do the office workers a favor, Lean Cuisine, give us some real chicken and tastier sauce.

Healthy Choice Cajun Style Chicken and Shrimp

August 13, 2006 | Reviewer: Nicole

Price: $2.00 (sale at Giant)
Serving: 1 package, 10.4 oz.
Calories: 240
Fat: 5%, 3.5g
Sodium: 25%, 600mg
Protein: 20g
Carbs: 11%, 32g
Fiber: 12%, 3g
Diet Exchanges: 2 Very Lean Meat, 2 Starch
WW Points: 4 Points

Healthy Choice says: Chicken tenderloin medallions and shrimp in a spicy tomato Cajun-style sauce are tossed with white rice, red and green bell peppers and celery.

Nicole says: I was betting on you, Healthy Choice - I thought you could make it happen this lunch time. I had the obscene hope that you could produce an edible Cajun Style Chicken and Shrimp. But it’s got no style, as evidenced by the watery tomato sauce has a teensy-weensy bit of spice to it. That makes it Cajun? The people of Louisiana would laugh in your face if they weren’t busy preparing for hurricane season. You included 3 or 4 pieces of tasteless, mushy slices of celery. That makes it Cajun? No thank you, Healthy Choice. Additionally, your rice cooked up too hard, the shrimp was chewy (I did have my doubts about making that work in the microwave,) and the chicken “medallions” were either dry or soft enough that they melted in my mouth. Chocolate should melt in your mouth, not chicken. They weren’t even medallions, they were chunks. I expect medallions to have a round shape, just like I expect you to stop abusing the word ‘Cajun’ on your packaging.

Stouffer’s Oven Baked Chicken

August 11, 2006 | Reviewer: Abi

Price: $2.00 (sale, of course)
Serving: 1 package, 8 7/8 oz.
Calories: 250
Fat: 15%, 10g
Sodium: 31%, 750mg
Protein: 20g
Carbs: 6%, 20g
Fiber: 9%, 2g
Weight Watchers Points: 5 Points

Stouffer’s says: Boneless chicken breast with gravy and mashed potatoes topped with paprika.

Abi says: I love how they note the paprika. What else would it be, tomato-based cocaine? No, I don’t know why I said that.

Did you know that they add chicken flavor to the chicken? This makes a lot of sense. I was expecting completely bland chicken in this dish. Instead i was greeted with remarkably flavorful (and way too salty) chicken. But still, it is a bit worrisome. If they started adding grape flavor to grapes and apple flavor to apples, the world wouldn’t be a very nice place.

If you’re anti-stuffing (except for the delicious homemade sort) then you’d prefer this meal to the Lean Cuisine equivalent (Lean Cuisine Baked Chicken). In fact, as I compare the nutritionals, I say that if you skip the gravy (easily done and highly recommended) this is a much better meal that comes in with fewer calories, less sodium, and more protein than the Lean Cuisine version (once again, skipping the gravy). If you like gravy, then relish the fact that you’re getting all of that gravy-goodness for just ten calories more than Lean Cuisine’s skimpy chicken serving.

Cedarlane Three Layer Enchilada Pie

August 9, 2006 | Reviewer: Guest Reviewers

Price: $2.00
Serving: 1/2 pie, 5.5 oz.
Calories: 215
Fat: 11%, 7g
Sodium: 25%, 595mg
Protein: 13g
Calcium: 25%

Cedarlane says: We take layers of organic corn tortillas, organic black beans, green chilis and cheddar cheese and cover them in a delicious salsa-style sauce with fresh cilantro and chunks of fresh tomato, topped with black olives.

Veda says: The Cedarlane Three Layer Enchilada Pie is one of my favorite “I don’t wanna cook tonight” meals. The zesty mix of tortilla, black beans, chilis and cheese always hits the spot. As a black olive lover, I am sometimes disappointed, though. This time - for example - there wasn’t a single olive to be found. Other than that it’s always yummy.

If you read the box, it will tell you that this is two servings of enchilada. “Yeah right” is the only thing I can say to that. It’s delicious and I defy anyone to put half away. This is the first time that I microwaved this particular Cedarlane Product. Like most things, it’s better in the oven. The microwave leaves it a bit soggy.

I give this meal 5 stars out of 5. Especially from the oven.