Progress in civilization has been accomplished by progress in cookery. ~Fannie Farmer

Becky


Becky is a coffee-drinking cube land dweller (HR Technology) with a teaching degree collecting dust in a drawer somewhere. In her spare time, she likes to read, sing karaoke, play Sims 2, and scrape up hairballs from the carpet (she and hubby share their home with 3 spoiled cats). Now there’s a visual!

She joined the frozen lunch revolution when her department moved to a building with no cafeteria, and she was tired of bringing leftovers to work. She was AMAZED to see the selection of healthier frozen lunch alternatives, and now she’s hooked.

Latest Reviews by Becky:

Lean Cuisine Salmon with Basil

December 24, 2007 | Reviewer: Becky

Lean Cuisine Salmon with BasilPrice: $2.12 + tax
Serving: 1 entree, 9 5/8oz.
Calories: 220
Fat: 9%, 6g
Cholesterol: 7%, 20mg
Sodium: 28%, 660mg
Protein: 18g
Carbs: 8%, 24g
Fiber: 16%, 4g
Weight Watchers Points: 4 Points

****

Lean Cuisine says: Wild salmon on a bed of whole wheat orzo pasta with yellow and orange carrots and spinach in a basil sauce.

Becky says: I like seafood. A lot. I like it prepared in every way imaginable (yes, that includes raw!). But frozen fish worries me – I am treated to flashbacks of my youth, when the only fish that my mother dared to feed us was canned tuna or cod that had been frozen, and thawed, and frozen again numerous times before being broiled to a consistency that resembles something that should not be consumed by anyone. Needless to say, I didn’t have high hopes for Lean Cuisine’s salmon.

But this is one of the instances where I am glad to say that I was wrong, wrong, oh so wrong. Once cooked, the salmon in this dish is tender and moist, and has very little of the nasty ‘fishy’ flavor/smell that is so often present in frozen fish. Once you separate the fish with your fork and mix everything together, there’s plenty to go around. Even though the veggies are limited to carrots (yellow and orange) and spinach, there are plenty of each. The spinach is cooked, but not slimy, and the carrots maintain their somewhat crunchy texture. The sauce is fantastic, though if you don’t like basil, you probably won’t care for it. I was pleased with how well the flavor accented the fish and vegetables.

I’m not sure why orzo pasta was chosen to accompany this dish, but kudos to whoever thought it up! This small, tender pasta soaks up the sauce well, and doesn’t overpower the dish. My main complaint overall is that there isn’t more pasta. The meal only has 220 calories, for crying out loud, people . . . I need MORE! That’s why I usually end up bringing a package of veggies to nuke when this is on the menu…or today, I just ate more Christma…I mean, holiday cookies & candy that co-workers brought in to work.

Overall, this meal has become one of my ‘standards’ – something that I know I like, and purchase on a regular basis.