Nicole

Quite frankly, nobody understands how Nicole manages to stay skinny while consuming plenty of Hungry-Man and Stouffer's meals.

In addition to defying caloric consumption models, Nicole likes to wear too-high heels and play video games, though not necessarily at the same time. She enjoys Guitar Hero and she once called in sick because she'd played too much Grand Theft Auto.

Really, do you know anyone else who's taken the day off for 'eye fatigue'? Yeah, I didn't think so.

Latest Reviews by Nicole:

Healthy Choice Beef Merlot

April 3, 2006 | Reviewer: Nicole

Healthy Choice Beef Merlot

Serving size: 10 ounces
Calories: 250
Fat: 10%
Sodium: 25%

24% of Daily Fiber. Wow.

Healthy Choice says: We start with lean, tender beef medallions in a savory Merlot sauce and add skin-on seasoned red skin potatoes, whole baby carrots, whole green and yellow string beans and onions for a “Flavor Adventure” sure to satisfy any meal occasion.

Nicole says: My first impression of the microwaved Beef Merlot from Healthy Choice is mixed - it looks okay but it doesn’t smell so nice. I realize the not so nice smell is definitely the “Merlot sauce”, but it doesn’t taste as bad as it smells - sort of like someone with no taste buds was trying to make some low-fat gravy taste more interesting. The baby carrots have a strong real carrot flavor but the texture is off - a bit too soft and spongier than they should be. The green string beans are good - yummy, clean, appropriately crisp and have a decent texture, but are dissonant with the sauce, so the first taste is just gross. There are no yellow string beans as promised in the description, but I was not disappointed. The roasted potatoes are just yummy, and they go alright with the sauce. The meat has a pretty nice texture - think pot roast- and it’s tasty; the meal included 4 or 5 largish cube and a few smaller pieces. There are small slivers of flavorful onions hiding in the sauce - yummy. The serving size is pretty good, though I could still eat two.

Abi says: Please remember that when Nicole describes the texture of meat, she is coming from a lifetime of Banquet Salisbury Steak consumption. That said, I appreciate how much frozen food she consumes at work.

Filed Under 5 WW Points, Beef, Healthy Choice Reviews, Three Stars | 2 Comments

Banquet Salisbury Steak

March 30, 2006 | Reviewer: Nicole

Banquet Salisbury Steak

Price: $1
Serving size: 9.5 oz
Calories: 398
Fat: 38%
Sodium: 9%

Nicole says: Banquet’s Salisbury Steak Meal is an absolute classic. I grew up on microwavable Salisbury steak; this may be a prerequisite for liking this meal. This meal includes a more-than-sufficient amount of tasty but slightly gelatinous gravy with your meat and sides of buttery corn and mashed potatoes. The corn often ends up a bit dry, but the great taste of artificial butter makes up for that. The mashed potatoes might look a bit icky when you remove them from the microwave, but once you stir them, you see they have a nice, natural texture and flavor (plus more artificial butter.) The serving size could be a bit larger-if I were truly trying to satisfy my appetite, two would barely suffice. But at $1 per entree, this meal is more satisfying than ramen any day, and more reliably tasty than the trendier new micro-meals like “Beef Merlot.” Yum. Yum, yum, yum. I think I’m going to eat some pizza now.

Abi says: I really have no idea how Nicole manages to eat this meal. Granted, I come from a family that eats tripe, but Salisbury Steak? It is a fancy way of saying ‘Hamburger with Gravy’ instead of facing reality. Actually, the gravy reminds me of agar. Yes, the medium used for growing bacteria in a lab setting.

Filed Under Banquet Frozen Meal Reviews, Beef, Four Stars | 8 Comments