Price: $1.25 (sale)
Serving: 1 meal, 8.25 oz
Calories: 220
Fat: 6%
Sodium: 25%

Lean cuisine says: Roasted chicken tenderloins in a garlic-rosemary sauce, spinach and brown rice.

Abi says: Responses to the scent of this meal vary. I thought it smelled like any other microwaveable entree until my coworker Jess said “Is somebody eating cereal?”. Don’t sip Diet Coke while eating this. The chemical reaction that occurs will produce a burning spinach/grain sensation. Ew. Shouldn’t Lean Cuisine assume that a lot of their patrons are going to be drinking Diet Coke? The Diet Coke test should probably be added to the production and edibility cycle of food development for any company that produces ‘diet’ foods. I am glad that I brought a bagel today, because I was unable to finish this meal. Wait, the word ‘finish’ probably implies that I ate most of it, which is not true. The most scientific way to put it is that I ’sampled’ the Lean Cuisine Rosemary Chicken. I would suggest not ever, ever sampling it in the future.

Price: $2.00 (sale!)Serving: 1 tray, 10.5oz.
Calories: 290
Fat: 14%, 9g
Cholesterol: 10%, 30mg
Sodium: 24%, 580mg
Protein: 15g
Carbs: 12%, 35g
Fiber: 14%, 4g
Weight Watchers Points: 6 Points

Smart Ones says: Now even better! A chunky garden-style sauce covers five tantalizing layers of fresh pasta and creamy ricotta cheese with a topping of real mozzarella and parmesan cheese. So delicious, so satisfying. . .and another little way you can be good today.

Veda says: The texture is nice, the pasta al dente (when following directions), but the cheese never fully melts until it begins to burn. Unlike some frozen lasagna, it wasn’t too salty and had a decent flavor. Portion size was decent and there’s plenty of spinach, but very few of the other veggies. Pretty good for what it is, but the picture deceives. So, just save the one tiny piece of zucchini for the last bite.

Price: $3.99/box, 80 cents ea.
Serving: 3/4 cup
Calories: 230
Fat: 7%
Sodium: 24%

without boursin

with boursin

They say: This product is made with organic pasta and the best totally natural white cheddar cheese.

Abi says: A long-time lover of Annie’s Organic Alfredo shells and Cheddar, I was introduced to this microwaveable mac and cheese by Amy. All you do is open the macaroni packet and pour it into a bowl, then add a half cup of water. I eyeball it and generally end up cleaning pasta-water out of the microwave when it overflows. Microwave for 1.5 minutes, then stir in the contents of the cheese packet.

Unfortunately, when I followed the instructions, I found that my mac and cheese just didn’t look as good as Amy’s. The cheese didn’t really seem to coat the pasta. Turns out she adds a smidgen of boursin to her mac and cheese. Wow, what a difference it makes when one adds cheese made with cow’s milk and cream, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley and chives

I like this meal as a back-up plan. I keep a box in my cube area and just make some when I forget to bring a heartier lunch.

I am hoping that Amy will take me with her when she goes to Trader Joe’s so that I can buy some boursin too. Maybe some more for her also, considering that I have partaken of hers on three occasions now.

About Boursin: http://www.boursincheese.com

Price: $2.50 on sale
Serving: 9.5 ounces
Calories: 290
Fat: 8%, 4.5g
Cholesterol: 0%, 0mg
Sodium: 33%, 780mg
Protein: 10g
Carbs: 17%, 52g
Fiber: 18%, 4g
WW Points: 4 Points

Amy’s Kitchen says: Teriyaki occupies a special place in Japanese cookery. Amy’s variation of the traditional recipe lends an intriguing sweet and sour flavor to the organic brown rice, tender vegetables, and marinated tofu that make up this great-tasting non-dairy, gluten free bowl. And while you’re preparing Amy’s Teriyaki Bowl you might also brew a pot of green tea. Then sit down, relax and enjoy your meal. Non-dairy/gluten-free.

Amy (at the office) says: This review could be summed up in one word, that word is “mediocre”. For the first time in my life I was disappointed in that came out of Amy’s Kitchen.

Amy usually treats me right and that was why I was so gung-ho about her teriyaki bowl. The box does accurately describe the product, it has brown rice, and a melee of vegetables, but there is just no zing, in fact it was bland. I am glad they didn’t list “flavor” as part of the content b/c it certainly lacked it. They threw water chestnuts in the mix and it begs me to ask the question “Who actually likes those things?”, not I said the brown cow. That said, I highly recommend every other Amy’s product I have sampled, just steer clear of the Terri-“yucky” (sorry, I had to) bowl.
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