Taste-testing, again!

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Disclosure: I am participating in a Vibrant Influencer Network Healthy Choice campaign. I have been provided with free products and remuneration in exchange for my honest opinions about the products. All opinions are my own and were not influenced, nor reviewed, by Healthy Choice prior to posting.

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My second round of food tasting for Healthy Choice was for the new Cafe Steamers. I rarely purchase frozen meals, because they are usually not very tasty, and with the size of our family, we’d be waiting in line all night to use the microwave. And, again, as I stated in my previous frozen yogurt post, we are trying to eat healthier – more organic and more locally grown foods.

So, I admit I was a little nervous in trying out the Beef Merlot. The photo on the package enticed me to choose it. It looked delicious – beef, carrots, potatoes and green beans in a savory sauce. Plus, I was curious as to how the steaming method would work. Placing the bowl in the microwave, I left the plastic wrap on as directed. As my dinner began to cook, the aroma filled the kitchen. So far, so good, as the Beef Merlot smelled delicious. In fact, my teenage son commented on what I was cooking. As I carefully peeled the wrapper and tipped the food from the steamer section into the bowl holding the sauce, I was impressed that the food looked good! No shriveling, the color was good, the veggies appeared crisp. Carefully mixing the sauce into the meat and veggies, I was looking forward to tasting.

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I wasn’t disappointed. The beef chunks were tender, the veggies were crisp and the potatoes were just right. And, it tasted good. I was pleased with my quick dinner.

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For lunch the next day, I tried the Chicken Linguine with Red Pepper Alfredo. Using the same cooking instructions, I was again impressed with the coloring, texture and taste of the product. The veggies were crisp, the chicken was tender, and the noodles did not get mushy. Though I did prefer the Beef Merlot, the Chicken Linguine was good.

Apparently, the “tray-in-tray technology” that separates the ingredients while cooking works, as the vegetables are crisper and the pasta is al dente.

Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers would be handy to keep in the freezer for a quick lunch or if you find yourself dining solo. There are several varieties to choose from, including vegetarian dishes. There are no artificial flavorings or colors – yay! My only recommendations to improve the product would be to try to add organic meat and veggies, tone down a little on the salt, and, for big eaters like me, add a little more meat or chicken to the dish. Pare up the Cafe Steamer with a fresh salad, and you have a nice, quick meal.

Wanting to learn more or see all the options available in the Healthy Choice Cafe Steamer line? Just click on Cafe Steamers for details.

Have you tried Healthy Choice Cafe Steamers? If so, what do you think? Let me know in the comment section.

© Lynne Cobb – 2013

8 Replies to “Taste-testing, again!”

  1. Lynne – these sound good, especially the beef merlot one. You gave a great description of them. My only thought is that one might not be enough to fill me up. That said, maybe I should be on a diet.

  2. The entries look nice, and it sounds like you enjoyed them. Alas, I am a vegetarian and hope they have more veggie entrees 🙂

    1. I was surprised, Cindy, that I enjoyed the items. Frozen meals normally have that “ick” factor. Healthy Choice did introduce a line of Vegetarian Entrees this summer. Let me know if you try them (or if you have already tried them): httpsss://www.healthychoice.com/products/cafe-steamers#ingredient=vegetarian

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