Del Monte Chef's Pantry Review

I first heard about Del Monte's Chef's Pantry Meal Toppers on the radio a few weeks ago.  Another quick dinner solution... but this commercial was a little different... focused on adding vegetables to the dinner plate?!  I was intrigued.  Then Del Monte reached out to see if I wanted to review their product, I wanted to see just how healthy and quick it could be.

There are six or seven flavors, and right now it is only available in Columbus.  Each pack has sauce and three servings of vegetables.  The package says all you need to do is cook some chicken and rice... but really, you could go vegetarian and just make some rice, pasta, or quinoa... so that takes about 10 minutes!

I tried the pot pie medley packet.  It's been a while since I've had chicken pot pie, but when I opened that packet, even before it was warmed up with the chicken it smelled like the chicken pie I used to wait for an hour to come out of them oven as a kid... definitely some nostalgia there.  

It was really easy to make!  Cook the rice, cook the chicken, then dump the sauce and vegetables into the skillet to let heat up a minute or two and serve.  Ten minutes, done!  It definitely tasted like pot pie... although I'm used to the frozen pot pies... so both kind of have that canned soup taste to them.  I think Del Monte would agree that if you had an hour, fresh veggies, and someone to clean up the mess... you would have something that would taste a bit better.  But recently there have been at least a few nights every week that a ten minute meal is the only way we're going to eat dinner before 9pm.

So, at $3, definitely worth a try to add some vegetables in a super easy way.  You can find Chef's Pantry at Giant Eagle, Kroger, Target, and Walmart, but only in Columbus.  Give them a try and let me know what you think!

 

 

 

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The Best Granola Ever - total time 30 minutes

You know the phrase "that's so granola"? Describing something that is plain and boring... Well those people have never had this granola! I pretty much make it every week mainly for breakfast parfaits, but it also makes a great snack, especially when you need a few bites in between meals.

You might buy granola in the store... it might taste good... but it is probably expensive, maybe three servings at best, and you don't know all of the ingredients, or maybe you don't like some of the ingredients. Granola is soooo easy to make at home! I had my doubts at first too. But it really is just combining all the ingredients in a bowl and then spreading it on a cookie sheet, ten minutes in the oven and woop, there it is. ;)
I definitely save money too. We would normally go through three bags of granola a week plus cereal and English muffins. I get the main ingredients from bulk bins and the others are usually local and last through many, many batches of granola. It also keeps me full longer in the mornings, so less snacking before lunch. And you can make it into granola bars for a snack on the go.

So, chocolate and peanut butter... best combination ever, right? You probably can't eat Reese cups every day, but this granola is actually healthy and has just enough sweet. Whole grains and great protein from the seeds and nuts. Plus it is naturally sweetened with a little honey and maple syrup... oh... and the dark chocolate chips of course... which are totally healthy, I promise! :)

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Campfire Breakfast in a Skillet - total time 30 minutes

Until this year, I thought everyone went camping when they were kids. I just thought that was part of growing up, your family spending a couple weekends, some times weeks, at a campground having fun outside. I remember organizing our family's "field day" competition one year complete with SkipIt and paper ribbons hand colored and cut by yours truly.

Maybe that's why I love to be outside, get my hands dirty in the garden, stare at the night sky, and why bugs really don't bother me (unless they're mosquitos, mosquitos bother me a lot). While I'd like to think of myself as a somewhat technically savvy individual, I can also disconnect from the interwebs and be okay (unlike these kids).

Since it is summer time, it's the perfect time get off the grid and recharge your batteries, literally and figuratively! :) Time to go for a hike, sleep under the stars, and cook over the fire.

For me, breakfast recipes need to be easy. I'm not fully awake, and if it isn't easy, I might accidentally cut off a finger or something. This recipe requires very little effort and includes minimal involvement of sharp objects. It is very similar to the breakfast in a bag recipe (that I forgot to post, so, coming soon), but no chance of the cooking vessel breaking or burning in the fire. If you like breakfast sandwiches, but would rather clean one pan instead of three... this is the recipe for you.

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More about → Campfire Breakfast in a Skillet - total time 30 minutes

Cauliflower Tacos - total time 30 minutes

I have read a couple articles that have stated that cauliflower is going to be the next big food trend. I don't think they are going to call it a superfood, but as people are turning to more meatless meals, they are looking for "meaty" vegetables so they don't miss it. I feel like I saw cauliflower start trending the middle of last year in the foodie/food blogger world, so it's only a matter of I time before it is on every menu!

I used to actually hate cauliflower. I think it have a weird texture and not a ton of flavor. But then I tried it roasted! Put a little spice on these white nuggets and they are delicious!

So I ordered some cauliflower in my GreenBEAN bins and started trying some different things. My favorite so far has definitely been the tacos (probably no surprise there). I have made them a couple times now and each time my husband asks me to put chicken in his (I tell him no). He begrudging eats it and really likes it! I don't know how many times we will have to go through the process until he admits that he likes it anytime other than when he is scarfing them down.

These are kind of kitchen sink tacos. I basically looked in my fridge (and freezer) to see what I had to add to the cauliflower. Frozen corn from the summer, salsa, and some pepper jack cheese... And I have made it the same way since! But don't feel like you need to stick to these ingredients. The cauliflower is definitely the star of this taco and packs some spicy, nutty flavor. Other roasted veggies would be great... saut�ed onions... eggplant... even some shredded chicken. Make it your own, but make sure to include lots of super trendy roasted cauliflower!

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Cheesy Fajita Couscous with Shredded Enchilada Chicken - total time 25minutes

Haha, I used to avoid those cooking game show type things on the Food Network or Cooking Channel (cupcake wars just gives me anxiety), but after participating in the first Chopped at Home challenge, I find myself watching the show on occasion. The last one I saw had viewers vote for the basket ingredients which included cow eyeballs! Ick!

Luckily, the at home challenge has much more forgiving ingredients. This time it is Mexican blend shredded cheese, chicken tenders, salsa, and couscous. All ingredients the average home cook has used before and almost make sense together. I love Mexican food, so the Mexican cheese blend round sounds delicious!

If you have never had couscous before, it is kind of like quinoa. I used to cook with it a lot more as a rice substitute before quinoa became so popular as a super food edging out some of the shelf space at grocery stores couscous once occupied. You can get different sized couscous, pea-sized to itty bitty grain size.

I was in the mood for some enchiladas, so this dish could easily be wrapped up in tortillas and baked for 20-25 minutes instead. But this way, we are cutting the carbs and attempting an artsy presentation that is really easy. Word of caution, you could use four pots/pans for this dish (which sounds like a cleaning nightmare to me)... Or you could use two and have to be watching things a little more attentively. Read all if the directions before starting the recipe (best practice for any recipe). :)

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More about → Cheesy Fajita Couscous with Shredded Enchilada Chicken - total time 25minutes

Avocado Toasts - total time 5 minutes

I've seen a lot of avocado recipes out there lately!  You would think they were in season or something.  Hass avocados (which is what is in most grocery stores) can grow in California all year long, so I guess they are really always in season.  Other avocados are harvested in late summer and fall.  

But there is a reason everyone loves talking about avocados!  They are delicious... buttery and nutty... and they are nutritious... with healthy fats in omega 3s and potassium.  Nature's butter.  I use it in place of mayo in things like chicken and tuna salad.  It's also great on toast!  Which brings us to today's post...

I started making "avocado toast" way back in the day, in fact, it was one of the first recipes on this blog.  I usually don't roast my own tomatoes for this any more, especially if tomatoes aren't in season.  I love getting sun-dried tomatoes packed in jars with olive oil.  The flavor is amazing!  I always have a jar or two in the pantry to add to pastas and pizza... and toasts.  :)  Any way... now that we're using jarred tomatoes, it cuts out all of the prep time in this recipe and gets you to the eating portion that much faster!  That makes it perfect for breakfast, snacks, or on-the-go lunches.

This is my trusty toaster oven that we received as a wedding gift closing in on eight years ago.  It gets used almost every day and I was cleaning it the other day and some of the words and numbers started rubbing off the dials!  Good thing we have it all memorized!

Recipe for one avocado toast...
1 piece of bread (or english muffin)
.25 hass avocado
1 sun-dried tomato
a few shavings of parmesan cheese

1. Toast bread.
2. Scoop out avocado with a spoon and smear on the toast.
3. Cut up the sun-dried tomato and layer on top.
4. Sprinkle parmesan on top.
5. Devour.

 

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Caramelized Onion and Pear Grilled Brie Sandwiches - total time 15 minutes

One cooking secret I learned from my mom was how to make the best grilled cheese sandwiches EVER! My sandwiches have come a long way from Kraft singles and Wonder bread. Rustic wheat breads, sophisticated cheeses, complex flavor combinations... you name it, I have probably made it into a melty cheesy sandwich.

I mentioned a week or so ago that I was inspired by one of Harvest Moon Cafe's bison burgers with caramelized onions, pears, and brie... soo good! I knew it would taste just as good (or better) without the meat. So only a few days later, I made these sandwiches, and then again, and again. Definitely addicting! Perfect to go with a cup of soup or a side salad. And it doesn't take long at all.

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Okra Corn Cakes - total time 30 minutes

One of the fun things that comes along with having a CSA share is the random fruits and vegetables you get. The first year we got kohlrabi... we got tons of kohlrabi. I had never heard of it before. It kind of looked like a turnip, but didn't look like a root because of the leaves. And the only real recipe available on the internets was roasted kohlrabi... so we had that often.

Now that our bin is customizable (which happened the second year), we no longer get kohlrabi... but we certainly glad we tried it!

This year's new vegetable is okra. I have seen it before and have heard it is great in stews and fried. But summer is no time for stews and I'm not going to fry it either. I have also seen it growing in the community garden and the flowers on okra plants are beautiful! So it was time to try this elusive veggie.

What better way to try this southern favorite than in a way that is completely southern... in cornbread! The okra adds some color, a little different texture, and some crunch to your normal corn cake. On the first time trying okra we landed on a winning recipe... yippee!

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More about → Okra Corn Cakes - total time 30 minutes

Drunken Baked Peaches - total time 20 minutes

I love peaches! Everything about them, the flavor, the smell, the fuzzy skin... so good! In fact, back in the day I used to use Peach Nectar body lotion from Bath & Body Works (before they retired it) and because I smelled like peaches all of the time, people started calling me peaches.

During the summer we have a plethora of peaches in the house. Perfect for snacks, fruit salads, topping parfaits, and of course desserts. An easy, no hassle way to make a great peach dessert is to bake them with a little bourbon and sugar. So good! I made these four nights in a row they were so good. Mmm. Might put a couple more in the oven right now. :)

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Loaded Shredded Chicken Nachos - total time 20 minutes

So before I started reading about nutrition and really learned how to cook, occasionally I would just make some nachos for dinner which involved some chips, lots of cheese, and a little bit of salsa. It was quick, of course. Only about one minute in the microwave. But had no nutritional value what-so-ever.

After reading a couple books about digestion and the ways what you eat can cause certain annoying symptoms, most of which you might blame genetics on like unclear skin, stuffy nose, or trouble concentrating... I realized that there was more to food than just tasting good. Food is really about nourishing your body because it takes a lot just to keep our heart pumping, lungs inhaling, and brain thinking. I started to make a conscious effort to make sure vegetables always had a spot on my plate for both lunch and dinner. I started to cut back on meats and gluten. I tried to limit how much dairy I ate, but I just couldn't give up cheese. It is little steps that make the difference. Going to the extreme will leave you hungry and feeling deprived. Being too strict makes it nearly impossible to enjoy a meal out with a friend. With most things, a happy medium is best.

It's been several years since those old microwaved nachos days, but sometimes you just want what you want. I follow a couple bloggers that plan out their meals as well and one of them posted that they were making nachos for dinner one night. I've been thinking about whether nachos are really dinner food ever since. I decided to make my version of loaded nachos and it was quite filling and loaded with veggies (and cheese!). This makes a great quick meal that you eat with your hands. Perfect for a casual weekend dinner or to have with a couple drinks tailgating.

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Turkey Tacos - total time 20 minutes

I can't believe it is already the end of June! Where did the month go?!? I need to get out of the office earlier so I can really enjoy the summer. Whether it's late nights at the office or you just want to get dinner on the table quickly, taco night is always a great solution.

What's funny is as often as we have taco night around these parts... I've never made ground beef (or ground turkey) tacos. I have made chicken (of course), fish, veggie, fajita, and shrimp tacos... probably even some more that I can't think of off the top of my head. But the default taco at every Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant is always ground beef. Likely because it is the less expensive meat (but not always). Maybe it's because the original Mexican taco was made with beef. Who really knows!

So... I thought I would give these tacos a try. The thing about tacos is really getting the spices right. You don't need a prepackaged mix... you don't know what is in that thing and you can't customize it either. I always keep a few spices on hand; chili powder and red pepper flakes. Those two combined give anything the right amount of flavor and spice to make taco night a success! And don't worry, for those of you adverse to spicy foods... regular chili pepper isn't really spicy (though chipotle chili pepper is, I breathed in steamy chipotle air by accident and my lung felt like they were on fire!). The recipe below is spicy enough to keep you reaching for your water but not make you sweat. And of course you can adjust how much you add depending on how you like your tacos (the beauty of not using a mix)!

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More about → Turkey Tacos - total time 20 minutes

Quick Crepes - total time 10 minutes

We're prepping for our vacation in Europe and I'm so excited! Things are finally coming together after years of saying we would go and finding excuses to put it off another year. So now that the flights are booked and we're landing the plane on some other decisions (including getting our tickets to London Fashion Week!), some times I try to start our vacation a little early with some classic french foods.

I'm normally a pancakes and eggs kind of girl on the weekends, but I swapped out my pancakes for a little french crepe. It felt especially french since there wasn't a single word of english on the packaging! I've tried making my own crepes before, after all, the batter is really just thinned down pancake mix (for the most part, I won't say that in Paris, I promise). When I tried making them, they always fell apart. It's hard to get something that thin and delicate!

After a couple times making crepes in the morning, I like them two ways... cold and warmed up. The pictures and steps below are for the cold version using yogurt. For the warmed up melty version, take the crepes, carefully spread peanut butter thinly across, then add slide bananas on one half... fold it in half twice and heat them in a pan on medium-low heat for a minute or two each side. The heat crisps up the crepe for some textured crunch and warms the peanut butter to be gooey inside. Perfect!

The cold version is just as good! The main difference is toasting up the crepe first to avoid warming the yogurt. Nice and creamy.

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Breakfast Enchiladas - total time 30 minutes

We used to have a game on trying to make every meal into a sandwich... you know, since sandwiches are so awesome. I think breakfast might have been the beginning of this challenge when I was using pancakes and sandwich ends before McDonalds made it a thing. We made spaghetti sandwiches between garlic toasts. Of course we sandwiched our pizza. Pretty much anything was fair game to be between two slices of bread.

Now I feel like it's tacos time to shine (or enchiladas in this case). Fish and veggie tacos that may have been hard to find a few years ago are not available everywhere. With Taco Bell's waffle taco, you really have to wonder what can't be turned into a taco (and when does it stop being a taco and start just being a way to eat with your hands and shove food in your mouth).

Enter breakfast enchilada! While it's not technically a taco, it sorta is. Ha. It's also kind of like a mini breakfast burrito. Perfect serving size for your brunch table or for making on a Sunday and heating up throughout the week. I went with more of a fajita approach, but add potatoes, beans, salsa, etc if that's what floats your boat!

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Roasted Tomato and Garlic Pasta - total time 20 minutes

It's nice and warm outside now (finally), so a quick light pasta is the only kind of pasta that will do.

I planted my garden the first weekend in May and covered it with a hoop house... getting it in the ground early and the extra heat from the plastic cover means I'm starting to get cherry tomatoes already! They're perfect for roasting quickly in the oven along with some garlic and tossing into pasta with basil and parm. So simple and quick, it might end up being your go-to meal this summer!

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Creamy Salmon Pasta - total time 25 minutes

My husband and I both accepted new jobs back in December. His requires him to be at work early (and also home early) and mine some times requires late nights. This difference in work schedules has impacted our life schedules too. We're no longer waking up at the same time, which means there's an even wider gap between 'bedtimes' than there used to be. It also means he is home (usually) hours before me at night... waiting for dinner.

Can't blame him... he is usually eating lunch by the time I'm finishing my morning coffee. That's a long time to wait between meals.

So, the dinner goal is often... the faster the better! Those 8pm dinners don't work when he is going to bed right after.

This recipe is perfect for a quick dinner. And it tastes sooo good too! Not much of a mess to clean up afterward either (always a winner in my book). Salmon and a cream sauce go hand-in-hand, quite delectable. The broccoli gives it a slight crunch for texture. And the herbs brighten the dish since cream sauces can feel a little heavy. Yum! I'm ready for a second serving!

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Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Pizza - total time 30 minutes

Seems like every night this week I've been rushing to get dinner on the table before 9:00! Whether it's work, after work activities, working on our fitness, or running after kids, we all need a quick go to meal. My first mainstay is tacos, but sometimes get tacoed out (it takes a lot of tacos to get there, but occasionally I reach that tipping point). So my plan B menu item... pizza, of course!

I always have a ball of whole wheat dough in my fridge just waiting to be made into a pizza, stromboli, or calzone thanks to GreenBEAN delivery. It makes homemade pizza night sooo easy!

Usually we stick to traditional red sauce with mostly traditional toppings. But this time I changed things up a bit by making a white pizza! And what goes best with alfredo sauce? Chicken and broccoli! This pizza has become the new favorite in our household. Can't wait to make it again. :)

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More about → Broccoli Chicken Alfredo Pizza - total time 30 minutes

Get Your Greens Yakisoba - total time 25 minutes

If you're like any college student ever, you have probably had your fair share of Ramen noodles in your life. Probably to the point of never wanting to see a pack of those noodles again! But then a couple years ago, Ramen noodles came back in a more sophisticated, trendy way with chunks of fresh salmon and cute little restaurants.

As the Ramen goes, so goes the Soba noodle. Maruchan used to make a yakisoba kit available in the refrigerated section next to the wonton and eggroll wrappers. It had instructions on how to prepare vegetables to go along with your soba noodles and "yaki" sauce pack. Several years ago, they got rid of that option and opted for a version just like those Ramen noodles we loved to hate in college. Added in more preservatives to give it a shelf life of forever and has about a teaspoon of dried veggie pieces to try to pass as real yakisoba. Ugh.

Well, now soba noodles are getting trendy and I'm loving this Japanese fast food!

In this recipe, we're piling on the veggies and they happen to be all green (with at least one serving of green veggies per plateful, you're mom approves of this recipe). The sesame oil makes this dish a real treat with tons of flavor. And it truly is fast food, taking less than 30 minutes from start to finish.

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Rosemary Chicken - total time 20 minutes

Do you ever have those moments where you learn something that seems like it should be common sense and it changes the way you think about everything? Basically like there must be a better way to do everything... I just don't know it yet.

That's how I felt after watching one of Jamie Oliver's 15-minute meal episodes.

After having issues cooking chicken breasts all the way through (you know, there's the thinner side that's done in seconds and the thicker end that can sometimes seem to take an eternity to cook)... I started buying cutlets or actually using my cooking mallet (I have no idea if that's what it is actually called). And of course, I always season my chicken.

The new-to-me, crazy easy trick... pound the seasoning into the chicken while your flattening it out! Seriously so simple and the flavor is so much more pronounced. Wish I would have had this moment years ago!

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More about → Rosemary Chicken - total time 20 minutes

Vegetarian Crunchwraps - total time 30 minutes

I was just having a conversation about the last time we ate at McDonald's (it's been a while). I thought it was funny that I could recall the last time I ate at several fast food chains, all of which have been years ago, because they were all paired with awful belly aches or just bad luck. Last time at McDonald's was actually in San Fran and was the only thing open for breakfast by the rental car place so we could leave for Yosemite. They screwed up my breakfast sandwich order and I was too tired to realize it until it was too late and my stomach was already turning. The last time I went to Burger King was after a long day waiting in lines and shopping at a sample sale and a car ran into my car while I was waiting in the drive thru line. For KFC, it was after a canoe trip that was continuing into some backpacking in Zaleski. It was either KFC, McDonalds, or Clif bars (which meant we would have less to eat while hiking). We ate a quick lunch and off we went... it was 98 degrees, 100% humidity, and the trail started straight up some switch backs. We got to the top and both of us looked pale as ghosts... the friend chicken was not sitting well... And then lastly, I've never ate at White Castle, but my husband has once and told me the reason they call them sliders (TMI).

Ironically, with all of these fast food horror stories, surprisingly Taco Bell hasn't made our 'do not go there' list. They also have a decent selection of vegetarian options and the Catina Bell menu is better than the average fast food. Taco Bell just announced that they are testing some higher end fast-casual restaurants called U.S. Taco Co. in Florida, which will be interesting to see how they compete with Chipotle. Any way, I've always thought Taco Bell had something with their crunch wrap idea... a mix of soft and crunchy. There just had to be a healthier option than ladles of nacho cheese and sour cream with almost no veggies. So here's my version...

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More about → Vegetarian Crunchwraps - total time 30 minutes

Grilled Asparagus and Poached Egg - total time 20 minutes

Eggs are a great source of protein for vegetarians and omnivores alike. There have been many studies and reports that go back and forth on whether eggs are healthy for you or not. Some say that they are high in cholesterol and that people shouldn't eat more that one or two a week. Others says it's the ultimate health food and should even be consumed raw. I like to think reality is somewhere in between knowing that eggs are low fat, high protein, have dietary sulfur (great for you hair and nails), and the yolks have carotenoids (similar to carrots). I also love eggs... so at this point of being meat-free for around 40 days now... we have gone through quite a few eggs!

With Easter coming up, eggs are center stage. You may be hard boiling some right now to dye different colors. Or you could be filling a bunch of colorful plastic versions with candy in the next few days. Eggs are a symbolic message of rebirth, so the iconic Easter egg completely makes sense.

Celebrate Easter with this quick, delicious brunch. Perfect timing for asparagus which are at their peak right now and the buttery, runny yolk over top... just delicious! We actually had this dish for dinner, it is quite filling with a side dish of crispy roast potatoes. It's minimal ingredients and cooks quickly, the slowest part is that you can only poach one egg at a time, but they only take a minute or two. :)

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