Village Journals
Resonate your identity with Naseeb journals. Express your opinions, share your thoughts, post your writings and connect with like minded people through the power of expression.
Resonate your identity with Naseeb journals. Express your opinions, share your thoughts, post your writings and connect with like minded people through the power of expression.
10 Tastiest New Products!
10 Tastiest New Products!
By Becky Billingsley
Special for eDiets
Not so sweet on your current shape? Still sweating over the prospect of baring skin at the beach or pool? Don't throw in the towel. Try one of our 19 great diet plans and get in the best shape of your life.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mr. Bad Food is spending a week painstakingly researching the diet dangers that lurk everwhere (translation: he's burning a rut from his living room to his kitchen while vacationing at home). Becky Billingsley, editor of Coastal Carolina magazine and frequent eDiets contributor, is filling in.
This morning, as I sent a new batch of product reviews to the folks at eDiets, I looked at the Dannon Light ?n Fit Smoothie in my hand. The smoothie is one of the products I discovered while working for eDiets. I doubt if I would have tried it if it hadn?t been for my job, but since I reviewed it, this delicious low-cal yogurt drink has become one of my favorite breakfasts.
So, in honor of marking a year?s worth of product reviews, here are my top 10 favorite healthy and delicious products of 2004-2005:
No. 10
I try to eat fish twice a week and usually have frozen fillets in my freezer for when I haven?t had time to buy fresh. One of my new favorites is Mrs. Paul?s Seafood Grill Garlic Butter Grilled Fillets.
For $2.14 you get two single-serving fillets that each weigh 96g; the price per serving is $1.07.
A serving has 80 calories, 1g fat (zero saturated or trans), 65mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (zero fiber or sugar) and 15g protein.
You cook these in the microwave, and in less time than it takes to throw together a salad you have a flavorful, moist and tender entr?e. With products like this, it?s a pleasure to stick to a healthy diet, even when you?re rushed.
No. 9
The new Green Giant Baby Vegetable Medley & Butter Sauce is heavy on fresh vegetable taste rather than a rich butter sauce experience.
The mixture of carrots, cauliflower and sugar snap peas costs $1.69 for three servings (1 serving equals half a cup or 103g); the price per serving is 56 cents.
Each serving has 45 calories, 1g fat (0.5 saturated), zero cholesterol, 300mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (2 fiber, 4 sugars) and 1g protein.
This healthy side dish tastes wonderful. You won?t just be ?doing your vegetable duty? by eating it.
No. 8
Papa Charlie?s Italian Style Beef is so delicious I bought a second package less than a week after I first tried it. I paid $3.36 at Wal-Mart for a 24-ounce (604g) tray with four servings (1 serving equals 2/3 cup or 151g); the price per serving is 84 cents.
A serving has 90 calories, 3.5g fat (1.5 saturated), 35mg cholesterol, 940mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (zero fiber or sugar) and 14g protein.
I am extremely impressed by the price, considering the cost of beef these days. What you get is generous slices of real beef in a savory au jus that you heat in a saucepan or microwave. We enjoyed the meat on hoagie rolls with saut?ed onions and low- fat cheese.
I used to buy Steak-Ums and similar products all the time to make steak and cheese sandwiches, until I realized how much fat is in them. Papa Charlie?s is much healthier and tastes vastly better.
No. 7
I like pita bread, but often one slice is too big for a snack. Now Toufayan has Pitettes -- 1-ounce (56g) pita breads that are perfect for breakfast or snacks. Even better, they?re made with stone ground whole wheat and one serving is two of them, so if I did want to have these for a meal, I?d be satisfied.
A package with eight Pitettes costs $1.49; the price per serving is 37 cents.
A serving has 140 calories, zero fat or cholesterol, 130mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (3 fiber, 1 sugar) and 6g protein.
This flat bread is soft, chewy and fulfilling. I like tearing them apart and dipping them in hummus, or having one with a cup of soup. They?d also make great bases for mini pizzas or open- face sandwiches.
No. 6
Wow, if the new EatSmart Jalapeno & Lime Tres Bean Dip has a great taste to go with its fantastic nutrition information, this will be a staple in my kitchen.
A 1-pound (454g) jar with 14 servings (1 serving equals 2 tablespoons or 32g) costs $3.99; the price per serving is 29 cents.
A serving has 25 calories, zero fat or cholesterol, 150mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (less than 1 fiber, 1 sugar) and 1g protein.
This bean dip is delicious. It is spicy but not overpowering, and has a sassy lime kick. When I don?t have time to make my own nutritious dip, this will be a perfect store-bought substitute.
The three beans are pinto, black and red kidney. I have learned that, when I am asked to provide food for teachers' luncheons or similar events, if I include a small sign that indicates the dish is low in calories, fat and/or carbohydrates, the diners appreciate knowing they have a healthy choice. I?m sure this dip would wow the crowd with its healthy good taste.
No. 5
Knouse Foods, Inc. has got it going on with their Lucky Leaf Lite ?No Sugar Added? Cherry Pie Filling. It is a good value and it tastes great.
A 20-ounce (567g) can costs $2.16 and contains 7 servings (1 serving equals 1/3 cup or 85g); the price per serving is 31 cents.
A serving has 35 calories, zero fat or cholesterol, 15mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (less than 1 fiber, 3 sugars) and zero protein.
Compare that to Comstock Premium More Fruit Cherry Pie Filling, which costs $2.76 for a 21-ounce can, and each 1/3-cup serving has 90 calories, zero fat or cholesterol, 70mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (18 sugars) and zero protein.
If you taste the two fillings side by side, the Comstock is definitely sweeter. However, I prefer Lucky Leaf?s tarter flavor. If you are watching your sugar, this is an awesome dessert choice; I made individual cherry tarts topped with fat- free whipped cream and toasted almond slivers. I also want to try the recipe on the can?s label, which is for Barbecue Cherry Turkey.
No. 4
Here is a new smoothie that is extremely low in sugar and tastes fantastic.
A four-pack of the new Dannon Light ?n Fit Smoothies costs $2.96 (1 serving equals one 207mL bottle); the price per serving is 74 cents.
A serving of the strawberry flavor has 80 calories, zero fat or cholesterol, 85mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate (13 sugars) and 5g protein. A bonus is 10 to 25 percent of the recommended daily allowances of six vitamins and minerals.
Smoothies are one of my favorite grab-and-go breakfasts. I can chug one in a few seconds and be on my way, energized and full of spunk.
However, the sugar content in some smoothies -- sometimes more than 40 grams! -- counteracts any benefit. That?s why the Dannon Light ?n Fit Smoothies are so awesome. They?re low in calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar and are protein-rich.
If you have a child or spouse who routinely rushes out the door in the mornings and skips breakfast, try handing them one of these on the way out. They also make perfect after-school snacks, to provide nutritious energy for sports practices or music lessons.
When I first reviewed this product, it was the sister smoothie called Dannon Carb Control Light ?n Fit Smoothie. It has a few grams less sugar and costs a lot more. This version tastes better, and it still has a third less sugar than most yogurt smoothies.
No. 3
There is only one drawback to this fabulous frozen treat, and it has nothing to do with flavor or nutrition. Popsicle Shots Intense Fruit is one of my sons? favorite warm weather snacks (all right, I admit it -- I love them too). The tiny frozen spheres, which come in tubes, do indeed have intense flavors that fill your mouth with fruitiness.
A box with six 1.7-ounce (43g) single servings costs $2.50. A serving has 10 calories, 0.5g fat, 15mg sodium, 2g carbohydrates (1 sugar) and zero protein.
Did you see those numbers? Talk about guilt-free pleasure! Here?s the drawback: When my sons eat Shots in the house they invariably drop a few pellets on the floor, so later I find sticky little melted dots of Popsicle juice. That?s not so bad in the kitchen, but if it?s on carpet I have to treat the spots with stain remover. Our solution is that Shots are allowed only in the kitchen or outside.
No. 2
When I was in elementary school, one of my older brothers attended the University of Illinois. When he came home for visits he brought me special little treats. Occasionally the gift was a tiny paper bag filled with soy nuts, which were wonderfully crisp and delicious.
Those soy nuts were probably roasted with oil, but now shoppers can easily find healthier options, such as GeniSoy Soy Nuts, in a variety of flavors.
A resealable 3.5-ounce (99g) bag with 3.5 servings (one serving equals 28g) costs $1.99; the price per serving is 57 cents.
A serving of the Zesty Barbecue flavor has 120 calories, 4g fat (1 saturated), zero cholesterol, 420mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (5 fiber, 5 sugars) and 12g protein.
If you?re hopelessly addicted to nuts as I am, you should really give these a try. You get the satisfying crunch of nuts and a tasty nut flavor, plenty of fiber and protein and all the health benefits of soy.
No. 1
And my favorite product of the year is -- Athenos Flavored Hummus. If you like dip and you?ve never tried hummus, this healthy treat is likely to make you a fan.
Hummus is a wonderful Mediterranean spread made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic. It?s a bonus that hummus is healthy, because I?d eat it even if it was decadent.
Now Athenos makes several types of flavored hummus. I tried Artichoke and Garlic and Spicy Three Pepper; there are also Roasted Garlic and Roasted Red Pepper.
Each 7-ounce plastic tub costs $2.99 and contains 7 servings (1 serving equals 2 tablespoons (27g); the price per serving is 43 cents.
The nutrition facts of both kinds I tried are similar. Spicy Three Pepper has the higher numbers with 50 calories, 3g fat (zero saturated or trans), zero cholesterol, 240mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (1 fiber, less than 1 sugar) and 1g protein.
I like Artichoke and Garlic best. It?s whipped light and spreads easily, has a creamy consistency and tastes quite garlicky. Spicy Three Pepper is almost too spicy for me, but anyone who enjoys foods with powerful heat would love it.
These great products are a perfect fit for your eDiets plan. What? You're not a member yet? Click here for your own personalized weight loss program that includes customized menus, recipes, shopping lists and 24/7 online support.
Becky Billingsley is the editor of Coastal Carolina Dining and CEO of the Food Syndicate.
By Becky Billingsley
Special for eDiets
Not so sweet on your current shape? Still sweating over the prospect of baring skin at the beach or pool? Don't throw in the towel. Try one of our 19 great diet plans and get in the best shape of your life.
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mr. Bad Food is spending a week painstakingly researching the diet dangers that lurk everwhere (translation: he's burning a rut from his living room to his kitchen while vacationing at home). Becky Billingsley, editor of Coastal Carolina magazine and frequent eDiets contributor, is filling in.
This morning, as I sent a new batch of product reviews to the folks at eDiets, I looked at the Dannon Light ?n Fit Smoothie in my hand. The smoothie is one of the products I discovered while working for eDiets. I doubt if I would have tried it if it hadn?t been for my job, but since I reviewed it, this delicious low-cal yogurt drink has become one of my favorite breakfasts.
So, in honor of marking a year?s worth of product reviews, here are my top 10 favorite healthy and delicious products of 2004-2005:
No. 10
I try to eat fish twice a week and usually have frozen fillets in my freezer for when I haven?t had time to buy fresh. One of my new favorites is Mrs. Paul?s Seafood Grill Garlic Butter Grilled Fillets.
For $2.14 you get two single-serving fillets that each weigh 96g; the price per serving is $1.07.
A serving has 80 calories, 1g fat (zero saturated or trans), 65mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (zero fiber or sugar) and 15g protein.
You cook these in the microwave, and in less time than it takes to throw together a salad you have a flavorful, moist and tender entr?e. With products like this, it?s a pleasure to stick to a healthy diet, even when you?re rushed.
No. 9
The new Green Giant Baby Vegetable Medley & Butter Sauce is heavy on fresh vegetable taste rather than a rich butter sauce experience.
The mixture of carrots, cauliflower and sugar snap peas costs $1.69 for three servings (1 serving equals half a cup or 103g); the price per serving is 56 cents.
Each serving has 45 calories, 1g fat (0.5 saturated), zero cholesterol, 300mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (2 fiber, 4 sugars) and 1g protein.
This healthy side dish tastes wonderful. You won?t just be ?doing your vegetable duty? by eating it.
No. 8
Papa Charlie?s Italian Style Beef is so delicious I bought a second package less than a week after I first tried it. I paid $3.36 at Wal-Mart for a 24-ounce (604g) tray with four servings (1 serving equals 2/3 cup or 151g); the price per serving is 84 cents.
A serving has 90 calories, 3.5g fat (1.5 saturated), 35mg cholesterol, 940mg sodium, 1g carbohydrate (zero fiber or sugar) and 14g protein.
I am extremely impressed by the price, considering the cost of beef these days. What you get is generous slices of real beef in a savory au jus that you heat in a saucepan or microwave. We enjoyed the meat on hoagie rolls with saut?ed onions and low- fat cheese.
I used to buy Steak-Ums and similar products all the time to make steak and cheese sandwiches, until I realized how much fat is in them. Papa Charlie?s is much healthier and tastes vastly better.
No. 7
I like pita bread, but often one slice is too big for a snack. Now Toufayan has Pitettes -- 1-ounce (56g) pita breads that are perfect for breakfast or snacks. Even better, they?re made with stone ground whole wheat and one serving is two of them, so if I did want to have these for a meal, I?d be satisfied.
A package with eight Pitettes costs $1.49; the price per serving is 37 cents.
A serving has 140 calories, zero fat or cholesterol, 130mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (3 fiber, 1 sugar) and 6g protein.
This flat bread is soft, chewy and fulfilling. I like tearing them apart and dipping them in hummus, or having one with a cup of soup. They?d also make great bases for mini pizzas or open- face sandwiches.
No. 6
Wow, if the new EatSmart Jalapeno & Lime Tres Bean Dip has a great taste to go with its fantastic nutrition information, this will be a staple in my kitchen.
A 1-pound (454g) jar with 14 servings (1 serving equals 2 tablespoons or 32g) costs $3.99; the price per serving is 29 cents.
A serving has 25 calories, zero fat or cholesterol, 150mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (less than 1 fiber, 1 sugar) and 1g protein.
This bean dip is delicious. It is spicy but not overpowering, and has a sassy lime kick. When I don?t have time to make my own nutritious dip, this will be a perfect store-bought substitute.
The three beans are pinto, black and red kidney. I have learned that, when I am asked to provide food for teachers' luncheons or similar events, if I include a small sign that indicates the dish is low in calories, fat and/or carbohydrates, the diners appreciate knowing they have a healthy choice. I?m sure this dip would wow the crowd with its healthy good taste.
No. 5
Knouse Foods, Inc. has got it going on with their Lucky Leaf Lite ?No Sugar Added? Cherry Pie Filling. It is a good value and it tastes great.
A 20-ounce (567g) can costs $2.16 and contains 7 servings (1 serving equals 1/3 cup or 85g); the price per serving is 31 cents.
A serving has 35 calories, zero fat or cholesterol, 15mg sodium, 8g carbohydrate (less than 1 fiber, 3 sugars) and zero protein.
Compare that to Comstock Premium More Fruit Cherry Pie Filling, which costs $2.76 for a 21-ounce can, and each 1/3-cup serving has 90 calories, zero fat or cholesterol, 70mg sodium, 23g carbohydrate (18 sugars) and zero protein.
If you taste the two fillings side by side, the Comstock is definitely sweeter. However, I prefer Lucky Leaf?s tarter flavor. If you are watching your sugar, this is an awesome dessert choice; I made individual cherry tarts topped with fat- free whipped cream and toasted almond slivers. I also want to try the recipe on the can?s label, which is for Barbecue Cherry Turkey.
No. 4
Here is a new smoothie that is extremely low in sugar and tastes fantastic.
A four-pack of the new Dannon Light ?n Fit Smoothies costs $2.96 (1 serving equals one 207mL bottle); the price per serving is 74 cents.
A serving of the strawberry flavor has 80 calories, zero fat or cholesterol, 85mg sodium, 14g carbohydrate (13 sugars) and 5g protein. A bonus is 10 to 25 percent of the recommended daily allowances of six vitamins and minerals.
Smoothies are one of my favorite grab-and-go breakfasts. I can chug one in a few seconds and be on my way, energized and full of spunk.
However, the sugar content in some smoothies -- sometimes more than 40 grams! -- counteracts any benefit. That?s why the Dannon Light ?n Fit Smoothies are so awesome. They?re low in calories, fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar and are protein-rich.
If you have a child or spouse who routinely rushes out the door in the mornings and skips breakfast, try handing them one of these on the way out. They also make perfect after-school snacks, to provide nutritious energy for sports practices or music lessons.
When I first reviewed this product, it was the sister smoothie called Dannon Carb Control Light ?n Fit Smoothie. It has a few grams less sugar and costs a lot more. This version tastes better, and it still has a third less sugar than most yogurt smoothies.
No. 3
There is only one drawback to this fabulous frozen treat, and it has nothing to do with flavor or nutrition. Popsicle Shots Intense Fruit is one of my sons? favorite warm weather snacks (all right, I admit it -- I love them too). The tiny frozen spheres, which come in tubes, do indeed have intense flavors that fill your mouth with fruitiness.
A box with six 1.7-ounce (43g) single servings costs $2.50. A serving has 10 calories, 0.5g fat, 15mg sodium, 2g carbohydrates (1 sugar) and zero protein.
Did you see those numbers? Talk about guilt-free pleasure! Here?s the drawback: When my sons eat Shots in the house they invariably drop a few pellets on the floor, so later I find sticky little melted dots of Popsicle juice. That?s not so bad in the kitchen, but if it?s on carpet I have to treat the spots with stain remover. Our solution is that Shots are allowed only in the kitchen or outside.
No. 2
When I was in elementary school, one of my older brothers attended the University of Illinois. When he came home for visits he brought me special little treats. Occasionally the gift was a tiny paper bag filled with soy nuts, which were wonderfully crisp and delicious.
Those soy nuts were probably roasted with oil, but now shoppers can easily find healthier options, such as GeniSoy Soy Nuts, in a variety of flavors.
A resealable 3.5-ounce (99g) bag with 3.5 servings (one serving equals 28g) costs $1.99; the price per serving is 57 cents.
A serving of the Zesty Barbecue flavor has 120 calories, 4g fat (1 saturated), zero cholesterol, 420mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate (5 fiber, 5 sugars) and 12g protein.
If you?re hopelessly addicted to nuts as I am, you should really give these a try. You get the satisfying crunch of nuts and a tasty nut flavor, plenty of fiber and protein and all the health benefits of soy.
No. 1
And my favorite product of the year is -- Athenos Flavored Hummus. If you like dip and you?ve never tried hummus, this healthy treat is likely to make you a fan.
Hummus is a wonderful Mediterranean spread made from chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice and garlic. It?s a bonus that hummus is healthy, because I?d eat it even if it was decadent.
Now Athenos makes several types of flavored hummus. I tried Artichoke and Garlic and Spicy Three Pepper; there are also Roasted Garlic and Roasted Red Pepper.
Each 7-ounce plastic tub costs $2.99 and contains 7 servings (1 serving equals 2 tablespoons (27g); the price per serving is 43 cents.
The nutrition facts of both kinds I tried are similar. Spicy Three Pepper has the higher numbers with 50 calories, 3g fat (zero saturated or trans), zero cholesterol, 240mg sodium, 5g carbohydrate (1 fiber, less than 1 sugar) and 1g protein.
I like Artichoke and Garlic best. It?s whipped light and spreads easily, has a creamy consistency and tastes quite garlicky. Spicy Three Pepper is almost too spicy for me, but anyone who enjoys foods with powerful heat would love it.
These great products are a perfect fit for your eDiets plan. What? You're not a member yet? Click here for your own personalized weight loss program that includes customized menus, recipes, shopping lists and 24/7 online support.
Becky Billingsley is the editor of Coastal Carolina Dining and CEO of the Food Syndicate.