Gaelen
03-17-2006, 07:44 PM
As part of the January Challenge on the yahoo! group PPBBS, we featured the supermarket finds contest. Although the results are posted with that challenge, I thought I'd also start a thread here with those finds.
Finding products in the supermarket that make our lives easier and strengthen our pantries can be the difference between having a quick on-plan meal and being prepared to bring our own lunches/snacks from home...and giving in to the bag of Cheetos and dip hiding in the house. So here are some of the things that are already making our lives easier, along with some label-reading guidelines for everyone brave enough to tackle the offerings in the supermarket aisles to broaden your pantries. Whenever you find something that works on plan and makes the day a little easier, especially if it isn't labeled low carb, post it here and share the wealth. Remember, the healthy pantry is truly the way to success 24/7.
-------
Here are the supermarket finds for January's Challenge, by poster. If I missed anyone or any find, please let me know! We're all winners in this one because everyone's find can enrich our own shopping lists. Congratulations to everyone and thanks for sharing your 'finds'--looks like we built up some serious label-reading skills in January that will serve us well all year long.
Ally ( 8 )-- Great Value Stir Fry Veggies in the frozen food case at Walmart, in Deluxe, Broccoli and Snow Peas blends; great for a quick meal when you add your favorite protein
-- Also at Walmart, Pepperidge Farm has at least 2 different kinds of LC bread that are 5ECC per slice.
-- Those tuna packs that are lightly marienated... hickory smoke, herb & garlic and also lemon and herb.
Beth (1) -- flavored tuna (herb and garlic)
Billie (4) -- great deals on frozen shrimp, and a shrimp stir fry recipe to 'go with' the deal
-- avocados (two weeks of great prices!)
-- cilantro and other fresh herbs
-- a veggie new-to-Billie called 'broccolini' (broccoli rabe)
Bonnie Lease (1) -- A warning NOT to try: I tried the LC meals; don't bother...YUCK!
Brad (5) -- Birds Eye frozen vegetables: Green Beans and Lightly Toasted Almonds, 8g carbs and 3g fiber per serving, two 3/4 cup servings per box, $1.44 at Walmart. Broccoli and Cauliflower with Chives also recommended, but broccoli with thyme was too salty. Seasoning packet is separate though, so you can add less.
-- Green Giant Frozen Vegetables (bag): Cauliflower, Broccoli, Carrots and Asparagus in Tuscan Herb Sauce. Also some of the boxed varieties with cheese sauce...check the labels!
Gaelen ( 8 )-- Pesto sauce in the jar -- Contadina or Flora brands
-- Doctor Kracker seeded spelt and cheese-pumpkin seed organic crackers (less than 1g ECC per cracker, good as a snack, dipper or ground up as a crumb coating)
-- Melissa's Ready to Use 10" French Crepes. They come in a resealable bag, are freezable, and about 34 cents apiece for a package of 10. 37 calories, as 1g fat, 6g carbohydrates, and 1g protein.
-- Besan (chickpea) or gram flour, to make your OWN crepes, tortillas and pizza crusts in 30 minutes or less.
-- baby bok choy
-- Aldi's bags of individually frozen tilapia fillets
-- in the frozen case, usually with the kosher foods...Dr. Praeger's Spinach Pancakes. Each pancake is 70 calories as 4g fat, 2g protein, 6g ECC. They can be baked, pan fried or microwaved and used where ever you'd use toast or a potato pancake.
-- Tabatchnick frozen soups. Each package contains two portions, and each portion is individually frozen in what used to be called a boil-in-bag...like a seal-a-meal bag. Soups can be heated in the microwave (puncture the bag) or the intact bags can be dropped into boiling water. CHECK CAREFULLY...not all varieties fit on plan! Two that do: Cream of Broccoli soup at 9g ECC, and Tomato-Rice (yes, honest...Tomato-Rice!) at 9g ECC. Mushroom Barley is also good (although a gram or two higher ECC) along with Cabbage soup, and seafood chowder. Many of the soups are vegetarian; all are kosher.
Kaye (kitchendiva) (1) -- organic green beans on sale at Costco!
Kitty (2) -- seconding the vote for Green Giant frozen veggie combos
-- what NOT to try: South Beach Diet dinner, chicken topped with marinara and cheese with a side of cauliflower/broccoli combo. I thought it sounded great and the carbs were low. Well shoot, I think it tasted like something you'd polish furniture with.
Lisa S. (2) -- Birdseye VOILA! Teriyaki Beef & Vegetables (bag says NEW!)- 3 serving bag of Broccoli, Seasoned Beef strips, carrots, edamame & water chestnuts in a Teriyaki sauce. This is one of those "everything in one bag" stir-fry kits.
-- From Nutritious Living - Hi-Lo Turkey Chili with Beans Santa Fe in a shelf-stable (no refrigeration required) package. 180 kcal, 20g PRO, 13g CHO, 8g fiber. Here is the company website: http://www.organicmilling.com/
Mary in WI (6) -- McIlhenny Spicy Brown Mustard (0 carbs) -- and a great recipe for a pork chop rub, too"
-- MacNut Oil which I use for a salad dressing. I mix about 2 T of oil with a heaping 1/2 Tsp of Penzey's Rocky Mountain Blend...makes an easy healthy dressing.
-- Bob's Red Mill Soy Flour to make George Stella's Brownies
-- canned pumpkin to make protein shakes
-- Sami's Lavash (11 carbs-11 fiber) to make quesadillas for lunch
-- some olive pimento cheese to throw in my salads.
Mitra (6) -- rennet to turn milk and cream into a wonderful low carb pudding
-- a version of berry mix with raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants for 5g carb per 100g.
-- another vote for gram flour (besan or chickpea flour)
-- chicory
-- fresh fennel bulbs for braising
-- wild mushrooms, specifically chanterelles (yum!)
Shadow (6) -- another vote for Walmart's Great Value Stir Fry Veggie Blends; Shadow suggested the Asparagus version.
-- the "California blend" veggies from Walmart (just the broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)used to puree up to thicken soups. The carrots add a richness you just don't get from pureeing broccoli and cauliflower alone.
-- 3 bags of frozen berries - 1 each of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries. Walmart's frozen berries are the only kind available in town without added sugar. They also have a mixed berry blend of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries...although fresh blueberries just taste better, these are fine in recipes.
-- seconding the vote for tuna in the foil packets; the unflavored
tuna comes in three sizes!
Sherry (2) -- seconding the vote for those Bird's Eye frozen veggies
-- seconding the vote for hickory smoked and lemon-herb marinated
tuna in the foil packets
Happy hunting in the supermarket aisles, and here's to reading the labels! Again, congratulations to all on a very successful part of the January 2006 challenge!
Finding products in the supermarket that make our lives easier and strengthen our pantries can be the difference between having a quick on-plan meal and being prepared to bring our own lunches/snacks from home...and giving in to the bag of Cheetos and dip hiding in the house. So here are some of the things that are already making our lives easier, along with some label-reading guidelines for everyone brave enough to tackle the offerings in the supermarket aisles to broaden your pantries. Whenever you find something that works on plan and makes the day a little easier, especially if it isn't labeled low carb, post it here and share the wealth. Remember, the healthy pantry is truly the way to success 24/7.
-------
Here are the supermarket finds for January's Challenge, by poster. If I missed anyone or any find, please let me know! We're all winners in this one because everyone's find can enrich our own shopping lists. Congratulations to everyone and thanks for sharing your 'finds'--looks like we built up some serious label-reading skills in January that will serve us well all year long.
Ally ( 8 )-- Great Value Stir Fry Veggies in the frozen food case at Walmart, in Deluxe, Broccoli and Snow Peas blends; great for a quick meal when you add your favorite protein
-- Also at Walmart, Pepperidge Farm has at least 2 different kinds of LC bread that are 5ECC per slice.
-- Those tuna packs that are lightly marienated... hickory smoke, herb & garlic and also lemon and herb.
Beth (1) -- flavored tuna (herb and garlic)
Billie (4) -- great deals on frozen shrimp, and a shrimp stir fry recipe to 'go with' the deal
-- avocados (two weeks of great prices!)
-- cilantro and other fresh herbs
-- a veggie new-to-Billie called 'broccolini' (broccoli rabe)
Bonnie Lease (1) -- A warning NOT to try: I tried the LC meals; don't bother...YUCK!
Brad (5) -- Birds Eye frozen vegetables: Green Beans and Lightly Toasted Almonds, 8g carbs and 3g fiber per serving, two 3/4 cup servings per box, $1.44 at Walmart. Broccoli and Cauliflower with Chives also recommended, but broccoli with thyme was too salty. Seasoning packet is separate though, so you can add less.
-- Green Giant Frozen Vegetables (bag): Cauliflower, Broccoli, Carrots and Asparagus in Tuscan Herb Sauce. Also some of the boxed varieties with cheese sauce...check the labels!
Gaelen ( 8 )-- Pesto sauce in the jar -- Contadina or Flora brands
-- Doctor Kracker seeded spelt and cheese-pumpkin seed organic crackers (less than 1g ECC per cracker, good as a snack, dipper or ground up as a crumb coating)
-- Melissa's Ready to Use 10" French Crepes. They come in a resealable bag, are freezable, and about 34 cents apiece for a package of 10. 37 calories, as 1g fat, 6g carbohydrates, and 1g protein.
-- Besan (chickpea) or gram flour, to make your OWN crepes, tortillas and pizza crusts in 30 minutes or less.
-- baby bok choy
-- Aldi's bags of individually frozen tilapia fillets
-- in the frozen case, usually with the kosher foods...Dr. Praeger's Spinach Pancakes. Each pancake is 70 calories as 4g fat, 2g protein, 6g ECC. They can be baked, pan fried or microwaved and used where ever you'd use toast or a potato pancake.
-- Tabatchnick frozen soups. Each package contains two portions, and each portion is individually frozen in what used to be called a boil-in-bag...like a seal-a-meal bag. Soups can be heated in the microwave (puncture the bag) or the intact bags can be dropped into boiling water. CHECK CAREFULLY...not all varieties fit on plan! Two that do: Cream of Broccoli soup at 9g ECC, and Tomato-Rice (yes, honest...Tomato-Rice!) at 9g ECC. Mushroom Barley is also good (although a gram or two higher ECC) along with Cabbage soup, and seafood chowder. Many of the soups are vegetarian; all are kosher.
Kaye (kitchendiva) (1) -- organic green beans on sale at Costco!
Kitty (2) -- seconding the vote for Green Giant frozen veggie combos
-- what NOT to try: South Beach Diet dinner, chicken topped with marinara and cheese with a side of cauliflower/broccoli combo. I thought it sounded great and the carbs were low. Well shoot, I think it tasted like something you'd polish furniture with.
Lisa S. (2) -- Birdseye VOILA! Teriyaki Beef & Vegetables (bag says NEW!)- 3 serving bag of Broccoli, Seasoned Beef strips, carrots, edamame & water chestnuts in a Teriyaki sauce. This is one of those "everything in one bag" stir-fry kits.
-- From Nutritious Living - Hi-Lo Turkey Chili with Beans Santa Fe in a shelf-stable (no refrigeration required) package. 180 kcal, 20g PRO, 13g CHO, 8g fiber. Here is the company website: http://www.organicmilling.com/
Mary in WI (6) -- McIlhenny Spicy Brown Mustard (0 carbs) -- and a great recipe for a pork chop rub, too"
-- MacNut Oil which I use for a salad dressing. I mix about 2 T of oil with a heaping 1/2 Tsp of Penzey's Rocky Mountain Blend...makes an easy healthy dressing.
-- Bob's Red Mill Soy Flour to make George Stella's Brownies
-- canned pumpkin to make protein shakes
-- Sami's Lavash (11 carbs-11 fiber) to make quesadillas for lunch
-- some olive pimento cheese to throw in my salads.
Mitra (6) -- rennet to turn milk and cream into a wonderful low carb pudding
-- a version of berry mix with raspberries, blackberries, blackcurrants and redcurrants for 5g carb per 100g.
-- another vote for gram flour (besan or chickpea flour)
-- chicory
-- fresh fennel bulbs for braising
-- wild mushrooms, specifically chanterelles (yum!)
Shadow (6) -- another vote for Walmart's Great Value Stir Fry Veggie Blends; Shadow suggested the Asparagus version.
-- the "California blend" veggies from Walmart (just the broccoli, cauliflower and carrots)used to puree up to thicken soups. The carrots add a richness you just don't get from pureeing broccoli and cauliflower alone.
-- 3 bags of frozen berries - 1 each of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries. Walmart's frozen berries are the only kind available in town without added sugar. They also have a mixed berry blend of raspberries, blackberries, blueberries and strawberries...although fresh blueberries just taste better, these are fine in recipes.
-- seconding the vote for tuna in the foil packets; the unflavored
tuna comes in three sizes!
Sherry (2) -- seconding the vote for those Bird's Eye frozen veggies
-- seconding the vote for hickory smoked and lemon-herb marinated
tuna in the foil packets
Happy hunting in the supermarket aisles, and here's to reading the labels! Again, congratulations to all on a very successful part of the January 2006 challenge!