http://www.viewpoints.com/Grains-Pastas Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:06:02 GMT Reviews about Grains & Pastas http://www.viewpoints.com/Betty-Crocker-Chicken-Helper-Chicken-Fried-Rice-review-756a0 Chicken Helper looked good. I am fine with some of the Hamburger Helper mixes so thought this might be another option for those "I am tired" nights. And, maybe chicken would be healthier to boot - a bit anyway. — The Chicken Fried Rice by Betty Crocker is a quick mix or supposed to be. There are more steps, so it's not much quicker than cooking from scratch. — You cook the chicken part way after cutting up one inch pieces. OK. That's like browning the hamburger in a Hamburger Helper mix. Then add rice pack and seasonings. Same drill. On track. Cover and cook on low for 25 minutes. Fine. But, you do need to stir this more often for it to soak up the juice. — You have to cook Chicken Helper pretty dry, because you scoop the food to the side of the pan at the end and then scramble a couple of eggs. It does not specify whether to beat them up, but I think they would be fried eggs and not scrambled if just cracked in there beside the food. So, that's another bowl to... Wed, 20 Aug 2008 00:06:02 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Betty-Crocker-Chicken-Helper-Chicken-Fried-Rice-review-756a0 CyndiA 2 http://www.viewpoints.com/Knorr-Sides-Plus-Veggies%3A-Teriyaki-Noodles-With-Asian-Style-Vegetables-review-36ac2 I am a vegetarian, so I like to cook a lot of veggies, so I was anxious to try Knorr Sides Plus Veggies: Teriyaki Noodles With Asian Style Vegetables when I found it in the store.  Each pouch contains everything you need for an asian inspired side dish, and all you add is the water.  This pouch serves two and couldn't be easier to prepare.  The contents are a spicy blend of noodles and vegetables.  I was disappointed at the amount of veggies included, because they were highly overpowered by the noodles.  The sauce tasted a little sweet and salty.  This contains a lot sodium, so you may want to add some spice of your own.  I like the easiness of the preparation, but the sauce is lacking the asian spice you expect.  This comfortably serves two at about 350 calories.  It is easy to make, but not that great... Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:43:27 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Knorr-Sides-Plus-Veggies%3A-Teriyaki-Noodles-With-Asian-Style-Vegetables-review-36ac2 stef42678 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Knorr-Sides-Plus-Veggies%3A-Teriyaki-Noodles-With-Asian-Style-Vegetables-review-6b8f3 I recently picked up a package of Knorr's Sides Plus Veggies:  Teriyaki Noodles With Asian Style Vegetables to take along on our campiing weekend.  We usually try to bring along quick fixes for a meal or two instead of having to eat sandwiches the entire weekend.  I saw the Knorr Sides Plus packages on the shelf and thought this blend sounded good and a good way to get veggies in the man of the house who prefers meat and potatoes for the most part.  The only con was the high sodium content. — — The Facts — — Knorr's Sides Plus Veggies:  Teriyaki Noodles With Asian Style Vegetables comes in a package that all you have to do is tear it open and pour the contents into boiling water (with a teaspoon of cooking oil) in order to prepare.  The package contains two 1 cup servings.  — — Each serving contains 340 calories of which 80 are from fat.  The sodium content is alarming at 690 mg or 29% of the total daily... Sun, 10 Aug 2008 17:00:34 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Knorr-Sides-Plus-Veggies%3A-Teriyaki-Noodles-With-Asian-Style-Vegetables-review-6b8f3 BayouBengal 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Betty-Crocker-Hamburger-Helper-Microwave-Singles-review-1eb31 I didnt think that the Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper Microwave Singles would be all that good especially since the meat is already in it. I got up my guts to try it and it definantly surpassed my thoughts of what it would be. My boyfriend and I love them!! I recommend to get them if your looking for a quick easy meal when in a rush or for a lunch at work (my fav choice!) Everytime I go grocery shopping, I make sure that they are on my list! It may not be as good as regular hamburger helper but they sure do taste... Tue, 05 Aug 2008 04:00:08 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Betty-Crocker-Hamburger-Helper-Microwave-Singles-review-1eb31 xoxotiffanyxoxo 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Annies-Macaroni-and-cheese-review-84522 I really like that this product is family friendly and very classic, for those us that were fed the chemical orange mac n' cheese in the famous blue box.  Annie's Macaroni and Cheese is a better version, and you will never miss the junk in the other stuff! I am trying to make better choices for my family, now that we have a baby, I'm very aware of what I bring in to our home. We are not even close to perfect, but every little bit helps! Really, give this stuff a try, the kids won't notice, you can pronounce everything on the box. Amazing. I checked the price at Costco yesterday (7/24/08) and Annie's is priced at $9.99 for a case of 15 boxes, and the Kraft Blue Box is $9.69 for a case of 15....hardly anything, for a better... Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:33:23 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Annies-Macaroni-and-cheese-review-84522 mhurst826 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Goya-Spanish-Style-Yellow-Rice-review-82401 I started using the Goya line of rices over 5 years ago.  I find this brand of rice to have a much lower sodium content than other pre-seasoned packaged rices.  No one in my home has an issue with sodium, but why put all that extra in your body. — The Spanish Style Yellow Rice cooks in about 20 minutes and is pre-seasoned.  The overall taste to others is much better.  It really has an authentic taste to it. — I find this rice to be extremely versatile.  I will put it in a skillet with a little olive oil, a tablespoon or so of tomato paste and then chicken breasts cut into chunks; let it cook about 20 minutes then add some fresh peas at the end, and you have an amazing, quick and delicious dinner. — Another variance to just plain rice as a side dish is to cook the rice as directed on the box.  When the rice is nearly done, add fresh broccoli florets and cheese (I prefer to use shredded cheddar), then roll thinly sliced chicken... Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:35:37 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Goya-Spanish-Style-Yellow-Rice-review-82401 mysticstarfish 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/DeBoles-Gluten-Free-Rice-Penne-review-d9001 Well, what do you know? Wal-Mart has started carrying a gluten free pasta! I typically don't even look at the pastas in Wal-Mart because my three children and I have a sensitivity to gluten and quite a few other grains and foods. We've had to drive about 60 miles round-trip to buy pasta from Whole Foods because none of the grocery stores around here have carried pastas that we can eat. — I suppose I can get a little distracted carting three children through the aisles of Wal-Mart, but this unexpected detour paid off! I only purchased one box of DeBoles gluten free rice penne pasta, fully expecting the kids to say they didn't like the new brand of pasta noodles. — Hey, they liked it! DeBoles penne noodles are made from rice flour and rice bran extract. It only lists those two ingredients on the box. Best of all, in large letters on the front is "gluten free." Actually it's on the box again in smaller letters at the bottom also. Those are magic words to those with... Tue, 22 Jul 2008 14:10:53 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/DeBoles-Gluten-Free-Rice-Penne-review-d9001 Katrena 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Pizza-Hut-Tuscani-Pasta-Creamy-Chicken-Alfredo-review-35d81 I had seen the commercials for the Tuscani Pasta's at Pizza Hut and wanted to give them a try, but, honestly I don't eat at Pizza Hut all that much. But, one weekend my hubby and I got a craving and stopped in.....I'm glad we did. — — The commercials show only the family deal, but, you can buy just an individual serving. We dined in, so they brought it to me in this huge bowl, with little green parsley around the lid of the bowl (I guess to make it look fancy!), and a side of Texas toast. I dug in and it was delicious! I'll admit, while I love pasta I haven't had much experience with Chicken Alfredo, but, this is definitely one of the best I'VE tasted. And the serving is so much that I took it home and had it for lunch the next day as well!! I can't remember the exact price, but, I believe it was $6.99 (which isn't bad when you consider it could be two meals!). They also have another variety, Meaty Marinara, but, I didn't try it. — — Every Thursday my father... Sun, 13 Jul 2008 23:22:31 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Pizza-Hut-Tuscani-Pasta-Creamy-Chicken-Alfredo-review-35d81 VolFanGrl 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Pasta-Roni-All-Varieties-review-da7b3 I love to cook dinner, but sometimes I want a great meal without a lot of work, so of course I turn to a box.  Pasta Roni is a great solution to home cooking because they make great tasting pasta dishes, and you just pour, boil and mix.  The box comes with all the pasta and seasonings you need and you just add milk to make it creamy.  They make a variety of flavors like four cheese parmesan, white cheddar and brocolli and fettucine alfredo.  I love the sauces because they have so many flavors and spices to make the pasta taste great.  I love the Nature's Way line of flavors because they are made with all natural pasta and no preservatives and are a little bit healthier.  My favorite is the Creamy Parmesano flavor with the great taste of pasta and cheese and just about 280 calories per serving.  The nutrition varies for each flavor but most are about 300-350 with about 2 servings per box.  I like to add vegetables to the pasta for a bigger meal... Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:40:33 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Pasta-Roni-All-Varieties-review-da7b3 stef42678 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Tinkyada-Spaghetti-Style-Brown-Rice-Pasta-with-rice-bran-review-2b112 Tinkyada Spaghetti Style Brown Rice Pasta (with rice bran) are tasty, gluten free spaghetti noodles that my children will actually eat if prepared correctly. See below for details: — Tinkyada may be a brand you've never heard of before. I had not heard of it until I had to enter the world of gluten free living. — Tinkyada makes it easy and puts information right on the bag. It's gluten free, wheat free, low fat, cholesterol free, low sodium, a source of fiber, and al dente. How refreshing! — Tinkyada makes two types of spaghetti style brown rice pasta. The one with rice bran has dark purple on the sides. The other has lavendar. My children refuse to eat the lavendar sided one, even after a lecture on the cost of specialty foods and gasoline. We now order the type with rice bran by the case from Whole Foods. — Boil about four quarts of water in a large pot before placing the spaghetti noodles in it, unless you want pasta that is somewhat... Sun, 06 Jul 2008 03:24:22 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Tinkyada-Spaghetti-Style-Brown-Rice-Pasta-with-rice-bran-review-2b112 Katrena 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Zatarains-New-Orleans-Style-Jambalaya-Mix-review-45a42 My family loves this jambalaya mix and we will never use another.  We have traveled to new orleans many times and we think this tastes just as good.  I make it with leftover smoked sausage and chicken and it turns out great every time. It is a simple to cook and takes no time to make.  The spiceness is just right for my family but we love hot stuff.  This is one of the few things my family can agree on to have for... Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:20:09 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Zatarains-New-Orleans-Style-Jambalaya-Mix-review-45a42 made582 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Pasta-Roni-All-Varieties-review-572e1 While I do enjoy to cook on occasion, I'm pretty lazy when it comes to food preparation, so I look for things that are quick and easy to prepare.  Pasta Roni definitely falls into that category. — I know what you're thinking.  Isn't Pasta Roni a side dish?  Yeah probably, but can't you go into an Italian restaurant and order a plate of just pasta?  Sure you can, and this is simply the home version.  For me, Pasta Roni is a meal. — The product couldn't be easier to prepare.  Just bring water, milk, and butter to a boil, reduce the heat to medium, add the pasta and seasonings, and cook for 5 minutes (stirring occasionally).  After that, remove it from the heat and let it stand for 5 minutes.  Anyone can do it, so long as you bear in mind what happens when you bring milk to a boil (I learned that lesson the hard way in microbiology lab).  Since I have an electric stove which doesn't cool down quickly, I'll set one section to high... Thu, 03 Jul 2008 23:50:26 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Pasta-Roni-All-Varieties-review-572e1 JazzSinger 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Betty-Crocker-Hamburger-Helper-Microwave-Singles-review-9f915 I was used to cooking regular Hamburger Helper side dishes, but being a bachelor I found that most of it was going to waste.  I was super happy when Betty Crocker came out with the Microwave Singles so now there is enough for just 1 meal and nothing goes to waste.  I have tried a variety of the Singles dishes and they are all very tasty, especially the mac-n-cheese.  Another thing I love about these meals is that you can easily pop them into the microwave for a quickie meal. ... Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:43:38 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Betty-Crocker-Hamburger-Helper-Microwave-Singles-review-9f915 myron1951 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Dreamfields-Linguine-review-6dbc0 I love pasta, But the crabs will eating me alive.Dreamfields Linguine, sounds like it very tasty and good for you. As far as carbs go.And I love Linguine pasta it is the best, Next to spahgetti and every other pasta dish out there. But trying to find a really pasta dish that everyone will like and has little to no crabs at all is... Thu, 29 May 2008 11:25:18 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Dreamfields-Linguine-review-6dbc0 angienoakes 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Dreamfields-spaghetti-review-b43c1 I love Italian food but I am also always trying to eat healthy, so I couldn't wait to try Dreamfields healthy pasta noodles.  The spaghetti noodles are made with whole wheat flour so they are high in flavor and low in carbohydrates.  Each serving only has 5 grams of digestible carbs so they keep your glycemic index low and are perfect for maintaining a healthy diet.  The spaghetti noodles have a great texture and only 1 gram of fat per serving.  They are low in calories too with only 190 per 2.5 ounce serving.  The noodles are long and thin and cook up great.  These noodles are perfect with a red marinara sauce or a white carbonara sauce. I love that these noodles are not only good for you but that they taste great.  This pasta is a winner in my book and a great way to eat healthy Italian... Thu, 29 May 2008 10:54:30 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Dreamfields-spaghetti-review-b43c1 stef42678 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Dreamfields-Linguine-review-0ad42 I love to eat pasta, but many of my friends don't like when I cook Italian dishes because they are watching their carb intake.  Dreamfields pasta is a healthier version because these noodles have only 5 grams of digestible carbohydrates and are low in fat and calories.  These noodles are made with wheat flour and hold in lots of flavor.  Your friends won't even realize what they are eating is healthy. I love that these linguine noodles cook up easy and will hold the flavor of your sauce.  These noodles are flat and are great served as a pesto dish.  The noodles are also served with clams or chicken for a savory Italian dish.  One box sells for $2.50 and has only 190 per 2 ounce serving.  This is a great choice for anyone who wants to eat healthy but loves Italian cooking, but it is also perfect to bring back pasta to a low carb... Thu, 29 May 2008 10:46:12 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Dreamfields-Linguine-review-0ad42 stef42678 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Dreamfields-Pasta-any-variety-review-d1e82 I love to eat pasta and I love that Dreamfields pasta varieties are made with wheat flour so they are lower in carbohydrates and still have a lot of flavor to taste great.  Dreamfields has only 5 grams of digestible carbohydrates which keeps your glycemic index low and helps maintain your healthy diet.  The pasta is low in fat with only about 1 gram per serving and clocks in at only 190 calories.  This is a great choice for making any Italian dish and they have some great varieties like spaghetti, linguine, elbow pasta, penne and rotini.  I love using the noodles for vegetarian lasagna and macaroni and cheese.  The noodles retail for $2.50 and really hold in flavor.  This is the perfect way to enjoy Italian foods and stay healthy.  The noodles have a great flavor and texture and cook up... Thu, 29 May 2008 10:40:04 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Dreamfields-Pasta-any-variety-review-d1e82 stef42678 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Barilla-Linguine-review-a4176 The path leading toward weight management and better health may at times seem difficult, dark and unrewarding (boo-hoo!) but here's a friendly lamp to light our way -- according to an article entitled "The Whole Carb Truth about Pasta" by Newsday Staff Writer Erica Marcus, even plain old "white" pasta may not be as much of a nutritional disaster as we thought.  Yes, yes, it does contain carbs but pasta's GI (Glycemic Index which indicates how quickly carbs raise blood sugar) is relatively low compared to other carbs such as white bread (70 GI) and a baked potato (80 GI).  The lower the GI, the "better" the carb and pasta has a GI rate in the range of only 40 (a number which may vary slightly depending on brand and type).  — I was considerably cheered to read this because I have got to admit that even wild horses can't keep me away from indulging in Italian pasta now and then ... and not that whole wheat stuff either (which may actually be very... Fri, 02 May 2008 23:39:51 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Barilla-Linguine-review-a4176 AnnaBanana 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Zatarains-Spanish-Rice-review-2cd44 Some other Spanish Rice mixes turn out too liquidy, or too sticky. What I like most about Zatarain's is that it is none of the above!  The liquid completely absorbs and it is not at all sticky!! — I made this Spanish Rice a few months ago, and then made it again last night.  Both times it came out great.  In the past with other Spanish Rice mixes, if I left it on the stove too long, it came out sticky or burnt.  Last night with Zatarain's, I left it on the stove about 10 minutes longer than it needed to be (I forgot about it!) but when I took it off and served it the rice still tasted perfect and was not sticky at all! — The Zatarain's mix is easier to use than other Spanish rice because there is not much work at all.  You pour the package in with water, a little butter, and some canned diced tomatoes and stir.  Let it get to a boil, then simply cover it and leave it for about 25 minutes.  You do not have to stir it as it... Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:16:30 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Zatarains-Spanish-Rice-review-2cd44 vivasuzi 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Betty-Crocker-Tuna-Helper-Tetrazzini-review-23741 If you are someone like me who enjoys a good tuna casserole, but either don't want to do the work to make one or don't know how.  There is a very simple alternative and that is Tuna Helper.  Tuna Helper comes in a few different flavors, and one of the them is Tuna Tetrazzini.  Tuna Tetrazzini is not exactly like a Tuna casserole, it is kind of a mix of a tuna fettuccini type dish and a tuna casserole.  It is creamy like a casserole, but the noodles are thinner, like a noodle side dish.  But this is a main dish to be sure.  — You can find Betty Crocker Tuna Tetrazzini by the Hamburger Helper at your grocery store.  It is relatively in-expensive at an average price of $1.59, but it can often be found on sale for less, and you can often find coupons for it.  This price is for a 6.4 oz box.  The box comes with 2 different packages, one of the packages contains the thin noodles, the other pouch contains the seasoning and sauce... Tue, 29 Apr 2008 23:08:48 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Betty-Crocker-Tuna-Helper-Tetrazzini-review-23741 ladym33 5