The overpowering flavor is basil, just like the title says, and that's a good thing. My latest Cheap$kate meal to review is all veggies and chicken, not a carb in sight. I have the feeling I will still be hungry after this taste test.
Tomato Basil Chicken with Spinach is by Smart Ones from Weight Watchers. I've had their frozen meals before and they usually get good marks.
frozen & zapped
I am a fan of basil whether it's Thai or Italian leaf. Pungent and aromatic this Deal of the Day's flavors are strong. Chunks of bell pepper, onion, spinach, and tomato round out the frozen entree veggie medley.
I like my sauteed veggies chunky, and this meal delivers, although a bit mushy, that's to be expected for a typical meal from the frozen deli case. I guess you could say it is like a rustic and light Italian tomato sauce.
There is not a lot of tomato sauce but what there is pungent with herbs, especially basil. A sprinkling of mild mozzarella cheese is a nice addition.
Spinach is also at the top of the ingredients list. It is tender, although a bit meager in the amount supplied. But I enjoyed what I tasted.
Surprisingly there is a generous amount of white meat chicken chunks. And they are tender and moist - way to go Smart Ones! And they use real breast meat, not ground and spongy loaf mixture.
The ingredients list is short which I like, just give me what's advertised, not a bunch of mystery preservatives.
Click on any photo to see larger.
And here are the nutrition specs for all you Weight Watchers -- I do like a light meal sometimes.
While this meal may not fill you up, it is fine for a light lunch or dinner. I cheated though Weight Watchers so sue me! I had to add a little rice to fill out the meal. I wanted something to soak up the sauce. I'm sure you could fudge your diet and add a small amount of your fave gluten-free grain or pasta.
So on the 99 Cent Chef's Cheap$kate Dining Scale of 1 to 9, 9 being best, I give Weight Watchers Smart Ones Tomato, Basil, Chicken with Spinach a perfect 9!
You would be smart to pick up a few of these when they show up on sale in your frozen food deli case, of if you are L.A. local then watch out for them at the 99c only Store.
Veggies wrapped in creamy scrambled eggs is a great way to start the day. And adding your fave cheese is over-the-top decadence. A Spinach and Cheese Omelet is one of my favorite breakfasts. Go ahead and dig in below.
Play it here. Video runs 1 minute 39 seconds.
It comes together quickly, as fresh spinach sauteed in a hot pan only takes a minute to become tender.
Click on any photo to see larger.
You can use thawed frozen spinach or spinach from a can, too. Just make sure to drain any packaged or canned cooked spinach, or the omelet will be too soggy.
Any cheese you have on hand can go into this omelet. I used a mild soft white French cheese, but go ahead and fill the omelet with good old American cheese, or even pungent Swiss or feta cheese.
For the eggs, I like to scramble them first in a bowl, then pour into a low to medium-hot pan. Not too hot because I want to catch the eggs while they are slightly moist before I fold the omelet over the sauteed spinach and cheese.
Of course, cook the omelet the way you like it; old-school truckstop or diner-style with a slight crusty brown on the outside and solid on the inside. It's all deliciously good!
I went all out and topped the omelet with a pat of butter, and chopped chives from my small garden.
All the ingredients are the right price for this penny-pinching egg-flipper. Lately, I get an eight-pack of eggs from my local Dollar Tree and fresh spinach from the 99c only Store. I get cheese from both budget stores.
This is an omelet filled with greens made quickly while the coffee is still percolating. So go ahead and start the day with this cheap$kate breakfast, a 99 Cent Chef Spinach and Cheese Omelet.
Ingredients (one large omelet)
3 eggs - okay to make it a 2 egg omelet. I used medium size eggs.
Spinach leaves - about a handful or a packed cup. Okay to use frozen or canned spinach, just make sure to drain the spinach or your omelet will be very soggy.
Cheese - about a slice, but add as much or little as you like. Okay to use any favorite cheese, like: mozzarella, Swiss, Jack, string, cheddar, or plain American.
Butter - about 1 teaspoon. Okay to use a favorite cooking oil.
Salt and pepper to taste. I find that cheese is salty enough for me, so I just sprinkle on some pepper.
I finished omelet with some fresh chopped chives - optional.
Directions
Prepare cheese if necessary. Slice or crumble cheese.
I just saute and stir spinach leaves in a medium-hot pan until tender. The leaves will collapse and moisten. As soon as the spinach is soft remove from pan. Wipe the pan clean if necessary.
Add 2 to 3 eggs to a bowl, I made mine with 3 medium-sized eggs. Whisk eggs to blend well.
Over medium heat, add a teaspoon of butter or fave oil to omelet pan. Spread oil or butter over bottom of pan.
Pour in beaten eggs into medium/hot pan. Lightly scramble eggs. Let the omelet cook until eggs are starting to firm up, but still wet. It takes a minute or two, depending on heat of pan and how many eggs you used.
Spread out eggs to cover bottom of omelet pan as eggs firm up.
Add cheese first so it will melt quicker, and lay on the cooked (and, if necessary, drained) spinach.
Gently roll the omelet to cover cheese and spinach. If you are cooking old school, just fold it in half. Cook omelet to desired doneness, about another 30 seconds to a minute. It's up to you how well done the omelet turns out.
Just slice into the thickest part of the omelet to check for preferred doneness. Of course, you can cook the omelet any way you like. A hot omelet will continue to cook until eaten.
I finish the Spinach & Cheese Omelet with a little black pepper, a pat of butter and fresh sliced green chives (optional.)
It's okay to use your fave omelet cooking technique, like just letting egg firm in the pan without scrambling. Adding cheese and spinach when the egg is firm, then folding it in half. Click here to see my truck stop diner-style omelet.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here.
My latest Deal of the Day provided breakfast and lunch. Frozen fruit and greens, sweet and earthy flavors, were blended with soy milk, providing a nutritious start to my day. This frozen deli case packaged Greens Smoothie Kit from Applause Foodis a deliciously cheap$kate find - you just need to add fruit juice, milk, or a substitute like almond or soy milk.
I'm a late arrival for veggies in smoothies, even after living in health food conscious Los Angeles for decades now. I sometimes make fruit smoothies for breakfast - but next time I'll add a few sprigs of fresh spinach.
As the package name indicates, the ingredients lean towards the greens scale, mainly kale, spinach and celery, with a few chunks of pineapple and sliced apple. It's more liquefied salad or cold soup than fruit drink. After blended with soy milk, the first taste was jolting, but I quickly got into the veggie/fruit mix of flavors.
The greens taste like they were steamed tender, so there is a slight mushy bite to veggie stems pieces. Keep on blending to completely break it down into a smooth gazpacho.
It is an earthy taste with all the leafy greens. By the time I got to the bottom of the drinking glass, I was a fan of this frozen Greens Smoothie Kit. You can read all about the makers, Applause Foods, by clicking here.
Click on any photo to see larger.
Applause Foods carry other smoothie kits that feature fruit, and immune, protein, plus super food blends. I suspect this veggie blend was the slowest to move, so it ended up at my local 99c only Store and I'm happy it did.
Greens Smoothie ingredients with soy milk.
The ingredients list is all natural fruit and veggies. And you can get 2 to 3 servings from this 8 ounce package, depending how much liquid you add - so you definitely get your money worth, as long as you have a 99c only Store nearby that stocks it. Hey, I would even put in another dollar or so for this Deal of the Day if I found it in any regular grocery store frozen deli case.
As I this package mentions "What you see is what you get", this frozen smoothie mix is very green.
Feel free to sweeten it up with any fresh fruit you have on hand, like grapes, banana, blueberries or strawberries. I would add some yogurt next time too. This package had large slices of mild flavored apple, with very little tart and sweet pineapple. I would have reversed it, adding more pineapple, as it might have contrasted deliciously with green leafy flavors.
But for a midday veggie smoothie or pick-me-up drink, just blend it with veggie or fruit juice, soy or almond milk.
So how does the latest Deal of the Day find, Greens Smoothie Kit from Applause Food, rate on my Cheap$kate Dining Scale of 1 to 9, 9 being best? Well it ranks high with a healthy 7 !
I could learn to start my day with a veggie smoothie, as long as these kits are kept stocked at my local dollar stores.
One of my favorite veggie side dishes to order in an India restaurant is Saag Paneer, a pungent, creamy spinach and cheese dish. A Middle Eastern style cheese from India, called paneer, is presented in deep fried cubes floating in slow cooked curry spiced spinach. My latest video recipe is an easy version to make, so read on to see for yourself.
Unfortunately, it's not a light dish when served in your local India lunch buffet line. Clarified butter and deep fried cheese adds too many calories for this weight-watching kitchen commando.
Plus, it is not easy to find the India cheese called paneer. Paneer is a hard white cheese, that is similar in texture to feta cheese, but milder in taste. Because of a high melting point, it softens but still holds it's shape, even in a stew.
But, upon doing a little experimenting, I found Mexican Queso Fresco cheese has a similar flavor, and holds up well to slow cooking, too. And for a lighter creamy taste I have added a small amount of cottage cheese. So I put two and two together and came up with a budget-busting, calorie-skimping, entree anyone can make.
My latest video recipe, Saag Paneer, combines the best of two culinary worlds, Mexican and Indian.
The main spice is curry powder. I just use cumin - open a jar and smell -- it makes up 75% of your typical curry powder. And cumin is much easier to find on any grocery store spice shelf; plus it's much cheaper than curry powder. Pick up an onion to saute, as this will add a bit of caramelized sweetness.
Click on any image to see larger.
For an extra boost of cheesiness crumble-in half a disc of Mexican cheese called Queso Fresco, that comes cheaply from 99c only Stores and Latin markets (It's showing up in regular groceries, too.) I also use Queso Fresco for the Mexican breakfast classic, Huevos Rancheros - just click here to see that recipe video.
Of course, my Saag Paneer recipe is adjustable to suit your convenience. It is just as tasty without Queso Fresco cheese. Think of this recipe as an India version of typical American Cream Spinach, with a little added curry spice.
Spinach is still a reasonable price and I can get fresh bundles of spinach and cleaned 5 or 6 ounce bags for a buck, or less. Fresh spinach may have dirt, so give it a rinse first. It may also have part of the root and long stems that need removing.. You can leave shorter stems, they will soften enough.
Slow cooking the spinach and cottage cheese with cumin creates a lush dish that is low in calories, especially if you use low fat cottage cheese. So give my delish, India-inspired,Mexican-style Saag Paneer a try -- all it takes is a little spinach and onion chopping with some slow cooking.
Mexican-style Saag Paneer - VIDEO
Play it here, video runs 2 minutes, 3 seconds.
My YouTube video link for viewing or embedding, just click here. Ingredients (2 -3 servings)
2 bunches of spinach - or about two 6 ounce packages.
1 whole onion - chopped
Cottage Cheese - about 8 ounces. Okay to add more to suit taste. I used low fat.
Mexican Queso Fresco cheese - optional. I used about half a 5 ounce package, roughly crumbled.
1 teaspoon ground cumin - if you have curry powder, use that.
1 tablespoon oil - for sauteing onions.
2 tablespoons of milk - if needed during final cooking stage.
Pepper to taste - I find there is plenty of salt in cottage cheese and Queso Fresco cheese.
Queso Fresco cheese - optional. I used half a 4 ounce package, that is broken into bite-sized pieces. You can use more if you like.
Directions
Start cleaning spinach if needed. Cleaned spinach in bags may only need a quick rinse. Fresh spinach from produce sections may have dirt and long root/stems. So those bundles will need washing and longer stems trimmed. (No need to prepare all spinach at once. You will add it in batches if your pot can't hold it all.)
Heat oil in medium-sized pan or pot. Add chopped onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes over a medium heat.
Mix in cumin and saute for a couple of minutes. Add cottage cheese and mix well.
Start adding chopped spinach. It will cook down in a minute or so. Continue cleaning spinach (if needed) and adding it to pot or pan until it is well blended into cottage cheese/onion mixture.
Once all the spinach is added, you can pile on some Mexican Queso Fresco cheese.
Season with pepper, reduce heat to low and cover to cook for 20 - 30 minutes until it is like Creamed Spinach.
Check spinach mixture from time to time to make sure liquid does not completely cook out. Stir periodically. The Queso Fresco will soften but still retain it's shape.
As spinach cooks down it adds a lot of liquid. The object is to cook spinach until very soft and cream-like. The cottage cheese will partially dissolve into the sauce. Add a couple of spoonfuls of milk if it starts to dry out.
Hindsight
If you like Saag Paneer more creamy then just add a 1/4 cup of milk or cream during last 20 minutes of simmering.
