Whole Grain Pilaf - Deal of the Day

This is the most colorful Deal of the Day I've seen in quite a while, and it's as tasty as it is kaleidoscopic. I can highly recommend Luvo's Whole Grain Pilaf.

Just check out the natural ingredient list - it's a long one: zucchini, eggplant, quinoa, kale, onion, garlic, artichoke, red bell pepper, almonds, apple and raisins, to name a few of them.

Click on any photo to see larger.

Even the packaging is natural and made of recycled paper and soy-based inks. (And with a sell by date of 2055?!!)

I microwaved the entree and watched as the bag expanded - I was prepared for it to explode, but it collapsed after heating through.

Make sure to mix the ingredients after microwaving, especially if the raisins are clumped together, which can overpower the other veggies and grains with too much sweetness.

There are no overwhelming spices or extra-spicy heat that I could detect, which is usually why this type of high quality frozen entree shows up in 99c only Stores. The flavors are all from the medley of grain, veggies and fruit.

Slices of zucchini and eggplant were a little overdone, but still flavorful. And the veggie pieces are large enough to distinguish from each other. All the disparate flavors go well together.

This if not a typical fluffy rice pilaf - more like a wet risotto.The overall texture is on the mushy side, all the veggies and fruit moisten the brown rice and quinoa, a little too much. Not bad, it's just too wet for typical rice pilaf that I've had before.

At 10 ounces, this is a light lunch, but all the quinoa and brown rice helps satisfy a midday appetite. And, if you added a bit of protein, like cooked chicken, this would be a filling dinner. But to keep it vegetarian bulk up by adding a favorite pasta or more grain - the pilaf is damp enough, almost like a thick veggie pasta sauce. Click here to see one of Luvo's Whole Grain Pilaf recipe hacks.

So on the 99 Cent Chef's Cheap$kate Dining Scale of 1 to 9, 9 being best, Luvo's Whole Grain Pilaf gets a perfect 9.

Even being on the mushy side, this veggie entree still packs a tasty punch. I would even purchase it at regular price from my local grocery store, that is if it's not too expensive.