I have some back logged reviews to post, which I'm aiming to do later today, but for now I'll just enter my newest post and get on with the rest of the day. Matt's going to spend the afternoon and evening playing cards so I'll be hanging around the dorm today studying, cleaning, and what not. The tooth I got filled a few weeks ago has been acting up when I chew, so I might have to go get that looked at. Most of the websites seem to concur it's because the filling is too high and needs to be filed down a bit, so I'm hoping it will be a quick, painless, and cheap procedure!
Without further ado, on to the review:
First Impressions: The smell from the microwave is sweet and almost citrus in nature as the timer beeps. I open the door and attempt to take out the steamer bowl - bad move, as the bowl is extremely hot and pouring out steam still. I get a few dish towels and take it from there. It takes some maneuvering but I finally get the plastic wrap cover off. Now you're supposed to be able to remove the colander-esque top part containing the meat and veggies and dump it into the sauce below it, but I ran into two issues; the first being that it was so hot that I couldn't really pick up the tray and the second being that part of the sauce/plastic tray part got a little burnt and fused together. I ended up getting another bowl out of the cabinet and dumped everything into it. I must say, the size is rather wimpy and I'm a little perturbed by the predominance of the thick, unseasoned red potatoes in the dish. I'm glad they put thought into filling us up and keeping us full, but I think they could have at least thrown some herbs on these babies! The visual variety of corn, steak, potatoes, and red and green peppers diced into the mix as well as the smell of the BBQ sauce is too much for me at this point, so I dig in.
Taste: So the potatoes are as bland as I predicted, but the up side is that there is enough BBQ sauce in the dish to be able to help combat the 'blah' factor. The steak, corn, and peppers all taste as they should, with the steak having a bit of a peppery flavor that's subtle enough but also brings out the natural flavors of the meat. The BBQ sauce does have that tangy whiskey element but for me, it is a little sweeter than I would prefer. It's not a deal breaker though, and I'm still enjoying the meal. I'm actually glad Healthy Choice was on sale this week. In comparison to Lean Cuisine or Smart Ones, the Healthy Choice line really emphasizes the freshness of flavors and how natural tasting the meals are. I find this to be extremely true, though sometimes it's a bit detrimental because I feel that, for example, the potatoes could use some seasoning. I haven't had a Healthy Choice meal yet that I find to have over processed meat -- which is more a texture thing, but sometimes the fake smokey or creamy flavors can be unnerving.
Texture: The only thing I can gripe about in this category is the meat. It is a bit dry, but I sympathize with Healthy Choice because well done lean steaks are pretty much bound to be a little dry. The potatoes are the perfect softness for me - a little bit softer than most baked potatoes, and super fork tender. I'm amazed at the clean, fresh taste of the corn medley - it's like I just opened up a Steamfresh bag or bought and boiled it myself and cut it off the cob.
General Thoughts: Ok so I've been harping on the fresh and clean tastes of Healthy Choice for the last two sections, but this is a frozen meal you can really feel good about eating. Sometimes even the healthiest of the frozen meals come off a bit, well, processed and unhealthy. You won't find that here - only pure, natural flavors. This meal in particular wasn't my favorite, but I can appreciate it and overall I would give it another chance down the road if I were looking to change things up a bit.
I would buy this again.
Rating: 3.5 stars
Calories: 250
Fat: 4 grams
Healthy Choice Site with Complete Nutritional Information
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