Good morning! 
I slept like a bebe last night – it’s always nice to lay your head in your own bed, know what I mean? Plus I got to fall asleep to the sound of the drizzling rain…ahhh, bliss. 
This morning, I whipped up a quick and easy breakfast: Peanut Butter & Banana Oats!
In the mix:
- 1/3 cup old fashioned oatmeal
- 2/3 cup water
- 1 banana (half sliced in while cooking, half sliced on top)
- 1/2 Tablespoon chia seeds
- cinnamon, vanilla
- Trader Joe’s Peanut Butter
Microwaved for 2 minutes, stirred, then microwaved for another 30 seconds. Done!
Ok, I am kicking myself for not trying this peanut butter sooner – it tastes like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup peanut butter! You know how it’s kind of salty and not too sweet? YES! I will definitely be picking up a jar of this every time I make it to Trader Joe’s. Plus it was like $1.50. Can’t beat that.
Lovely bowl of oats to start my week off.
Yesterday at the grocery store I picked up a new (to me) find: Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake!
I have heard rave reviews about this meal for months, and all Kashi frozen entrees were 2/$6 at the grocery store yeterday, so I swooped one up.
Stats look pretty good – wish the sodium was a wee bit lower, but I’ll take it!
I’m always curious to see what the insides of frozen meals look like, so I wanted show ya. I’m assuming the large item in the middle is a plantain. Loving the big chunks of sweet potato and ALL THOSE PEPITAS!!! Pepitas (pumpkin seeds) are one of my favorite things!
I’ll also be crunching into a juicy, Pink Lady Apple. My beloved Fuji’s were on sale for $.68/lb at the store, but I got there too late. All that were left were the bruised rejects!
Well, it’s time to get this show on the road! My little brother was back in town this weekend, and my family and I are getting together tonight for farewell dinner before he leaves again tomorrow. Something to look forward to and get me through this manic Monday!
Have a good one!
~~~~~
Do you eat frozen entrees? Does the calorie/sodium/nutritional stats determine what you get, or do you just pick up what looks good? Any favorite brands or entrees that you’d recommend?
Peanut butter tastes so much different in oatmeal than almond butter. I love it!
I had never eaten a frozen entree (besides a pizza) until a few months ago when I tried Amy’s! I really like Amy’s, but like home cooking better. They are good in a pinch, tho.
I never eat frozen meals – I had one, once, and it was HORRIBLE! But often the ones I see are packed full of additives etc, there aren’t many ‘healthy’ ones where I am – let alone ones with pumpkin seeDS! What a find!
Have a good day
I used to eat a lot of frozen entrees, because they were convenient to keep in the freezer at work.
The nutritional info defintely affected my choices , along with the taste.
I mostly stuck to Lean Cuisines. Unfortunately I only liked a couple of them. Usually the plain-er ones, tortellini or pasta with veg. I always tried to steer clear of ones containing meat or fish , because microwaved meat or fish never tastes right to me.
I love peanut butter in my oatmeal too. I actually prefer it to Almond Butter for some reason .
That is my favorite frozen meal!!! I hope you enjoy it:)
I’ll eat frozen meals every so often, but I generally don’t keep them on hand. The last one I tried was the new MorningStar Farms lasagna entree…I it had lots of veggies and I thought it was really tasty!
Enjoy your family time, I love when my family gets together!
I love Mayan Harvest Bake! I think it’s the best frozen dinner out there… though it’s been awhile since I had one. Usually, I look at the stats but the sodium is tough- it always seems so high on frozen foods so I kinda ignore it for just those.
I try not to eat too many frozen meals, but when I do it’s almost always Amy’s. She know how to do frozen and with decent nutritionals, too!
I eat Kashi meals (the eggplant chana masala is my favorite), but I try to limit it to one every other week because of the sodium/unnecessary stuff content and they’re not cheap.
I can’t wait to get up to Minnesota in a few weeks and stock up at TJs!! Usually my husband and I stock up on the wine, but I think I will be spending some more time in the grocery store this time!
We don’t buy frozen meals, working from home most days – it’s really not necessary. Although that looks pretty good!
I’m not a fan of frozen meals, they always taste fake or spongy or something, you know? I’ve never seen that Kashi one, it certainly looks interesting! Have a good day!
I used to eat a lot of frozen meals (mostly Lean Cuisine) for lunches because they’re so convenient, but I had horrible trouble with IBS. Since I’ve stopped eating them, my symptoms have improved SO much. I read somewhere that you should try to avoid any food that has more mg of sodium than calories–kind of a good rule of thumb, I think. But I would say Amy’s or a Kashi meal once in a while is totally fine. Balance, right?
that is such a helpful hint!! I am going to remember that one!
I used to eat a lot of frozen meals when I worked and in college so now I am totally not into them. I prefer home cooking but I actually have time to do it now.
That frozen meal sounds delicious though, right up my alley.
I pretty much never eat frozen meals. They are loaded with sodium and just a bunch of other junk I would rather not eat. I like cooking though so it works out
You have to try Trader Joe’s new Almond Butter with Roasted Flaxseeds /crunchy and salted…it is SO good! The jar label boasts that it contains 360mg omega-3 per serving. My husband and I crave it! It was sold out last time I went to TJ’s.
All of Annie’s frozen wraps and burritos are great! Also, Trader Joe’s frozen section never disappoints! I’ve tried their pizzas, chicken tikka masala and frozen panko-breaded fish filets–all with great results! Have a great day! Hope that advice helps!
OH MY, that pb sounds absolutely amazing! Yum!
I’ve heard fantastic things about that Kashi frozen dinner too. Frozen dinners aren’t bad if you go with good brands, like Kashi and Amy’s. Amy’s veggie lasagna is my favorite frozen meal, it’s so good!
I only occasionally eat frozen meals but when I do then tend to be Kashi or Amy’s brand. The Mayan Harvest Bake is one of my favorites. I love the sweet plantains. Hope you enjoy it.
By the way I just made my first trip to Trader Joes two weekends ago when I was up in Minneapolis. I stocked up on all sort of goodies to try. I wish we had one in Des Moines.
Trader Joe’s has this new peanut butter with roasted flax seeds that is so good. They also have an almond butter version. Yum! I don’t eat many frozen meals, but when I do I choose the ones that are the least processed. Kashi, Amy’s, Helen’s Kitchen are what I choose. They are pricey, though so I typically make my own.
I adore the Kashi Mayan Harvest Bake! I also love Amy’s Spinach Pizza and her burritos and broccoli tofu bowl. Yummy in a pinch!
I use to be obsessed with Pizza Rolls in college. Mainly on the weekends at 3am. I know. I KNOW.
Amy’s makes AWESOME pizza rolls substitutes (I used to be an addict too!)
They are spinach and cheese. PHENOMENAL.
I load up on the Lean Cuisine salmon meals when I can find them. Some of the Healthy Choice ones aren’t bad either. At any rate I just use them if I didn’t leave enough time to make lunch, figuring they’re healthier than most of the options downtown anyway.
I like some of Annie’s frozen meals but they are SO pricey, I only buy them once-in-a-blue-moon if they are on sale. I used to eat Michelina’s all the time in undergrad though
There are several Weight Watchers Smart Ones that I like…mostly the ones with chicken or no meat at all. They are convenient to keep in the freezer at work. And about once a year I get a hankering for a chicken pot pie! Mrs. Callenders is the best. And I must admit I love Bob Evans mac & cheese! And I also like Stauffers (spell?) lasagna, but haven’t had that for a few years. I don’t pay much attention to the ingredient list, as you can tell, but I should! Oh..and I keep a stash of Bagel Bites on hand at all times! Love those darn things! I hate peanut butter that has to be refrigerated. Too hard to spread when so cold!
Lately I have been having a couple FDs sprinkled thoughout my workweek to help it be less hectic. For a dollar a pop, you can’t beat the convenience. I just wish they were more earth friendly. Boo! Too much packaging!
Tonight I am going to make…. Enchiladas! Yay! Looking forward to that recipe you shared.
I love that Kashi meal! It’s probably my favorite of all the frozen meals. I have an amy’s Indian meal in the freezer that I am anxiously waiting to try though. I usually don’t like TV dinner meals, but there are few that are actually quite tasty!
I think frozen meals are the lesser of 2 evils with something quick and easy. Hungry Man entrees aside
I do check out the sodium, however…there’s a huge range there!
LOVE that frozen meal. Definitely one of my top 3!
Trader Joe’s Soyaki marinade sauce and Thai Green Curry sauce are good finds too. I LOVE their peanut and almond butters and you can’t beat the price!
I tried the Thai green curry simmer sauce for the first time last night and it was amazing! I sauteed onion and some TJ’s frozen bell pepper strips in olive oil, then added strips of chicken breast until the chicken was cooked through. I finished it off with the simmer sauce and heated until warm. Served over rice. Easy and very yummy!!
I saute a big batch of bok choy and 1 onion in coconut oil, add 1 – 1 1/2lbs chicken until cooked, and add sauce + 1/2 jar water and simmer for 10-15 minutes. It makes for tons of leftovers too.
mmm, had that last week for lunch. Love those plantains!
Like everyone else, I usually avoid frozen meals on a regular basis. However, we all get stuck sometimes and need something quick and I do agree a frozen meal is way better than fast food. When it comes to eating frozen, I have found that Smart Ones Baked Ziti is actually pretty good and I am in LOVE with Amy’s brand. Her Mexican Casserole dish is wonderful and I love her burritos and even her organic pizza rolls!
I bought the TJ’s peanut butter last time I was there. Does anyone else find it extremely difficult to get out of the jar after it has been refrigerated (like, it is so hard it would destroy a thin slice of bread…)? I usually go with Skippy, so no refrigeration is needed, so maybe this is what to expect from all peanut butter from the fridge…
I don’t eat frozen entrees because they don’t fill me up.
But I love when I find good stuff to enjoy. Enjoy the new PB.
i was on an almond butter kick (and homemade, to boot), and recently rekindled my peanut butter affair. usually i stay with maranatha natural raw but i went with crazy richards this time (ingredients: PEANUTS) and it did not disappoint! so glad you had a fun weekend! i was at a wedding in florida so im just catching up and the baby shower looked wonderful!!!
So I used to be crazy about frozen pizzas. They used to be my Thursday-night treat.
However, they are absolutely HIDEOUS for you and the ingredients list stretches down the entire front label!
Sometime last year I finally made the switch to Kashi frozen pizzas. Same idea (Thursday nights!!!), better for you. Pricier, yes, but they taste SO GOOD and are fun to try. So many flavors. Last week I made one called Mushroom Trio with Spinach, and I am not kidding…best frozen pizza of all time. You must try it if you haven’t yet!
Love the bowl you served your breakfast in!
I never buy/eat frozen lunch entrees. While I enjoy the microwave to defrost items or in a pinch to warm up (some) left-overs, I generally do not like the idea of putting plastic trays with plastic covering in the microwave and eating the food. That said, I often find myself wondering about the Kashi/Amy’s frozen entrees to buy and use in a pinch but I haven’t given in yet.
I’ve only ever eaten the Lean Cuisines (and really enjoyed them!) however the sodium/sugars are rather high for such a small piece of meat and such little “sauce.” I keep them on hand for when I’m really in a rush and need to have SOMETHING with protein and there’s no time for cooking. I figure it’s better than take out! Moderation.
I can’t do PB in my oatmeal- I can barely swallow, it makes my oats sooooo thick! But yours always look delish.
ooh my I LOVE peanut butter in my banana oats but I just recently discovered almond butter….it is heavenly in banana oats!
I am recently discovered my new-found love for PB banana oats – so satisfying! That frozen meal looks so unique and tasty. I steer away from frozen meals, but I think I would give that a try. Love pepitas too!
when i do eat them i eat the kashi ones. they are pretty tasty!! what did you think of this one? my favorite is the chicken florentine!
You have changed my life forever! I picked up a Mayan Harvest Bake and had the best lunch in a long time! Mmmmm so good!
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