Amy's Kitchen: Delicious, Natural, Healthy, and Easy Food

Okay, so I'm not incredibly inclined to cook; I'm just not one of those people. But what I eat is important to me, and I always try to eat healthily. Luckily, I found Amy's, a company that makes amazing organic and natural frozen foods, soups, and veggie burgers (among other things). Now, before I go any further I want to emphasize the fact that I don't in any way work for Amy's. I just really love their food and wanted to share it with other people. So...

Why do I love Amy's so much?

1) It's delicious. I swear you could take pretty much any Amy's frozen meal (any of the ones I've had, anyway), put it on a fancy plate, serve to an unsuspecting person for dinner and that person would have no doubt that it was a homecooked meal. Not only that, but they'd think you were a great cook. So if you're not a cooking type, but you've gotten roped into making dinner for a boyfriend or girlfriend or your family, keep Amy's in mind. Also, their soup is fabulous. I love soup, but I stopped buying cans of soup for years because I always felt like soup in cans was kind of disappointing and often somewhat gross. But then I found Amy's soup, and it's the only canned soup I'll eat. I tried some other organic varieties, and they just didn't live up.

2) It's healthy. Amy's has a strong commitment to using natural and often organic ingredients. Not only that, but when you look at the ingredient/nutrition label, you'll find that pretty much every Amy's products is nutritionally rich, often in vitamins like A and C, but also in protein, iron, and fiber. Healthy isn't just about low fat--but Amy's dinners are perfectly portioned out and have helped many lose weight. In fact, Amy's found that so many of their customers were writing to them to tell them they lost weight eating Amy's that the company made their own diet plan. If you're interested, it's on their website: www.amyskitchen.com/special_diets/diet_plan.php. They also make food for special diets and list the special diet plans on their website; they have a few for various allergies, such as a gluten allergy, a low salt diet, and even a vegan diet.

3) They have a HUGE selection. I'm not going to list all their various products here, because that would take a while, but just to give you a basic idea, they have: frozen rice and vegetable bowls, frozen pizzas, burritos, salsa, kids' meals, breakfast food, ethnic meals, veggie burgers, and soup. I'm going to list some favorites of mine later, but to get more specific information, check out their website: www.amyskitchen.com/index.php.

4) They're easy and quick. Because they have many microwavable meals, you just have to pop them in the microwave for a few minutes, then they're ready. All you really need is a fork or spoon. That's what makes them the perfect food to bring to work for lunch. Especially if you want to make all your coworkers jealous over the delicious smells.

So let me tell you about some of my personal favorites:

1) Brown Rice and Vegetable Bowl: This one is a really healthy stir fry meal. It has tofu, onions, brocoli, mushrooms, carrots, and spinach (all organic), spices, and a tahini sauce (all over brown rice, of course). No dairy and no gluten, high in vitamin A (100%) and C (35%). You can also find a version that's light in sodium.

2) Country Cheddar Bowl: This is a warm, comforting, homey meal. It's kind of like mac and cheese with veggies and tofu. It's made with organic pasta, tofu, and vegetables (including brocoli, potatoes, peppers, and carrots). It has 70% vitamin A, 60% vitamin C, 20% calcium, and 15g of protein.

3) Stuffed Pasta Shells Bowl: This one reminds me of the stuffed shells my mom makes. It has big pasta shells stuffed with ricotta, spinach, and brocoli and covered in a mix of tomato and creamy sauce. This one's really nutritionally rich, with 40% of vitamin A, C, and calcium, 15% iron, and 19g of protein. Mmm, it's so good.

4) Indian Paneer Tikka: So this one is great because it has two different entrees and basmati rice. The entrees consist of a tomato masala with paneer cheese and cooked spinach with potatoes. I'm a huge fan of Indian food, and I know that it doesn't always come out right in frozen meals (I've had some so-so frozen Indian meals from other companies) but this turns out really good. This one has 50% vitamin A and 20% of vitamin C and iron.

5) Cheese Enchilada: For the cheese and/or Mexican food lover, this one's great. Two cheese enchiladas with jakck and cheddar cheese, onions, olives, pepper, and a spiced tomato-based sauce. 25% of vitamin A, C, and calcium. And the tortillas are made of corn, so it's gluten free!

6) Indian Dal Curried Lentil Soup: Warm and thick, this soup is great by itself but could also be used in or with another dish. It's dairy free, gluten free, tree nut and soy free, so those with allergies can feel safe eating it. It's also low fat with no cholesterol. It has various beans, lentils, chick peas, onions, and spices. It has 20% iron.

7) Split Pea Soup: This one has a thick and creamy texture and is 99% organic. It has a simple ingredient list, including green split peas, onions, carrots, celery, and spices, but isn't bland. And it's dairy, soy, gluten, corn, and tree nut free, as well as low fat. It also comes in a low sodium version, and it has 25% vitamin A.

8) No Chicken Noodle Soup: Ah, chicken noodle soup for vegetarians. This one is light, with noodles, tofu, carrots, celery and onions in a simple broth. Not very filling, but very good. As with the other soups, it's low in fat and has none of the various allergens listed above. It's 96% organic and has 40% vitamin A. Great for when you have a cold.

9) Country Vegetable Pot Pie: All their pot pies are good, and as an added bonus, a little cheaper than the other frozen meals (albeit a little smaller). They're great for a small meal or a snack. They have all different kinds, including a dairy free version. This one, however, is my favorite. It's got shiitake mushrooms, lentils, red bell peppers, carrots, corn, brocoli and parmesan cheese. Mmm, tastes like good home cooking. And it's really healthy, with 70% vitamin A, 30% vitamin C, 20% calcium, and 15% iron.

10) California Veggie Burger: Compared to other veggie burgers, Amy's are a lot healthier. The basic kinds (Morningstar, Boca) are often mostly textured soy protein then a bunch of various preservatives and other chemical ingredients, while Amy's have fresh ingredients and good amount of vitamins and minerals. They have a variety of veggie burgers, but this one is just my personal favorite. This one is made with organic vegetables, including mushrooms, onions, and celery, and organic bulgur wheat, oats, and walnuts. It's dairy, and even soy free. It has 40% vitamin A, 16% fiber, and only 5g of fat, with less than 1g of that being saturated fat.

I know I run the risk of sounding overly fulsome in my praise of Amy's, so let me discuss two drawbacks to their meals: they are all (as far as I know) vegetarian, so if you're a carnivore, you're kind of out of luck. And they are often more expensive than other convenience meals (the frozen bowls, for example, are usually between $4 and $5 where I get them). But I maintain that it's totally worth it. And check out this praise found on a section of their website that publishes letters from satisfied loyal customers:

"Dear Amy,

My meat and potato husband refuses to accept the fact your products are good for him! He loves them! I've never seen him react the way he did after he had one. He actually used the word "awesome". That never happens! Thank you! From Julie Wilson" (from the website: www.amyskitchen.com/about_us/mail/2008.php)

If you've never tried Amy's, you should be able to find their products in the frozen, organic section and the soup section of your local grocery store. If you want a larger selection, try going to a health food store, like Whole Foods. Give them a shot, I bet you'll love them!