Three weeks ago, I officially made the switch from vegetarian to vegan. I was impressed to see how many vegan items are available both in stores and at restaurants. Gluten-free and vegan items are a bit harder to come by, but I am happy to report that we have found some great products. This blog will focus on our favorite items from Amy's Kitchen. Like many families, mine is always on the run. When we do not have time to cook a full meal, we need quick go-to items that can be stuffed into lunch bags, and easy dinners that we can add small homemade touches to. Some of my favorite quick meals come from Amy's Kitchen. Amy's is unlike any other company that I have found in terms of quick, delicious meals that fit a variety of dietary restrictions. Amy's also offers a wide variety of options to fit any food craving, including Italian, Mexican, Asian, and Indian. Our favorite Amy's frozen meals in each category are:
- Organic Tofu Scramble - This is the perfect dish for breakfast or just a breakfast craving. The scramble also includes delicious hashbrowns. We add ketchup and a touch of salt and it is a great protein-rich meal!
- Baked Ziti - Yes, you heard that right, this is a gluten-free/vegan pasta bowl!!! This is restaurant-quality in our opinion and fills the Italian food craving.
- Baked Ziti Kids Meal - I have to admit that this one is my personal favorite. This kids meal has the delicious goodness of Baked Ziti with a healthy dose of broccoli, a very tasty rice foccacia (it is so good that I have sent a request to Amy's to sell it separately), and an apple crumble (which should also be sold as a dessert option, in my opinion).
- Teriyaki Bowl - It is hard to find a gluten-free Asian dish since they usually have gluten in the teriyaki sauce, so I was ecstatic when I found this bowl. If you prefer a saltier teriyaki sauce, you could try adding some gluten-free Tamari (soy sauce).
- Enchilada Meal- The enchiladas are packed with vegetables and black beans and also comes with pinto beans (extra protein) and spanish rice. Perfect for a Mexican craving! I like serving this one with tortilla chips.
- Indian Mattar Tofu - This dish has the perfect combination of spices and gives those of us who loved Mattar Paneer the ability to enjoy this dish as a vegan.
Amy's also has a number of organic, or mostly organic, soups & chilis that we love to heat up. Our favorite soups are Thai Coconut Soup (I add chili sauce, green onions, and more stirfried shitake mushrooms and serve over rice) and Fire Roasted Southwestern Vegetable (I like to add corn tortilla strips or serve with chips). We also like their Organic Medium Chili with Vegetables. The chili is good to serve with tortilla chips, over rice, or over french fries (we recommend Cascadian Farms organic Shoestring Fries) with vegan cheese if you want a fun snack for the kids.
We have many more products to recommend. But for the vegan newbie who is on the run, Amy's is certainly a great place to start!
