A few weeks ago, Helen’s Kitchen sent me coupons to try two items from their line of gluten free products. They offer full entrées, meat alternatives, and burritos.
Here’s a little about the goals of Helen’s Kitchen:
- More time, more simplicity & more versatility
We make delicious and simple gourmet heat-n-serve frozen foods that are convenient, simple, easy and versatile enough to incorporate into your busy schedule. - Vitality through exceptional quality and nutrition
We use only the most nutritious and finest quality natural and certified organic ingredients, free of artificial additives, preservatives, dangerous pesticides, GMOs and MSG. - Optimal independent longevity
Research reveals that when we combine “whole” foods, meaning less processed foods, like whole soy tofu products with a healthy balanced diet, our bodies perform at their optimum longer. They are better able to manage weight, build strong bones & teeth, repair muscle damage, reduce menopause symptoms like hot flashes, and fight against diabetes, heart disease, certain cancers and reduce high blood pressure. - Great taste and variety
Forget sacrificing taste for health. We combine nutrition with delicious flavors to create a variety of Tofu Steaks and gourmet Meals. - A complete meal experience
We want our products to fit your lifestyle and help you experience the Simple Health lifestyle today by delivering a complete gourmet meal experience that fuses nutrition and taste into internationally inspired dished from around the globe.
Always excited to try new products, I headed to Whole Foods and selected two “meat alternatives,” Chicken Steak and Garden Steak.
Meat Free Chicken Steaks
Frozen (were a little tough to break apart):
Cooked:
I first tried the chicken steak on a toasted bagel with goat cheese, spinach, tomatoes, and honey mustard.
I also used it to bulk up a bowl of soup.
The instructions on the box recommend cooking the steaks on the stove or in a skillet; however, I tried making them in the toaster and in the microwave (after all, isn’t the point of these steaks to save time?). Each method resulted in the same consistency, with a little layer of gel on the surface that was slightly off-putting, but it was easily scraped off. The steaks are a little dry, so you definitely need to add a little something to it.
Pros: The ingredient list is comprehensive, and I love that the steaks aren’t breaded, as most imitation chicken products are. While I like “fake fried chicken,” it’s nice to have a change. I’m always looking for in-a-pinch protein sources to add to meals, and these are perfect to keep in my freezer.
Cons: The consistency is a little dry and tough if eaten on its own, but in most circumstances I would eating it along with something else.
Garden Steak
Frozen:
Cooked (again, there was a filmy coating on the burger after I cooked it in the microwave) :
I made salads for myself and Ari using the Garden Steak, and topped each with a slice of cheese.
My review: While it’s a little dry, it tastes like seasoned tofu I would make at home. It makes less sense to me than the “chicken,” because I probably would just bake up the tofu myself and would rather do that. But again, it’s great to have around in a pinch.
Ari’s review: I like it. It’s hearty, filling, and tastes good.
Bottom line: Like most frozen food, these steaks are great to have around for emergencies (like late, post-work dinners), but they wouldn’t be my first choice. I prefer to have whole foods I make myself, but in the real world it’s not always possible. The Garden Steaks are my favorite, and I would probably pick up a box if my burger supply was low.
Thanks again, Helen’s Kitchen!
What staples do you keep in your freezer for meal emergencies?
I’ve seen that company’s products at Whole Foods but have yet to try them myself so thanks for the review lady! I like to have amy’s burgers and sometimes the burritos for easy frozen foods when in a rush. My boyf is obsessed with the amy’s burritos more than me though…
thanks for the review girl
they look like they’ll end up being rubbery hahah but i’m glad you posted this review! sounds like a perfect post work dinner for you if you come home hungry like a beast!
Nice review! I had a frozen curry of Helen’s one time (we’re on a first name basis
), and it had those tofu steaks in it. It was super tasty!
I like to keep a couple vegan Amy’s burritos in my freezer for emergencies, as well as frozen leftovers. I’ve been really good at not stocking up on stuff I don’t need, though! Normally I buy frozen items that sit in the freezer for over a year before I use them (besides frozen fruit & ice cream, of course)!
The “filmy coating” almost made me gag. I vote no on fake meat products.
Gel coating? Ugh. Maybe that would burn off in a skillet. But I’m with you–isn’t the whole point of frozen food that it’s EASIER and QUICKER than preparing it yourself?!
Freezer staples: Frozen peas and frozen corn; frozen berries; frozen cranberries. Because you can put the peas into a super-easy pasta with butter/gruyere, frozen corn is great in salads, frozen berries for smoothies, sauces, ice-cream toppings, or alone, frozen cranberries because it’s such a treat to have them during the 11 months of the year when they’re not available.
Hmmm, frozen tofu! I can definitely see this being a stable frozen item in my house! I hear that you can actually freeze fresh tofu but I’ve never tried it. Tempeh freezes well, but I can’t see tofu thawing easily.
Trader Joes has some great frozen options like the tamales that I treid the other night. I am not so sure about that tofu…
fake chicken nuggets and mini cheese pizzas. girl. gotta have backups for hungry kids or hubs when broccoli just aint gonna work
You mean there’s a tofu product I haven’t tried?? Gasp!
im so happy to see Helen’s Kitchen on this post! it deserves its own mention for sure! i love the frozen meals. theres a great bean, rice, and mexican sauce one that i adore! <3
OK, I hate hate to say it, but those looks awful (eek). I love anything Morningstar. Trader Joe’s Mandarin Chicken is the best, not the best for you, but it’s great in a hurry.
Fabulous photos of the tasting:)
Great job on the review. Went and got some and tried them – they rock in the skillet, microwaves are not my thing. I tried them in a stirfry and then a sandwich – all great options, family really found them filling too. Morningstar – please, great junk food, so full of sodium and weird ingredients, they don’t even sell them hardly in health food stores now.
Surfing on line came acorss your review and it caught my attention because funny enough, not long ago I met Hele (the lady on the box) in Whole Foods handing out samples of those Helen’s Kitchen frozen Tofu steaks up in my area WA and she convinced me to try her tofu. I had to admit, she sold me on it and now I’m grilling those things for all my friends along with all the usual BBQ favs. We all love them. Ladies, cook Helen’s Tofu on the grill, brush a little olive oil on both sides and you will be sure to never cook them any other way.
Fabulous review, but those steaks look a little…scary? The frozen blocks reminded me of spam blocks stuck together, but hey, i should know that good food doesn’t always have to look good right?
I’ve wondered how delicious Helen’s food products were, and now I know!! Thanks girl!
faux meat has never impressed me and quite frankly it grosses me out about. Including tofu straight up. I don’t eat meat and I don’t feel the need to replace it with fake meat. There are so many other great things out there like rice, beans, lentils and more to fill any needs!
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you can always develop strong bones if you have enough calcium and magnesium to support bone growth~`-
strong bones is always related to Calcium. taking lots of milk also give you lots of Calcium which can give you strong bones.*,
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