Preheating the toaster oven.
Well, perhaps my expectations on these are the problem here. When I saw the box, and the description on it, I got excited. Something different, and it appeared to be low carb (compared to everything else, mind you), so woot! But I didn’t read the box carefully enough. If I had, I would have realized that 4 servings in this box would mean each serving was small. One pupusa per serving. So, no, it’s not a standalone meal. My bad.
What is a pupusa, you ask? Well, it was my first time, and in this case, it is a stuffed corn tortilla (thicker than I’m used to) with seasoned chicken, mozzarella cheese, and beans. There seems to be a wide variety of how the
se are prepared, so it could be completely different wherever you live.
You can either cook these in the frying pan or in the oven, so I chose to use the toaster oven. I have to say, the flavor is excellent. The corn shell is crispy on the outside and smooth (sometimes grainy) on the inside. The chicken filling is not shredded, it’s more pulverized, but it is savory. Next, I tried in the frying pan. I mean, fried is always better, right? And it was good that way, too.
I think this would be great as a side or as a snack, but not as a meal. You can learn more about Tres Pupusas (they have 5 different flavors, and some of them are vegetarian-friendly) on their website at http://trespupusas.com/.
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Cooked in the toaster oven.
Finally. Cold cuts that actually say they are gluten-free, right on the package. Yay! And keep in mind, I have coldcutslimeophobia. YES, that is a REAL thing! And that means if the cold cuts are the least bit slimy or sweaty or what-have-you, they turn my stomach and then go in the trash. So when I tried this Oscar Mayer Delifresh Honey Smoked Turkey Breast, I was not only pleasantly surprised, but extremely pleased. They’re not filled with gristle or fatty pockets. They have excellent texture and flavor, and they keep in the fridge for a surprisingly long time after you’ve opened them. Much longer than cold cuts you get at the deli counter. Those are usually over the top of my slime-meter within three days.
Thank you, Costco, for this delightful chicken salad. (I found it at Costco, not sure where else it might be available.) It’s chock full of high-quality white meat chicken, and is conveniently packaged into eight single-serving cups so they’re easy to take along on picnics or travel, and there’s no measuring for portions if you’re on a diet. I normally don’t eat food with almonds in it (salicylate sensitivity), but this is too good to pass up. It’s clearly marked on the packaging that it’s gluten-free, too. So yay for that!
But, can chicken salad be healthy with all that mayonnaise? Good Foods doesn’t use mayonnaise – they use low-fat Greek yogurt. One four ounce serving-size cup contains 140 calories, 4g fat, 12 carbs, 1g fiber, and 14g of protein. Not too shabby. And, it’s affordable, too. I am pretty sure the last time I purchased it, it went for $9.99 for all 8 servings.
Gooey strings of cheese follow your fork as you break off each piece. Fantastic consistency – not rubbery, sweaty egg like some gluten-free quiches, but more thick and hearty. And that’s even after it sat overnight and I microwaved it for 60 seconds. As you all know by now, I’m not a fan of peppers, but this had just the right amount of red peppers to complement the flavor, so I didn’t even pick them out. I know, crazy, right? And the artichoke hearts added such a lovely flavor.
Blake’s wins the gluten-free comfort food crown as far as I’m concerned. Their chicken pot pie (which I review later) is amazing, and their shepherd’s pie is hearty, delicious, and oh-so satisfying.
Gluten-Free Gusto Blog 