Modern Table: Bean Pastas and Meal Kits #Review #ModernTableMeals

 

Modern Table has been a guest on my blog before and it’s one of those products I tried and still continue to purchase today. We all eat them both in cold and warm dishes because it’s a great alternative to pasta that I really don’t see it as just a substitute. The noodles have flavor because they are bean based. I admit there are even times I make a pasta salad and add the Modern Table noodles along with semolina flour based pasta! Yes, that is how good they are.

I was sent another sampling of the newest products released by Modern Table:

• Confetti Bean Pasta
• Lentil Penne
• Mixed Lentil Penne
• Homestyle Mac and Cheese Meal Kit
• Pesto Meal Kit

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I have at times deconstructed the meal kits to just get to the bean pasta, so this was a welcoming site. Finally, the pasta alone will be sold. There is a lot of benefits when it comes to Modern Table’s meal kits and bean pastas. For starters:

• Modern Table does not use GMO based ingredients (non-gmo)
• Their products are Gluten Free (except for the Teriyaki Meal kit)
• Dairy Free (Southwest and Teriyaki Meal kits, plus the Bean Pastas)
• Vegetarian Friendly
• Packing a protein punch like no other pasta because they are bean based, so you also have an excellent source of fiber.
• No artificial colors or preservatives
• This is real food with no gimmicks!

Verdict-
Taste means everything in this home because I don’t believe eating healthy means you should sacrifice flavor. It’s actually the opposite! Fresh meals that provide a good source of protein and vegetables should be packed with flavor and enjoyable to consume. Modern Table shares this same theory because we find their products amazing. You are also not limited! You can add fresh vegetables to even meats to the meals and customize them to fit your needs and/or cravings. I have over time learned to not boil the pasta as long as listed in the directions because we prefer a more al dente’ texture. The bean pastas lend themselves to many creations. Many times I have been in a hurry and need a filling meal that is also quick to make. I add a handful of the pasta to a roasted Red Bell pepper and Tomato soap and it creates one delicious meal in less than 12 minutes. I think it takes me more time to make the accompanying sides like toasting a slice of bread for dunking. There are times where I want a Pasta Primavera and use everything from eggplants, frozen organic veggies, to kale to bump up the flavors and I’m also a veggie junkie.

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The possibilities are endless with Modern Table and their new bean pasta bags mean I can just pour from the bag versus picking the pasta out from the kits. The Pesto meal kit goes great with grilled shrimp.  The new Mac & Cheese meal kit is my ultimate favorite from the meal kits. It’s cheesy and has real white cheddar…….it just takes Mac & Cheese to whole another level! I added pancetta to mine and I don’t think I can go back to Mac from a box again.

Find the Modern Table Kit that fits your Cravings or Pick-up a Bean Pasta Bag at:

• On-line
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• #ModernTableMeals #MomsMeet

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Modern Table Meals.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

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Smiley 360: NEW Emergen-Zzzz™ Vitamin Drink Mix Nighttime Sleep Aidᶧ #Review #EmergenZzzz

 

I have been taking Emergen-C for many years and my family and I have always been happy with how well the product performs. Emergen-C keeps things fresh by always adding new flavors and new benefits.

Nothing has changed from the Energen-C product but the company has introduced a new one, their Emergen-Zzzz Vitamin Drink Mix that has the added benefit of a nighttime sleep aid. The product helps you fall asleep, plus is a supplement. I’ve gone from Emergen-C giving me benefits in the daytime to now also the nighttime as well.

I was eager to try the new product but since it arrived mid-afternoon, I had to wait until nighttime!

I tried the product and it’s the same idea as the original when it comes to preparing. You simply open the packet, mix with water and then enjoy. Each packet is only about 25 calories, so midnight caloric intake won’t be an issue. The new Emergen-Zzzz vitamin drink with sleep aid comes in two flavors to choose from:

• Berry PM

Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Manganese, Sodium, Potassium and Melatonin

Other Ingredients: Fructose, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin. Contains <2% of: Acacia, Fruit & Vegetable Juice Concentrates (Cherry, Raspberry, Beet) (color and flavor), Malic Acid, Natural Flavors, Silicon Dioxide, Sucrose, Tartaric Acid, Tocopherols (to preserve freshness).

 

• Peach PM

Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Manganese, Sodium, Potassium and Melatonin.

Other Ingredients: Fructose, Citric Acid, Maltodextrin, Peach Juice Concentrate (color and flavor). Contains <2% of: Acacia, Beta-Carotene (color), Corn Syrup Solids, Malic Acid, Natural Flavors, Silicon Dioxide, Stevia Leaf Extract, Sucrose, Tartaric Acid, Tocopherols (to preserve freshness).

 

Retail Price Point: $9.99 for a 24-count box and I have attached a coupon below to sweeten the deal.  You can also get a free sample here.

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Verdict:

The flavors are both a hit but the one thing I disliked, is that the peach has corn syrup solids.  Not something I expected or desire to intake and especially in a sleep-aid.  I do however enjoy the flavor and like with all other Emergen-C products, if the Emergen-Zzzz is too strong, you just add more water for a lighter tasting drink.  The product did help in getting me to sleep, which resulted in my own experience waking up more rested and relaxed.  I sort of forgot what it was to rest and this sleep aid did help me in that department.  I also was awake and experienced zero drowsiness when I had to start my day.  No one wants to drag in the mornings!  It worked for me and it’s mild, so I can see taking this on occasion to get to sleep.

Connect with Emergen-Zzzz at:

• On-line
• Coupon
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• YouTube
• #EmergenZzzz

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Emergen-C/Emergen-Zzzz and Smiley 360 .  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

SlimQuick Pure: Extra Strength Mixed Berries Drink Mix Review #SlimQuickPure

 

Not all caffeine is created equal and that means some sources will cause more tremors, jitters and some even perform better than others. I try to always keep the source of my caffeine as natural as possible and also simple. I just want to boost my metabolism a little and get that much needed energy that gives me enough “umph” to make it through the day.

SlimQuick Pure covers the six reasons a female may be experiencing difficulties when it comes to weight loss:

1. Increasing your Metabolism
2. Reduction of Appetite
3. Energy boost
4. Reduce Excess Water
5. Hormones Support
6. Stress Reduction

The mix is simple and even contains antioxidants and a SlimQuick’s patent mix named BioPure Green Tea™. The company also has support when it comes to diet plans and even a 25 pound weight loss challenge in as little as 13 weeks. With community support and being able to get advice and seek out information, I feel it’s more than just picking up an OTC product and “winging it”. It’s a drink with a program and with people that are sharing the same experiences and goals, such as weight loss and improving overall health.

Ingredients:
Rest assured Slimquick Pure Drink Mix contains natural ingredients like Antioxidants, Calcium, Vitamin D and Exclusive BioPure Green Tea™.

Other Ingredients: Maltodextrin, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Citric Acid, Cane Juice Crystals, Malic Acid, Aspartame, Acesulfame Potassium, Sucralose, Silicon Dioxide, Red 40, and Blue 1.

Retail Price Point: $13.48 vi Amazon, $19.99 at Walgreen’s and Target had the product at $14.19.  The product also reflects a 100% Money-Back Guarantee on the packaging.

Verdict:
Most mixes that are great for you are not always great to the taste buds but this drink was pleasant in flavor. Increasing your water intake not only helps with keeping you full and hydrated, but it’s just a good habit to get into. I felt the berry flavor also made the drinking of water a change from the plain. Now, when it comes to energy, the product does deliver and I felt more motivated to do the things I am suppose to do on an everyday basis, plus not get out of working-out. SlimQuick Pure’s Drink mix is that little helper and you can adjust your intake by your needs. I started off slow and did half a packet to see how I felt. The package states to not exceed more than 4 servings in a day and starts you off with one in the morning and then 1 packet in the afternoon. You increase on day two, in taking 2 packets in AM and 1 in the afternoon. Day 3, you do 2 in the morning and 2 in afternoon and stay at this intake level. I felt for the small amount of weight loss I wanted, I did not need that amount of intake and with the product’s box yielding 26 packets, that can make for one expensive dietary supplement. The one thing that sticks is that it works. It worked for me doing 1 packet in the morning and 1 packet in the evening and I curbed my intake by my activity level. No reason to get an energy boost I was going to do nothing with and that usually in my experience results in jitters. I do like that I can customize SlimQuick Pure’s drink mix and as long as you stay within the guidelines, you may see the results you are looking for like I did. 5 pounds on week 1 and I took less in week two and lost 3 pounds. So, far that means this mix works perfectly for me.

Connect with SlimQuick Pure at:

• On-line
• Coupon (Expires August 31st)
• Facebook
• Twitter
• YouTube
• Google+
• #SlimQuickPure

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from SlimQuick Pure.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.

 

 

The Modern Table Meals: Delicious and Healthy meals made Easy #Review #ModernTableMeals

I rarely cook out of a box or canned goods, and I consider that a good thing. If I need to open anything canned, it’s usually to make quick bean based side dishes, like black beans for Cuban meals, pinto for Mexican night, and so forth. I even making a kicking Italian salad with Quinoa, white kidney beans and garbanzos! I just try to make everything from scratch so I can control how much sodium, protein, to just avoiding preservatives and dyes when possible. Yes, it drives me crazy knowing I could sometimes really appreciate making a quick meal in 20 minutes or less and not have to dedicate the weekend to making meals for the week. I just tell myself….we are worth the hassle of eating better.

When I saw Modern Table Meals at Target, I just walked away and never thought about them again. It’s just another pasta dish with fake-o ingredients I thought to myself. The next week I saw them again and saw the bubble with the protein count listed (17 grams of protein and 6 grams of fiber, per serving!). I stopped. Again, thinking I know everything, I imagined some soy or whey protein mixed in with whole grains and more corn based products, to make a meal. Again, I was so wrong so before I dug this hole any deeper…..I decided to just read, absorb and see what Modern Table Meals is all about,

My parcel arrives with 4 beautiful bags, a bag to store everything in, a wooden spoon with some serious nice weight and quality, oh and coupons galore! I’m starting to love them even though I wrongly judged a book by it’s cover here (insert foot in mouth).

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Modern Table has 4 delicious Meals to satisfy every craving:

• Southwest Red Lentil Rotini
• Mediterranean Green Lentil Rotini
• Teriyaki White Bean & Broccoli Noodles
• Italian Red Lentil Penne

See, what makes the magic? Beans!! Legumes!! Whatever you call them, the **sparkle** of protein and real food comes from gorgeous pastas and noodles that are bean based.

I’m all for eating healthy and practice Meatless Mondays that get moved around during the week (rarely is it on an actual Monday), but the point is it takes place at least once a week and if not two. So, good only goes so far in my book. I eat kale but I like the flavor, so when kale became the “It Food to Eat”, I had to hit a few stores to find 2 great stalks because everyone was juicing and pulverizing the heck out of them. My point is, I have to enjoy the meal beyond the numbers and healthy is not a reason alone food should not taste spectacular.

I started by making the Mediterranean Green Lentil Rotini. I open the bag and notice the veggies are dehydrated but retained shape and their beautiful color. Best looking dehydrated green onion I ever saw! It was just perfect in shape (not just turned into green dust) that I found myself squeezing the veggies to see how they looked and felt. Yes, I’m “that girl” that touches the produce before bagging it and I admit I sniff Pineapple bottoms too! 🙂

I read the instructions and everything is so easy to do. You just boil the bean pasta, whisk the sauces with water and/or oils, then toss and add the topping included. Everything in the bag contains no artificial colors or preservatives. Modern Table Meals took a shelf-stable product (i.e. beans) and just made it better and something a long time coming.

Cooking the Meal:  As with everything, I made the product as instructed to see how it performs just out of the bag.  I followed the directions and noticed that just 10 minutes had lapsed and I’m 75% done with cooking dinner.  I felt like I forgot or missed something.  You know like when you went out on a shopping trip and made it out of the store with good timing……yeah, I knew I forgot something.  Retraced my steps and nope!  This is too easy!  Five minutes later and I try to make my insanity justifiable by noticing I forgot to cut open the topping bag (see, I did forget something).  I top the dish and begin plating.  I took out “insurance” on this meal by making it a side dish.  I figured it’s better being safe than sorry and paired it with veggies and Naan Herb bread that I topped with left-over roasted chicken, goat cheese and an olive medley.  It was Mediterranean enough and the chicken needed eating.

Pasta and Veggies boiling

Sauce (so goooood!).

Everything combined, along with the topper sprinkled on top

Taste Test: Just by the sniff-test, I am starting to regret having made other food but then sometimes things smell better than they taste.  I taste the pesto sauce and I am already wanting to save some for later separately because it’s so good.  I can believe I just added water to make this!  Then comes tasting the pasta alone because if it tastes bad, I’m saving the sauce for another meal.  I forgot the pasta was bean based because the texture is desirable.  I expected a floppy noodle or one that just disintegrates into odd pieces even though you never bit.  Not this guy! It tasted like a flavored pasta shape, sort of like it belonged with the three color pastas you find at the market.  So far, so good!  I toss everything and then sprinkle.  I have a taste before serving because why dirty the dish if I won’t be eating it…….I serve myself more than what a side dish called for!  I must admit at one point I mixed my veggies into the pasta because I wanted everything to have that wonderful flavor.  The sauce tastes real and the package tells me there is all this good stuff and none of the bad, but this tastes real like in homemade fresh.  It does not taste like anything I ever had out of a box.  I tell myself that I was always right about Modern Table Meals because things out of box are horrible, but these come out of b-a-g! See, I was right all along 😉

 

I can’t wait to try and share all the other ones!

Connect with Modern Table Meals at:

• On-line
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Instagram
• #ModernTableMeals

 

I received the above product(s) free of charge from Modern Table Meals.  I am not obligated to provide a positive or favorable review, just my honest opinion.  My review is based on my experience with the product and/or brand, which may differ from yours.