You probably already know her…she’s pretty popular both in and out of the food blog-o-sphere. She makes delicious food, that happens to be uber-convenient and organic to boot. I am talking about none other than Amy, the goddess of vegetarian prepared foods.

I first discovered Amy’s products as a newbie vegetarian 6 years ago. Having eliminated meat from my diet, I turned to my grocer’s freezer for assistance in my new lifestyle. One taste of her Tamale Pie, and I was an instant fan.

Upon further inspection, I found her products throughout the grocery store, not just in the freezer aisle. Amy also makes a variety of soups, chilis, wraps, pizzas, burgers….even oatmeal! I have spent the past few years scouting out and sampling her products, and while I am nowhere near having sampled them all, I have selected a few favorites. Here are a few of my most recent finds–they are all perfect fixes for situations when time is short but hunger is not!

Amy’s Baked Beans

With summer just around the corner, my mind starts to wander to all those delicious barbecue side dishes: corn on the cob, fresh watermelon–and baked beans. Clearly, not all baked beans are vegetarian, but these beans have all the flavor of the traditional recipe but without the meat.

Each 1/2 cup serving contains: 120 kcalories, just a half-gram of fat, and 6 grams of protein. There are also 9 grams of sugar, but rest assured that they come from natural sweeteners such as evaporated cane juice and maple syrup. Beware of the hefty sodium content, however–each serving contains 20% of the RDA.

Amy’s Low-Sodium Lentil Soup

It is no secret that canned soups can be salt bombs, with some containing upwards of 50% of your daily allotment. Gross. Fortunately, companies such as Health Valley, Amy’s, and even Campbell’s have listened to consumer demand and begun producing lower salt varieties of their original soups.

As a fan of all things lentil (lentil loaf, anyone?), I knew I had to try the Lentil Vegetable Soup first. The taste takes a bit of getting used to; my palate is likely accustomed to the overly salted varieties. However, the ingredients somehow taste fresher, and there are plenty of vegetables dispersed throughout the soup. If you’re still missing the salt, you could try adding a drop or two of liquid smoke or hot sauce, two of my favorite ways to liven up flavor.

Each 1 cup serving provides 160 kcalories, 4 grams of fat, and 7 grams of protein. The sodium is impressively low, with just 340 mg (14% RDA). As the ingredients proudly states, this soup is made with “100% pure herbs & spices, no hidden ingredients.” Well, that’s something I like to see on my food labels:)

Amy’s Tofu Scramble in a Pocket Sandwich

Over the past year, I have developed a minor (OK, major) obsession with scrambled tofu. Ever since discovering a recipe for it in the Chicago Diner Cookbook, I have not once had a craving for scrambled eggs. While it is a relatively quick dish to prepare, it does require some chopping (for the vegetables) and some clean-up (for the pan). Leave it to Amy to provide the perfect solution. When I returned famished from a basketball game a few months ago, I needed scrambled tofu, fast–so I picked up a scrambled tofu pocket from an on-campus grocery store.

I never ate Hot Pockets as a kid, but I would imagine the texture of this little pocket is quite similar. Flaky and oh-so-delicious. The tofu itself is tasty as well. While it does not include the tahini of my recipe, its combination of vegetables (including broccoli), tofu, olive oil, and tamari made for quite a palatable rendition. Keep this one in your freezer for emergencies…or for anytime.

Each pocket contains180 kcalories, 6 grams of fat, and a whopping 11 grams of protein. The sodium content is high, but reasonable for a frozen item at 520 mg (22% RDA).

I have previously reviewed some of Amy’s fabulous burgers. Check it out here.

What are your favorite Amy’s products? Which ones should I sample next?

I hope you all are having a pleasant holiday, no matter what you’re celebrating!

Filed under: Feature Post, Product Review