by Marianne Plunkert
Overall rating: 5/5
Meal Description and Cooking Instructions
My breakfast entrée on the last day of my first week on the eDiets program consisted of baked grits and eggs with a side of turkey hash. The meal arrived in a 2-compartment plastic tray with what looked like a large muffin in one section (the grits and eggs) and the hash, made with turkey ham, in the other.
I was to supply a non-fat dairy product, so I chose my old standby, plain yogurt.
The directions indicated that the entrée should be nuked on high for 30 to 40 seconds. As usual, I left it in for an extra 10 seconds since my microwave is one of the higher-wattage models.
Baked Grits & Eggs with Turkey Hash
My General Impressions
To be honest, this was my first introduction to grits. My mother never served them, and while my husband has sometimes ordered them from a restaurant breakfast menu and sang their praises, I was never tempted. I had always imagined they would taste similar to cream of wheat—which I did have when I was growing up. I even liked it, but not enough to have ever eaten it as an adult.
I was pleasantly surprised. The grits, eggs, and cheese “muffin” had the texture of cornbread, only it was a bit moister. It had a nice flavor that was somewhat reminiscent of cornbread, too. The turkey hash was nicely seasoned. It consisted of bits of turkey and diced potatoes tossed with parsley, scallions, and green and red peppers. The potatoes were cooked to a softer texture that was very appropriate for this dish.
The entrée was extremely filling. I didn’t even finish the yogurt I had provided as my non-fat dairy contribution to the meal. Yet my appetite remained sated throughout an active morning that included two hours of pickleball (a game similar to paddle tennis).
Nutritional Content
This is one of the higher-fat eDiets meals; almost 37% of the entrée’s 190 calories are from fat. However, it is also one of the most nutrient-rich eDiets meals I’ve consumed thus far. It contains 40% of the recommended daily average intake of bothVitamin C and iron, 25% of the recommended Vitamin A dose, and 20% of the calcium requirement.
The entrée contains 12 grams of protein and 24 grams of carbohydrates, with 3 grams of fiber and 1 gram of sugar. There are no items from the fruit food group. My non-fat yogurt and the cheese used in the entrée account for more than one serving of dairy.
Food Rating/Quality
This breakfast gets a perfect “5” out of 5 from me. Although it wasn’t as colorful as some of the other eDiets meals I’ve had thus far, the bits of green and red pepper in the turkey hash provided a sufficient amount of “pop” to keep the food on the plate from looking boring.
The grits and egg dish was superbly moist and had a nice texture—soft, but in no way soggy. I enjoyed the flavor of both it and the turkey hash side. And the meal was substantial enough to keep me going throughout a moderately strenuous two hours of play, and then some.
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