Helen's is fairly new to prepared meals, with their proprietary tofu steak-based line only about 10 months old. The food doesn't come cheap, either. My entree today was $4.99, compared to the usual $3.99 for Amy's Kitchen products at Whole Foods Market. But the Vegetable Curry with Tofu Steaks over Basmati Rice was one of the best microwaved frozen meals I've ever had. And, believe me, I've had many.
In fact, though I enjoy the two Amy's Kitchen Indian meals I frequently buy, I preferred the overall flavor of this simpler dish. It won't replace my Amy's, though. Like Helen's, Amy's uses predominantly organic ingredients and labels their products vegan, always a big plus in my book. And, despite being a little less exciting to the palate than what I ate today, Amy's Indian meals are plenty appetizing, 20% less expensive, and provide variety, quality nutrients, and more calories.
The Indian Vegetable Korma, for instance, is packed with 300 calories, while the Indian Mattar Tofu is still pretty substantial at 260 calories. Helen's Kitchen Vegetable Curry, however, is only 110 calories. While this may be enticing to some of my readers, that's just an appetizer in my world, despite its high protein, iron, and calcium content. After publishing this entry, I'm going to have to forage around the kitchen for some fruits, veggies, and other assorted items to round that meal out and tide me over until dinner.
So, if you're looking for a higher calorie-per-dollar ratio, this is definitely not your best choice. But if you're looking for something delicious to break up the monotony of eating the same plant-based quick meals from the same manufacturers, I would recommend this to any fans of and newbies to Indian food.
Labels: tofu, vegan food
