Review: Seneca Farms Oatmeal & Fruit

I love oatmeal and I love fruit. I was so pleased to receive Seneca Farms Oatmeal & Fruit Vanilla Peach and Apple Cinnamon for review. Oatmeal and fruit...what a wonderful combination! Seneca Farms Oatmeal & Fruit is very yummy and convenient. It comes in 6-oz microwavable cups. All you have to do is heat in microwave for 45 seconds and then eat. You don't need to add water, milk, or any liquid. Two cups are self contained in one package; this is a perfect nutritious snack on the go (think hiking trips or picnics). It also tastes great when it's not heated. I fell in love with it. My kids loved it, too, even the one who doesn't like oatmeal :). It contains chunks of real fruit. We preferred Apple Cinnamon over Vanilla Peach. One of my kids said that theVanilla Peach tasted like Rice Krispies. Seneca Farms Oatmeal & Fruit has no saturated fat, no trans fat, and no cholesterol and is packed with nutrition such as potassium, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and protein. Seneca Farms products are made from fresh fruits and are Kosher certified. I'd definitely recommend this product and be looking for it at our local grocery store.

It’s not groundbreaking news that breakfast provides us and our kids with the nutrition and fuel our bodies need. And we all know that eating oatmeal and other whole grains are an essential part of a healthy diet and promote overall good health. But, busy mornings and finicky kids can make it hard to find the time to make something that is both nutritious and delicious.

Did you know that*…
■Nearly 60% of U.S. parents of children ages 3-17 admit that their child skips breakfast, with more than half of U.S. Moms wishing their child ate a more nutritious breakfast.
■58% of U.S. Moms say they skip breakfast regularly. 46% of Moms who skip breakfast say they do so because they do not have enough time to prepare or eat it.
■57% of single adults say the number one reason they skip breakfast is that they don’t have enough time to prepare it.
■While 71% of U.S. adults agree that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, 67% of those admit to skipping breakfast.


*Results of 2011 Children's Nutrition Survey, conducted by Harris Interactive for Seneca Farms


Seneca Farms Oatmeal & Fruit – launching on April 4 at Wal-Mart – is the perfect choice for anyone who has trouble finding time for breakfast in the morning. In less time than it takes to make a cup of coffee, heat the six-ounce microwaveable cup – no milk or water necessary – in the microwave for 45 seconds. Seneca's Oatmeal &


Fruit has no trans fats or cholesterol, and is a great source of Vitamin C. Two initial flavors are being introduced – Apple Cinnamon and Vanilla Peach. More flavors (Cranberry Apple, Maple & Brown Sugar) and retailers will be added in the coming months.


Seneca Farms Oatmeal & Fruit is not only a quick and healthy breakfast option, but it is a satisfying mid-afternoon snack and it even works as part of a healthy weight loss.

          ~Information provided by Seneca Farms

Visit Seneca Farms' websites at http://www.senecafoods.com/ and http://www.seneca-farms.com/ .

~ This post was written for Family Review Network & Seneca Farms who provided the complimentary product for review in exchange for my honest opinions.

Review: Ortega Products

Mexican cuisine is yummy and usually easy and fun to make. Thanks to Ortega, it can be healthy, too. For this review, I received from Ortega the following products (via the Family Review Network):

• Ortega Whole Grain Corn Taco Shells (10 shells)
• Ortega 40% Less Sodium Taco Seasoning Mix
• Ortega Thick & Smooth Taco Sauce -- Medium
• Ortega 10 Whole Wheat Tortillas

I made 3 awesome meals out of them: Taco Casserole, Fish Soft Tacos, and Breakfast Burritos.

Taco Casserole (adapted from the recipe provided by Ortega)

Ingredients:

• ground turkey
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• chopped garlic (as much as you like or as you can stand :))
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Ortega Thick & Smooth Taco Sauce -- Medium
• 1 can (6 oz.) ripe olives, drained, cut in halves, divided
• 1 package Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix -- 40% Less Sodium
• 1 package (4.9 oz.) Ortega Whole Grain Corn Taco Shells (10 ct), broken
• 2 cups shreded mild cheddar reduced fat cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• olive oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cook turkey, drain. Cook garlic and onion then add the turkey. Stir in water, taco sauce, some olives and seasoning mix. Cook over low heat for 3-4 minutes.
• Layer half of broken taco shells on bottom of greased 12x8 inch baking dish. Cover with half of meat sauce; sprinkle with 1 cup cheese. Repeat with remaining shells, meat sauce, and cheese. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Top with remaining olives, tomatoes, and green onions.

This dinner was a hit. The whole thing was gone in a flash :). My daughter said it tasted like pizza. It was so delicious. Most of our family members asked for seconds. Taste and texture combined to make it a delightful dish. This recipe uses 1 package of 40% Less Sodium Ortega Taco Seasoning Mix. And it's just perfect; I didn't need to add any salt or any other seasoning to the dish at all. The taco shells are whole grain which is an excellent source of fiber; they are also gluten free and cholesterol free and contain no Trans fat.

Fish Soft Tacos

Ingredients:

• Ortega Whole Wheat Tortillas 
• Arrowtooth flounder
• olive oil
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• green onions, chopped
• Ortega Thick & Smooth Taco Sauce -- Medium
• Tartar sauce
•  reduced fat shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions:

• Fry arrowtooth flounder fillets in olive oil, drain.
• Warm the tortillas according to package directions.
• Cut the fillet into strips. Place fillet strips in the tortillas. I mixed the taco sauce with the tartar sauce and drizzled it on top of the fillet strips. Then I put the toppings (tomatoes, green onions, and shredded cheese) and wrap the tortillas up.

This was so yummy, too! I also got requests for seconds from my crew. First my kids hesitated about the "whole wheat" taste but they so enjoyed what's inside it that the "whole wheat" taste was no issue.  I personally was impressed with the taste of the tortillas...better than I expected.

Breakfast Burritos

I scrambled eggs (I used egg substitutes because I have high cholesterol). I warmed the Ortega Whole Wheat Tortillas (left-over from the recipe above). I put the scrambled eggs on the tortillas and topped with chopped tomatoes, chopped green onions, Ortega Taco Sauce, and shredded cheese. Voila...healthy, tasty breakfast was served! By the way, I love the Ortega Taco Sauce.

I'm glad to see that Ortega provides a variety of nutritious products that make healthy food taste so good. Taco shells and tortillas are very versatile; you can use them in so many yummy recipes. For more Ortega family recipes, visit http://www.ortega.com/ .