Unboxed: 'Speed scratch' foods that make meal prep a cinch
![Unboxed: 'Speed scratch' foods that make meal prep a cinch Unboxed: 'Speed scratch' foods that make meal prep a cinch](https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/blt09e5e63517a16184/bltb1d400c5dc8e4165/64ff215996ce1695cbee6799/unboxed-speedscratch-promo.jpg?width=700&auto=webp&quality=80&disable=upscale)
This weeknight classic receives a gluten-free makeover, thanks to Annie’s new quinoa- and rice-based mac and cheese. Creamy, rBST-free cheese blends with surprisingly tasty elbow pasta (spot-on texture for a gluten-free variety) for a 320-calorie meal that evokes cozy, casual evenings at home. 9 grams of protein per serving and 4 grams of fiber add a little somethin’ somethin’.
A better option for those watching their carbohydrates, Banza’s attractively packaged mac ‘n cheese pumps in 18 grams of protein, thanks to the brand’s signature chickpea pasta. Made with chickpeas, tapioca, pea protein and xanthan gum, these gluten-free elbows also deliver a whopping 8 grams of dietary fiber. A cheddar cheese mix would be more attractive to me if it didn’t contain natural flavors (I’d prefer just an inherently tasty high-quality cheese), but I appreciate that Banza employs organic fruit juice and annatto extract added for improved color.
These are the chocolate chip cookies of your dreams. Chewy-soft interior. Slightly crisp edges. Gooey morsels of chocolate on the cusp of melting… you get the idea. But the real reason why we’re smitten with this product is due to its philanthropic mission. For each box of “Essential Goodness” purchased, Kind Arthur donates the “cost for Feeding America to supply one meal through its network of local food banks.” King Arthur Flour guarantees a minimum of one million meals, a value of $110k by June 2017. The cookie mix may be straightforward, but the mission is anything but ordinary.
An interesting take on the speed scratch trend, this Hong Kong-based brand crafts a dehydrated meal kit that centers around traditional Asian ingredients, including pear, lily, barley, pecans, apricot and what's denoted as “white fungus,” a gelatinous frond popular in Chinese cuisine. Notably, this vegan soup also contains half of a monk fruit—also called luo han gu—which adds no-calorie sweetness to the stew. To be honest, this product doesn’t seem fully realized for a U.S. market—I couldn’t seem to find exactly where it is sold, and the front of the package promises "beauty preserving," which I find hard to believe. But the concept is promising.
This gluten-free brand branches into the paleo diet with this nut-flour blend, which contains almond flour, organic coconut flour, pecan flour and walnut flour. At 4 grams of protein per one-fourth cup, this flour could be used to boost nutrition of pancakes or oatmeal, or, as the back-of-pack recipe suggests, make scrumptious grain-free cookies. It’s a cool, wheat-free alternative that only contains four ingredients.
I’ve been a longtime fan of Tasty Bite’s heat-in-a-bag, ready-to-eat entrees. I love their straight-forward ingredients, ease of preparing and masterful blends perfect for camping trips of all ilk. So I’m thrilled to present this three-part kit, which allows users to choose their own ingredients to marinate (I’m psyched to try chopped veggies and tofu cubes), and build flavors from there. Bloom whole spices in oil (the Korma SKU contains cumin, cardamom, cinnamon and red chili), and then simmer everything in the coconut milk-onion-garlic-ginger-turmeric-tinged sauce. Serve over rice and savor your (kinda) homemade meal.
Make slow cooker meals even easier with these perfectly balanced spice blends. With easy-to-follow directions on the back of the package, this conscious company guides you to pure slow-cooker bliss—in this case, curried lentil tortillas. Each bag holds two spice packets, which consist of Madras curry powder, coriander, cumin, ginger and turmeric. We also love this brand for their work with the Planet Access Company, which provides employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities.
Cassava, also known as the starchy root yucca, takes center stage in this single-ingredient flour, a boon for the paleo crowd. Gluten-free and whole-food (the flour is literally just peeled, dried and ground cassava root), cassava flour can be used in a 1:1 ratio with traditional wheat flour in baked goods of all kinds. We especially like the grain-free tortilla recipe on the back of the package.
A totally complete meal in a box, Ancient Harvest’s new protein-rich product requires only 2½ cups water and 2 tablespoons olive oil to forge a delicious, nutrient-dense meal for four. The “Italiano” version contains gluten-free pasta made with red lentil flour and organic quinoa flour, and a spice/veggie packet that boosts this dish with navy beans, pinto beans, cane sugar, sea salt, onion, carrot, celery, onion, red pepper, yeast and more. While other speed scratch products require the addition of a can of tomatoes, meat or vegetables, we like how Ancient Harvest’s 15 grams of protein box streamlines meal prep to the sweet, sweet extreme. Also Non-GMO Project Verified.
A totally complete meal in a box, Ancient Harvest’s new protein-rich product requires only 2½ cups water and 2 tablespoons olive oil to forge a delicious, nutrient-dense meal for four. The “Italiano” version contains gluten-free pasta made with red lentil flour and organic quinoa flour, and a spice/veggie packet that boosts this dish with navy beans, pinto beans, cane sugar, sea salt, onion, carrot, celery, onion, red pepper, yeast and more. While other speed scratch products require the addition of a can of tomatoes, meat or vegetables, we like how Ancient Harvest’s 15 grams of protein box streamlines meal prep to the sweet, sweet extreme. Also Non-GMO Project Verified.
Here’s the deal: Consumers are hungry. Hungry not just for good, healthy meals, but also for fast ones. While in a perfect world we would all have the energy, know-how and granite counter space of The Pioneer Woman, most of us are bogged down by work, taking care of family members or a straight-up aversion to cooking in the first place.
That’s where speed-scratch products come in—pre-mixed or pre-packaged lifesavers that make crafting meals quick and easy. Here on Unboxed, we review some of the newest products that fit into the speed-scratch trend to help inform what you stock on your shelves.
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