People often ask me if being a vegetarian is hard to do. But honestly, I’ve been a vegetarian for so long, that I really can’t recall when I started. I think it was around when I was in junior high or maybe younger. But the main reasons for being a vegetarian is for the love of animals and for wanting to live a healthier lifestyle. There’s never a wrong reason to start being a vegetarian but you have to know what type of foods to eat to sustain your energy and maintain good health. Being a vegetarian isn’t about eating potato chips or fried okras all day. And yes, although they’re vegetables, they’re not altogether nutritious or necessarily healthier.
On the other hand, you don’t have to be a strict vegetarian to enjoy vegetarian food either. Vegetarian food is all about a balanced diet and obviously not eating any animals. In fact, most plant-based foods such as soy and nuts contain all the necessary vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that you can’t necessarily find in meat. And vegetarian fare can be really delicious and satisfying. I personally think there are more flavor in vegetarian-style foods because you can use any kind of spices, seasonings, and condiments to add to your dishes. And they’re also beautiful to look at to what with the glorious reds, oranges, greens, and yellows, vegetarian dishes are pleasing to the eyes and the palettes. I’m constantly finding new ways to cook more vegetarian food mainly because my husband was raised on eating meat and only meat and I want him to understand the importance of eating more plant-based foods. Our son loves most vegetables as it is and he absolutely enjoys fruits no matter what. So luckily getting my son to eat more vegetables isn’t a problem.
If you’re seriously thinking about starting a vegetarian lifestyle, then there are countless of resources to help you with that. One great company who dedicates their business on feeding people healthier meat-alternative foods is Amy’s Kitchen (http://www.amys.com/). Amy’s Kitchen has been making meatless frozen foods for over 20 years and their perfection in making high quality, delicious, and nutritious foods are indicated in every dish that they make. Amy’s makes frozen foods that ranges from frozen pizzas, to veggie burgers, to burritos, to Asian-style meals, to kid’s meals, and they recently added gluten-free shortbread cookies to their immaculate line of desserts. Speaking of desserts, if you’ve ever wondered about the taste of gluten-free cakes, then wonder no more! Amy’s makes a gluten-free chocolate cake that is super moist, not overly sweet, and oh-so-chocolately. Of course they make regular cakes and desserts as well and they are all equally good and delicious.
Amy’s Kitchen originated over 20 years ago when a love for wholesome, natural, healthy foods was just starting. The founders, who named their company after their daughter, wanted to provide other families with foods made from natural and organically-grown ingredients that also tastes like they were made from your own kitchen. With a “made from scratch” quality and recipes, Amy’s little home-based business soon grew into a much larger company and their products can now be found in most natural grocery stores as well as major supermarkets that carry natural and organic products. At Amy’s, every aspect of their business, from sourcing locally grown foods to packaging to manufacturing is under the strict eye of the family. They believe that in order for food to taste good and to be appreciated, it’s important to be part of every aspect possible. Amy’s owners promises to make every dish from scratch, using scratch sauces, organically and locally grown ingredients, and recipes that everyone can enjoy – whether you’re a vegetarian or not. And at Amy’s health is the most important part of their business – healthy food choices promotes a healthier lifestyle and eating less meat is better for the environment and for the animals.
My son absolutely loves Amy’s Macaroni and Cheese and Veggie Loaf. The Macaroni and Cheese is made with organic whole flours, organic seasonings, and organic milk. It has a delicate and creamy texture and the flavor of cheese is delightfully smooth and not too heavy. The Macaroni and Cheese comes in several versions – Dairy Free Rice Macaroni and Cheez, Light in Sodium Macaroni and Cheese, Regular Macaroni and Cheese, Macaroni and Soy Cheez, and Rice Mac and Cheese. That’s one of the great things about Amy’s – they provide delicious food for everyone in mind. The Veggie Loaf is loaded with nutritious ingredients such as organic peas, organic carrots, organic corn, organic mushrooms, organic oats, and several other wonderful ingredients. The Veggie loaf resembles your typical meat loaf but it’s filled with so much more nutritious ingredients and loaded with lots of vitamins. Their sauce is really extraordinaire and if only they would include more sauce or even sell it in a bottle! We’re also fans of Amy’s pizzas because they are made with a thin crust and filled with so many ingredients, the local pizza restaurant couldn’t even compete. Amy’s makes over 20 different varieties of frozen pizzas so I’m pretty sure you’ll find something to your liking. Our favorites are the Broccoli & Spinach White Pizza which is made with a gentle blend of organic cream sauce and organic broccoli and spinach. And their Italiano Pizza which is made with meatless sausage, mushrooms, and bell peppers, and their Spinach Pizza which is loaded with lots of vitamin-rich spinach. If you ever want to “sneak” vegetables into your children’s diets, then let them try Amy’s frozen pizzas. The vegetables are all in there, but they’re blended so well and seasoned so finely, that your kids won’t mind eating their veggies at all.
The good folks at Amy’s knew that we were fans of their food so they sent us some coupons to pick up any variety that we wanted. We decided to try their Broccoli and Spinach White Pizza (which has now become our favorite frozen pizza), their Indian Paneer Tikka which was paired nicely with organic basmati rice and swimming in a delectable tomato and coconut cream sauce, and their Cheese Pizza Snacks, which by the way, is my son’s other favorite Amy’s food. Amy’s makes such a great selection of organic and natural foods that it’ll take awhile to try them all. I’m so glad that there really are so many products to choose from that if I’m ever too tired to cook a meal for myself or I want to fix a quick, wholesome, delicious, and natural snack for my son, I can count on Amy’s to provide them for me.
If you need more info about Amy’s Kitchen’s foods, please visit their website: http://www.amys.com/. Their website also contains tons of great information about how to eat healthier, incredible recipes, as well as their delightful food blog, The Lemonslice. Amy’s carry products for those with gluten-sensitivity, for vegans and vegetarians, and for those with certain food allergies. And since all of their products are made with ingredients that have not been genetically modified or engineered, whether they’re organically grown or not, I have another thing I don’t have to worry about feeding to my son.
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Please read the labels and ingredients carefully and follow all manufacturer’s instructions (if any). The products selected for the giveaway were generously donated by the companies/PR to help readers learn more about their products. The winner’s choice in using/consuming these products are entirely up to the winner and will not hold the author and her family liable nor the companies/PR liable. These products are made with non-toxic ingredients but always be safe with what you use and consume.
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