Sure it is highly processed and has lots of ingredients it shouldn't, but I loved this stuff. Back in the pre-microwave days, you'd simmer the frozen ice-cube pouch of creamed spinach in water. I just nuked it.
When it's good and hot, you cut the top off the bag and pour it into a bowl. Since I love the stuff, every drop is squeezed out of the pouch.
As a kid, we always ate this with Near East rice pilaf. The rice dish is less processed than the spinach although it has just the right amount of autolyzed yeast extract to make you eat the whole bowl.
Also in Shop Rite during that visit, I heard a series of loud popping noises while I was in the produce area. The staff at the cheese counter had their Magic Pop machine running. I had seen Magic Pop before, but I never saw it being made. It was kind of impressive and reminded me of the pancake machine I ran into at a Holiday Inn. Dough gets squirted into a little contain, the container closes, I'm guessing a combination of heat and pressure makes it pop, and these little popcorn-esque Frisbees come flying out.
If you look midway up on the left hand side of the next photo, I managed to capture the Magic Pop in flight.
After a bunch, the machine jammed up and need to be cleared out. The woman running the machine happily offered to bag me a fresh package of Magic Pop. These were cheddar cheese flavored.
Not a bad lite snack. I think a cracker was only 15 calories. I would describe them as a rice cracker with knock off Smartfood flavoring. Excuse me, I have to go clear out some space in the freezer and get a case of that spinach.
I really wanted to like those Magic Pop discs, but they were just too stevia-y for me. Artificial sweeteners (even those derived from natural sources) really don't taste good to me.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather have a few more calories and take the sugar hit. Or, you know, have them unsweetened. But I don't think that's an option.
I don't recall these having that stevia taste, but I agree with you - I'd rather skip the sweetness to avoid that taste. There were a few other cracker flavors. One option was strawberry and I would guess that has a sweetness to it. Haven't tried them though.
ReplyDeleteSeabrook Farms is the only frozen creamed spinach for me....any of the others are totally sub-par. I have made special trips to Shoprite just to get a box or two. Try it on a baked potato!!! I grew up on the stuff!!!
ReplyDeleteBaked potato sounds good. I've used it mixed with ricotta, egg and Parmesan to make stuffed shells and they were great. My freezer is empty. I've got to get more.
ReplyDeleteShades of the past. A pleasant surprise to see a part of one of my classic dinners. Great fun!
ReplyDeleteLove, Esther