Eat Like a Rabbit

The luncheon item in question is in the center right of the photograph. It is a package very similar to the Uncle Ben's 90 second Wild Rice packs that I love. I heated it at work and dumped only 3/4 of it out onto a plate with all eyes on me, amazed that such a tiny package could contain so much. It actually contains two servings, and I could barely eat half of it. I think for a guy, like Paul, it would easily make a full meal.

I was very impressed by the minimal ingredients in the jambalaya and the good amount of protein and fiber per serving (4g, if I remember correctly). The package says gluten-free, which is a wonderful thing--both that it is gluten-free and that the company is known for putting such important information on the front label. On the other hand, I was surprised that butter was one of the ingredients. I don't require butter in my rice when I make it. Why would I expect it in other rice packages? Perhaps the biggest reason that the thought upset me is because I might have accidentally served it to someone I knew who was allergic to dairy without thinking. Such an ingredient just isn't expected.

Already an hour past my lunch time, I dove into my rice dish and ate a number of spoonfuls before I realized just how hot the jambalaya was. It certainly meant Cajun! I was sweating and finally just gave up because my mouth was on fire. I think of the NPR story with the Garlic Recipe Winner when the "chef" said someone once told him his hot salsa needed to be flavorful, not just hot. I did think that with all the spice, a great deal of onion and garlic flavor was missing.

The girl sitting beside me observed that the packaging looked much lighter and colorful than the actual product. The rice was not the red of Louisiana Hot Sauce, but the black of "dirty rice". (Remember, I was raised in Louisiana and do know what these terms mean.) The green and red peppers in the photo were completely absent from the inside and the corn wasn't bright and fresh like it appeared in the photograph. I think that was a real turn-off for her. That didn't stop me as hungry as I was, but it might prevent me from buying it for myself again.

If you are new to Trader Joe's, don't let this review turn you off. We buy and use tons of incredible Trader Joe's items that we can't get anywhere else. There are many things (like Dark Chocolate Macadamia Cookies) that I live for.

Would you like to know what we're eating next?