Pomi Tomatoes and recipe for Mediterranean Spaghetti

I love to cook most nights. It's relaxing and lets me be creative in the kitchen. I get tired of eating the same old thing every week so I like to try new recipes and new cuisines. I always return to my favorite Italian cuisine though. It's just one of those tastes that I cannot get enough of.

Just because I love to cook doesn't mean I want to spend all day in the kitchen. I have a business to run. I have a job. I'd much rather be outside playing in my herb gardens or doing Zumba on the Wii with the kids. So I like to rely on a few healthy short cuts to make meal preparation time a little shorter. Nope you're not going to see me with any neon orange helpers in my pantry. What you will find are natural products that have been slightly prepared to shorten my time in the kitchen.

Pomi offers tomato products that are 100% from fresh Italian tomatoes. You can find chopped tomatoes, strained tomatoes and marinara sauce. You won't find any artificial flavors or preservatives. You won't find any added water or any citric acid. What you will find are tomatoes yup that's the only ingredient in the chopped tomatoes and the strained tomatoes I received from Pomi. Pomi tomatoes are all natural and have no fat and no added sodium!

Want to know another great thing about Pomi tomatoes? They come in these really cool little PBA-free, stay fresh containers. Traditional canned tomatoes are often packed in cans that are lined and contain BPA in the plastic lining. Pomi doesn't do that. I love it! One step closer to a healthy product.

I decided to use my Strained Tomatoes from Pomi in Mediterranean Spaghetti. They have lots of other recipes too. Here's the recipe:

Mediterranean Spaghetti

1 1/2 cups Pomi Strained Tomatoes
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons of olive oil
12 ounces spaghetti
4 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese

Saute the onion and garlic in a large pan in half the olive oil for 2-3 minutes.  Add Pomi and remaining ingredients. Simmer for 10 minutes.  Cook the spaghetti al dente.  Drain and add to the sauce.  Return pan to the stove and mix thoroughly over low heat.  Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and serve.  Serves 4.

I love the taste of the Pomi tomato products I tried.  They really do taste all natural and I'm so glad to have found a tomato product that doesn't have anything added to it and isn't stored in a can lined with BPA.  Make sure you connect with Pomi on Facebook to keep up with all the latest product news & recipes.

My thanks to the sponsor for allowing me to review this product.

As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Dominex Veggie Fries are delicious!

There's just something about dunking food into sauces that brings a whole new level of fun to the table. I don't care if I'm dunking french fries, chicken nuggets or carrot sticks. It's just more fun to dunk your food than eat it without dunking it.

Dominex offers Veggie Fries which are amazing breaded Italian style eggplant fries that are cut in strips so they are perfect for dunking. Dominex is the leader in frozen all natural eggplant products so it's no surprise that these Veggie Fries were absolutely delicious. The bag states that they can be prepared in the oven or deep fried. I chose to prepare them in the oven and was thrilled that they came out crispy on the outside! That doesn't always happen with breaded products.

Dominex Veggie Fries are all natural and low in sodium, with only 80 milligrams in an 85 gram serving, less than 65% found in the leading brands of traditional French fries and onion rings. I tried a few dunked in Ranch dressing but honestly they were delicious enough to eat without dunking. The Italian breading they use is fantastic and they really didn't need to be dunked in anything for extra flavor.  This is a great way to get your kids into eating eggplant.  I know that eggplant can be one of the more difficult veggies to get your kids to eat but honestly if they like to dunk foods, they're going to love these. You can eat them alone as a snack or have them with a burger or hot dog as a side dish.

Eggplant Fries with Dipping Sauces

Preheat oven to 450°. Place frozen fries in a single layer on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until golden and crunchy.

Zesty Chipotle Dip

1 package Dominex Veggie Fries

½ cup ranch dressing

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 drops hot sauce or chipotle sauce

1 tablespoon parsley, chopped


In a mixing bowl, mix together ranch dressing, garlic, hot sauce and parsley. Serve with immediately with Veggie Fries or refrigerate until ready for use.


Sweet and Sour Sauce

¼ cup ketchup

¼ cup white vinegar

¼ cup sugar

Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook on medium-low heat until warm and sugar is dissolved. Serve warm or at room temperature alongside Veggie Fries.

Right now Veggie Fries are available only at Publix and select natural food stores in the south but I am seriously hoping that they come to other stores soon.  I am totally hooked on these and there are no Publix stores anywhere near me :(  The suggested retail price is $4.49 for a 14-ounce bag.     Connect with Dominex on Facebook to keep up with all their latest products.

My thanks to the sponsor for allowing me to review this product.  As required by the FTC: I received a product sample in order to write my review.  I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

Win a Green Giant Prize Pack!

If you've been following my blog for a while, you'll know that I am a huge Weight Watchers advocate. They've helped me loose 40+ pounds and I love the program. I was thrilled to find out that over 25 Green Giant boxed vegetables are now endorsed by Weight Watchers and actually have the Points Plus value on the front of the box to make it easier to shop! I really love when companies do that. It makes it so much easier for me to plan what I'm going to eat and I always grab products that have the Points Plus values written on them. Most of the Green Giant boxed vegetables are only 1 or 2 Points Plus! Even the yummy delicious Broccoli with Cheese Sauce is only 2 Points Plus!

I really love broccoli. It's one of my favorite vegetables.  I have absolutely no luck growing it so I always buy it frozen because it's easiest to store and to prepare.  One of my favorite ways to eat broccoli is with cheese sauce all over it. Actually there really isn't all that much that doesn't taste better covered with cheese sauce!  On busy nights, I rely on having something quick to make for dinner. I still need to make sure it fits in my Points Plus allowance for Weight Watchers or I find myself eating things that aren't the best choices for me.  Green Giant boxed veggies are fantastic. There's practically no preparation time needed and because Green Giant vegetables are rushed from field to freezer, the nutrients are locked in at the peak of freshness.

I really appreciate that Green Giant values sustainability.  They are taking steps to make sure they care for the land, the people who grow their vegetables and the people who purchase their products.  You can read about their sustainable efforts for more information.

You can connect with Green Giant on Facebook and Twitter.

One of my lucky readers will win a Green Giant Prize Pack that includes a VIP coupon along with an insulated tote bag, serving bowl, spoon, and pedometer from Green Giant. Here's what you can do for a chance to win:

To enter you must follow my blog & visit the sponsor’s site.  Leave a comment telling me what you learned there.

For extra entries:

1. Follow me on Twitter @scentednights & tweet about the contest. +1

Win a Green Giant Prize Pack @scentednights #giveaway #win @greengiant http://tinyurl.com/66bsx5g

2. Be my friend on Facebook & post this contest on your wall. +1

3. Follow the sponsor on Twitter +2
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Remember, to please leave a separate comment for each entry. And please enter only in the ways listed above. I reserve the right to delete comments not adhering to the above entry guidelines.  You must be 18+ years old & live in the USA. The last day to enter is 2/13/2011.

My thanks to the sponsor for allowing me to review this product.

As required by the FTC: The information, prize pack and giveaway have all been provided by Green Giant through MyBlogSpark. I received no monetary compensation.  All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.