Close your eyes & you could be in Spain...OK, maybe not... (Vesta Paella)

Member Name: sambam000

Product:	Vesta Paella
Date:	29/07/09 (145 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Handy to keep in the cupboard. Quick to prepare. Tastes good.

Disadvantages: A little on the salty side. Hard to find.

Vesta produce a range of boxed, dehydrated foods which are handy to keep in the cupboard, because they keep for ages, & are quick & easy to cook. My personal favourite is the 'Paella' version.

My mum frequently bought this when I was a child. The portion size was bigger back then (as with most things!) & one paella was enough to feed both me & my dad quickly & conveniently. I've since bought it for myself off & on, but it is becoming increasingly harder to locate. I recently found this product on sale at B&M bargains, & have since seen it in other discount stores.

The recipe has changed slightly since I was a child. The paella used to contain chicken pieces, but these have since been omitted. Also, the overall size has reduced from 'Serves 2' to 'Generous Portion'. The paella now contains rice, carrots, green pepper, peas, red pepper & prawns.

The paella comes in a box, inside which are 2 sachets - one of rice, & one of the paella mix. To cook: the rice is fried in a little butter, before adding 625mls of water & the contents of the paella sachet. Bring to the boil, then simmer for approx 25 mins, until the rice has absorbed the liquid. There are also microwave instructions, which follow a similar line, but I have only ever cooked the paella in a frying pan.

OK, so dehydrated food which is brought to life as quickly & simply as that surely can't be any good....can it...?! Actually yes! It's a really tasty dish - a little on the salty side perhaps, but there are some good flavours here & the prawns are surprisingly plentiful & succulent. For added flavour (& to bulk the meal out so I get 2 servings from one packet) I add a tin of sweetcorn. If I have a rotisserie chicken lying around in the fridge, then I also add a bit of that too. I also like to eat this with bread, which makes it a really filling meal.

The box contains 146g (dried weight), & can be found for around £1-£1.25 at discount stores. In supermarkets (if you can find it) it will set you back around £1.80. 100g as served will provide 130 cals, 4.1g protein, 24.9g carbs, 1.6g fat & 1.7g fibre. Being only 1.6% fat means it's a healthy option too! :)

Summary: A quick, healthy option.