Recently I tried Dr. Jay’s VedaFoods Barley Pilaf. My husband, who is Irish and tends to eat?mashed potatoes on a regular basis, agreed to try something new. He knows I’m a foodie and is quite open minded?when it comes to changing it up. Mostly, I think, to keep me happy.

You never quite know what to expect when a meal comes out of a pouch, but we were both pleasantly surprised. The pilaf was full of flavor and it reminded me of quinoa. My husband thought it had more of the consistency of grits. Because of the portion controlled size, there was just the right amount for the two of us (the package does state that there are two servings).

The ingredients are simple, real food with no preservatives. Another plus in my book. There’s nothing worse than an ingredients label that’s longer than your arm and contains words that require a phonetic explanation. As an example, the Italian blend has barley, jungle rice, onion flakes, salt, garlic powder, basil, rosemary, chili flakes, sage, honey powder and spices. Sounds good, right?

The main ingredient, barley, is known as a low glycemic food making it a healthy option for diabetics, pre-diabetics and anyone who’s trying to limit the amount of sugar in their diet. With more and more people trying to cut back on sugar, Dr. Jay’s Pilafs will be a welcome addition to their meal planning menu.

Another bonus for this unconventional?pilaf is the cooking time. Just five minutes. Perfect for today’s busy moms and dads who prefer to spend more time eating than prepping and cooking a meal.?One thing to note is this in not a gluten-free food.

With flavors like Mystique Indian, Toscano Italiano, Tangy Thai, Zesty Mexican and Mandarin?Chinese there’s plenty of variety to choose from. Try it, you’ll like it!