Friday, June 19, 2009

Pizza Cravings? Sandwich and Salad Time? Hit Jamba

(Starting on the left and going clockwise: Gobble'licious, Caesar the Day!, Couscous & Produce)

Gobble'licious is a turkey sandwich if we want to keep descriptions simple. But the truth is that there is something special about the turkey, provolone cheese, field green, and fresh red peppers on the focaccetta roll. I could only pinpoint the dijonaise sauce. This sweet, creamy dressing brings the sandwich together. Altough the turkey is moist enough without it and the texture with the crunchy vegetables is better than your average fast food sandwich, the full fat cheese and creamy dressing make it a winner. Unfortunately, the dressing also packs on the calories. Without dressing: 420 calories/14 grams of fat/2 grams of fiber/28 grams of protein. With dressing: 570 calories/28 grams of fat/2 grams of fiber/28 grams of protein.

Caesar the Day! is just your average caesar salad with chicken, cheese and croutons. The dressing is anchovy free and the greens are a better quality than the airport salads, but there isn't too much to write home about here. Without the dressing, it is the lowest calorie item on the menu, which does redeem some of the general lack of creativity. Don't get me wrong, the flavor is good and I would order it again, but it's just a salad. Without dressing: 180 calories/8 grams of fat/3 grams of fiber/13 grams of protein. With dressing: 330 calories/22 grams of fat/3 grams of fiber/16 grams of protein.

Couscous and Produce is the more unique of this line, combining fresh jicama, bell peppers, romaine and field greens with Israeli couscous, currents and diced almonds. Accompanying the salad is a sweet light whole grain mustard dressing that complements the blend perfectly. One thing I like about couscous is how a little amount can leave me full for hours. This would pair well with a tropical smoothie or the passionfruit tea infusion. Without dressing: 360 calories/10 grams of fat/9 grams of fiber/11 grams of protein. With dressing: 480 calories/19 grams of fat/9 grams of fiber/11 grams of protein.

(Starting in the upper left and going clockwise: Tomo Artichoko, Smokehouse Chicken, MediterraneYUM, Four Cheesy)

The first thing that should be noted about these California Flatbreads is that they are small. Imagine a small snack size disposable plate. That is about the size of these beauties. Once you are aware of the smaller portion size, which it allows it to be a great snack or the perfect portion to pair with a smoothie for a complete meal, the second thing you should note isthat despite the name and a variation on crusts, these flatbreads are very similar to a pizza.

Tomo Artichoko: Topping a crispy flaxseed crust are tomato sauce, diced artichoke hearts, three cheeses (asiago, romano, and parmesan) and crunchy breadcrumbs. I will be honest, this was not my favorite. I enjoyed the creamy cheese one the other three flatbreads. Perhaps this was too refined for my taste but it was crumby and crunchy on top and did not have the same depth of flavor the others did. 310 calories/11 grams of fat/3 grams of fiber/11 grams of protein

Smokehouse Chicken: This flatbread utilizes bbq sauce, roasted corn, black beans and poblano peppers to compliment the plump bbq chicken. The crust is fluffy and crisp and the combination of mozzarella and cheddar cheeses complete this delicious flatbread. 300 calories/8 grams of fat/6 grams of fiber/15 grams of protein

MediterraneYUM: The feta-mozzarella combination of cheese is smooth and the flavors are herby. The flax seed crust adds another dimension to this flatbread and the grilled veggies add a smokey component. 250 calories/8 grams of fat/3 grams of fiber/10 grams of protein

Four Cheesy: This is the perfect kid choice. The flatbread has a light tomato sauce and the four cheeses (mozzarella, provolone, parmesan, and romano) make this a rich choice. The crust is light and airy. This would pair perfectly with a heartier bverage like the pomegranate tea infusion. 330 calories/13 grams of fat/2 grams of fiber/17 grams of protein

4 comments:

Danica's Daily said...

YUM! Fantastic food porn :D

Bummer about the internet but I bet it gave you plenty of time to read your book :) LOL

Anonymous said...

thanks a lot for blogging on jamba's new food. bout time they did something like this, can't wait to try the stuff.

Carolyn Jung said...

Those flatbreads actually look pretty good. They would make a nice-sized lunch on the go. What's the pricing on them?

C.G. the Foodie said...

All of the food at Jamba is $5.50 or less. I will check the information I have at home on the flatbreads.

Disclaimer:

I get asked by readers if I am being paid to push products. The simple answer is no. In fact, most of the products I write about are ones I have found and purchased during my trips to the grocery store or on the road. Occasionally, a company will send a sample my way and if I believe the product will serve a need for my readers and I would buy the product myself, then I will share it with you. Sometimes I will write to a company after reading about it, if I believe it will help us lead healthier lifestyles. But even then, if the product doesn't pass my scrutiny, it won't make the screen of Uncovering Food. You can trust that every product or recipe posted here has passed through my lips, and that I wouldn't blog about it if it wasn't worthy of you... my favorite readers.