Central Market - Green Curry Shrimp (5.25/10)

Summary

• Price: ~$4.00
• Overall: 5.25/10.   I definitely wouldn't recommend this dish.  It really had no flavor and the texture was awful.  I had trouble finishing it.
• Healthfulness: 6/10.  The quality of Central Market's ingredients are always high, but this is not a balanced meal.   Very high in carbs relative to the protein and fat.
• Portion Size/Filling:  7/10.  On the larger end of Central Market's offering (500 calories).  The lack of protein and fat prevent a long lasting full feeling though.
• Flavor: 5/10 (Spiciness: 6/10).   Not good.   Nothing about the flavor of this meal was even remotely close to any green curry dish I've had at any Thai restaurant.  I could taste the basil though.
• Texture: 3/10.  It felt as though there was a layer of oil on top of the green curry part of the dish.  Maybe it was the coconut milk.  It really felt like you were eating mostly oil with some other ingredients mixed in.  The shrimp was very nice though.

Beer Pairing - Pete's

Numbers

• Calories:500
• Fat: 13g (0g Trans Fat)
• Carbs: 84g
• Fiber: 6g
• Protein: 13g
• Sodium: 540mg

Details

Healthfulness:  I can never complain about the quality of Central Market's ingredients.  However, the balance was out of proportion in this meal to give it a high score.  The carbs were way too high relative to the protein and fat content.  Maybe it's ok if you're planning to workout a few hours afterwards, but not a good choice for a mid-day meal.  (6 out of 10)

Portion Size/Filling:  The portion size is relatively large (500 calories;  about the same as a 12" Subway turkey sandwich).  However, the protein portion is relatively low which may not give you that long-lasting full feeling.  No shortage of rice though, which is good if you're a big rice fan.  (7 out of 10)

Flavor:  I was not happy with the flavor at all.  I could taste the basil, which was good.  But the other flavors were very muted and washed out by the overwhelming amount of oil and/or coconut milk.  The rice was very nice.  The meal did have some bite to it, but frankly I expected it to be even spicier.  (5 out of 10 for overall flavor. 6 out of 10 for spiciness.)

Texture:  Wow, this was bad.  It was almost so bad that I couldn't finish the dish.  There seemed to be a layer of oil, maybe it was coconut milk, on top of the curry.  I tried mixing the curry furiously to mix the oil with the rest of the curry, no better.  I tried mixing in all the rice into the curry to soak up the oil, no help.  I couldn't escape the overwhelming oil/coconut milk.  The shrimp were very plump and juicy though, with no tails.  The rice was very fluffy also. (3 out of 10)

Central Market - Chicken Vindaloo (8.5/10)

Summary

• Price: ~$4.00
• Overall: 8.5/10.   Very spicy and flavorful.  Mostly healthy, cheap option if you're craving Indian food.  Great if you're veggie-phobic; only chicken and rice. 
• Healthfulness: 8/10.  Ingredients are simple and healthy.  Great protein (26g) and fat (11g), but a little too high in carbs (62g).  Claims 4g of fiber also.  No vegetables at all, though.
• Portion Size/Filling:  9/10.  This is a medium to large portion size at 440 calories, that will keep you full for 3-5 hours.  Somewhere between a 6" turkey Subway sandwich and a Big Mac. 
• Flavor: 8/10 (Spiciness: 9/10).  Very intense Indian flavors.  Very spicy.  Not for the faint-hearted.
• Texture: 9/10. Light, fluffy white rice.  Good quality chicken with well blended curry.

Beer Pairing - Bass, Guinness
Numbers

• Calories: 440
• Fat: 11g (0g Trans Fat)
• Carbs: 62g
• Fiber: 4g
• Protein: 26g
• Sodium: 800mg

Details
Healthfulness:  Excellent quality ingredients, as you would expect from a Central Market dish.   Who uses Organic Canola Oil in a $4 frozen meal?  With 11g of fat, 26g of protein, and 62g of carbohydrates, the meal is decently balanced, if not a little too heavily weighted with carbs.  The only downside is the lack of vegetables both for nutrition and variety. The box does claim 4g of fiber despite the lack of vegetables.  (8 out 0f 10, would've been higher but for the lack of vegetables)
Portion Size/Filling:  At 440 calories, it is a medium-large meal that would work well for a lunch before a semi-active afternoon of walking or an early dinner with a semi-active evening of cleaning or gardening.  The calorie count is about the same as one-and-a-half 6" Subway chicken breast sandwiches, and after eating this meal, you feel about as full.  (9 out of 10, a lot of rice/carbs so not ideal if just watching tv or going to bed)
Flavor:  The flavor is intensely spicy, which is to be expected from a dish named Chicken Vindaloo. The dish is definitely spicy, with an impact on the first bite.  Make sure you're lips are not chapped, as this will definitely burn them.  (8 out of 10 for the intensity.  9 out of 10 for spiciness)
Texture:  The rice is very light and fluffy, better than most Indian restaurants in fact. The chicken is slightly tough, as is common for frozen meals, but definitely edible. The pieces seemed like mostly white meat with no fat or cartilage. The sauce was well blended and was neither too watery nor too grainy.  Having the rice in a separate compartment from the chicken  allows the rice to remain dry and fluffy during cooking and mixed with the curry only at the time of eating.  (9 out of 10, mostly for the rice)