SHE’S GREEN JOHN BURKHART
HE’S GREEN
ALTERNATIVE GRAIN FOODS
Product reviews from our eco-conscious couple John & Jennifer Burkhart
JENNIFER BURKHART
Dietary changes or restrictions can be a total bummer. We know firsthand what dairy-free and gluten-free living looks like. Thank goodness for all the companies striving to make allergen-free alternatives so we can still enjoy our favorite foods. Here's a small sampling of grain alternative foods that you might (or might not!) want to try.
SIETE
NACHO GRAIN-FREE CHIPS HE SAID: Doritos got taken down a peg when these came out.
These cassava flour chips taste just as good and they are made with much better ingredients. On top of that they're gluten-, dairy-, corn-, and rice-free, and they're paleo and vegan, which means you can eat these on just about any diet. Siete is the Spanish word for seven and that's about how many bags our family can go through in one sitting.
SHE SAID: These were such a hit in our house! The soft,
crispy crunchy chips looked just like tortilla chips, and had a similar taste (but more like potato). I wouldn't say they were “nacho” flavored, but they were a tad spicy, and deliciously addictive with citric acid, giving them a tart lime flavor. We can't wait to try other flavors!
NATURE NATE'S
AVOCADO OIL & SEA SALT POPPED SORGHUM HE SAID: What’s the worst part of eating popcorn? The
kernel shells getting stuck in your teeth—am I right? Well, do we have good news for you! This popped sorghum snack has the light salty crunch of popcorn without those pesky shells getting stuck in your teeth. Is this review to infomercial-ly? Naw. Act now and we'll double your order!
SHE SAID: I'd have to agree with the claim on the bag—
“Astonishingly delicious.” Astonished because I had no idea what sorghum was, and delicious because these adorable, teeny, tiny kernels were so darn snackable. Even your dentist will approve—no broken teeth on unpopped kernels, and no hulls to painfully extract from your chompers.
SEJOYIA
LEMON ZEST CASHEW COOKIES HE SAID: These were so close to being good, and so bad all
at the same time. I can best explain these by going through the ingredients. Coconut, cashews, and sugar. Yum: a crispy sweet cookie that has a nutty aftertaste. Cassava flour: cool, a neutral gluten-free binder. The next ingredient is lemon peel powder. What in the world?! They ruined a perfectly good cookie by adding a strong bitter flavor to it. I'd be willing to try another flavor, but these were not for me.
SHE SAID: It's amazing how a simple, gluten-free recipe
can yield a tasty treat. I loved the light crunch, and sweet coconut flavor. But beware of the innocent “lemon zest” description—it tastes exactly like bitter lemon peel. Why the peel? That's literally the worst-tasting part of the lemon! Bleah. Well, I'd definitely grab another flavor, because everything else about this cookie was fantastic.
SEAPOINT FARMS
EDAMAME SPAGHETTI, USDA ORGANIC HE SAID: I'm not going to lie, I saw soybean protein spaghetti
and thought, “Oh, this is going to be terrible.” I got all excited to write a scathing review about just how terrible it was, but it really wasn't! The pasta by itself is mostly flavorless, which is good because it showcases a sauce well. It was a bit soft texture-wise, so definitely cook it al dente. Now don't get me wrong, this will never replace my regular pasta, but I could see this being really tasty served cold in a pesto pine nut sauce.
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greenliving | May 2020
SHE SAID: John gets to have the whole box to himself
because these thin, fettuccine-style noodles were eww. They had a neutral flavor, which is good for bold sauces, but the texture was terrible. The pasta just fell apart and got a bit gummy. For people like me, who have teeth, I prefer something to chew.
greenlivingaz.com
