So excited to open my mailbox last week and find that I had received three coupons for a FREE bag of the Food Should Taste Good (FSTG) Chips. I received these for agreeing to blog a review about them.
I ran right over to my local HEB on Bunker Hill, which I knew carried them. Unfortunately, they only carry three flavors: Blue Corn, Sweet Potato, and Multigrain. I decided I wanted to try the Blue Corn right NOW! I will have to go a bit farther afield to Whole Foods on Woodway in hopes of finding the Chocolate and Hatch Pepper I want to try.
I should start by confessing that I am not, routinely, a chip snacker. The primary reasons for this are fats, salt content and a desire for a high-fiber diet. There are, however, two times I just HAVE to have corn chips: with guacamole and with chili con queso. Neither of these on celery sticks or carrot sticks is truly satisfactory.
Part of the reason I was eager to try these chips was their nutritional content. I can have about 10 chips for 140 calories (60 from 7 g fat - 0.5 g saturated fat-- NO transfat). That's about 3 more chips for the same calories, and HALF the saturated fat of my usual brand 80 mg of sodium. which is about 35 mg LESS than the chips we usually buy. That difference alone is very appealing. I also like the 3 g of dietary fiber, compared to 1 g in our usual brand. There is 1 g of sugars in these chips, whereas the other brand has none. FSTG has twice as much iron, but lacks the 2g of calcium. I can live with that because I get plenty of calcium.
So what's in the Blue Corn FSTG chips? Organic Blue Corn, High Oleic Sunflower Oil and/or Safflower Oil and/or Canola Oil, Oat Fiber, Brown Rice Flour, Flax Seeds, Evaporated Cane Juice, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Quinoa,
Soy Flour, Sea Salt.
I decided that for purposes of the review, I should taste the first few with nothing on them. The first flavor I taste is the salt, teasing and tantalizing. The lingering aftertaste is the sesame seeds. In between, is a kaleidoscope of flavors, dominated by the corn, with bright accents of flax, sunflower seeds, quinoa, and a light sweetness, The earthy undertones of Oats, Brown Rice, and soy swirl through subtly. providing a background without ever overcoming the other flavors.
On a whim, I dipped one chip into my natural, chunky peanut butter. I was surprised by just how tasty the combination was. I dipped one into the VERY hot red salsa we get when we buy pollo asada, and found that the flavor of the chip held up quite well under the fire. Even better was the one dipped into the green salsa we get from the same place.
I am envisioning crunching a few over a salad with black beans, grated cheese and my own habañero vinaigrette, and just a touch of sour cream. I'm also dreaming of guacamole and Chili con Queso.
For that, I shall have to wait until my PSH (poor suffering husband) takes me to Whole Foods for the chocolate and Hatch Chili flavors.
I am disappointed to report that it seems to be impossible at this point to find the Chocolate and Hatch Pepper chips. On way back from our birthday celebration dinner at my brother's, we stopped at the Whole Foods near him (W Alabama @ Kirby). The stocker working the aisle reported that they stopped carrying the Chocolate flavor, and he had never heard of the Hatch Pepper.
Rather than hold up this promised review while I tried looking at the Whole Foods on Woodway, I elected to get the Hemp and the Jalapeno flavors The other two flavorsI will keep looking and asking for until I hound some grocery manager into ordering them.
The Hemp chips, all on their own, have a slightly nutty, slightly kale-like flavor. I think they would go well with either guacamole or chili con queso, but I think they would be excellent with black bean dip, or any of the sour cream/cream cheese vegetable dips/spreads on the market. I also think they would pair well with brie and other soft cheeses.
The Jalapeno chips start with the taste of corn, then the pepper slides in and caresses your tongue. For those who like only mild heat, these are great chips for you, moderated by guacamole or a cool sour cream dip. For those of you who love hot hot, eat 'em on their own, since the pepper keeps sliding in and building up until your mouth is delightfully toasty! For those of you who prefer something between mild and hot hot, you can dip every other one into the guacamole. To my mind, these are perfect for chili con queso. Not surprisingly, I am now doubly disappointed not to have found the Hatch Chili Pepper flavor!
I ran right over to my local HEB on Bunker Hill, which I knew carried them. Unfortunately, they only carry three flavors: Blue Corn, Sweet Potato, and Multigrain. I decided I wanted to try the Blue Corn right NOW! I will have to go a bit farther afield to Whole Foods on Woodway in hopes of finding the Chocolate and Hatch Pepper I want to try.
I should start by confessing that I am not, routinely, a chip snacker. The primary reasons for this are fats, salt content and a desire for a high-fiber diet. There are, however, two times I just HAVE to have corn chips: with guacamole and with chili con queso. Neither of these on celery sticks or carrot sticks is truly satisfactory.
Part of the reason I was eager to try these chips was their nutritional content. I can have about 10 chips for 140 calories (60 from 7 g fat - 0.5 g saturated fat-- NO transfat). That's about 3 more chips for the same calories, and HALF the saturated fat of my usual brand 80 mg of sodium. which is about 35 mg LESS than the chips we usually buy. That difference alone is very appealing. I also like the 3 g of dietary fiber, compared to 1 g in our usual brand. There is 1 g of sugars in these chips, whereas the other brand has none. FSTG has twice as much iron, but lacks the 2g of calcium. I can live with that because I get plenty of calcium.
So what's in the Blue Corn FSTG chips? Organic Blue Corn, High Oleic Sunflower Oil and/or Safflower Oil and/or Canola Oil, Oat Fiber, Brown Rice Flour, Flax Seeds, Evaporated Cane Juice, Sesame Seeds, Sunflower Seeds, Quinoa,
Soy Flour, Sea Salt.
I decided that for purposes of the review, I should taste the first few with nothing on them. The first flavor I taste is the salt, teasing and tantalizing. The lingering aftertaste is the sesame seeds. In between, is a kaleidoscope of flavors, dominated by the corn, with bright accents of flax, sunflower seeds, quinoa, and a light sweetness, The earthy undertones of Oats, Brown Rice, and soy swirl through subtly. providing a background without ever overcoming the other flavors.
On a whim, I dipped one chip into my natural, chunky peanut butter. I was surprised by just how tasty the combination was. I dipped one into the VERY hot red salsa we get when we buy pollo asada, and found that the flavor of the chip held up quite well under the fire. Even better was the one dipped into the green salsa we get from the same place.
I am envisioning crunching a few over a salad with black beans, grated cheese and my own habañero vinaigrette, and just a touch of sour cream. I'm also dreaming of guacamole and Chili con Queso.
For that, I shall have to wait until my PSH (poor suffering husband) takes me to Whole Foods for the chocolate and Hatch Chili flavors.
I am disappointed to report that it seems to be impossible at this point to find the Chocolate and Hatch Pepper chips. On way back from our birthday celebration dinner at my brother's, we stopped at the Whole Foods near him (W Alabama @ Kirby). The stocker working the aisle reported that they stopped carrying the Chocolate flavor, and he had never heard of the Hatch Pepper.
Rather than hold up this promised review while I tried looking at the Whole Foods on Woodway, I elected to get the Hemp and the Jalapeno flavors The other two flavorsI will keep looking and asking for until I hound some grocery manager into ordering them.
The Hemp chips, all on their own, have a slightly nutty, slightly kale-like flavor. I think they would go well with either guacamole or chili con queso, but I think they would be excellent with black bean dip, or any of the sour cream/cream cheese vegetable dips/spreads on the market. I also think they would pair well with brie and other soft cheeses.
The Jalapeno chips start with the taste of corn, then the pepper slides in and caresses your tongue. For those who like only mild heat, these are great chips for you, moderated by guacamole or a cool sour cream dip. For those of you who love hot hot, eat 'em on their own, since the pepper keeps sliding in and building up until your mouth is delightfully toasty! For those of you who prefer something between mild and hot hot, you can dip every other one into the guacamole. To my mind, these are perfect for chili con queso. Not surprisingly, I am now doubly disappointed not to have found the Hatch Chili Pepper flavor!
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