Snack, then eat your plants

                             Road trip! Don’t you love the words? The adventure? The snacks?

                             I have hit the roads with carrot sticks, boiled eggs and nuts, but someone else packed the bag with munchies for a 12-plus hour excursion to my nephew’s two wedding ceremonies. We headed toward Alabama, then Tennessee with our red, insulated bag full of Buc-ee’s Beaver Nuggets, a round of peanut brittle (I did share!) and pretzels from a recent flight.

                             Did I mention I was in the back seat the entire time and helping someone study for a nutrition test?

                             The best way to sample “everything” on a road trip is to share. When I’m with my husband, we plan for stops featuring regional specialties and divvy up a serving. Well, he was not with me on this leg of the journey.

                             Lots of Greek yogurt is helping me get back on track. And, the healthy attitude discussed in the following mention:

                            

                             Veestro, Plants Please, wants you to “feed your happy.”

                             I love healthy discussions about food and nutrition. But if people are still “making fun” of vegan choices, that’s unfortunate. If you’ve gone that way by choice, then perhaps Veestro’s plant-based frozen meals are the the path to switching provokers into supporters. They could at least be jealous of the ease of delivery, variety and flavor.

                             Red curry is sweet with coconut milk, kaffir lime, broccoli, cauliflower and more over brown rice. The breakfast burrito features potatoes and roma tomatoes in a whole wheat tortilla with a red sauce. I tried several meals and juices sent my way and loved them. I also admire the company’s approach toward health and simply enjoying food, nutrition and meal time. If you’re already into foods with titles such as oatmeal breakfast pie, Portobello steak and black bean alfredo, you’ll want to check this out. info@veestro.com  

 Versio               Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie who supports lots of things in moderation. Snack well and keep your plate full of the rainbow. Contact her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com

 

 

Galveston's Own Farmer's Market has reggae style

             

My daughter lives in Seabrook and got invited to Galveston’s Own Farmer’s Market. It’s a public thing, so the invite to 2608 Post Office, near The Strand, was more of an “encouragement.”

              Even before we reached the market, we became enthralled by Deborah’s Garden, a community space with chickens, goats and cats, even before we got to the market. Some bearded fellows offered us free seeds and we loved the way fabric was artistically tied into some sort of fiber scarecrow. It’s right across the street from the market.

Despite the threat of rain, vendors offered breads, raw cheese, tomatoes and fresh-cut flowers. A lone reggae artist performed with an open suitcase full of T-shirts for sale.

My sister bought us garlic bagels and they threw in cream cheese. We took our spread to the top of my car trunk and ate until a Fiat had to move.  

Buc-ee’s

And here’s my anecdote to show Buc-ee’s, with all its Texas bravado, jerky, gas and Texas souvenirs has become the new travel tradition mixing all sorts of restroom-seeking travelers together. This is my Baytown experience:

A young checker noted that I love the Beatles. How did she know? I realized the coat I grabbed had some Beatles pins on the collar. This band was popular before my time and she said she liked them, too. Paul, I said. John, she said, and we knew we were voicing our favorites. An older fellow behind me chimed in and said he got in his car that morning and the radio was playing “Hey Jude.” And that was his name!

This was a tiny bit of bonding and hundreds around us gathered for gas, souvenirs and Bohemian Style garlic Beef Jerky.

darraghcastillo@icloud.com

Take the lid off kitchen confidence

Take the lid off kitchen confidence
My sister spied the Indian As Apple Pie spice tiffin I’m about to set up. Her husband is from India and she has observed this spicy cooking style and has seen similar set ups in drawers of private kitchens. It’s so sleek it could boost your kitchen confidence.
A stainless steel round tin with a lid contains seven removable bowls with a half covering. Fill up a container with some colorful flavor such as turmeric, cumin or curry, then use that half-lid and enclosed measuring spoon to scrape off a level teaspoon. What a beautiful set up. Around here, those bowls could be filled with garlic powder, cayenne, Tex-Joy and Cajun blend.
Makers say you could keep your crafting beads or scrapbooking materials in them. To me, that’s a better option than the enclosed labels for “ice cream toppings.” Not going there.
Here’s to flavorful, styling cooking, from www.IndianAsApplePie.com.

Buc-ee’s
The cultural phenomenon in Baytown has been a stop for two batches of out-of-town guests.
Once as I drove across Texas I lamented the loss of smaller pit stops of my youth, but then thought how Buc-ee’s is the new tradition. My anecdote proves it.
A young checker noted that I love the Beatles. How did she know? I realized the coat I grabbed had some Beatles pins on the collar. This band was popular before my time and she said she liked them, too. Paul, I said. John, she said, and we knew we were voicing our favorites. An older fellow behind me chimed in and said he got in his car that morning and the radio was playing “Hey Jude.” And that was his name!
This was a tiny bit of bonding and hundreds around us gathered for gas, souvenirs and Bohemian Style garlic Beef Jerky.
darraghcastillo@icloud.com