Bring your own chips

 

BYOChips

My mom treated a big gang of her “girls” to fried seafood at Capt. Ron’s in Beaumont and I had no problem bringing in an extra treat. They all tried Jackson’s Honest Potato Chips in Sea Salt, kettle cooked in Colorado. Mom and I are big fans of thick, crunchy kettle chips and these filled the bill. Makers are proud they are made with coconut oil, which they call “Nature’s Most Nourishing Oil” right on the package. There’s art work of a farmer and hoe gazing up at the mountains on the bag. I have to say, coconut and sea salt are not foods I conjure when thinking of Coloroado, but I love what Jackson is doing with them.

Did you miss soy month?

If you didn’t have tofu during April, National Soy Month, House Foods America makes it easy to catch up. I  found the line in the produce department at H-E-B and tried a block of firm and extra firm. My  box featured “The Crods,” a kid’s animated movie. So that’s how you get kids to be open to healthy choices. I like tofu out but don’t think of making it at home. I froze these blocks which made them spongy for soaking up Asian sauces. I enjoyed mine a bunch, but my mother would have liked hers straight from the fridge and less spongy. That’s the beauty of the soy. You can get the soft to blend in with desserts or reduce calories as a cheese substitute in Italian food. It goes into anything. I’m still looking for more forms of House Foods products I’ve read about:  shirataki noodles, a healthy pasta alternative made from blending the root of the Konnyaku, a member of the yam family, and tofu andTofu Veggie Patties for grilling.

Boost

UPTime is billing itself as a sustaining energy boost that won’t leave you crashing and feeling worse than before. I tried a packet of pills with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, gineng, ginko and more. I got what needed doing done and felt fine. You have to be really careful with energy boosters, and here’s what makers say about this one:

“ Formulated to boost energy, increase mental clarity and focus, and enhance natural functions like metabolism, hydration and muscular performance, UPTime is a supplement tablet with streamlined ingredients to help you avoid sudden energy bursts, shakes, jitters, and crashes that can be brought on by coffee, soda or energy drinks.

ddoiron@panews.com