Day (Whole) 30 or How I Learned to Make the Best Damn Potato Salad Ever

Well, he did it! Jordan finishes his Whole 30 today.

I never had any doubts he could do it. This man can be the most determined person ever. He's gone a full 30 days without sugar (save accidentally licking Ransom's dripping fruit popscicle), legumes, all grains, soy, and dairy. I, on the other hand, have enjoyed a steady diet of queso and mini M&Ms.

No, really, I've stayed on the wagon for the majority of our meals - maybe adding a condiment or slice of cheese; but my snack life has been a little (ok, a lot) more lax.

And even as a two-time Whole 30 drop out (aren't you proud, mama?), I have to say it is a pretty good plan. Strict, yes. Time consuming, hell yes. But the food is good and REAL and the results are obvious.

I want to share a few quick positive observations with you before I share what might be our new favorite recipe in the whole world (not just Whole 30, but all of recipe-dom).

• You don't have to go hungry. There's no counting - carbs, calories, fats, nothing. There aren't limits on how many times a week you can eat x. You're actually listening to your body and if your body feels hungry, you eat. Given, you need to eat something good, but you're not denying yourself food in general. This is a big deal for a "diet" - I don't do hangry well.

• You're not eating bizarro "health" food. We didn't eat a single piece of kale, a chia seed, or fake noodle made out of mushroom powder. Sure, you might lose weight from the cabbage soup diet or the one where you just drink water with lemon juice and cayenne pepper but who cares if you're skinny if you're a miserable jerk?

• You can make delicious meals that people wouldn't even realize were Whole 30 - like the recipe below. Meat + vegetables + fruit is really all you need. And when you fully utilize your spice cabinet and lovingly cook things, not just microwave them, you can make tasty food.

So, speaking of delicious meals, here's our Friday night feast. Yes, we've made it every Friday night; it's THAT good.

I found this potato salad recipe right as we were getting started and we made some minor modifications to make it Whole 30-approved, but also, more delicious. If you want to follow the original recipe, you can view it HERE.

We pair this with a juicy, medium grilled steak; which, if you do it right, needs nothing more than salt and pepper - no A1, no clarified butter, just perfectly seasoned beef. But it would be great with any protein and I think it would be perfect for a potluck or picnic. It's also great cold, assuming you'll ever have leftovers.

* Whole 30 mayo recipe HERE

It's been a hard month, no doubt (see: my breakdown on Day 5 HERE). But it's not been un-enjoyable and the results are easy to see. J's got more energy, he's looking all svelte, and we haven't had a single "where do you want to eat" fight!

I really would recommend Whole 30 to anyone seeking a change or even just a re-set on their digestion and metabolism, if for no reason than you'll actually enjoy the food you're eating and the way you feel.

For more information on Whole 30, consider buying the affordable cookbook and reading through the process and trying some of the recipes. You're supposed to do this 100% and take it on as a lifestyle change, but even just starting out with making healthier decisions and home cooked meals is a step in the right direction for anyone.

Why I Quit the Whole 30

Whoever said "nothing tastes as good as skinny feels" is an ass.

Skinny (however you define it) can feel pretty awesome. But nothing beats mama's peach cobbler made with sugar, butter AND shortening; or the foie gras poutine at Nightbell; or eating warm chocolate cake right out of the oven, icing be damned.

Nonetheless, we are on a quest to rediscover our healthy eating habits. We've decided to do the Whole 30 again. J has done it once with all-star results including better sleep, increased energy, improved mood, and weight loss. We attempted it this spring but with a six-month-old, my new job, and J in his final semester of college, we only made it 14 days. J is determined to get back on track this time and complete the whole thing (pun intended).

Whole 30 isn't meant to be a weight loss program, it's a "lifestyle change" which helps you develop better, healthier eating habits avoiding overly processed foods. Additionally, the strict exclusion diet (such a nasty word) is intended to help you find any food sensitivities that you've just accepted as part of your life; like sluggishness, lethargy, stomach aches etc. For 30 days you avoid foods which include: legumes, dairy, soy, sugar, and grains (not just gluten-grains but all of them, including rice and corn).

The core ingredients and recipes we've found are still delicious (like last night's dinner - recipe HERE), we actually eat many of them when we're not exclusively on W30. However, it requires a lot of thought and planning for your meals. You have to consciously check labels, think about what might be added at a restaurant, and organize your every meal and snack. All of which are technically good things, but they may very well result in not eating out for a month or acting out the Inquisition at any restaurant, skipping meals with family who won't support you (I see that cake, Mom), or bringing your own lunch to the office cookout (here are some other great tips about W30 life).

We started W30 on Monday and by Thursday I was losing my mind; Friday, I was crying; and today (Saturday) I ate Cookout for dinner (their hush puppies are #life). But this isn't a reflection on the diet. This was a reflection on my life, especially how I'm adapting to motherhood.

My heart wasn't in this from the beginning. Sure, I'd love to feel better, lose weight etc. but I just couldn't get on board. I began tearing myself down from the inside thinking it's an awful part of my personality. That I have no will power, no motivation, that I can't even put the cookies down for a month. I started thinking I was the biggest loser ever. I couldn't remember a single accomplishment in my life, especially one that required "hard work" or "sacrifice." I figured I'm just one of those entitled millennials you hear so much about; who can't give up her Unicorn frappuccinos and avocado toast.

But suddenly it hit me. It's not that I'm weak, it's that I'm putting too much effort into being strong in other ways to be strong about sugar.

Currently, my life is scheduled down the minute. I'm a breastfeeding mama with a full-time job who pumps three times per day at work. I rush to pick baby up after work, get a little over an hour of quality time and then begin the bedtime routine by 7 p.m. J works nights, so once baby is in bed, I'm at home to do chores, community work, and perhaps relax until time to pump again at 10 p.m. And I do this over and over and over. It's a great system for our family since J gets (free) quality time with baby instead of him going to ($$$$) daycare and my parents get to see the baby every day too. But it's exhausting in its strictness and most of our meals are focused on convenience.

Sometimes my after-dinner snack is the most exciting part of my day. And you have no idea how much I look forward to the weekend when we can share parenting duties and go out for warm waffle cones or sushi. Losing the only spontaneity in my life in exchange for increased planning, prep and cooking, was giving me anxiety. It was like the last adventurous thing in my day-to-day life was being ripped from my hands and replaced with kale salad.

And in my hyperventilating, I felt like another roadblock was coming into my life. As a breastfeeding mom with a 7 o'clock curfew there are so many things I can't do: drink alcohol, consume much caffeine, eat total junk that will muck with milk production, stay out late. But now I had a whole other set of voices in my head saying "no milk," "no cheese," "no hummus," "no corn salsa," "no chocolate chips"... and I couldn't take it.

My emotions and my experiences are so tied up in food that planning the baby's birthday party (one already!!) was sending me into a exclusion diet spiral. I want to nibble on his little icing covered fingers. I want to eat mini pimento cheese sandwiches. I want to read "Brown Bear, Brown Bear" to all the kiddos while eating Teddy Grahams.

I melted down over breakfast yesterday. And I realized that this strictness can't work with my lifestyle right now. I can't add another chore. I need a diet with flexibility where I can eat out if I don't have time or give-a-damn to cook. I can't have another forbidden thing. I need a diet based on "you shouldn't eat that cupcake" not "if you eat that cupcake, you've ruined your "cleanse" and have to start over."

So dear friends, remember that food is important. You create your relationship with food. You can create a  healthy balance, where you can go try pie flights on the weekend but limit desserts during the week or where you pack your lunch for work but try one new restaurant dinner a week. You can celebrate with special dinners or decadent desserts. You can cope with a crazy day by making an oozy grilled cheese.

Stop thinking you can fit into any diet mold and that a failure is a reflection on your character. You deserve a healthy body and positive self image, but you also deserve an enjoyable life.

J is going to continue his W30 adventure, and I'm sure he'll crush it. But I'm done. I'll keep eating primarily "on message" but if I want a treat or if I'm too busy to make my own date-and-coconut-amino dressing, I'll eat what I want. And I won't feel guilty.

Review: Blue Apron Meal Subscription Service

A friend gifted us a free one-week subscription to the do-it-yourself meal service,  Blue Apron. Blue Apron delivers all the ingredients and recipes for delicious, relatively easy and quick (allegedly under 35 minutes) meals to your door.

Our delivery arrived on Friday and we were able to enjoy our meals together this week - savoring the last of my maternity leave. I will be reviewing this service in the following categories on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being excellent and 1 being awful:

1. Plan options - Does it suit my family?
2. Pricing - Can we afford it? 
3. Cooking - Is it unique without being cumbersome?
4. Eating - Are the meals delicious?
5. Overall enjoyment

PLAN OPTIONS - Rating: 4

First, we chose a plan. Options included three meals for two people or two meals for four people (two additional meals from leftovers!). We could also use some "credit" from the free offer and use a higher-priced plan for four meals for four people (which would make eight meals for us but would require some payment instead of being fully free). I appreciated being able to choose the amount of meals I could get, especially when one option would provide leftovers. Despite the math yielding us more food with a two-for-four, we opted to receive the three meals for two plan. 

You are able to choose a diet/preferences - they have meals for pescetarians, vegetarians, non-red meat eaters etc. Because all items are packaged at the same facility, they do not recommend using this service if you have severe allergies. We aren't food sensitive and are trying to be more adventurous (read: eat more fish), so we didn't indicate any preferences. 

Then the fun part - which proved to be incredibly tedious for me - choosing our menus. You're able to view a calendar listing all the meals of each particular week. The three meal plan has six+ options, while the two meal option has four. Because I'm incredibly indecisive, we perused all available menus (there are usually four weeks' available at a time) and options for each plan. Many of the entrees are featured on all of the plans (at different times) with different sides; but there are several meals that are unique to a particular subscription. There are a wide variety of options from somewhat familiar creations to things I would consider exotic or unusual for our kitchen. This breadth of recipes is a great plus for Blue Apron; but I will warn you, it makes deciding difficult! 

However, the shortcoming is that you can't always select individual recipes that you like; many are bundled. For example, if you select that you want Roasted Pork Steam Buns, it may select your other two meals instead of letting you choose each one. I assume this has something to do with the packaging process. This worked to our benefit because we chose a "safe" recipe that was bundled with one new, but not unheard of dish, and one "bizarre" meal which I might not have chosen on my own. Since I couldn't pick every meal we got, I really had to play around with the calendar to make sure the meal plan we'd selected plus the delivery week worked well with the pre-arranged bundles. Seriously, I put at least an hour into this. #IHaveNoLife


PRICING - Rating: 3

Our subscription was free. YAY! And honestly, that's probably the only way we'd have ever tried this. We've done monthly subscription boxes before (now defunct Goodies, and Skoshbox), but they were in the $7-15 range and I wasn't upset if a box was lame. However, at these price points I'd be hesitant to blindly try it out. The plans are priced as follows:

The Blue Apron four-for-four plan is $8.74/serving ($139.84/week).

Blue Apron falls right in the middle of the price points for two other comparable plans, Hello Fresh and Plated. Hello Fresh allows you to get more meals per week, which lowers the per serving price, but with a similar three-for-two plan you'd be shelling out $11.50 per meal or $69 per week. Plated has both smaller and larger plans (two and four meals per week). Their three-for-two plan is slightly cheaper at $48 per week (apparently marked down from $72). 

Obviously, this may not be the thing for you if you have a larger family and you intend to feed them all. It could still be a fun date night option for you and your partner or good "bonding with the teenager."  And despite my annoyance at picky eaters paired with my determination for our baby to have a sophisticated palate, I don't think many kids would go for these things anyway. What kiddo is pumped for cod and radishes? 

Overall, $9.99/serving isn't necessarily outrageous considering what we might spend if we went out to eat, and I'd argue that it is of $9.99/plate restaurant quality; but it is considerably higher than what we budget per homemade meal. It's certainly do-able here and there as a fun activity (with food!) but we could never do it every single week. It would certainly have to be put into our budget and we'd have to give up something else. 

Or we could steal the recipes and make them at home with things we already have on hand or can buy for cheap...


COOKING - Rating: 4.5

The heavy box arrives with almost everything - save olive oil, S&P, and water - you need for all three recipes, including spices and items like vinegar or sesame oil.

Three meals-worth of ingredients, delivered straight to my door.

It's a ton of stuff in adorable, but absurd packaging (see: below). I'm a sucker for all things dainty (you should see the tiny champagne vinegar bottle!), but this does feel a little wasteful.

Thankfully all packaging materials are allegedly recyclable.

You have exactly what you need, it's all fresh and good quality, but you do have to prep some things. For example, we received a single carrot that needed to be shredded for slaw and a block of cheddar instead of a baggie of grated cheese. And that is why this cooking subscription can appeal to all levels of chefs - YOU have to do the work. You're responsible for your own mis en place and preparing everything, but nothing is difficult and their instructions are very clear. They even offer tutorials online to help you with things like knife cuts and prep demos. It would be a great learning experience for a new (or young!) chef, but interesting enough that pros would enjoy it.

Even the worst cooks can make these recipes!

The techniques are relatively simple and quick. Plus, the recipes don't require fancy equipment or lots of dish washing.

And just like the commercial, the cooking experience provided by Blue Apron is a lot of fun for families. We were able to make our first meal while Baby napped, and we got in some quality Mama & Daddy time helping each other cook. We fell in love cooking for each other, so finding a product which delivers that experience straight to our home is a blessing. But you could totally cook these on your own without being overwhelmed - unless you're on your own and have a screaming baby flailing in their jungle swing, or ahem I assume it would be difficult and you might just burn some breadcrumbs while leaving the middle of the chicken almost under-done...ahem. 


EATING - Rating: 4.5

Our menu included Fresh Pimento Cheeseburgers with Collard Green and Carrot Slaw, Chicken Milenaise with Warm Potato and Brussel Spout Salad, and Cod with Udon Noodles. The pictures on the recipe cards are deceiving - the food looks good, but with TINY portions - and they all sounded just a little out there. But whoa. They all tasted great. 

The pimento cheeseburger was made from high-quality beef and served on delicious buns covered in more sesame seeds than I've ever seen! I will say the pimento cheese stuck out to this Southern girl as a version designed by a non-Southerner. There was little mayo, and it sure as hell wasn't Duke's (the King of all Mayos), so the texture wasn't what you'd like on crackers or finger sandwiches, but it was melty and so flavorful. The recipe included a great tip, too: put the pimento cheese on the bottom toasted bun AND on top of the hot burger, double the gooeyness!

We were both AMAZED by the cod dish; we totally expected this to be unique, but not something we'd order or even try to make again. But whoa! It was flavorful, full of unique textures and well-balanced. So, be sure to try something a little out-of-the-box in your delivery box! 

And of course, you can't go wrong with breaded chicken cutlets (unless you have that hypothetical baby meltdown experience). Plus, the quirky side dish of warm potato and brussel sprout salad with mustard vinagarette was great, too! 

OVERALL- Rating: 4

Despite my inability to choose what I wanted to order, the service itself is incredibly easy to use. I was able to easily navigate their website and explore all available options. I also appreciate how easy it is to change your mind (see:inability to make decisions). You can view your scheduled deliveries and skip, change the delivery date or choose different menus at the click of a button. As a mom whose calendar is quickly filling up, I can't emphasize enough how important that sort of flexibility can be. 

But we have canceled our membership since our trial ended. They will, of course, automatically charge your card for the next delivery and we will have to plan better if we're going to put forth this expense. It's completely do-able once a month, but I'd die if my card was charged $60 more than once per pay period.

I highly recommend pressuring your friends who have free passes to share them with you, and even if you didn't have a freebie, consider giving this a go once. It's a great activity to do as a family and a fun way to try new recipes without having to buy the obscure ingredients (togarashi spice blend, anyone?). 


STAY TUNED... we're planning to try another subscription box soon!  

Wholesome - But Quick & Easy - Breakfast

First, thank you for humoring me and my very infrequently updated blog. Momming ain't easy and blogging while momming is near impossible; I appreciate your patience and long attention span. Don't give up on me!

My First Mom Meal

Since our sweet boy was born a month ago (yes, I'm crying on the inside), we have been blessed with an outpouring of meals from our friends and family. This has saved us from having to cook the majority of the time. I'm still on maternity leave; but with J back working nights, preparing meals while watching/soothing/changing/feeding/entertaining a newborn is low on my priority list. I think the most ambitious thing I've "cooked" since his birth is a batch of ranch party mix for Book Club.

Our "Hungry Caterpillar"

Tuesday night was our last meal delivery and we finished the leftovers off this afternoon. The end of the lifesaving gravy train, a desire for some of our old pre-pregnancy normalcy, my breastfeeding-induced need to eat EVERYTHING and a killer issue of Food Network magazine, pushed me to actually cook dinner tonight. Although making a hearty salad isn't what I'd normally consider difficult "cooking," this was quite an adventure and lead me to create a list of tips for mamas and daddies reentering the kitchen.

1. The grill is your friend. Especially in summer, you want to avoid overheating your house or yourself. Moms, I know you feel me; our internal thermometers are all out of whack and standing over a hot stove isn't ideal. But perhaps even more important than keeping cool, is avoiding dishes. This salad didn't make a big mess with prep or presentation, but anything you can toss on the grill - especially in foil packets - will make your life exponentially easier. The same goes for your Crock Pot.

2. Plan your meals. You should seriously consider making a weekly meal plan that covers what your family is eating at every meal. We've always made vague plans to help with grocery shopping, but when J completed the Whole 30 this summer we had to make very specific calendars which really helped organize our shopping, cooking and eating. This month, we mapped out our meal deliveries and planned accordingly for breakfasts, lunches and weekends; but now we have to consider what's actually doable when I'm home with baby. Knowing what you're eating each night relieves a lot of stress, especially if you're like us and are constantly in a passive-aggressive battle of "I don't know, what do you want?" But it will also save you time and money, two things you're sure to be short of with a newborn in tow.

3. Read your recipes thoroughly...twice. When you've picked what you want to cook/eat, read the recipes all the way through, double-check the pantry for ingredients and make a detailed shopping list. As we learned today, it's a real pain in the rear to have to go back to the store for a forgotten ingredient, especially if you have to load up baby. When you're making something new (like I tried to do for some reason), make sure you know what you'll need to do ahead of time - like marinating etc.- and do any pre-prep that you can do while your partner is at home or baby is napping.

4. Avoid the "high risk" cooking until your mom-brain is cured (or you get used to it). From the moment sperm hits egg, mommy's brain begins deteriorating. My memory, ability to talk without stumbling, and attention span have all suffered since I became a mom; but apparently it will get better or at least I'll adapt. So bear in mind that now - while you're sleep deprived, stressed and lost in motherhood - you shouldn't use dangerous cooking methods or tools/techniques that require finesse.

Here's a hypothetical example: if you're attempting to make delicious grilled surf and turf salads with Dijon vinaigrette, don't overdo it by trying to make crisp garlic croutons, too. You may just forget them under the broiler, fill the kitchen with smoke, burn yourself reaching in the oven and end up leaving the scarred pan on the porch to finish smoldering...hypothetically, that is. But while we're on that subject, maybe now's the time to freshen up the batteries in your smoke detector.

5. Be kind to the cook - yourself or your partner. Being a new parent is hard. You are trying to keep a small creature alive while running on no sleep; you think you're doing everything wrong; and if you're a mother, your body and mind are probably fighting you, too. But every day that you get up and take care of that little critter is a victory. And I know that deep down, but I forget it a lot and end up beating myself up that I'm not being a good enough mom to him or wife to J. So, focus on what's important - your family - not the (allegedly) burnt bread, bland burger or ugly, fallen cake. My dad sent me this video a week or so ago, mocking my mom's meatloaf, but the sentiment is true. It's not about the burnt toast, it's about the person who tried to put something on the table for you. Don't be so hard on them/yourself; it's just dinner.

And here's a bonus tip for the folks wanting to support new parents:

Please organize meal delivery. This was seriously a lifesaver for us. Having one less thing to worry about, especially a "thing" that makes a mess, costs money and requires sanity to complete, made our days so much easier. Our church and friends organized themselves using Take Them A Meal's service, which is free and doesn't require a log-in, but allows participants to create a calendar, list directions/requests from the family and include information from the donors. This helps parents know when guests are coming - especially important to mommies with their boobs out - and prevents the delivery of eleven lasagnas in a row.

And even beyond the delicious (free) food, it's really nice for the parents to have scheduled visits with people who care about them. I have had a serious case of cabin fever but knowing we'd be having company, even just brief visits to drop off a casserole, was a helpful glimpse into the outside world.

Lay's "Do Us a Flavor" Taste Test

Lay's Potato Chips, in their infinite corporate wisdom, created an exciting advertising campaign that also outsourced the work of their R&D department; the annual Do Us a Flavor contest. Folks submit their flavor ideas to Lay's, who then chooses four flavors to develop and sell for a limited time. The general public votes for their favorite flavor which will join the chip canon and earn a big cash prize for the "flavor ambassador" who submitted it.

They've done this contest for three years or so now, with some hits and some big misses. 

One of their first trios included sriracha, cheesy garlic bread and chicken & waffles. The first two weren't too shabby and pretty true to their inspiration. However, the chicken and waffles chips made me realize that sometimes imitation is not the sincerest form of flatter, but just downright weird. They were too realisitic and my brain couldn't process a thin slice of potato tasting like maple syrup, much less fried chicken. 

Last year, they upped the weird factor by introducing us to bacon mac 'n' cheese (which tasted just like gas station Hot Fries!), mango salsa (I despise mangoes), wasabi ginger, and cappuccino chips. I was underwhelmed and kinda grossed out by that group. 

While I questioned their judgement last year, I must admit the process is interesting and they are able to produce on-point flavors that accurately represent the inspirations (however misdirected). And they made an exciting update to put texture into play, too. You can submit your flavor with a "chip style" -kettle cooked, wavy or traditional - that I find to be a big influence on the success of the chip. For example, cappuccino chips shouldn't be wavy, because what on God's green Earth would you dip that in? But waves are a perfect fit for a salsa-flavored chip; the pairing with guac is obvious!

Lay's has just released their newest quartet of contenders and we bought three of the four flavors this weekend. The 2015 Do Us a Flavor nominees are wavy West Coast Truffle Fries, Southern Biscuits and Gravy, kettle cooked Greektown Gyro, and New York Reuben. We picked up the Truffle, Gyro and Reuben chips at our local Ingles Market (on sale!); they are supposed to be available nationwide within the month.

Prior to Lay's release of 2015 flavors, we found a bag of Larry the Cable Guy biscuits and gravy chips at Big Lots (artisinal grocery it's not) for less than $2. Enjoying our youthful sense of immortality, we bought a bag. They were disturbingly realistic and tasted like fresh sausage and creamy, peppery gravy... and that made me very uncomfortable. Maybe I take issue with the re-imaginging of Southern staples, but I just can't wrap my head around a porky potato. Needlesss to say, we skipped the Lay's version. Let's assume it's lovely and true to breakfast...but spare me. 

Only a hit in the midwest?
Data from 8.3.15 on www.dousaflavor.com

Here's our review of the other three flavors. Like any good girl of Irish descent, I do have a specific rubric for my potato products; so we based our judgments on the following criteria: is the flavor a good interpretation of the intended dish; is the flavor enjoyable on its own, unrelated to the original food (would you eat these again regardless of novelty); and how successful is the flavor:"chip style" pairing?

NEW YORK REUBEN (traditionally cut chips)

This was the flavor J was most excited about. After working in a deli for many years, he is a connoisseur or reubens and was very eager to try them. I'm a casual reuben-eater, if for no other reason than my palate is not rye-bread-friendly. 

Overall, the flavor is okay, but the purest notes are of rye. So, the one item that I generally substitute on my sandwich is the primary flavor of the chips. But, once I got used to that twangy taste, I could eat these fairly mindlessly and enjoy them. J was anticipating more of a mustard/sauce flavor in addition to the meat and rye, and was pretty disappointed. 

I think the flavor is approachable outside of the context of just being a reuben chip and that's helped by the super thin texture that just screams picnic or late night munchies. No frills, just like a basic reuben, but it's hard to knock the novelty kitsch. 

I've never seen a chart using corned beef-colored graphics.

GREEKTOWN GYRO (kettle cooked chips)

I wasn't anxious to try these given how poorly I handled the fake-sausage chips. But I think Lay's did a great job compiling all the diverse and complex flavors of a gyro to make a multi-faceted chip. You get a subtle beefy taste - the way barbeque chips taste more like sauce than literal smoked meat; but thankfully, you also get the tzatzki sauce with fresh cucucmber and dill; a little onion and a hint of feta. J put it best saying "these are delicious" and they are probably the best out of the three. 

I love the choice of kettle chips for this flavor, too! When I think of gyros, I immediately think of the crispness of the Greek salad stuffed in the pita with the meat. These extra crispy chips are reminiscent of the crunch of the lettuce, onions and cucumbers you find in a quality gyro. They really added authenticity of flavor and dimension by choosing the kettle chips. 

I'll be casting my vote for this flavor!

WEST COAST TRUFFLE FRIES (wavy chips)

Because we aren't independently wealthy and maybe because the tv cooking shows we watch belabor how much the oil is overrated, we don't eat many truffle-laden foods. But I anticipated these chips to taste refined, with a light truffle perfume and a subtle flavor. The picture also included melted cheese (Parmesan? Asiago?) and fresh herbs on the potato wedges, so I was looking for bright, clean flavors. These fell short. They were like a delicate version of sour cream and onion chips; maybe chives instead of "onion" and a little more garlic than your plain old sc & o chip. But certainly nothing to write home about. They tasted fine but I hardly find them innovative. 

They do work well as a wavy chip because I could see them pairing well with onion dip, or something to impart more bold flavor. 

Meh. 

The Do Us a Flavor contest is really a fun diversion for summertime snacking. We look forward to seeing what's new and trying the experimental flavors. However, I am a year-round salty snacker. J has a huge sweet tooth, but I crave salty snacks, especially chips. As enjoyable as this is, I'm probably just as happy with a bag of plain rippled chips and french onion dip. 

If you are looking for a REAL chip experience with bold, unique flavors and unparalleled quality, head to The Gourmet Chip Company in Asheville, NC. They are a handmade chip (and pressed sandwich) shop in the middle of downtown with the best flavors I've ever found. They'll fix your chips right in front of you with awesome combinations like Belgian dark chocolate and apple-smoked bacon (The Corsican) or sun-dried tomatoes, pecorino romano cheese, fresh basil, sea salt and balsamic vinegar (The Italiano) at reasonable prices. And they have a retail shop with packaged chips, too! It takes a lot of will power for us to not stop here everytime we're nearby (thanks in part to crappy city parking). 

(foreground) Pressed Cuban sandwich with The Buffalo chips and
 (background) The Pressed Parisian Melt with The Italiano chips

Fancy artisinal chip shop or not, I highly suggest venturing outside of your comfort zone with chips. The things you like and dislike, just might surprise you! 

Taste Test: Coca-Cola Life

We’re back from Memorial Day and bringing you another taste test of an American classic: Coca-Cola. This time, we’re comparing classic Coca-Cola to new-to-the-US Coca-Cola Life.

Coca-Cola Life was debuted in Argentina in 2013, followed closely by a release in Chile. It was designed cooperatively by their mad soda scientist labs. Life is a healthier version of Coke in several interesting ways.

Where traditional Coke in an eight-ounce glass bottle has a little over 93 calories, Life has only 60. This makes it a reduced-calorie soda, not a mythical diet drink with zero (less than 4 calories/12 oz.) calories.

The difference in calories also comes from the varied sweeteners used. The Coke of our childhood relies on high fructose corn syrup for its classic sweetness. Cult followers of Diet Coke and Coke Zero (I do love me some Zero) know and love it's aspartame flavoring. There’s also what J and I (incorrectly?) call Mexican Coke - which comes in taller glass bottles with Spanish labels - and is made purely from cane sugar.

Now we have to start splitting hairs and for lack of a better cliche, choosing the lesser of two evils. This is not unlike the low-fat, no-fat, high-fat diet stupidity we’ve all considered while in the butter aisle.  Unsalted butter is just made from cream, but it’s so fatty...I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray has no calories or real ingredients...Which is worse for you?

Coca – Cola Classic

Made with high fructose corn syrup  

+ High calorie

= Highly processed, bad for you

Diet Coke/Coke Zero

Sweetened with aspartame

+ Low- or zero-calories

= Highly processed, but better for you than corn syrup

“Mexican Coke”

Sweetened with pure cane sugar

+ High calorie

= “Clean eating,” but still high calorie and should be consumed in moderation

Coke Life

Sweetened with cane sugar and stevia

     + Reduced calorie

     = “Clean eating” and moderate calorie

Theoretically, Coke Life should be the healthiest choice on the market. It’s lower calorie and made from natural ingredients. But, we all know that the bigger question is - Is it the most delicious choice?

Just like our other product review Taste Tests, this one will be based on what I call fundamental criteria. For a Coke, those criteria include: Color, Fizz, and Flavor; Flavor will be broken into the parts I call The Sweetness and The Burn.

The Color:

In the South, every caramel-colored carbonated drink is called coke. When we think of dark, rich sodas, Coke is what instantly comes to mind, even though RC and Pepsi have big bottling industries in the South. It’s such a striking image of almost black contents contrasted against that bright red logo. Iconic, really.  And in the bottle, Coke Life looks pretty similar to classic Coca-Cola. I will argue, however, that the glass bottle of dark liquid with a green swath across its mid-section looks a lot like another classic product that’s stood the test of time: Kikkoman (reduced sodium) soy sauce. (J, however, liked the styling, calling it “clean” and thought it really gives the impression of being a healthier choice).

But at first pour, I noticed a subtle difference in the colors. Life is lighter in color; it is closer to “caramel” than the tar-like look of Classic. While that may come from the healthier formula (maybe using less artificial dyes), it gives me another impression: watered down Coke. Coke straight from the perfected chalice of a curvy glass bottle is supposed to look its purest; but with this slightly lighter color, it looks like an over-carbonated soda fountain drink.

The Fizz:

Coke has wonderful carbonation and that dark coloring only helps you to see the bubbles bouncing around in every glass. Where Life might not have delivered on color, it brought the bubbles! This was an incredibly heady pour into our antique brandy snifters and the bubbles just kept on coming. To me, Coke is a youthful brand - it reminds you of the treat after school, ice cream floats in the summer, sharing a straw on your first date - and that kinetic energy of childhood is in those bubbles! Too often “green” alternatives can be stuffy and make us show our age (no kid ever independently questioned the GMO content of his nuggets); but Life’s fizz makes could keep young.

The Flavor:

To me, Classic Coke has two distinctive flavors - unbridled sweetness and a sharpness that almost burns as you swallow (and is only more pronounced the less ice you use). Both of these things sound terrible on paper, but on my tongue are perfect! And on both fronts, Life has toned it down a notch; which for J is a great success.

J likes clear-to-yellow soft drinks like Sprite or Mountain Dew and has never been fond of “Coke” (see that Southern colloquialism?). Tasting Life he was quite surprised and we were able to suss out why he hadn’t like Coke before. J has a sweet tooth, but with his sodas he wants balance of sweet and acidity; thus preferring citrus-based soft drinks instead of nothing-but-sugar drinks like Pepsi or Coke. But with dialed back and alternatively sourced sweetness, he was pretty satisfied.

But it was a little too subtle for me. I missed that tangy burn of Classic or “Mexican” Coke and I thought it was verging on Diet Coke flavoring. While many things convey sweetness, nothing tastes like sugar, like, well, SUGAR. Maybe I have a nuanced soda palate or maybe I’ve tried enough sugar substitutes to realize stevia isn’t my thing. It’s not gross or unpleasant, just not my drink of choice.

I guess I’m back to the what’s worse for you battle. And if I’m treating myself to a delicious drink, this wouldn’t be it, I’d choose Classic; If I’m making a calorie-driven choice, I’ll probably go “extreme” and get Coke Zero. The healthier middle-ground approach isn’t quite working for me.

So, we’re back to the obvious: Coca - Cola has something for everyone. Sweettoothed, waist-minded, clean eaters - everyone. If you feel guilty drinking high-calorie AND highly processed stuff, and are seeking a more natural approach, Coke Life could be the thing for you. And even if it’s not, I’m sure they can find something you’ll enjoy (hit up the Taste It! exhibit at World of Coca-Cola in Atlanta to be sure)!