CHEPS

Beanfields sent me "cheps" to review months ago.

 

 

....I like to say chips in the way that I imagine Sassy Gay Friend would say chips. 

ya' know

CHEPS.

Anyway...

Because I'm a jerk, I'm only getting around to writing the review of the chips now.

Beanfields

They make chips out of beans and rice. They are GMO-free. This is something I like. I swear my tummy knows the difference!

Beanfields are not certifiably allergy free, as they are made on equipment also used for dairy, soy, wheat and corn. However, for those of us who are mildly allergic, as opposed to "deathly" allergic, they are a great alternative to corn or soy chips.

This said -

When I first saw the ingredients, I felt slightly perturbed...

Schooled by health gurus like Marion Nestle and Alexandra Jamieson, I have been taught to be wary of the ingredient paragraph. Basically, if food comes with a paragraph of ingredients, it's probably too processed to be healthy food.

Of course, I'm also an overworked adjunct English prof. I'm insanely busy and insanely broke. So I ate the cheps.

Honestly? I ate the cheps. I loved the cheps. And I haven't stopped eating cheps since.

Here's what I love about Beanfields.

the taste

The nacho flavor tastes like nacho Doritos. 

Except better.

The pico tastes like cool ranch Doritos.

Except better.

The sea salt is mild enough to work with any kind of hummus or salsa.

Except better.

the texture

The crunch is soft and airy.

By soft, I don't mean "uncooked" or "wilted."

These chips are easily breakable.

They have a great crunch.

But without cutting your gums and mouth up.

I swear - it was the texture had me nomming binge-style.

There was something COMFORTING about these chips.

the nutrition

4 grams of complete protein

4 grams of fiber

complex carbs

tested free of gluten

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Typically - I stick with the ayurvedic perspective on chips.

Oh? You didn't know there's an ayurvedic perspective on CHEPS???

As a Vata dosha, I'm a neurotic cold-body. I do better with soft, well-cooked, mushy foods - NOT cold cheps. True to form, unless I'm terribly starving, I can't digest chips well at all.



But Beanfields - because they are made primarily of BEANS - didn't bug my stomach.

The Beanfields peeps sent me so many cheps that I shared with gluten free pals, Classy Poppy and Tigercat.

You may remember Poppy and Tigercat from my previous post. They are on the Homesweet Homegrown book tour right now. If you are into gardening, you should totes check them out when they stop into your town - and or check out our pal Robyn's book!

Back to the cheps...

Here's what Classy Poppy had to say about Beanfields. Look at this picture and pretend she's talking to you. It's fun.

Dude, I can't praise the texture of these chips enough! They are a welcome break from the monotonous texture of most GF snacks and cereals. Instead of the hard, toothy grittiness I expect from corn and rice-based snacks, these are softer and much more flavorful. The chips are nicely nutty, but without the mustiness that bean flours sometimes impart. There isn't the usual flavor fatigue that one experiences with flavored chips. What I'm trying to say is that each bite tastes as fresh as the first - there's an excellent balance between the taste of the chip itself and the seasoning blend. Also, and this is minor, I really like the "'clean" feeling from these -- you know the greasy, coated-teeth sensation, and the residue on your fingers (from Doritos/mainstream snack chips)...none of that with Beanfields.

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Nacho flavor: I actually tasted the tomatoey flavor here, which I can't say I've ever noticed in snack chips before. I liked it. It reminded me of summer. I very much wanted to melt cheese on these, but they were so delicious just on their own that I didn't bother. I think crushing these up would make an excellent GF sub for homemade breading (good flavor and perfect texture for a crunchy coating).

Pico de Gallo: NOM NOM NOM! I love this flavor. More piquant and tangy than the Nacho. Not saltier per say than the Nacho, but the salt taste is more apparent, which I liked. Both these chip flavors would be nice to crush up onto soup. Now I need some tomato soup. Or chili.

Good job Beanfields! I'm delighted.

Me too, Poppy. Me too.

 

Homesweet Homegrown

At the moment, one of my favorite pals is boarding a plane to kick off her first ever book tour.

Robyn Jasko, creator of Grow Indie, the Grow Indie test garden, the Kutztown Community Garden, and author of Homesweet Homegrown, has been a good friend of mine since 1998.

Me and Robyn at the Chili Throwdown in 09

Back in the dorms, we used to watch 21 Jump Street every afternoon, and travel through our tiny college town, looking for adventures at night. We bonded over a zealous appreciation for sarcasm, gossip, and "goodtimes." I met - not one, not two, but THREE - boyfriends through her - AND a crapload of great friends.

 Robyn, Me, Tigercat, Poppy, and my housemate Heidi this past New Years

Today we are grownups. Both of us have left Kutztown for big city life and returned. We are members of the fire company, writers for local publications, community gardeners, and potluck-throwing vegetarians. We are the kinds of ladies who get together and squeeee for three hours about home-cultured veggies and cacao-infused vodka.

I love Robyn.

HOWEVER...

... That's not why I'm reviewing her book.

I'm reviewing her book because IT'S REALLY EFFIN' GOOD.

www.foodinjars.com

Over the past several years, I've amassed so many library fines in overdue gardening and herb books. And regardless of how much I read, nothing sank in.

Then I started working with Robyn at the Grow Indie test garden. Watching her work over the past two seasons, I've learned so much. 

... Like how to build a trellis

... How to stake tomatoes

... So they grow up to be THIS!

How to grow beautiful and delicious Swiss Chard... 

... How to keep radishes fresh

Then came Homesweet Homegrown.

It's like having Robyn right there, helping me. Her book delivers tons of information, everything she knows about gardening. BUT it gives you this info in incredibly easy-to-read increments. The start of the book dedicates a page to a vegetable. Robyn lists growing, care, and harvesting instructions.

In the middle, there are guides to do-it-yourself potting, trellising and harvesting.

At the end, there's recipes! These recipes are not your typical recipes. Robyn gives you recipes for rare stuff like garlic scape pesto, raw stuff like kimchi, and local friend favorites, like my ex-boyfriend's Beltzville potatoes.

My favorite part of the book? The charts! I LOVE CHARTS!

There are two beautiful charts explaining companion planting and interplanting. Basically - you can increase the growability of your plants by planting them beside their "friends." The charts are simple to follow. And they include cute illustrations too.

All draw-rings were drawn by the one-and-only, local Kutztown artist Jen "Tigercat" Biggs. Tigercat is another one of my favorite people - a tattooed gluten-free workaholic who laughs at my jokes.

You may remember Tigercat from videos such as "Hittin' the Sauce..."

And "Under the Bridge."

Currently, Robyn, her husband Paul David, Tigercat, and Classy Poppy are traveling across the US with Homesweet Homegrown. They are bringing the book to cities like Seattle, Austin, Boulder, and New York.

To see when they are close to you, check the tour page on the Homesweet Homegrown website!


If you have a chance to see them, please do! I can guarantee a brilliant lesson in gardening and a good time.


To buy Robyn's book, check out her webpage, or Microcosm or Amazon.