Do the Mashed Potato? For The Next @Kroger #FreeFridayDownload

Up Next Friday, November 9th!

Kroger Free Friday Download: One FREE Idahoan Potato Pouch or Cup (1.5-4.1 oz). Download your digital coupon between 12am-11:59pm PT on November 9. Redeem by Sunday, November 25. Available in most stores.

#StPatricksDay #Party #Irish #Green #Beer

I hope the day is Green for ya! We're partying after work. I've got beer for my Draftmark, lively tunes set to pipe across the Bluetooth airwaves of my home entertainment system and proper Irish potatoes. Pup is all set to chase any leprechauns she spies... pot o' gold or not.

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! May your island be rid of snakes. 

#Garden #VeggieStraws @SensibleP -- A Sharp Flavored Crunchy #Snack #ProductReview #GlutenFree #Kosher #NonGMO #SensiblePortions

For roughly the last week, I've been sampling a newish product named Garden Veggie Straws by a brand called Sensible Portions. These are crispy puffed "straws" made out of sweet potato and other vegetables that pack a satisfying crunch and a bite of flavor. They are also gluten-free, low sodium, low fat and low calorie, if you care about that sort of thing. (A serving is about 18 straws.) They remind me of Frito-Lay's Munchos --- which I enjoyed as a child --- if you are familiar with this product, the taste of Garden Veggie Straws is very similar, except more robust and with flavor variations. In case you are unaware, Munchos are white potato puffed chips (potato crisps), whereas these straws taste like spinach, tomato, carrot and white potato, but both products are "puffed crisps."

Sea Salt Garden Veggie Straws

I had a huge bag, so I would put a handful or two in a zippy bag and carry them in my pocket to snack on throughout the day. I like them and will continue to purchase the product as an alternative --- not a replacement --- to potato chips. I love potatoes in pretty much all forms, so I love chips, but I also like to mix things up and vary the palate. (By the way, I use moderation as the guiding principle for my diet or eating regimen. I do not "diet" or deny myself things.) Sensible Portions also makes several other "straws" varieties, including apple and sweet potato, and various veggie chips, crisps, puffs and crackers. Its motto is "better-for-you snacking." According to the company, a Better-for-You Snack is Non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Kosher, Cholesterol-Free and has no artificial flavors or preservatives. Sounds good to me.

I've only tried the Sea Salt Garden Veggie Straws, so far, but I plan to check out other Sensible Portions products, too. I'm on the lookout for the Apple Straws.

#PresidentsDay #Milkshakes #FrenchFries #Democracy + @vudufans @LegionFX

My Nostalgia Milkshake Maker is scheduled to arrive today. (Brown needs to get a move on it.) I'm planning to knock out work today, so that pup and I can party this afternoon for the Presidents' Day holiday (officially observed as Washington’s Birthday). We're making milkshakes and Cheerwine floats! (I recently discovered this recipe and figured this was a good excuse to try it out, because I have Cheerwine on hand, of course.)

In the spirit of the day, we're planning to watch the expected wall-to-wall news coverage of all the Presidents' Day protests and counter-protests in regards to the current presidential administration. We may have French fries, too --- though termed "French," this common side dish is all American, and thus perfect for such a patriotic holiday.

I'm also planning to watch Suicide Squad --- I borrowed the Blu-ray --- and the pilot episodes for some new television series, like Legion and Mad Dogs, that I downloaded via Vudu. (I use free pilot episodes to determine which programs to start watching, if any. And Vudu tends to offer the "first episode free" for most debuting television programs.) Our afternoon party should provide for a nice respite, before getting back to the grind tomorrow.

A Healthy #Fryup? The Search for an #AirFryer #Tempura #FrenchFries #Foodie

I am a native Southerner. I love fried foods. (Old style Southern cuisine relies heavily on frying. There's a joke that Southerners will attempt to fry anything.) But obviously, all that oil and grease tends to mitigate many of a food's health benefits. There has been a recent push to reshape Southern cuisine by employing alternative methods of cooking. While this has met with some success, for many Southerners there is no substitute for frying. I am in that number; I may enjoy baked asparagus, but make it tempura and I'm in heaven. As a result, I've decided the best solution is to make "frying" itself a healthier method of cooking.

Luckily for me, technology has my back. The kitchen appliances industry has recently introduced into the mainstream so-called airfryers, gadgets which rely on air convection (and sometimes a small amount of oil) to crisp foods. As is the case with any consumer market, not all airfryers are created equal, so I've been researching these small kitchen appliances and reading reviews --- the latest issue of Men's Journal magazine has a one-page comparison and rating of four leading airfryer models, for instance --- with the idea of acquiring one.

I'm not giving up French fries, but if I can make fries healthier and still achieve that comfort food level of satisfaction that comes from "fries" then it's a win. Airfryer reports and reviews are promising overall. It seems the technology may have actually arrived to achieve a healthier fryup in the home consumer market. But it's a process to find the right machine for my needs. I don't expect to make a purchase tomorrow. However, the airfryer is on my radar and one will eventually make a debut in my kitchen (most likely, post-renovation, however).

#NationalPizzaDay: May I Have Some More Please? #Cheese #Quikly #GiftCard

Pizza is one of my four main food groups, along with potatoes (preferably in the form of pomme frites or French fries), rice and ice cream. Hey, this is kosher for a lacto-ovo vegetarian like me. I LOVE cheese! I LOVE bread! Cheese pizza is like "manna from heaven." (I believe this means pizza is very, very delicious.) Take-out, frozen or homemade.

Today is National Pizza Day. In spite of the fact that I think that all of these "holidays" are mere marketing gimmicks, on a day like today where the celebration coincides with my personal tastes, I'll willingly give in and play along. I'll probably have pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Maybe for a snack, too. Like Oliver Twist, I ask, "May I have some more, please?" You can't have too much pizza, right? That's impossible!

I scored a promotional gift card from Domino's in its Quikly giveaway yesterday and I've also got a couple of frozen pies stashed in the freezer. So I have options. I expect it to be a fun day.

UPDATE: It's also apparently National Bagel Day. So now I'm making bagel pizzas (like those Bagel Bites thingies). I admit it, I love a good bagel and schmear, too. (Bagels are bread.)

My Future #ShoppingList (#NewProducts on My Radar) #Alexa #ProductTrials #ProductLaunches

Several new products have launched in the last year or so which have piqued my interest. I plan to test and try these out once I locate the products in stores and have a need for them. (I abhor waste, so I try to only buy new products when they fulfill a need --- or there's a deal that's too good to pass up --- versus grabbing anything new I encounter the moment I see it.)

Until then I keep a future shopping list, in alphabetical order, of products to locate and test, which is updated as necessary. The fun part (other than finding and trying the products) is that I can use my Amazon Echo in order to verbally instruct Alexa to manage this shopping list for me, which has greatly lessened my reliance on sticky notes these days. (Saves paper. I transitioned to a paperless office years ago, and now I'm working on becoming a paperless household. Having Smart Assistants helps.)

My Future Shopping List (Grocery)
Beyond Burger
Brazi Bites (free product coupon)
Cheerwine Holiday Punch (also a recipe available)
Cheerwine Kreme
Cheerwine Squeeze
Green Giant Riced Veggies
Green Giant Veggie Fries
Just Mayo
Veggie Fries Tots

NOTE: I keep future shopping lists for household items (where I keep tabs on not necessarily new products, like appliances, that I think will fulfill a need or desire in my quest to create an "efficient household"), for health care aids and for clothing, jewelry & fashion accessories that catch my eye. This is merely my grocery list.

#Noted: A New Line of #Veggie Products from #GreenGiant: #VeggieFries + #RicedVeggies

It seems that all the foodie magazines to which I subscribe are currently featuring advertising for a new line of vegetable products from Green Giant. There's a veggie fries product line which claims to deliver healthier alternatives to standard potato French fries and a riced veggies product line which claims to deliver healthier alternatives to white rice. As rice and potatoes (particularly in the form of French fries) are two of my favorite food groups in the whole world, if these new Green Giant products are actually healthier and taste as good, I'll definitely buy them often. I haven't encountered any of these new products in the wild (in stores) as yet to verify nutritional contents (as listed on the product labels), but they do sound appetizing.

Once I've had the chance to check them out, I'll report back (with a product review). Generally, I like Green Giant products --- and I loved the animated Jolly Green Giant commercials as a child --- so I have high hopes that these new product lines will live up to their advertised billing. The proof will be in the taste test, however. (You could say that cardboard is healthy all you want, but I still wouldn't eat it.) As it stands, I've added these new products to my future shopping list, which simply means that I'll buy some if and when I find them at whatever future date and time. Hopefully, this will be sooner rather than later, but new product distribution can be somewhat haphazard.

#GWCRD: George Washington Carver Recognition Day! #Peanuts #SweetPotatoes #STEM #ChildhoodHero

As an asocial geeky little girl, I gravitated toward the life stories of those who used their intelligence and ingenuity to overcome adversity and contribute to society. (I've mentioned my esteem for Ben Franklin in this vein before, but) This day belongs to a man who held particular significance in my juvenile mind. Today is George Washington Carver Recognition Day. Salute!

Born into slavery in the Deep South (Missouri), Carver became an inventor who made lasting contributions to the field botany, in part by promoting alternative crops to cotton that would allow poor farmers to not only provide food for their tables, but also provide products that could improve their quality of life. (Because he spent a good deal of his life at Tuskegee University in Alabama, which is only a hop, skip and a jump away from my native Georgia, I read a children's version of his biography at quite a young age. His extensive use of crops like peanuts --- a mainstay in Georgia's agriculture --- and sweet potatoes, which were very familiar to me as a poor rural Southerner only heightened my interest.) He also took a lead in advocating environmentalism. George Washington Carver was a man ahead of his time. Thank goodness.

What's Your Name? Call Me Procrastinator #LastMinuteShopping #Movies #WeatherGeek

Dinner + Movie Night was a roaring success! I'm still in recovery mode having only gone to bed a few hours ago. Lack of sleep isn't my problem, however, because my natural sleep cycle is only four hours. No, most often my day simply does not have enough time available within it to accomplish everything I need to get done.

Today is an exception. I haven't planned much beyond doing some last minute shopping --- Egads! I may actually need to venture out to a store. Oh, the horror --- and watching a few flicks (need to use some expiring Redbox Playpass Credits).

Due to various relatives heading this way for the holidays, things will likely be crazy for the next 10 days. We'll have to play it by ear. (I'm trying to keep to a posting schedule... Good luck with that, says a little voice.)

By the way, our odd weather continues. It's supposed to get up to 70 degrees on Christmas day. December? Where are you? I don't mind the mild Winter, except for the preponderance of bugs still giddily flying around. An amateur entomologist, I like bugs generally --- when they aren't dive-bombing into my eye, which has happened quite a lot of late. Perhaps, their sense of direction is being skewed by the weather, for these insect varieties aren't used to being active this late into the year. (To bastardize Yaz: How Winter Kills... or not.)

Well, I should get my gear together. It'll be time to brave the wilderness soon. Crowds. Ick. Wish I had a magic wand to wave and make them disappear.

On the bright side, I picked up French fries and Ranch Dressing (this week's Free Friday Download) at my local Kroger store to munch on while watching movies later. Not certain what I should rent. I'm interested in seeing Florence Foster Jenkins, but may lean toward something Sci-Fi or Fantasy based to unwind, depending on how the day has gone. Guess I'll take a chance on whatever is in the Redbox kiosk.

#VeggieFries = The Spuds Gone Wild! #Review

I'm a lacto/ovo vegetarian and have been for a long time, having "gone veg" at a fairly young age and never looked back. I have a lot of hysterically funny stories that stem from trying to explain my being vegetarian or my asking for vegetarian food options in a society (small town Georgia, deep South) which largely believed that everything should be fried and flavored with ham hocks. Never a dull moment where interactions over food were concerned.

I enjoy food. I love to cook. I love to socialize over food and try new things. I also love discovering new ways to prepare old favorites. I'm always on the lookout for interesting and exciting ways to prepare foods that I love. I'm big on convenience and enjoy finding creative "fast foods", too.

One of my absolute favorite fast foods is French fries. I like them baked, I like them deep fried. I like them seasoned, covered in chili and/or cheese; dipped in sauces, dressings and mayo. I am a potato fiend. (My siblings use to tease that I'd never met a potato that I didn't like.) I've actually done tech support jobs for friends and family where I was "paid" in French fries.

Recently, I had the chance to try Veggie Fries [eatveggiefries.com], souped up French fries that use potatoes as a base and adds in other vegetables like chickpeas or kale. There are four varieties currently available (listed in order of my preference): Broccoli & Potatoes; Chickpeas, Red Peppers & Potatoes; Kale, Tuscan Beans & Potatoes; and Carrots & Potatoes. In spite of the fact that the Carrot version is my least favorite -- I have never like cooked carrots, only raw -- it's still decent and I'm certain that people who like (cooked) carrots would love them.

I had to experiment with baking times to reach my desired level of crispness, because I found the amount of time suggested on the bag resulted in too soft fries. Once I achieved a crispy batch of fries, it was all good. I could eat these for breakfast. (I did on at least one occasion.) They make a great addition to my options for French fries and can be used in a variety of ways in various dishes. (There's a growing recipe section on the product website.)

I found Veggie Fries in the frozen food aisles at both Sprouts and Whole Foods in my area, and prices ranged from $3.98 to $4.99 depending on the store and/or variety. For whatever reason, the Chickpea variety was only $3.98 at Sprouts when I purchased them, compared to $4.49 for the others. It might have been a special sale, though I didn't notice any signs to that effect. All varieties were $4.99 at Whole Foods. I originally got one of each variety to try them all. Then went back and purchased my favorites (skipping the Carrot variety) on the next shopping trip.

I liked them well enough that I'll definitely continue to purchase the product in the future. The company that makes them is launching a Veggie Tots version this Fall. Can't wait to try them, also!

DISCLAIMER: I received several free product coupons so that I could try Veggie Fries and experiment with them in recipes as part of the product manufacturer's outreach to bloggers. (A recent Veggie Fries Newsletter --- I had previously subscribed after first hearing about the product some months back --- asked if any bloggers would like to try the product. I responded and was sent a free product coupon. I tried the product and gave the company feedback and was sent a couple more free product coupons as a thank you.) However, I was not required to write a product review publicly. The opinions expressed in this review are my own.