Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

Flax is something that has been touted as a type of "super food" in recent years and a number of manufacturers who have been making health food have been attempting to include flax in their ingredient list so as to suggest that their food is going to help fight everything from heart disease and diabetes to breast cancer and weight gain. While most of the studies suggesting such results are in their infancy, it's likely safe to say that flax is something that certainly won't harm anyone.

And it's a rather handy ingredient to have in any gluten-free meal that is made in such a way that it's supposed to mimic a type of food that would ordinarily have regular wheat flour in it. Since flax is something that isn't just touted by gluten-free advocates, but which is also seen as a healthy part of a natural diet, flax-laden entrees are starting to appear on many store shelves even if a store doesn't have a dedicated health food or organic section.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

Most chips contain some sort of wheat flour in them even if they're a corn-based chip (it's usually in whatever coating goes onto the chips to flavor them) and so even purchasing a bag of corn chips can result in problems because just about everything has some wheat flour in it. 
Fortunately for Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips, they are not only wheat-free, but also include a hefty amount of natural and healthy ingredients so the chips are probably something that would attract more than just the gluten-free crowd.

Of course, the big question is whether someone might enjoy the chips whether they need to eat gluten-free products or not. And the one thing that might prevent total enjoyment of these chips is that they're not really just "cheddar cheese" flavored. They would definitely be more accurately labeled as "nacho" flavored as they do have a zest to them that is rather unexpected. It is just this writer's opinion that something labeled as "cheddar' shouldn't taste.... spicy.

So the best way to think about these chips (well this particular flavor anyway) is that they're a grainy sort of bean-like nacho chip. They have a kick to them and even seem to be somewhat dry (only way to describe them) so after you have a few handfuls, you might want to chug a giant glass of water. They seem to be a decent snack if you eat about a dozen of them, but going any further seems to lessen the overall taste as they're fairly dry.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

The biggest attraction for these chips is likely that they're completely full of all sorts of healthy ingredients (the text on the bag goes far in suggesting this as they seem to be corn free, soy free, potato free and are even kosher... among many other positive attributes). These chips definitely taste as though they're made of pinto beans. It's almost like you're eating nacho flavored pinto beans in chip form.

Which might be more acceptable if the bag would lead one to believe that the chips were actually spicy and not just a mild cheddar flavor. If you're not a fan of spicy chips, you probably won't prefer this flavor of Beanitos (the company makes more than one flavor).

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips Report Card

What They Did Well:

There are a ton of gluten-free chips out there that all have different flavors and these chips actually provide a rather unique taste experience. They're not a corn or potato chip and are actually very "beany." Something worth trying if you'd like a different chip-eating experience. They're also filled to the brim with all sorts of healthy elements (beans are quite healthy regarding their nutrients) and so as a snack, they're probably one of the best things you could munch on.

Beanitos Pinto Bean & Flax Chips
Photograph Copyright 2013 by Kelsey Wyatt

What could Improve:

These are nacho flavored! Don't let the bag convince you that it's just cheddar in there. They are spicy and crisp and can be mildly overwhelming in large quantities. 

They're also somewhat dry (yes, I know chips are always dry, but these seem excessively so... perhaps it's just a lack of grease like potato chips tend to have) and this can wear on the taste buds after a few chips. Best eaten in small quantities or as part of a meal and not the main component.

Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese

Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Lundberg makes a number of gluten free rice-based entrees such as various types of risotto and rice cakes and if you're interested in something cheesy, the Parmesan cheese alfredo style risotto might be the ticket. One of the constant elements of many of the offerings from this company is that they like to put a hint of garlic into just about everything they make and this is likely the case here as well as this flavor seems to have a bit of a kick to it (which could be garlic or some other sort of similar spice).

Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

It's also worth pointing out that making Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese does require a little practice, as it's quite easy to end up having a rather mushy bowl of something that's supposed to resemble rice rather than a type of food with the proper definition and separation of a classic bowl of risotto. I haven't been able to make risotto that looks like what is on the front of the box (and I've tried a half dozen flavors at this point).

So advice for anyone who hasn't made risotto before: read the back of the box for the directions and don't try to treat this meal as a regular bowl of rice. Risotto is different and it's made differently. Just like regular rice, risotto does have a pretty decent calorie count so nobody's diet will be torpedoed by eating a bowl of this particular dish.

Despite the alternative cooking method that is required (the rice is sauteed and not just added to a boiling pot of water), anyone who likes flavored rice dishes should enjoy - or should be able to find a flavor of risotto to enjoy - something of what the Lundberg folks have to offer. Their boxed risotto options are all organic and gluten free and are usually not priced too extravagantly either.

Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Lundberg Risotto Alfredo Parmesan Cheese Report Card

What They Got Right:

There are many different flavors of risotto that are available from Lundberg and chances are there's a flavor to suit anyone's tastes. The alfredo Parmesan flavor is definitely one of the milder varieties, so if you're looking for a nice accompaniment to a simple chicken dish or some meaty main course, this might be the best flavor to choose. It's also likely fine as a main dish as well or perhaps as a lunch option.

What Could Improve:

There needs to be a section of tips on the back of this box to teach people who aren't able to make a classic plate of risotto. Seriously. This is like the Olympics of rice style dishes. Perhaps this author just isn't a saute master. Yet.

Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix

Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

One of the primary ingredients in bars that are labeled as an energy bar or a snack bar is oats and a lot of people who are sensitive or allergic to gluten will also have problems with oats as well. And most of those bars also have a high chance to possess gluten or some sort of wheat-related ingredients anyway, so finding a simple snack bar that doesn't have such components can be a challenge.

But the snack food industry and companies that have long been making snack bars have definitely realized that there is a huge market for gluten-free bars and there are many companies that have not only started to provide such bars with zero gluten included, but which have also created several different gluten-free options instead of just a single token gluten-free bar.

Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Generally, snack bars and protein bars are going to come in one of two different kinds. They'll either be a solid sort of bar, kind of like the "Think Thin" bars (of which the white chocolate covered kind is delicious), or they'll be breakable and nutty, sort of like the KIND Protein Bars that have recently started to become so popular that major cafes and restaurants have started including them as an option.

The Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix is definitely one that mimics the KIND style of bars where it's a bunch of nuts that's held together by some sort of adhesive (made of honey in this case, although some competing bars use a sugar glaze). And the combination is one that seems easy to duplicate as many companies have started to make nutty bars that offer a good boost of protein. And while such bars will usually be a little high with their fat content, nutritionists would likely be quick to point out that it's "good" fat and not the bad trans-fat kind that might be in a bag of potato chips.

For anyone who is particularly interested in eating natural ingredients that might also be vegetarian or free of preservatives, this particular bar seems to fit the bill there as the manufacturer has printed a whole host of labels on the bar's wrapper that declare things like "gluten free" and vegetarian. It's fairly interesting, but many gluten-free food makers these day seem to believe that anyone who might want (or need) to eat a gluten-free lifestyle would also be on the lookout for natural foods.

Overall, this bar tastes fine and is exactly what one would expect from a nut-style protein or energy bar, but there's no wow-factor as far as the general recipe is concerned. It's just a very basic bar that will probably give someone an afternoon boost when they're fading in the late afternoon and need some protein.

Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix
Photograph Copyright 2012 by Kelsey Wyatt

Mariani Honey Bar Trail Mix Report Card

The Good Stuff:

This bar does what it needs to do. It's natural, nutty and gluten-free. But it's probably not something that you'll search for should the grocery store fail to stock them one week. It's a trail mix bar that won't stand out from the competition, but since it's gluten-free, it does have a purpose.

What Could Improve:

The bar seems to have an overwhelming amount of peanuts and the manufacturer might benefit from the inclusion of a few different types of nuts in their recipe. It's just a very basic bar that might be forgotten if it wasn't otherwise a handy option for people who need a shot of protein and who also need to eat a gluten-free li