Because I write about food, I tend to assume that everyone keeps up on current food trends as much as I do. You’d think I’d know better by now! For instance, I had long assumed that most Americans know what a plantain is. But a brief survey of some non-food-writer friends quickly convinced me that I was mistaken. If you’re not familiar with them, plantains are members of the banana family and look similar to bananas. However, plantains are low in sugar. You cannot consume them raw, as you would a banana; they must be cooked, and they’re frequently baked or fried for use as a vegetable.
Plantains are members of the banana family and look similar to bananas. Photo by Hafiz Issadeen, Creative Commons.
All of that sounds nice, but, frankly, a little boring. However, there are ways to jazz up the plantain, and Geetha Jayaraman knows exactly how to accomplish that: she slices them thinly and fries them. The result? Gourmet plantain chips from Grab ‘Em Snacks. These chips are all natural, vegan, non-GMO, gluten-free, and with a low glycemic index. They’ve got a great, hearty crunch. I tried only one flavor (Sea Salt Goodness), and I am here to tell you I couldn’t stop eating them; I actually had to hide the bag from myself so I wouldn’t devour all of the chips in one sitting. The minimal ingredient list (plantains, high oleic safflower oil, and sea salt are the only ingredients in the variety I chose) shows that Grab ‘Em Snacks takes pride in their product and doesn’t need to add artificial colors or flavorings.
The taste of the plantain itself is rather neutral, somewhat like that of a potato chip. Recognizing this, and knowing that some do indeed “like it hot,” Grab ‘Em Snacks offers their chips in multiple flavors: Ragin’ Cajun, Fire-Me-Up Red Chili, Perfectly Peppered Black Pepper, Chili Garlicious, and Jalapeno Heat (for those of you who are spice wimps, like me, consider the Cinful Cinnamon and/or my beloved Sea Salt Goodness varieties).
Want to try some for yourself? No problem; you can have these chips shipped to your doorstep through the convenience of online ordering. The chips are offered in four ounce, eight ounce, and one pound bags. If you know anyone who’s been a paragon of virtue lately, you might want to share these chips, but I wouldn’t bet the farm on that!
Top photo by cinnachick, Creative Commons.
