7 WOWS for Chips featured at ExpoWest 2014

While many people may think "health foods" are as old as the late 1990's massive expansion of Whole Foods or even Trader Joe's; the reality is some of the natural food products are now second and third generation companies!

The annual Natural Food expo for retailers held over the weekend in Anaheim, California had a large number of offerings by up and coming companies hoping to break into major retailers; established brands introducing new flavors or more efficient products; and suppliers.   Today I'll focus on a few of the REALLY tasty chips I sampled. 

So what did we taste causing us to stop and say WOW!  SEVEN TIMES?  

TORATOS - offered by RW Garcia

This is a tasty combination of POTATO AND CORN TOGETHER IN ONE CHIP.  According to their website " the idea for Tortatos began with a simple question from a young member of the RW Garcia family: Why isn’t there a tortilla chip that tastes like a potato chip?"

I liked the "original" flavor but they do offer "Salt & Vinegar" and "Barbeque". As a matter of fact I liked it so much I lingered at their booth and munched away.  The nutrious plus:  25% less fat than Potato Chips, Certified Gluten Free, and non-gmo verified.       This was a OMD moment as I savored the taste and enjoyed a chip that was not tooo  heavy...salty.....spicy   IT WAS REALLY TASTY.

RW Garcia company originated over 30 years ago when "RW and Margaret set out to make the best tortilla chip the world has ever known"   Their website  details "With corporate offices in San Jose, CA and manufacturing facilities in California and North Carolina, the company delivers great tasting, organic, all-natural and imaginative flavor combinations in branded and private label offerings from coast to coast and world-wide."
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The second WOW came from 

Maya Kaimal Chickpea Chips

Now I have had chickpea crackers and chips before but these were deliciously wonderful and light and stand-alone good and easy to imagine with a dip.

Once again we stopped ...tasted...tasted...tasted.  WOW.  They were light and yet did not fall apart.  They tasted good alone.  And they were Gluten Free, Vegan, Kosher, No GMOs, 0s Trans-fats.    The chips were a new introduction (only within the last week) to the broad line of sauces and cookbooks the company has offered since the company started in 2003.

Maya Kaimal " learned how to cook her own Indian food from her physicist father Chandran Kaima.... Her American mother Lorraine, equally talented in the kitchen, also helped nurture her love of food."   Maya has authored numerous cookbooks and resides in NY with her husband and twins.  

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The third WOW came from 

Cabo Chips - Handcrafted Cantina Style Tortilla Chips made in Costa Mesa, CA

They hit the nail on the head with cantina style and a hint of lime. The refreshing chips were light and tasty and available as blue corn with sea salt and lime or traditional corn tortilla with soy and lime.  They use expellar pressed soybean oil and traditional hand cooked small batch process.  The result is a lighter chip.  The addition of  lime offers a subtle flavor for ZING.

According to their website "Health Note – Blue corn has been proven to have a high antioxidant content similar to blueberries and more protein than regular white corn"    The product is non-GMO, no preservatives, no trans fats or cholesterol,  natural, organic, and vegan.  
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The fourth WOW came from  

REAL DEAL Corn Pretzels

Pretzels at one time came in one shape: Pretzel.  Then someone made them into sticks, then someone flattened them into chips.  And now someone has dared to change them into CORN sprinkled with sea salt.     But it works!     They are gluten free and tasty.  I would eat them while going to the movie theater...if they sold 'em there.    

Once again, a well established family owned company is offering a new flavorful snack.  The Corriere family created the first "party mix",  the first to make corn chips, and tortilla chips all the way back to 1947 in Pennsylvania!

Their products are Pennsylvania certified organic with Korsher Orthodox Union as well as other Kosher certification.  They also offer veggie chips which are baked and cheese crunchies with cheddar.  These Pretzel chips would taste good in a sandwich  CRUNCH  ...in a salad  CRUNCH CRUNCH ....or with a salsa dip.
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The fifth  WOW came from

Late July SUB LIME Chips

I suppose the introduction of lime into a chip is a delicate decision - determining how much POW or WOW the lime contributes to the chip.  Late July flavor chefs have selected to use an appropriate tasteful hint of lime in their chip which allows me to happily eat them with or without a dip.  The chips would clearly accent and compliment my most humble efforts in the kitchen and no one would be wiser.    Late July products consistently offer snacks which are  TASTY, HEALTHY, BUDGET FRIENDLY, and easy to offer to friends who are not accustomed to eating WISELY.  Their products are USDA organic and non-GMO.

Late July was founded by the late Steve Bernard and his daughter Nicole Bernard Dawes in 2003 and remain an independent, family owned company from Massachusetts.
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My sixth  WOW came unexpectedly from

Lesser Evil Crunchy Dill Pickle Chia Crisps

Actually the flavor is CRUNCHY DILL PICKLE and they are described as Chia Crisps baked crunch black bean chips.  Zesty-Fresh, Herb-Infused.    ZING!   I  hesitated before sampling the offerings of this company only because I could only hear  "ch ch ch chia" in my head  and then I could not imagine a pickle chip. 
 All this to say  ZING!  WOW!     This has all the necessary label ID's  Gluten-Free...Al Natural...Omega 2's (ALA)   Powerful Antioxidants   EC Free   Good source of fiber   4g protein per serving.     But in reality all those are well and good but these are really tasty and not oily as traditional kettle cooked salt & vinegar chips tend to be.

Lesser Evil started in 2004 with a goal to not just make "better for you" but also "good for you"  Nutritional and healthier ingredients are in all their product.  They use black beans and organic popcorn as a base for their products and quite successfully!   And about  "CHIA" they use it because "A super-seed rich in Omega 3s, fiber, minerals, Vitamin C and anti-oxidants. Also helpful nutrition for diabetics (reduces blood pressure and inflammation). Milling it makes it digestible.
Lesser Evil is based out of Wilton Connecticut.  Their website offers a blog with "Recipe of the Week" which is actually quite helpful and does not singly promote their products in every recipe.  Commenting on a recipe enters you in a contest to win a bag of LesserEvil Snacks.  
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My seventh and  last WOW came from

Wellaby's Cheese Ups with a Parmesan Cheese Smile

I am not a big proponent of over cheesed snacks, they tend to taste tart (which may be the objective but not what I seek to buy).  Nevertheless, the Wellaby's snacks are delightful.  They are very very light - imagine a product using Filo or phyllo dough made into a chip but without all the butter associated with recipes using phyllo/filo.    These chips would be wonderful as a topping over a salad with a creamy dressing....with a creamy or cheesy dip or atop a tomato based soup or any other thicker soups.   The family have introduced a new recipe for their Pita chips.

Once again a family owned company is produced a natural product, but this family established their business in the 1990's in Greece.  The Cheese Ups were first introduced in 2008!  (Where have I been?)    While their website indicates the product is sold at Albertsons, I imagine expansion  to other stores is soon to be announced.

So there it is - SEVEN really tasty opportunities to nibble at home or on a picnic really tasty, readily available, nutritious snacks.