Life Foods by "Mom Jeans" Mom
Life Foods Original Burger with their ketchup, mayo and mustard. Marta Lane photo
Probiotic? Fermented? As a young mom (read that as you want), those two terms were foreign to me. The only “biotic” I was familiar with was an anti-biotic for sick kids and I just assumed “fermented” meant moldy cheese. Shoots, was I wrong! As the newest team member of Tasting Kauai, I was asked to try out some Life Foods products [and write my first ever blog post – what!]. I’ll admit I’m a foodie and I care about the environment and sustainability; however, as a mom of two kids, sometimes you choose to go with the quick and easy over healthy and organic.
I told the family we were going to try out some food surprises. We tried the “Noni Ranch” dressing first. Zing! Pop! Wow! The taste danced along my tongue and romanced my taste buds. It was GOOD! The kids liked it too. They had it on lettuce but I also tried it with chicken and rice. The dressing complemented each bite. The following night we had hamburgers and home fries. My husband, who has digestive issues with condiments because of the ingredient “distilled vinegar,” was excited to try the gluten-free “Red” aka ketchup, “Yellow” aka mustard and “White” aka mayo. His reaction was very positive and I thought they tasted better than my usual store-bought trio.
I cubed up some red, golden and purple potatoes and drizzled on some EVOO (I’ve always wanted to say that – sounds so culinary professional). Last step, I sprinkled on Life Foods Superfood Gomasio which consisted of white and black sesame seeds, nori, different kinds of sea salt and hemp seeds (settle down, it’s just HEMP). I stirred profusely to cover every little bit and roasted in the oven. The home fries were crunchy and “Super Tasty!” according to the kids. They ate every single crispy delicious cube.
Melissa Gregory, director of sales for Tasting Kauai. Daniel Lane photo
Our final foray into the Life Foods realm was trying out the “Roasted Pineapple and Kim Chee” hot sauce. Now, I was warned that fermented foods will act like champagne if shaken. The ingredients had separated a little bit and I slowly and carefully tipped the bottle upside down. Well, that was a mistake. I had to open the bottle over the sink because it was like Mount Vesuvius! Once everything had calmed down and I cleaned up, we tasted the hot sauce. We are not hot sauce people; we like sauces, but without the kick. My son stated he liked the sauce at first but then the hot part kicked in. “If the hot part didn’t exist, I would have really liked it,” he said.
Life Foods has many products and I encourage everyone to try them out. I looked up “probiotic” and “fermented.” Turns out those terms mean the food has “little helpers” to aid in digestion, which is good for your body. I enjoyed the products. I felt noble knowing I was eating “good-for-you” food. The taste and texture were “clean and natural” if you know what I mean. Back in the day, I remember healthy food looking and tasting like cardboard. Now, I won’t be afraid to eat it up and serve it to my family. Gotta go pick up the kids!
Melissa Gregory is the director of sales for Tasting Kauai. When she’s not caring for her family, she’s tending her garden or helping to keep Kauai green and our oceans clean. For more information on Life Foods, read our “Lessons in Life Foods“ that ran in the June 6 edition of The Garden Island newspaper, or visit the Life Foods website.