This week we’re thinking about fuel for your walks in these beautiful spring days, snacks for the kids as they go from school to practice to home and something to munch on as you sit at your desk.
Nuts, Chocolate and Fruit
Atlanta-based small batch chocolate maker Xocolatl produces lovely single-origin chocolate bars with beans sourced from around the world. But they also make trail mix in two flavors: "Smile with the Rising Sun" that has almonds, cashews, dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds, dried papaya and coconut and "Moonlight Through the Pines" with its combination of Georgia flavors including pecans, peanuts, dark chocolate, pumpkin seeds and dried peaches and cranberries. The folks at Xocolatl have been making these mixes since they opened in order to meet their own need for a quality trail mix that was more than just peanuts and pretzels. Our favorite? We couldn't choose. They're both delicious. What comes through with every bite is the high quality of the nuts and fruit. And those little squares of dark chocolate? Each one is a tiny treat. $10 per 7-ounce package. Xocolatl, Krog Street Market, 99 Krog Street, Atlanta. 404-604-9642. xocolatlchocolate.com
Sweet Onion Petals
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Credit: C. W. Cameron
On April 12 Vidalia onions will be making their way to your neighborhood grocery store. The onions at the market are U.S. #1 grade, but what happens to the onions that have a few blemishes and don't make the grade? Four years ago Glennville, Georgia's Bland Farms began turning those onions into Sweet Onions Petals, sold under their "Vidalia Brands." The onions are pureed, then seasoned and baked into gluten-free snack chips. Eat them out of the bag or crunch them up and use them as a topping for your favorite salad. They'd make a great substitute for those fried onion pieces on your green bean casserole. You know the ones we're talking about. $2.49 for a 3.5-ounce bag. Available at metro area Kroger and Publix stores in early April. vidalia-brands-inc.myshopify.com/
Honey Sriracha Peanuts
Credit: C. W. Cameron
Credit: C. W. Cameron
For those with no peanut allergies at home, stock up on this snack that matches peanuts with two yummy flavors – honey and sriracha. Hampton Farms sources runner peanuts from across the Southeast, sweetens them with organic honey and roasts them in small batches. They come in a range of seasonings including chipotle and smoke. But we're crazy about the sriracha version. Just enough heat. Just enough sweet. If any make it into the kitchen, save some to sprinkle onto a salad or into a batch of Asian slaw. Perfect. They're available in the produce section of your local Publix along with the Honey Maple variety. Look for them with the other nuts under the bins of vegetables. $2.99 per 9-ounce pack. Available at metro Atlanta Publix locations. hamptonfarms.com/shop-online
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