This post is sponsored by RŌSTED Natural Snacks.
You know what makes a great snack?
Crackers?
Chips?
Fruit?
Very common answers, do you have more?
Cheese?
Pretzels?
Raisins?
Ok those are a few more good answers. I have one for you.
LENTILS!
Yes, lentils. You may have never thought about lentils being a good snack food. I mean, what are you going to do eat a bowl of lentils in the car? C'mon, no one is going to do that! I am here to say we can now have our lentils in the car and not look insane. Thanks to RŌSTED Natural Snacks, we now have Roasted Crunchy Lentils. They are the latest addition to our summer series about all things road snack-wise, Hit the Road Snackin'
Who are RŌSTED Natural Snacks?
The story begins with a man named James. James had aspirations of eating healthier like many of us do. He did more than just aspire, he took action. He discovered the mighty lentil. Looking for more ways to enjoy this legume, James tried to roast them in the oven or in a pan. He wanted a crispy flavorful snack to munch on. However it didn't go well. He couldn't get exactly what he wanted.
His next step was trying to see if anyone else was making a crunchy lentil. He searched and searched. He looked high and he looked low. No dice. James did not quit though. Back in his own kitchen he kept working at it, and eventually did what U2 never could, he found what he was looking for.
The light bulb went off in his head and he asked himself, would anyone want to buy these? Four years later he was in the business of selling Rosted Lentils (without the "a" in the roasted). Today you can find his lentils in stores like Kroger, Whole Foods, Plum Market, and in some select stores in Chicago and even Southern California. Thank goodness he didn't give up!
The first time I ever spotted these crunchy roasted lentils was a Plum Market store in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I was on a cleanse from sugar and dairy for a few days and this was the perfect snack to keep the hunger away. The Standard flavor contains Sea Salt, Black Pepper, and Garlic.
What are RŌSTED Lentils?
Lentils that are roasted and tossed with some seasonings. Now that is the obvious. Let's look a little closer. I asked James some questions about his lentils.
What kind of lentil do you use to make them?
We use Large Green Lentils, and Decorticated Red Lentils. Decorticated just means that they're not split, but they have been processed to remove the outer skin. These Red Lentils normally look brown before being cleaned.
Is it always the same variety or do you mix it up?
We always use the same Lentil variety per flavor, for aesthetic purposes. For instance, our Mediterranean Crunchy Lentils use all Green Lentils, so we've branded that flavor's package design to have a green theme. The Spicy Lentils use all Red Lentils, and we brand that package Red. The Standard flavor, we use 50/50, and our new Au Naturel (Sea Salt only) flavor, we use all Green.
What can you tell me about the source of your lentils?
Well I know they come from Saskatchewan in Canada. We have a really reputable supplier, and they provide us with Certificate of Analysis documentation for each delivery. They also (along with our other suppliers) helped us with documentation to receive our Certificate for Non-GMO Project recently. We're very excited to be Non-GMO Project Verified, even though it's not yet reflected on our packaging. This just happened a couple of weeks ago and we have to add it to the artwork of our packaging and reprint them all in the near future.
That is exciting news that they have been verified GMO free by the Non-GMO Project. A great selling point for his products.
Why are Lentils So Good?
Lentils are full of health benefits. They have high amounts of fiber. Lentils are a source of slow burning carbs, fiber, and iron (great for keeping up your energy). Your heart will thank you, as they help get rid of bad cholesterol, and contain folate that helps the heart (source). Adding them to your diet whenever you can is a no-brainier.
I love the bright, colorful packaging they use. This picture courtesy of Rosted Snacks website (http://www.rostedsnacks.com)
Review of RŌSTED Lentils
If I had to described RŌSTED Lentils in two words it would be "perfectly crunchy". Luckily I am a food blogger, so I always have more than two words to say! Really I am amazed at how crunchy these things are. That is not easy to do without burning them.
The flavor of the actual lentil is pretty mild. In the past I have not really enjoy the flavor of cooked lentil dishes. But these don't remind of those dishes.
The crunchy lentils are perfectly seasoned as well. The right amount of salt and spices are included. They are not bland in the least bit.
They come in 4 different flavors -Au Naturel, Standard, Spicy, and Mediterranean.
Want to try all the flavors - you can order a variety pack.
In the future, James is hoping to offer semi-sweet Cacao flavor, and Cheese & Herb. Both of these flavors are vegan.
What to Use For RŌSTED Lentils
James said that "the most valuable feedback we receive consistently is that it's so versatile and can be used so many different ways. And that it's such a great substitute for less healthy snacks like chips, etc." He is so right. There are so many uses for these lentils. I have enjoyed just dumping them from bag to my mouth. I believe they really shine as a salad topper. They are a much better option than croutons that can contain added sugars and preservatives. These lentils give you the crunch you want in your salad without any guilt.
Road Trip Story
For our family, road trips are not just a summer time thing. We like taking them any time of the year. Last winter we took one down to Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio. We ran from a huge snow storm at our house to near 50 degree weather. One of the cool things we did on this trip was visit the National Air Force Museum in Dayton. What you see in the picture here is the actual ship from the Apollo 15 mission. Best part is that this museum is absolutely free.
Disclaimer: This posts includes affiliate links. This means that at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. These are products and services I recommend because I use or trust them. Cookies will be used to track the affiliate links you click.
Leave a Reply