Most people who know me learn that I love snacks. My favorite is tortilla chips with either a pico de gallo (or any) salsa, queso and/or guacamole. Sometimes it’s cheese and crackers, especially if it’s a with a glass of wine. As I’ve gotten older, I find that I most enjoy appetizers with craft cocktails, and sometimes I can make a meal of that. But the tastier the snack is, the more I’ll love it, just like with anyone.

Naturally, when I’ve become drawn to snacking, I must make sure I don’t consume too much. If I am going to indulge, I don’t want to have the feeling of being overstuffed and sense the pounds creep up. That’s why, for those times when I’ve had a bit too much fattening foods, I appreciate a snack that can taste irresistible and simultaneously be healthy. Plus, if I can get some veggies into the mix, that’s a bonus.

Thanks to SPI West Port, a California-based food and beverage company, I was able to try their newest snack, Yuzu Zest Japanese Tempura Style Veggie Mix. Along with this treat, I also sampled Vegan Brussels Sprouts with Sticky Rice Chips, Mediterranean Mixed Veggie Chips and a Mango Fruit Roll. Here’s my review of all of them (with some help from RAS and JRS), after last week's of J.R. Liggett's hair care soaps.

Yuzu Zest Japanese Tempura Style Veggie Mix

I grew up eating vegetable and shrimp tempura and loved it more than most Japanese food. In fact, that’s probably how I started to like vegetables and matured in my diet. So, I tried this snack with great anticipation. A vacuum-dried process with a rice flour coating crisps up the zucchini, eggplant and onion for a nice texture, and the smoky yuzu and wasabi seasoning gives them a zippy citrus taste. JRS said these snacks could work as a ramen topper – something I will certainly try.

Vegan Brussel Sprouts with Sticky Rice Chips

Admittedly, I’ve come a little late to the Brussel sprouts bandwagon. It seems that this member of the cabbage family appeared at nearly every eatery. Before, someone could cover them in chocolate, and I would rather consume dirt. I’m now good with eating them, especially if they are prepared well with a delectable flavor. That’s certainly true for these snacks, flavored with one of my favorites, Thai chili. The combination of heat and sweet is hard for me to resist. This was RAS’s favorite snack, but he loves Brussell sprouts anyway.

Mediterranean Mixed Veggie Chips 

This snack was probably our least favorite, only because we felt the mix of veggies didn’t quite go together. That’s not to say we didn’t enjoy it – after all, it’s like having a dried snack ratatouille - but the flavors were so subtle. When I think Mediterranean seasonings, it’s usually a mix of bold herbs and aromatics like oregano, basil, thyme, etc. and garlic or even citrus. We felt that the vegetable combination and the lack of assertive taste needed some improvement. 

Sticky Rice Chips with Sriracha

Do you like rice cakes? I don’t mean tteokbokki, the Korean ingredient – rather, the dried, sawdust-like snack that some companies have futilely tried to flavor with cheese, caramel or anything and have spectacularly failed. Well, these ones we tried were, hands down, our favorite among all of them. Luckily, it was also the largest package, so there was plenty to share. The crispy texture and slight spice from the Sriracha were addictive. We could have had a second (or third) bag.

Mango Fruit Roll

The only sweet snack in my selection was this Thai-inspired treat, which was JRS’s favorite. Dried mangos combine with sticky rice chapati flatbread to create a chewy and crispy nugget of goodness. Perhaps the only complaint we had about this was its size. The roll only came in a pack of three, and they were only about an inch in diameter. We probably could have put the three together for one big bite, but this was a minor quibble.

SPI West Port also has Tempura Seaweed Chips and Mochi Rice Nuggets – two items we wouldn’t have minded trying either. I’m happy to find out about them and these nutritious yet yummy treats that I’d recommend to others or buy for more.