Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips.

* * *
In a perfect world, my kids would snack on homemade kale chips, grain-free carrot muffins and a wide variety of fresh-from-the-garden fruits and veggies every day, all year long.

But, this being real life, that doesn't always happen. Yes, I make kale chips. And those grain-free carrot muffins. And even some rocking granola bars. I don't, however, make them every day. In fact, there are some weeks -- weeks! -- when our lives are completely void of any kale.

It doesn't mean I turn to junk options, though, when the weather turns cold and the farmers pack up their stands and we sigh at having to wait another 8 months for farm stand fresh veggies again. I try to provide healthier snacks options all the time, homemade kale chips or not.

Because, let's face it, I have two growing boys and they love to snack.

Seriously snack.

And when I was sent some of the new Green Giant Veggie Snack Chips to review, the boys were seriously psyched.

Check out my little snacker:


My older son enjoying an afternoon snack this summer.

He loves the  Green Giant™ Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips! Yum, yum!

I like them, too, for a few reasons. First, as I said, my boys like to snack and my goal is to give them healthier snacking options. Second, these chips are made with vegetables (and quinoa!), a bonus for snack chips. And, they have less than 1 gram of sugar per serving -- that is a win in my striving-to-avoid-sugar ways.

The biggest thing, though? No soy. Hooray! That is huge! Almost every bag of snack chips you pick up today contains soy. Soy is in so much and, to me, that's a problem. I won't go into all of the reasons why I try to avoid soy, but I do. And I really, really appreciate that the  Green Giant Roasted Veggie Tortilla Chips don't contain soy!

Overall, these chips get a thumbs-up.





Have you tried these chips? What do you think of them?



I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls Collective and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Bonjour Quebec!

So, I'm in Quebec City for the 2013 Garden Writers Symposium and I've been neglecting my social media responsibilities! I thought I'd steal a minute to share some of the fine folks I've been connecting with here in this amazing historic city... but I promise, I will have so much more to share in the coming days.. I've seen some amazing (edible!) gardens here and some fabulous varieties and plant combos. I've snapped hundreds of photos and will post much much more soon. But for now, I thought I'd introduce you to some literary friends from the trade show.

It's Doug Oster! Doug has written several books and also
creates the awesome Digging with Doug videos.
Follow him on facebook/twitter to check out his fun
and informative videos

Canadian literary legend (and king of the perennials!), Larry Hodgson
with the incredible Ellen Zachos. Ellen is a former Broadway
performer and the author of many books, including her latest -
Backyard Foraging. 

I had the pleasure of interviewing Christy Wilhelmi
on The Weekend Gardener in June. I had no
idea she would be in Quebec City - travelling from
Los Angeles! Love her book and her enthusiasm! 

Hey Steven Biggs! Canada's Fig guru (among
other edibles/ornamentals) at the Garden
Writers Book Fair! 

Dan Cooper and I.. Dan is the co-author of
Gardening from a Hammock (along with Ellen Novack), a perfect
summer read. Inspiration, ideas and advice
from a selection of Canada's best gardeners
and writers. 

It's the crew from St. Lynn's Press. There are some
great books coming out in late 2013 and into
2014.. Can't wait!

Finally, it's the Nova Scotia garden contingent at
GWA 13! Jodi Delong and I having a
(much needed) coffee/tea break.

I've got a talk tonight!

Here is the blurb from the Common Roots Urban Farm Facebook page.. It's a brand new talk and I can't wait to share updated photos/ideas! Hope to see you there!

Award winning author Niki Jabbour will be giving a talk this Thursday, August 8 as part of our workshop series!

Cold Season Characters - What to grow for the fall and winter garden:

Join best-selling and award-winning author Niki Jabbour (The Year Round Vegetable Gardener) for a dynamic talk that spotlights the best vegetables and herbs to grow for fall and winter. She'll share favourite varieties and offer tips on when to plant. Niki will also touch on a few of her reliable season extenders-cold frames and mini tunnels-and how they can be used for a non-stop supply of homegrown food.

Location: Royal Bank Theatre, Halifax Infirmary Site (Summer Street entrance)
Time: 6:30-7:30
Cost: PWYC! Donations go to CRUF

Attack of the Aphids!

What veggie gardener (or flower gardener, for that matter!) hasn't encountered aphids at some point? I see them several times a season, typically settled on plants like corn, artichokes and occasionally my peppers. For this reason, I try and include 'trap crops' around my susceptible edibles. Nasturtiums are my favourite aphid trap crop because we can eat them, they entice beneficials/pollinators and they look fabulous!

Here's an example of an effective trap crop at work! My peppers are aphid free.. but the nasturtium planted nearby is infested. It's been this way for weeks, but still no aphids on the peppers.

Don'tcha just love nature!?

Wednesday Blooms!

I love mid-summer, also known as daylily season! Here is a
beauty given to me by a friend.. No idea the cultivar! :) (Donna?)

And another by the same friend. An electric red. LOVE this!

The morning dew/drizzle on some of my nasturtiums. I plant
them everywhere in the veggie garden.

A pale salmon nasturtium from Renees Garden Seeds