Friday, January 27, 2017

Alexia Onion Rings & Cascadian Farms Potatoes

Onion Rings and Spud Puppies

My husband and I have always loved onion rings ‒  crispy, crunchy, and perfectly done; greasy, slightly burnt; limp and undercooked; whole onion slices or rings formed from minced onions – it doesn’t matter ‘cause we still love them. A few years ago I discovered Alexia frozen onion rings, and I’ve been buying them ever since. They’re much lower in sodium than Ore-Ida’s or local store brands. They bake up crispy and crunchy too and not greasy.  A perfect accompaniment to a ho-hum sandwich lunch. And they’re great stacked on a burger. They’re the lowest sodium I can find so far. A big plus is that I don’t have to fuss with trying to deep fry at home, nor do I need to order from a restaurant.

A few months ago I stumbled upon Cascadian Farm’s Spud Puppies, a Tater-Tot knock off. They’re organic, relatively low in sodium (compared to Ore-Ida Tater-tots), and made with simple wholesome ingredients. Also, they’re quite tasty. It’s fun to be able to enjoy a more healthful “tater-tot” every once in awhile. (Off topic: Does anyone remember Laura Petrie calling them "Potato Poopies" on the Dick van Dyke show?)

A few days ago I noticed a package of Cascadian crinkle cut fries next to the Spud Puppies and checked the nutritional label. I was surprised at how low in sodium they were, so I picked up a package to try.

Obviously the onion rings and Spud Puppies aren’t for everyday consumption. But I like to keep at least one package each on hand for those meals when I want to add something special with very little labor involved.

I think Alexia products are found almost everywhere. Cascadian Farms is an organic brand and its items are becoming more easily available. Because it features organic products, you might be able to find them at natural foods stores and at regular grocery stores. My local market stocks some Cascadian Farms items in its natural foods/organic section and some in its regular freezer section.

Here’s the info on the products pictured. Click HERE for the link to the Cascadian Farms website.

Alexia Onion Rings:
150 mg sodium/6 rings (85 g)
(Compare to: Ore-Ida @ 450 mg/76 g; Store brand @ 350 mg/7 rings [81 g])

Cascadian Farms Spud Puppies:
290 mg sodium/3 oz (10 Pieces)
Compare to: Tater Tots @ 440 mg/9 pcs; Store brand @ 330 mg/10 pcs)

Cascadian Farms Crinkle Cut French Fries:
15 mg sodium/21 French Fries

Cascadian Farms also offers the following:
  • Fire Roasted Sweet Potatoes @ 35 mg sodium/1 cup
  • Wedge Cut Oven Fries @ 10 mg sodium/serving
  • Straight Cut Oven Fries @ 10 mg sodium/serving 


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for this, Shambo. :) I'm really looking forward to trying the onion rings.

FYI, for anyone who can't find the Cascadian Farm potatoes, Nathan's frozen Crinkle Cut French Fries are also very low sodium. (15 mg per 3 oz serving).

shambo said...

Thanks for the comments, Erica. I'm pretty sure you'll enjoy the Alexia onion rings. And thanks for the heads up about Nathan's fries. Sometimes it's the little things that make such a big difference when following a low sodium diet. Like unsalted potato chips or frozen french fries. When you munch on them, you don't feel deprived. They have the ability to elevate just about any ho-hum lunch or dinner.

james anderson said...

Thanks for the sharing