Without The 'Snackers', It Ain't Summer: Sabra® Snackers

So it's officially the unofficial start of Summer.  The barbecues, rooftop soirees, the announcement of Fleet Week and the end of May flowers are all signifiers that the Summer Solstice is just weeks away.  So now when you're probably simplifying for the season with swap outs of shearlings for shorts and   boots for Bermuda shorts, don't forget the ways to maximize the season's title.  Lazy!

However, don't be dismayed!  Lazy doesn't have to be grey like the Winter or boring & bland like a crudités.  Lazy can simply mean convenient.  What you pack into your day tote, gym or work bag can leave you with more time outside and less time in the kitchen.  One such nifty little gem of a product that I had the pleasure of discovering recently was Sabra® Snackers.  Sabra has taken their deliciously rich and flavorful hummus and conveniently packaged it into a two-cupped snack pack complete with hummus on one side a a crisp dipper on the other.  For your delight, you can choose from Classic Hummus with Pita Chips or Classic, Roasted Red Pepper or Roasted Garlic Hummus all with Rold Gold® Pretzel Crisps.  

What's really perfect about these Sabra Snackers is that they are a satisfyingly cozy little serving.  Each snacker pack is also sealed individually, so you may just want the pita chip or pretzels now and then save the hummus for spreading on your sandwich or to liven up some cut carrot & celery sticks later.  The interlocking construction of both snack containers combined with the foil coverings make Sabra Snackers a very handy snack moment for your day that you can just pop in your bag and go with.  

Sabra Snackers are available now at select retailers and to find one near you click here.  Of course, I couldn't let this review end without mentioning one of Sabra's latest Limited Edition hummus flavors.  Their Sweet & Smoky BBQ Hummus with Jackfruit and Smoked Paprika is so delicious.  Like seriously delicious!  You get a nice pop of sweet and salty together with a nice depth of smoky earthiness from the paprika, a familiar tang from the BBQ and a refreshing verdancy from an old tropical soul who's finding newfound fame, the jackfruit.  This is a great accompaniment for your Summer platters for all kinds of dippers from crackers to chips to veggies.

For more info on these Sabra products and where to find them head on over to www.Sabra.com and add some zesty flavor in the form of handy convenience to your lazy days of Summer.

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Dave White

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That Hummus Aha Moment: The Hummus Shake From The Hummus & Pita Co.

One of the most telling changes that I've noticed about my supermarket habits since going vegan is a) my perusing the labels of ingredients with a fine tooth comb and b) the longer amount of time I spend in the fresh produce aisle.  I read, I scan, I discern and oftentimes I put things back and decide that I could possibly find a simpler and more economical way to create something of culinary wonderment. There's something about the simple, the clean, the recognizable that's quite reassuring without sacrificing the flavor, the notes or the purity.  To me, that's the great thing about food that's often overlooked or not respected due to overzealous recipes and unnecessary additives.  Sometimes you want to taste the natural flavor of the food.

For this reason alone is why I was truly captivated by my introduction to the Hummus Shake from The Hummus & Pita Co.  That's right, the velvety versatile chickpea and tahini marriage have a new embodiment in the form of a creamy dessert shake from a rising star of fast casual but good & hearty Mediterranean cuisine.  There are five simple base ingredients in the Hummus Shake that are distinct yet flavorfully harmonious.  The shake is 12 ounces of unprocessed perfectly blended chickpeas, tahini, medjool dates, bananas and almond milk.  Throw in some aromatic spices and what is created is a shake that is great-tasting with satisfying, guilt-free mental benefits and equally impressive health benefits.  

The all-natural Hummus Shake is vegan, protein and mineral-rich, boasts only about 340 calories, regulates blood sugar and has healthy fat & anti-inflammatory benefits.  The sweetness of the bananas and dates taste real and fresh and the creaminess of the tahini and almond milk add a smooth base that plays nicely off of the earthy hearty chickpea.  What's interesting is that when you have something this dessert-inspired you regard it with a dash of guilt.  However, the simple ingredients and the health factor of each individual ingredient create a two-fold feeling of comfort and ease in knowing that what you're ingesting is good-tasting with benefits that are also good for you.

The Hummus Shake is 12 ounces of goodness for only $5 and has five sweet flavors to choose from.  The deliciously decadent original, the rich chocolate made from real cacao, the sweet & fruity strawberry, the smooth butter pecan topped with chopped pecans and the nutty pistachio topped with fresh ground pistachio powder.  All the flavors are so amazingly satisfying and each flavor can speak to a dessert-seeking side of you.  Believe me, you will be pleasantly and comfortably surprised at the way the shake turns out and goes down.  I challenge anyone to not like any flavor of these shakes as they are truly an innovative next-level undertaking for hummus.  The Hummus Shake will be available starting this Sunday May 13 (Mother's and International Hummus Day) at The Hummus & Pita Co. locations.  When you can taste the flavors that life gives you, life, in itself, gets much more flavorful.

The Hummus & Pita Co. COO Matthew Sheppard giving a demo of the new Hummus Shake Machine

The Hummus & Pita Co. Locations NYC:

79 Chambers Street 

585 Ave Of The Americas

616 8th Avenue

www.HummusAndPitas.com

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Dave White

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Forget Water, There's Mezcal At That Oasis: Cantina Rooftop Reopening Kick-Off

I don't think I'm the only one who's noticed that New York City has become frustratingly crowded with everything from people to scaffolding to traffic jams.  For this reason alone, seeking an oasis to escape the honking, the service delays, the sidewalk snail-paces and the Pac-Man-like meandering through concrete and steel has become a welcomed respite.  If you're anything like me then your oasis must have a something savory to nosh, a bartender who pours and a feeling of welcome while you escape the city's oftentimes unwelcoming disposition.  

I'd like to focus on the bartender who pours who at the right establishment is only as good as the mixologist who suggests.  That's when I think of Cantina Rooftop Restaurant & Lounge.  Located in the west side of  Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen nestled inside one of the city's popular event space/club shrines, Stage 48 and Level 3 Loft, Cantina Rooftop completes the trinity by being a fabulous Mexican restaurant whose seasonal newly-reopened rooftop dining space aims to make your oasis festive and relaxing, tequila included.  I got to experience the magic of their reopening last week at the kick off event.  Boasting a nicely cultivated drink menu with several cocktails from renowned mixologist Miquel Sanchez, the Cantina Rooftop offers up a sweet selection of wines, spirits like premium mezcals & tequilas, as well as a host of refreshing beers.  

What struck me as comforting about the drink menu was that it wasn't fussy but certainly wasn't tame.  The balance of notes and flavors in each drink were evident as described and left me with a feeling of satisfaction and not like I was part of some mad mixologist's experiment.  Sanchez' 'Spicy Summer' is not to be missed as it takes a key fun fruit of the season, watermelon, and brings out the sweetness with the presence of heat and the tango of fresh lime & agave syrup.  What's also nice to note is the nicely done margarita and mezcal-rita menu utilizing smoky mezcals and fresh ingredients with Caribbean kick.

The Cantina Rooftop with their impressive outdoor space that allows you to look at the thick of the city without besides nestled too deep in it is now open for business at 605 West 48th Street and 11th Avenue.  In addition to the specialty cocktails from Mixologist Sanchez is the new debut of a flavorful menu of interesting traditional and contemporary Mexican fare from Executive Chef Saul Montiel (the spicy guac is NOT to be missed).  With the weather spinning in a more favorable direction, it's the perfect time allow Cantina Rooftop to end your search for that welcomed oasis.

Mixologist Miquel Sanchez preparing one of his signature cocktails as captured by my dear colleague Glasgow Skinner of My Life On And Off The Guest List.  For an enticing recap of the deliciou menu from Chef Saul Montiel please read her review of some of Cantina Rooftop's new culinary offerings here at www.MyLifeOnAndOffTheGuestList.com.

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Dave White

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