Junk Food Nation, it’s my birthday today!  I’m thankful for so much this past year (already detailed in my Thanksgiving post) and have many goals for the future. One more year in the bag…sigh. No, I’m not going to tell you how old I am, you stalkers.

I’m one of those who typically celebrates their birthday on the weekend at the end of their birthday week, or whenever it was convenient.  So this year, I decided to be completely indulgent on my actual birthday DAY. For one, this is the first time ever since graduating from law school that I have taken the day off from work. I know it doesn’t seem like a big thing, but trust me, for those who know me, my using vacation time just for ME is a big deal. I’m going to eat well today, and do fun things.

And even MORE than that, I would like to give back to YOU, my readers.  I don’t do enough of this, really, and I should be doing more. Read on to the end to find out how YOU can win some of today’s junk food!

Weeks back, I reviewed a bag of Sea Salt Hummus Chips from the folks at Simply 7.  Despite absolutely tearing apart the artwork on the packaging and taking a few jabs at the company itself, I found the actual Simply 7 hummus chips to be simply awesome. Like, really good.

Simply 7 Chips heard my call, and last week I came home to find this waiting for me:

Hello, what is this, Simply 7 Chips?

HOLY EFF!  Smorgasbord!

Simply 7 Chips decided to give me their whole fleet of chips to taste and review!  I hope they realize what they’re getting themselves into.  Let’s dig in!

Having already reviewed the Sea Salt variety, I decided to continue with the hummus line of chips.  Simply 7 offers two different lines of chips: 3 varieties of hummus chips (Sea Salt, Tomato Basil, and Spicy Chili Pepper) and 3 varieties of lentil chips (Sea Salt, Bruschetta, and Creamy Dill).

Simply 7 Tomato Basil Hummus Chips look pretty good.  After all, a nice caprese salad is often what I get at Italian restaurants.  Not sure what I’m seeing in the background with the windmills – is this supposed to be a farm countryside?

These chips were lightly speckled with red powder, and flecked with what appeared to be dried basil.  Not a ton of powder, a decent dusting.

The taste: VERY interesting – the first thing I tasted when I put the chip in my mouth was the basil.  You could taste/feel it right away.  But overall, the flavor was subtle.  A very good blend of the natural flavor of the herb and some slight tanginess that I recognized as tomato.  If I had one complaint, it’d be that the tomato flavoring was a little weak.  Could’ve been stronger.  Still, the basil did come through, and these genuinely tasted like hummus chips that had been flavored with dried basil and tomato.  Average rating from me – I probably wouldn’t eat these again.

Bring on the pepper baby!  You know I like spice!

Simply 7 Chips, I am not sure what chili peppers have to do with tropical beach locations, but you run with it.  Plus, I love the non commitment to any TYPE of pepper – just generally “spicy peppers!” *jazz hands*

Spicy Chili Pepper Hummus Chips have a bit more powdering than the Tomato Basil variety.

The taste: subtly spicy.  I got a slight pepper taste, but mainly this tasted like the normal hummus chips with a slight tang and moderate burn.  When I tongue-tasted just the powder itself, it was pretty tangy and peppery – just enough kick for these light chips. I think many people associate spicy chips with cheese and spice together – but these had no dairy.  Instead, these were like spicy potato chips – just savory and tingly. This was pretty tasty.  Better than average.

LENTIL CHIPS!  Finally.  I enjoy lentils – in soup, in meals, and now, apparently in chips!  I’m so curious what these taste like – I’ve never HAD a lentil chip before.

Just a pinch of sea salt?  I can be honest with you Simply 7 – I like-a whole-lotta salt on my chips.

These chips were so devoid of powder they almost hurt my eyes.  Did I just open a bag of wood shavings?

The taste: Hmmm, I’ve had lentils, and these didn’t taste like lentils.  Instead, they tasted very similar to my review of the Sea Salt Hummus Chips – lightly salted with a tiiiiny hint of garlic. Just a savory carb taste. The crunch: light, airy, kind of like a Pop Chip, but maybe a little more substantial.  If it was any spongier/crunchier, it’d be more like a chicaronne, or a pork rind.  Good, but bland.  A good platform for flavor maybe?  We’ll see…

Bruschetta chips??? Who came up with these, and how RANDOM?  I mean, I know I’ve had some crazy flavors over the years, but bruschetta is just such a weird one to pick out… since its a dish, not a “flavor” per se.  You don’t see a lot of clam chowder or egg roll flavored chips do you?  (Note to self: suggest to a junk food company “egg roll flavored chips.”  Mmmmmmmm).

I do like me some bruschetta though.  I mean, roasted bread rubbed with garlic and topped with extra-virgin olive oil, salt and pepper, and sometimes tomatoes or roasted red peppers?  How can that be bad???

Um, I just noticed something on this bag that also appears on other bags – THESE CHIPS ARE HEALTHY!!!! Holy eff, 31 chips in a serving???  That’s a heck of a lot.  31 chips for 130 calories?  That’s like 4 calories a chip.  Wow, Simply 7.  Your food chemists are GENIUSES.

I like the way these look!  Not only powdered but with BIG POWDER SPECKS I CAN SEE FROM SPACE!  Woot.

The taste: now THAT’s some strong tomato flavor!  REALLY good – the tomato almost tasted roasted or warmed with oil like you’d taste in a nice bruschetta.  This didn’t taste like fake tomato – you know, that over-the-top sweet tomato flavor you get from Chef Boyardee or something.  Nicely flavored with a tiny bit of basil, the tang of this tomato really sent the message home.  My favorite chip so far, Simply 7.

Last but not least, Creamy Dill.  I love sour cream-based snacks.  This better be good.

I do love the imagery of the mountain side while noting the words Cool and Refreshing.  I don’t know how chips could be refreshing… but I’ll reserve judgment.

The chips looked good, but seemed woefully under seasoned.  Only a tiny amount of dill flecks on these curly chips.  Could they stand up to my palette?

The taste: Did I say that the bruschetta chips were my favorite so far? Because strike that – THESE definitely are.  Wow, the flavor of these Creamy Dill lentil chips was incredible.  I love sour cream and onion chips to begin with, but I was skeptical of these….for no good reason.  But one chip in the mouth, and my mind was changed.  This may be the first sour cream chip I’ve tasted which actually had the COOLING taste of sour cream!  Even though the chip looked bereft of any real powdering, as soon as the chip was placed in my mouth it tasted like it had been dipped in…well, dip!  And the dill flavor was subtle and perfect. A very good sour cream-based chip WITHOUT a ton of salt added for flavor – and I really enjoyed it!  REALLY SUPERB, Simply 7.  Wow.

So there you have it, my jumbo-sized review of the entire Simply 7 chip line.  I order of preference: Creamy Dill Lentil, Bruschetta Lentil, Sea Salt Hummus, Spicy Chili Pepper Hummus, Sea Salt Lentil, Tomato Basil Hummus.  Thanks to Heather @ Simply 7 for getting these to me 🙂

—-

Ok, you’ve waited long enough: THE CONTEST!

I tried the Simply 7 lot, now it’s YOUR chance to!  I’ll be sharing some birthday stories this week, but first I wanna hear YOURS.  I want to hear your most embarrassing, awkward, interesting birthday stories.  It can be anything – about a present you received, about a birthday party moment, a moment with your parents, spouse, etc.  Doesn’t have to be a long story – but I wanna hear details people. This is no time to be brief.

The prize – If I choose you, you’ll get to choose any three flavors of the above chips for your very own!  I’ll foot the shipping and send these great chips for you to try 🙂 Avoid distribution limitations – bring Simply 7 to YOUR area!

Here’s how to be eligible to win and how to enter:

1) Follow me on Twitter @junkfoodguy.  Those of you already on Twitter, you’re golden.  Those of you who are not…well, you’ll have to sign up.  Sorry – if you want these nom noms, you’ll have to join another social network and follow me. I think I’m a good follow! And trust me, Twitter is waaaay more fun than Google Plus.

2) Once you’ve followed me on Twitter, post in the comments below your most embarrassing/awkward birthday moment.

3) Sign off on your blog comment with your Twitter username.  I’ll announce the winner via this website AND via Twitter, and if you’ve won, I will contact you via Twitter to get your information to send you these delicious chips!

4) Contest ends Friday at midnight.  I’ll decide over the weekend what my favorite post is, and announce the winner on Monday!

So there you go, JFN.  Follow me on Twitter and tell me your birthday story; get these amazing Simply 7 chips.  Easy peezy. So get cracking!  Now if you’ll excuse me, I gots a birthday to celebrate!

Sincerely, Junk Food Guy