Review of a Food You Can Buy at Trader Joe's: Falafel chips

How many times have you thought, "Man I could really go for some falafel right now, but the prospect of finding some and/or cooking it is so unpleasant that I'll just forget it and finish this bag of Taco Doritos" ?

For us, Trader Joe's has cleverly presented falafel in chip form. The packaging is bright and appealing. The product is simple, un-messy, doesn't require that you subject yourself to the humiliation of picking up a to-go order from the mediterranean restaurant in your pajamas. Finally, falafel for lazy people.

Here's a revelation: Falafel chips taste just like falafel. Also, they're a little corny and salty, like a Frito. The chip is firm and doesn't yield as I scoop up globs of tzaziki. And man, I'd eat tzaziki by the spoonful if there wasn't anything within arm's length to use as a dipper. But thanks to TJ's, I've got a big sack of falafel chips by my side to sustain me. And just like Scarlett O'Hara, I'll never be without falafel again.

Review of a Food You Can Buy at Trader Joe's: Chili Spiced Mangos

Initially, I set out to review the lemon heart cookies. Because it's February, and they're cute, and there's a picture of my spirit animal Alice in Wonderland on the bag.

Forget that, they're not that good. Have you had the chili spiced dried mango slices? Let me just wipe off all of the orange chili powder from my fingers so I can write about how you should go buy some right now.

They have a quick, front-of-the-mouth burn, with a hit of smokiness. For me at least, it never crosses the line into unpleasantly spicy. It stays comfortably at the top end of my happy spicy range. And what's not to love about dried mango slices? These are of the plump/juicy variety, not all leathery like lesser dried mango slices. Those are gross.

I like them as an at-my-desk snack right around the time of my daily 3pm blood sugar I-hate-everything crash. The chili provides a great kick, wakes you right up out of your afternoon slump. Soon you'll be filing TPS reports like a boss.