When it’s snacktime, I’m a fan of anything crunchy, whether it’s chips, or pretzels, or apples. Unfortunatley, it’s usually more likely to be chips than apples…

But the last time I was at the cannery, I was introduced to The Best Snack in The World:

Dehydrated Refried Beans

Stop that gagging noise, I’m serious…

I’ll admit, it took me a second to get over the fear to try them – I’m not one for adventure when it comes to eating – but one bite got me hooked. In their dehydrated form, the beans are basically teeny, tiny chips, and I put them in a bowl and snack on them at my desk. They’re filling, they’re yummy, they’re incredibly healthy.

They’re also the ultimate power food to pack in a bug-out kit in the car, light enough to pack in a backpack, or stash on the snowmobile. Pound for pound you’d probably have to pack 10x the weight in jerky to accomplish the same nutritional punch.

Give them a shot – and let me know what you think.

Jen

Image: smokedsalmon / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

When is a Shortcut a Bad Idea?

How well do you know your shortcut?

Do you rely on street signs without knowing it?

I was driving my usual route when it started to snow…then blizzard.

Visibility was less than 10 feet.

Street signs were covered with snow.

Everyone was driving less than 2 miles an hour.

Being the genius navigator I am, I thought I could take a short cut and stay off the main (clogged) roads. What should have taken me a few minutes, and right to my location, took me miles away from my destination, and I didn’t even realize I’d taken a wrong turn because nothing looked like it was supposed to.

When street signs and man-made landmarks no longer exist, when the landscape no longer looks like it did yesterday, will you know where you’re going?

I have no idea how to work a compass…but I’m about to learn, and find one that fits on my keychain.