What's Up Wasabi?!

Well Goddamn, I think I may have a problem... with wasabi. I have developed an insane love of the taste of it! Don't get me wrong, I've always liked the stuff in the traditional sushi way, but lately, any time I see it's seductive name as a list of ingredients (or lord, in the title!) I can't help but want to check it out. I bought wasabi peas at Eastern Market and have nearly devoured them all, I bought a bag of Japanese wasabi peas from a lunch spot down the street from my office called SoHo and had to force myself to stick to only eat 2 handfuls a day (which is about 1/2 cup and pretty close to the serving size).

Then I found a trail mix at Target with wasabi soy beans in it and nearly fell over and died. It's called Zen Party Mix (Archer's). At first I was like, hmmmm... wasabi peas in trail mix? Turns out, it is really, really good. My only complaint? It's a little salty over all as the ingredients are nothing but sodium heavy snacks. While these are often lower in fat and calories, they still pack a punch on your daily sodium intake - rice crackers, sesame sticks, green peas, almonds, cashews and wasabi peas. Yeah, be careful with that one.

After this discovery I found that Whole Foods has one too, but it's got a lot more fat in it, probably because it contains more nuts. So, where to look next? I was on the brink of just making my own when I happened to get in on a trip to Trader Joe's on Monday. Sounded like a good plan, I've never tried any of their trail mixes... then there it was Wasabi Wow! Sweet! Only 130 calories per serving and 8 gm of fat. Not bad. It has peanuts, almonds, golden raisins, dried cranberries, and the aforementioned wasabi peas. OH MY GOD. It might be the best wasabi flavored thing EVER. The sweetness of the dried fruit mixed with the salty (shell on) peanuts followed by a kick in the teeth from the wasabi peas... Mmmm. I'm telling you, it is to die for. Then, as an even better thing, today for lunch I mixed in the remainder of some pretty bland low fat granola, shook it all up, added 1/2 cup of the goods to 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt and a Pink Lady apple. Umm, Orgasm?! I think so, and I'm still full from that delicious lunch.

Just a suggestion. I bet homemade wasabi peas would be fun to make, and a great combo to mix into my usual blah dinners like Quinoa, squash, tomatoes and peas...Any one else out there in TV land love some wasabi? I suggest you give it a try with yogurt and fruit, it is too good.