Odds and Endcaps

We can sell milk, yogurt, meat, pasta and fruit until the cows come home. But shopping at Sprouts can be a real treasure hunt, if you know what to look for. Consider these 9 UFOs (Unique Food Offerings) sighted during a recent visit to one of our stores.

Walden Farms Calorie-Free Specialty Items

Walden Farms has been making calorie-free, carb-free, gluten-free and sugar-free products for years. The line includes various salad dressings, ketchup and sauces, but what we found most interesting (and most exciting) are the sundae syrups! Yes, calorie-free, fat-free and carb-free toppers for your ice cream or frozen yogurt (or to spoon from the jar to your mouth, if you find yourself in a rush to swoon). There's chocolate syrup, caramel syrup and strawberry syrup. They even have a marshmallow dip! Walden Farms makes their sweet goodies with natural ingredients including real fruit extracts, natural flavors, and/or rich cocoa and uses Splenda to sweeten. All of the products are delicious with no strange after-taste. Tip: blend a little of the chocolate syrup with some ice, non-fat milk and a handful of strawberries for a decadent-yet-healthy treat we like to call a chocolate-covered strawberry smoothie.

Peas of Mind Veggie Wedgies

Have some finicky eaters in your house? Do vegetables induce tantrums at your dining table? Then give Peas a chance. Peas of Mind makes all natural eats for growing kids — including a product that will make your kids snap to attention, called Veggie Wedgies. Think French fries, only healthy. These fries bake up crisp and are made with real vegetables; and instead of being laden with oil and excess sodium they are packed with vitamins and nutrients. Your little ones will be begging for broccoli, clamoring for cauliflower, asking for apples, and calling for carrots! Available in four delicious flavors in the Frozen Department.

Dr. Bronner's Liquid Castile Soap

Castile soap has been around for decades, but what makes it so interesting is its unlimited uses. From your toes to your head and your kitchen to your bed, castile soap can clean it. Seriously. It's a personal hygiene and household cleaner in one. Castile soap is a simple, all-natural blend using pure vegetable oils. It's gentle, eco-friendly and free of harsh chemical detergents. And because one bottle can be used to wash your body, brush your teeth and clean your clothes, floors, bathrooms, stove and countertops, it's budget-friendly too! As a bonus, each bottle comes with Dr. Bronner's trademark (and slightly wacky) philosophical ramblings about everything from Confucius to jellyfish. You can find Dr. Bronner's Castile soap in the Health and Beauty Department.

Redbridge Gluten-Free Beer

Here's a beer with some hops, although it actually has no hops. Redbridge crafts beer brewed from sorghum, a grass primarily raised for grain. The result is a rich, full-bodied, gluten-free lager with a well-balanced taste.

GoodBelly Probiotic Juice Beverage

By now you know that adding probiotics to your diet is a great idea to help achieve optimal digestive and immune health. GoodBelly Probiotic Juice Beverages contain lactobacillus plantarum299v, the most well-studied probiotic on the market. GoodBelly is dairy-free, soy-free and vegan. It's available in several unique fruit flavor combinations including Pomegranate Blackberry, Blueberry Acai, and Cranberry Watermelon. The juices are mildly sweet, a little thick and delicious when icy cold. Get your guts healthy and try some today! You'll find GoodBelly in the refrigerated dairy case.

Bananas

We know, we know! What is more ordinary than a banana? But we're not talking just any bananas. At Sprouts you can find several different varieties, some of which you might not have even heard of. Visit our Produce Department and you might find teeny-tiny Baby Bananas — at just three inches long these little guys are one of the sweetest bananas around, and because of their petite size, kids are sure to go, um, ape for them! Because Burro Bananas are stubby and fat, you might call these guys the Danny DeVito of the banana family. Burros have dense, creamy flesh with a hint of sweetness. You may also find Red Bananas, which are small and plump with a super-soft and sweet flesh. Also look for Manzano Bananas. Like baby bananas, Manzanos are little and cute, but like a good wine, are best when aged; we recommend waiting for them to turn completely black to enjoy at their sweetest.

Arico/CrispRoot Cassava Chips

Cassava is a shrubby tropical plant most commonly associated with tapioca, but it makes a heck of a good chip, too. Cassava chips are free of gluten, casein and dairy products, but are full of flavor and have a nice crunch. We're pretty sure you can't eat just one, but you don't have to feel guilty; they are healthier than potato chips, with 30% less fat and double the fiber.

Organic Dulse and Kelp Granules

Looking to cut excess sodium from your diet? Dulse and Kelp Granules are a great alternative to table salt. Dulse, an edible alga that grows along the North Atlantic shorelines, is a rich source of iron potassium, iodine, Vitamin B-6, and fiber. It also provides minerals, trace elements, enzymes, and high quality vegetable protein. Kelp Granules are also a fabulous salt alternative and a great source of iodine. Both kelp and dulse granules can be sprinkled on your meats, veggies, casseroles, soups, stews, or salads. They provide a mild salt flavor with a taste of the ocean.

Soyrizo

Soyrizo is a healthy, great-tasting alternative to the Mexican spicy sausage, chorizo. It's made with 100% soybeans and the same spices and seasonings as regular chorizo so the taste is authentic. And it's vegetarian and vegan friendly. Add it to some refried black beans for a tasty bean dip!

from the May, 2011 edition of Fresh Off the Press