Healthy Snacking: Krave's Basil Citrus Turkey Jerky

I've never been much of a jerky lover as a kid—having been fed those over-dried leathery strips that smell funny and tastes even weirder—and it's recently that I discovered actually like them. Well, at least the actually tasty ones like the ones made by Krave.

I first came by Krave about a year ago when Woot! offered a deal on their sampler pack, and I was curious about their unique flavors (way different than the usual varieties of "original", smoked, spicy, barbecue, and teriyaki.) While I enjoyed all of them, the basil citrus turkey jerky became my favorite upon, a surprise even to me since I expected that to be extra-dry and gummy as hell, except that it's anything but.

This was like tasting jerky in technicolor, with a fiesta of flavors from the tang of the lemon, the fruity sweetness of apples and honey and the intoxicating bouquet of basil. And it has a nice chewiness without going to leather-tough territory.

On top of being delicious, this is a snack I can nosh on with very little guilt. Each 1 oz. serving has only 80 calories. Even if I chomp down on the whole bag (and I have been tempted to on several occasions,) it'll only clock in at 260 calories—which isn't bad at all. And with each serving packing in 9g of protein (it is mostly turkey breast, afterall) it's great before or after a strength workout to help those muscles repair, or as a filling snack to bring along.

As for me, I can't wait to stock up on a few more bags for hikes, trips... or a party; maybe I'll even be bold enough to do one of their suggested drink pairings too!