Jack’s Paleo Kitchen: Ginger Molasses Cookies

For someone who isn’t a big fan of ginger, I found these ginger molasses cookies to be a decent snack. The ginger taste isn’t as heavy as I expected. In fact, I’d say the ginger is a secondary flavor to the molasses. As advertised on the package, these cookies are soft-baked, and they are soft almost to the point of chewy.

The molasses is quite strong in these cookies so I could definitely see some buyers finding them a bit too sweet. It is also worth noting that these cookies do tend to crumble, and it is advised that they are kept in a cool and dry area.

This product gluten-free, non-GMO and nut-free (except coconut).

Rawesome? Awesome.

I wish I had a better photo of this product, but unfortunately, by the time I took it home and opened the packet, the cake was…let’s say, not in the best shape. Aesthetics aside though, Rawesome’s crème-brûlée vegan cake is delicious. The upper layer is a smooth and creamy mix, while the crust is made from a combination of cashews and brazil nuts. The cake is rich with many different flavors with other ingredients such as cocoa, maple syrup and coconut.

                A minor complaint from me is that the single slice serving that I got is quite small. If you’re someone who loves cakes, you’d probably want to buy a few more packets. Additionally, an 8-serving (medium) or 16-serving (large) version of this product is also available for purchase.

                This product is vegan-free, and all ingredients are organic. Contains nuts.

Delissitude Carrot Pineapple Muffins

When my roommate gets hungry, he likes to come and into my room looking for snacks. One evening, I answered his call for hunger and gave him a couple of Delissitude’s carrot pineapple muffins.

“Dude, these are pretty damn good.” he said.

And he’s right. These muffins are baked to perfection. They’re soft, munchy, and not too dry. There is a mild veggie/fruit taste, but Delissitude don’t go overboard with the flavors. In fact, I didn’t even realize the muffins were baked with pineapple until I looked at the ingredients list. It is a nice snack to have in the mornings, along with a good cup of coffee. Delissitude’s carrot pineapple muffins is a product I would repurchase. I recommend you give it a try.

This product is gluten, nut & dairy free.

First Avocado, now Cauliflower

A couple of weeks ago, I tried and reviewed a couple of flavors of avocado crisps from Hippie Snacks. I liked the avocado crisps (the Guacamole flavor in particular), but does Hippie Snacks’ method of creating fruit & veggie-based crisps work out this time round?

I’m glad to say that the cauliflower crisps live up to their avocado cousins. The ranch flavor comes through nicely and mixes well with the “roastyness” of the cauliflower crisp. They are crunchy and will definitely compliment well with any sort of flavored dips you may have lying about. Despite the ranch flavor, the crisps are not sour at all which may come as a nice surprise or disappointment. Hippie Snack’s ranch flavored cauliflower crisps is a great snack to try.

A Half-Baked Promise

The appearance of these rolls readily lends itself to toilet humor, but hey, you should never judge a book by its cover, right? Promise’s Gluten Free Brioche Chocolate Chip Rolls are gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian friendly and high in fibre content.

Alright, so the appearance is hilarious, but how’s the content? Well…it’s okay. The texture is puffy and oddly firm in comparison to other rolls I’m used to. Despite the chocolate chips, the rolls tasted bland and dry. The choco chips were mild in terms of sweetness and weren’t crunchy in the slightest. To be clear, this product is not terrible; my roommate and I finished the whole pack in a single evening, and he found the rolls to be quite tasty. But for me, on the whole, Promise’s Brioche Chocolate Chip Rolls are underwhelming.  

Honey Stinger Organic Fruit Smoothie Chews

Delicious. I mean…it’s candy. Healthy, gluten-free candy.

I recommend.

Hmm? What’s that? Review’s too short? Well, alright then…I’ll do some more reviewing…

If you’re someone who exercises a good amount like me, chances are you’d have come across those energy chews you can buy at the counter at sports shops. Honey Stinger’s smoothie chews are pretty much the same concept. They’re chewy, not too sweet, and easy to consume. In addition to the fruity flavors, the chews are mixed with honey which is a nice little touch. Honestly, these smoothie chews are suitable for any occasion. You can eat a couple after a workout and refill your electrolyte capacity or you can eat a few when you feel like eating something sweet. They’re tasty either way.

Avocado Bravado

Avocado Crisps by Hippie Snacks are crunchy bites made from real avocado. Ingredients are plant-based and is non-GMO and gluten-free. This review will be based on the Sea Salt (Left) flavor and Guacamole (Right) flavor.

When it comes to the Sea Salt flavor, the word that comes to my mind is “OK”. The texture is nice and crispy, but the flavor is…underwhelming. The avocado mash is mixed with pumpkin seeds and the taste of those ingredients come through nicely. But I could barely taste the sea salt. The Sea Salt flavor is relatively bland, so I do recommend eating them with some sort of dip or spread.

The Guacamole flavor is definitely the pick of the two. The texture is pretty much identical, but the flavor is much, much better. You can taste the sourness or tanginess from the guacamole, and dare I say, has a slight spicy aftertaste as well. I think the guac and avocado crisp is a fantastic combo. If you want to try these for yourself, I recommend trying the Guacamole flavor.

GFB are the BFG (Best Frickin’ Goodies):

If you’ve ever had the Ferrero Rocher classic confectionery creation before, GFBs are made with pretty much he same concept. There are of course, some differences. For one, GFBs are high in nutritious value. Some of its headline features include vegan-friendly, non-GMO, gluten-free, soy-free, and is also a source of protein and fibre. There is a total of eight flavors of GFBs. This review will be on ‘Dark Chocolate Almond’ (Left) and ‘Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter’ (Right).

Let’s start with ‘Dark Chocolate Almond’. This variation is covered with a layer of almond chips and its taste is prominent in your first few bites. Once you get to the chewy dark chocolate mix in the interior, that’s when the flavors begin to mix. There is a good amount of cocoa powder and there is a slight bitter after-taste. This product does contain organic cane sugar but honestly, the sweetness isn’t all that noticeable.

‘Dark Chocolate Almond’ flavor is good, but if I’m going to choose between the two I’m reviewing, I have to take ‘Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter’. The peanut butter is genius. Instead of almonds, the batter is coated with peanuts, and the interior batter itself is a fantastic, nicely balanced mix of peanut butter and dark chocolate. Again, the sweetness is kept at a minimal. My preference for ‘Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter’ should not take away from ‘Dark Chocolate Almond’. Both flavors are very good if you feel the need to cure an itchy stomach! All in all, Gluten Free Bites are highly recommended.

Nairn’s Gluten Free Flatbreads – Cracking Stuff!

In the genealogical tree of baked goods, Nairn’s Gluten Free Flatbreads is more closely related to the Cracker family than the Flatbread family. So…it’s a strange choice to call these cracking delights ‘flatbreads’ if you ask me. Anyway, let’s get to the review, shall we?

Brought to the shores of Canada from our British friends across the pond, Nairn’s Gluten Free Flatbreads are crispy, fibre-rich, vegetarian friendly snacks made with gluten free wholegrain oats. There are three flavors of Nairn’s Gluten Free Flatbreads available on the market: Original, Rosemary & Sea Salt and Caramelised Onion. This review is based on the latter two.

Both flavors I’ve tried are nice and crispy, and I am not exaggerating when I say that they are comparable to regular crackers on the market. Just like regular crackers, this product shines best when eaten with something else. Nairn’s Gluten Free Flatbreads are like blank canvases that allows you mix and match different flavors and different textures. You can combine them with cheese, sour cream, salad and even meats. They are a fantastic snack to make for yourself or someone else. I also noticed that the flatbreads maintain its crispiness after the packet had been opened. I had a packet opened for a day and the flatbreads were just as crispy. So there’s absolutely no need to stuff your face from fear of turning stale!

If there is a negative about this product, it is this: I would say that both flavors are not great when eaten by itself. While the flavors are there, it is on the mild side. But honestly, I am nitpicking at this point. If you do decide to buy Nairn’s Gluten Free Flatbreads which I highly recommend, do yourself a favor by eating them with something else!

MadeGood Soft Baked Mini Cookies Chocolate Chip – Chip off the old block

I love chocolate chips, but then again, who doesn’t? Made Good’s soft baked mini chocolate chips combine dark chocolate chips with a cookie base made from nutritious organic ingredients. It is gluten-free, nut-free and vegan friendly.

So how does it taste? Just like chocolate chips. I would say that it is less sweet than the regular variations you can find on the market, but it does not differ all that much in terms of taste. The big difference comes in texture. Since these guys are soft-baked, expect these cookies to be more chewy than crunchy. The cookies are bite-sized and come in neat packets suitable to pack for road trips, lunch breaks, mid-class snacks or whatever else you think you’ll need a little food to get by. 

The only qualm I have with this product is the price. Retail price for the 5-pack box is around CAD$5 which I find to be on the pricey side for a snack I could easily finish in a day or two. But other than that, I’d say it’s a very good product all round. It’s obvious that Made Good clearly cares about their consumers and set out to make the best tasting chocolate chips with the best nutritional value.