Kev's Snack Reviews

Today's review is something a bit different, not a snack as such but a sweetener that is fast becoming popular amongst the low carb, keto diet crowd. I've experimented on and off with low carb and sugar free diets and tried a variety of different sweeteners, such as stevia and eryhtritol, but I chose this one as it supposedly bakes like brown sugar. It's even been awarded "superior tasting natural sweetener" by America's top chefs. It's based on an ancient sacred fruit, but rather than explain I'll copy what is on the wrapper: "Over a thousand years ago, in remote mountain highlands of Asia, a group of Buddhist monks called the Luohan achieved enlightenment through meditation, prayer and pure living. On the slopes of a primeval forest, the monks discovered and cultivated a rare fruit prized for its sweetness. This sacred fruit was named Monk Fruit, or Luohan Guo, after its devoted caretakers and was used in elixirs to increase chi, or life ...

Since Montezuma's bars started appearing in my local Sainsbury's I've been gradually making my way through the range, they do everything from the intense Absolute Black 100% Bar , to the fruity Black Forest Gateau Pudding Bar , both of which are great so I thought I'd try another in their range: Spice It Up with Dragon Ginger. This bar is vegan, dairy free, gluten free and non GMO. The chocolate contains 70% cocoa solids and ginger is listed as 7% in the ingredients. I do like 70% cocoa bars, and even more so when they have some added ingredients so this bar was an absolute delight. The chocolate is rich and good quality, with a slight fruity edge. The crystallized ginger brings a warming burst of sweetness with every bite, it's gentle and fiery and definitely fits with the name "dragon" ginger. It's a tasty and moreish combination, I imagine this bar would be great in the Winter months with a cuppa! Overall, this a tasty and great quality...

A big thankyou to Crabbie's for providing me with these bottles of alcoholic gluten free ginger beer for todays review, they were very much appreciated! What with the hot, changeable weather recently it's always nice to have something refreshing on hand to cool down with, especially when it's alcoholic. Crabbie's have been going since the 1800's when Scottish pioneer John Crabbie started creating drinks from steeped ginger and exotic spices from the far east. For more info on their history, do check out Crabbie's website: www.crabbiesgingerbeer.co.uk. The Original variety is made to Crabbie's "unique steeped ginger recipe" and contains 4% alcohol. I chilled it in the freezer, before pouring into a glass to drink ice cold. It was lovely; super refreshing, spicy and fiery with a lovely ginger warmth. The low amount of alcohol was just right, enough to make you feel a slight merriness but not keel over. Great for a summers day! 8.5 out of 10...

A big thankyou to Goupie for sending me some of their lovely chocolates to review recently. They are "A devilishly moreish chewy chocolate confection with a hint of crunch", hand produced by a small team in Kent. They come in triangular pieces and are freshly made to order every week. There's 17 individual flavours, 13 of which are vegan friendly, whilst 7 are gluten-free. For more info do check out Goupie's website:  https://goupie.co.uk/ I got the Lemon Meringue and Date & Walnut as these are both gluten free, but they also make varieties such as Hazelnut, White Chocolate & Lavender and the intriguing " A Taste of Christmas " based on the humble mince pie (only available from October to December). Lemon Meringue (Gluten Free): Described as "A citrus cocktail of zesty candied lemon and rich marshmallows " these had a delightful lemon aroma when I cut into them. The centre is light and chewy, very sweet and oh so moreish. The Bel...

Following on from my review of Ombar Centres Coconut & Vanilla , today's review is another bar they sent me recently; Ombar 90% Cacao, made with organic Ecuadorian raw cacao. This is gluten free, dairy free, suitable for vegans and made with coconut sugar rather than refined white sugar. The chocolate packs quite the cocoa punch, it's somewhat fruity and sour and a lot richer than regular chocolate. It was nice and I appreciated the different flavours compared to regular cacao, but it's not something I would neccesarily eat as a snack. It's something to be appreciated with a glass of wine or strong coffee. Overall, a nice but very intense chocolate, this is one for the chocolate connoisseurs rather than an everyday indulgence. For that I would stick to the Ombar Centres. Nutrition Information (per bar): 201 Calories, 18g Fat, 9.1g Carbohydrates, 3.6g Sugars, 3.5g Protein. Organic Ingredients: raw cacao, coconut sugar, cocoa butter.  8 out of 10.

I was recently sent a few chocolate bars from Ombar to review, which made me very happy indeed - I am currently avoiding dairy and trying to cut back on sugar a bit (let's see how long that lasts!), so these really made my day when I got them in the post. They're completely vegan, dairy free and gluten free and made with organic raw cacao. This particular bar contains a truffle filling of creamy coconut flavoured with vanilla. The filling looks somewhat like the centre of a Lindt Creamy bar, and it tastes de-licious ! It's extremely rich, and melts in the mouth perfectly giving an indulgent taste experience. The chocolate is rich and earthy tasting - you can definitely tell it's made with raw cacao, and it contrasts nicely with the creamy centre. If you're dairy free or vegan, these are bars you will want to stock up on and eat all to yourself. They're so rich and satisfying that a little goes a long way, I do wish they came in larger bars though. I couldn...

Today's review is for some lovely truffles I was kindly sent by Monty Bojangles recently. I've already reviewed their Scofflets Truffles which were delicious, so how does this Choccy Scoffy boxed variety compare? The box is delightful and very well presented, and even gives you an indulgent recipe to try at home that includes butter. Naughty! The truffles may look plain, but they taste delightful. They melt in the mouth like butter, with a creamy and smooth melt. They're very rich so you only need a few for a chocolatey hit, but they're oh so satisfying. Overall, these truffles from Monty Bojangles taste great and would make the perfect birthday or Christmas gift, or more likely a cheeky treat all to yourself (I certainly didn't share them!) 8.5 out of 10.