Category: Reviews

QUICK REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Cinnamon Buns Non-Dairy Frozen Dessert

Marvo 3 Comments

Ben Jerry s Cinnamon Buns Non Dairy Frozen Dessert

What is it?

At first, I thought the idea of using almond milk to make a non-dairy version of Ben & Jerry’s fantastic Cinnamon Buns Ice Cream sounded like using gluten-free ingredients to make Cinnabon’s classic roll. But, while gluten-free Cinnabon doesn’t seem too appetizing, that’s not the case with this pint.

While the dairy version has caramel ice cream, this one features a cinnamon-flavored non-dairy frozen dessert base. But, like the original, cinnamon bun dough pieces and a cinnamon streusel swirl are included.

How is it?

If you love cinnamon, you will enjoy this flavor immensely. There’s so much of it that it’s as if someone used the spice as talcum powder on their hands and then punched me in the face with them. It does an outstanding job at hiding the fact it’s a non-dairy dessert.

Ben Jerry s Cinnamon Buns Non Dairy Frozen Dessert 2

Most of the cinnamon flavor comes from the gooey swirl. It has that sugary grittiness one would feel in a cinnamon bun and the same explosive flavor. Surprisingly, the non-dairy base doesn’t taste as if it has much of the spice. I do get a little bit of the almond milk, which my brain seems to registers as a bit of doughiness.

The cinnamon dough balls have the same texture as the chocolate chip cookie dough balls in Ben & Jerry’s classic variety. The spice is in every bite, but they don’t have as much of a punch as the swirl. There’s also an equal amount of brown sugar that adds a sweetness that cuts through all the spice. This is welcomed because it makes the dessert not so one note.

Is there anything else I need to know?

The flavor does linger and makes your mouth feel as if you’re chewing on a well-worn piece of Big Red Gum.

Conclusion:

As I mentioned at the beginning of the review, I find the original Cinnamon Buns Ice Cream to be superb, and this non-dairy version, while not as creamy, is just as hard-to-put-down tasty.

(Click here to read our other Ben & Jerry’s Non-Dairy reviews.)

DISCLOSURE: Ben & Jerry’s sent me coupons for free pints to celebrate National Ice Cream Month, which was last month. I used one of the coupons to purchase this. Receiving the coupon didn’t influence my review.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Target
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 260 calories, 120 calories from fat, 13 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 60 milligrams of sodium, 35 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 25 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Nestle Toll House Simply Delicious Snack Bar Dough

Marvo 1 Comment

When first looked at Nestle Toll House’s Simply Delicious Snack Bar Dough and saw it’s made with a “5-Grain and Seed Blend,” my first thought was, “So, um, Nestle is making bird treats now?”

But after scanning the packaging like a hawk, I learned the snack bar dough is not for birds.

The instructions for them are as simple as they are for the brand’s cookies — preheat oven, break up the dough, place on baking sheet, put in oven, wait several minutes, enjoy the aroma of baked goods radiating from your oven, pull out sheet after time is up, lift oven door with foot, close oven door shut by hip-checking it, let the goods cool a little, and then enjoy. But unlike the cookies, the bars look the same going into the oven as they do coming out of the oven.

There are two varieties available Chocolate Chip with Toasted Oats and Cranberry Walnut with Dark Chocolate.

Chocolate Chip with Toasted Oats

Nestle Toll House Simply Delicious Chocolate Chip with Toasted Oats Snack Bar Dough

If you like chocolate, this is the one you should get. Yes, the other one has dark chocolate, but with this one, the semi-sweet morsels stand out in every bite. To be honest, this tastes and feels exactly like a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie. The 5-Grain & Seed Blend (which by the way is made up of barley, wheat, brown flax seed, quinoa seed, and sunflower seeds) doesn’t seem to enhance or diminish the bars’ flavor.

The instructions say to let them cool completely before consuming, but the smell of chocolate chips in the air is an aroma that tests my patience. Because I have don’t have strong willpower, I tried one after about 5 minutes of cooling down. The underside of the bar has a slight crispiness, and so do the rolled oats on top.

Nestle Toll House Simply Delicious Chocolate Chip with Toasted Oats Snack Bar Dough 2

But the bar in this warmed up state is super soft. So much so that I wondered if they were fully baked. I’m sure they were, but the bar’s thickness and seeing the “Do not eat raw snack bar dough” gets me a little paranoid. Letting them cool down completely made them chewier, so I guess I should learn patience. I also noticed eating them made my mouth dry. Maybe the oats are soaking up my saliva?

But, again, they taste and feel like chocolate chip oatmeal cookies. So if you’re a fan of those, you’ll like these, but might I recommend eating them with milk.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 14 oz. package (makes 10 bars)
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 170 calories, 7 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 120 milligrams of sodium, 23 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

Cranberry Walnut with Dark Chocolate

Nestle Toll House Simply Delicious Cranberry Walnut with Dark Chocolate Snack Bar Dough

If you like chopped walnuts on your floor, then this is the one you should get. Unlike the oats with the other variety, the nuts fell off the bars anytime I moved them. To make the photos in this review look less balding, I had to transplant a lot of walnut bits back onto the bars.

When I opened the oven door to pull them out, a sweet cinnamon aroma came wafting out. Oddly, the spice is not an ingredient. Much like the other variety, they do taste cookie-like, but it’s also less exciting because no flavors stand out.

Nestle Toll House Simply Delicious Snack Bar Dough Cranberry Walnut with Dark Chocolate 2

The walnuts, if they don’t fall off, give a nutty flavor that’s hard to detect most of the time and a nice crunch. The sweetened dried cranberries are bland. As for the dark chocolate morsels, I don’t taste chocolate in every bite as I do with the other variety. But when I do taste them, they don’t have enough of a punch to satisfy my sweet tooth.

But, this one didn’t make my mouth dry. So that’s a plus. But if you care more about flavor than oral dryness, go with the Chocolate Chip with Toasted Oats one instead.

Purchased Price: $5.99
Size: 14 oz. package (makes 10 bars)
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 bar) 170 calories, 8 grams of fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 115 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Arby’s Smokehouse Beef Short Rib Sandwich and Loaded Curly Fries

Louis 22 Comments

Arby s Smokehouse Beef Short Rib Sandwich

America’s favorite fast food punching bag, Arby’s, should stick to the one thing they do best: roast beef sandwiches.

Think about it: have you ever, in your life, stopped what you’re doing and made a beeline for the joint because you simply had to nosh on its gyro or down a fish sandwich pronto? Has a day ever been made better by one of its ice coffee drinks? Ever sat at work daydreaming about a big bowl of those curly fries, well, okay, I’ll give you the curly fries. But, still, Arby’s meandering attempt to enter the barbeque game — one of many, I’m sure — by putting a beef short rib sandwich on the menu is mediocre at best.

Utilizing the mainly fatty beef parts of the aforementioned short rib, an admittedly nice big handful of that cheap cut is packed between two thick slices of mostly toasted Texas toast and topped with soggy fried onions, misplaced melted cheddar cheese and a little slight drizzle of barbeque sauce to give it more of that down-home back-country feel. It doesn’t work, but kudos for trying, Arby’s.

As I took as large a bite as my medium mouth could allow, I tasted more of the sauce than the meat which is never a good sign, especially when it Arby’s barbeque sauce. However, pulling a few pieces of the short rib out to taste by its lonesome, I can see why; the meat was a bit dry, and a good dollop of that sickly sauce gave it its much needed (but still pretty unwanted) flavor.

Additionally, that fraudulent smoky sauce seeped deep into the bread as well, so there’s that if you’re big into sticky, damp bread.

Arby s Smokehouse Beef Short Rib Loaded Curly Fries

Alongside the Short Rib Sandwich, Arby’s has a quasi-companion piece taking the form of Short Rib Loaded Fries which are exactly how they sound: a decent pile of their quintessential curly fries, bastardized with short rib meat, even more melted cheddar cheese, and a whole mess of that barbeque sauce to give them a sense of purpose and meaning.

It’s an unapologetically mishmash of flavors, none of which seemingly belong together in the slightest. The corporate entity barbeque sauce sweetens, almost to a fault, the mildly limp fries. Meanwhile, the short rib meat makes a pretty garnish but not a very useful tater topping, big clumps falling everywhere, just looking for that Texas toast.

For a nice size bowl of these loaded fries—loaded fries being my favorite of all fries, honestly, it’s kind of a wasted effort. Give me some plain curlies and few packs of Horsey Sauce and I’m gold, kid.

Arby’s, your bold experimentalism let me down again, but don’t worry: come Christmastime I promise I’ll be back in line for your five roast beef sandwiches for five bucks. You all still do that, right? Please tell me you do.

(Nutrition Facts – Sandwich – 590 calories, 28 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 1 gram of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 1510 milligrams of sodium, 59 grams of carbohydrates, 14 grams of sugar, 4 grams of fiber, and 26 grams of protein. Loaded Curly Fries – 730 calories, 41 grams of fat, 9 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 2300 milligrams of sodium, 75 grams of carbohydrates, 13 grams of sugar, 6 grams of fiber, and 15 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $5.99 (sandwich)
Size: N/A
Rating: 3 out of 10 (Sandwich)
Rating: 2 out of 10 (Loaded Curly Fries)
Pros: Lots of meat. Good to see Texas toast on the menu. Chance to visit your local Arby’s.
Cons: Barbeque sauce too “fake sweet.” Soggy onions and bread. Cheese sauce not like I remember.

QUICK REVIEW: Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl (2018)

Marvo 3 Comments

Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl 2018

What is it?

A steak version of Jack in the Box’s Chicken Teriyaki Bowl, both of which come with broccoli, carrots, and now with your choice of white or brown rice (I got white rice). While it’s advertised as “new,” it’s not the first time Jack has offered a teriyaki bowl with steak.

How is it?

There’s a decent amount of meat, and the pieces are tender, but there were a few that I had to get a little rough with. The broccoli and carrots are bright, fresh, have a pleasant crunch to them, and there’s enough that it’s safe for me to proudly exclaim to anyone who cares about my health that I had a serving of vegetables.

Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl 2018 2

As for the teriyaki sauce, it’s sweet with a slight peppery kick. But it’s also annoyingly salty and completely masks the steak’s flavor. If anyone who cares about my health tasted the sauce, they would most definitely say I negated any health benefits from eating the serving of vegetables in this bowl with the sodium in that sauce.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Use the fork that comes with the bowl to mix everything because the teriyaki sauce isn’t drizzled over the rice and vegetables. But there’s enough of it under and around the steak pieces to make the white rice not so blindingly white if you toss the ingredients well.

Conclusion:

Jack in the Box’s Steak Teriyaki Bowl is okay fast food fare. But the sauce makes me hesitant to purchase it again. I’ve had the chicken teriyaki bowl several times, but I don’t remember the teriyaki being that salty. Maybe it’s the combination of meat with the sauce. I don’t know.

Jack in the Box Steak Teriyaki Bowl 2018 3

Purchased Price: $6.99*
Size: N/A
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (with white rice) 800 calories, 130 calories from fat, 14 grams of fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 70 milligrams of cholesterol, 2450 milligrams of sodium, 135 grams of carbohydrates, 5 grams of fiber, 35 grams of sugar, and 36 grams of protein.

*Because I live on a rock in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, things are a bit pricier here. You’ll probably pay less than I did.

QUICK REVIEW: Krispy Kreme Reese’s Outrageous Chocolate Doughnut

Sean 2 Comments

Krispy Kreme Reese s Outrageous Doughnut

What is it?

The latest and (hopefully) greatest follow up to last year’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Doughnut – the Reese’s Outrageous Chocolate Doughnut; inspired by Reese’s latest chocolate bar. The new menu item features a chocolate yeast doughnut dipped in Hershey’s chocolate fudge icing, topped with mini Reese’s Pieces and drizzled with Reese’s peanut butter and salted caramel sauce.

How is it?

Krispy Kreme Reese s Outrageous Doughnut 2

I gotta say, for a non-filled doughnut this is pretty much as good as it gets. The chocolate yeast base is different for Krispy Kreme and carries the same wonderful light and fluffy texture as its Original Glazed but with a pleasantly less sweet chocolate flavor that lays an excellent foundation. It reminds me more of a yeast-cake hybrid in that it’s nice and moist but also ever so slightly dense from the presence of the cocoa.

Krispy Kreme Reese s Outrageous Doughnut 3

The dual action drizzle brings some serious bolts of flavor, almost acting like a lush creamy filling the way it elevates the entire experience beyond a typical iced or glazed. I get more peanut butter than caramel, but the slightly salty sticky drizzles work brilliantly together to emulate the profile of the Outrageous Bar, highlighted by the occasional crunch of Reese’s Pieces.

Is there anything else I need to know?

As with most Krispy creations, this one performs well in the microwave. Popping it in for eight seconds melts the icing on top and softens the cake to a melt-in-your-mouth treat that reminds me of peanut butter hot chocolate. All the flavors combine into one delectably sweet coffee companion that will no doubt disappear in less than 30 seconds.

Conclusion:

This is an awesome doughnut. It lives up to the Reese’s name and brings all the contrast of textures and salty sweet flavors that make Reese’s products the most craveable in the candy aisle.

Purchased Price: $1.59
Size: N/A
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 00 calories, 14 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 41 grams of carbohydrates, 26 grams of sugar, 2 grams of fiber, and 4 grams of protein.