Gluten Free Crackers: Snapdragon Sweet Bangkok Chili Rice Crisps - Product Review #72

Gluten Free Crackers: Snapdragon Sweet Bangkok Chili Rice Crisps

PRODUCT NAME:                   Bangkok Sweet Chili Rice Crisps

BRAND:                                  Snapdragon Pan-Asian Cusine

COST:                                    $6.58 (2-pack) $18.75 (6-pack)

SIZE:                                      3.5oz each box

COST PER OZ:                        $0.94 (2-pack) $0.89oz (6-pack)

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:      NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

ORGANIC:                               NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:       N/A

VEGAN:                                   YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:         UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:         Thailand

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
Lately we have come to the realization that we love Snapdragon’s products…and with good reason. We have had the pleasure of trying a few of them in the past couple weeks and they have all been great. These Bangkok Sweet Chili Baked Rice Crisps reminds us why we love them so much.

Let’s start with Snapdragon’s signature baked rice crisps. They are one of the tastiest rice crisps that I have ever had. You can definitely taste the sweetness of the rice in it. These rice crisps are baked and not fired which means it has a lot less fat than fried chips. Snapdragon has the flavoring perfected. A lot of times strong flavors like this Bangkok Sweet Chili tend to overpower the flavor of the cracker. So much so that it starts tasting artificial and it just leaves an unpleasant aftertaste in your mouth. With this cracker the flavor is not overly strong and is more of a flavor enhancement than the main show. It is a nice sweet flavor; just a little sweeter than the Whole-Grain Brown Rice flavor that we had last week. While the name of the flavor does contain the word “chili” don’t be too afraid because there is only a light hint of spiciness.

This cracker is a great healthier alternative to chips. This are baked, which not only gives it a nice lighter texture, but it also helps with the fat and calorie content. With 140 calories, 3 grams of fat, 0 cholesterol, and 120 milligrams of sodium it’s definitely on the healthier side as far as snacks go.

This flavor of cracker is great with a perfect balance of sweet, spicy, and crunch. It is suitable for just about everyone including people who are gluten free and vegan. This product does contain soy though so if you are allergic, you might want to look elsewhere. There is also labeling on the package that states that this product is manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts so if you have a severe peanut allergy, you might want to be extra careful with this product.

Taste: Great light sweet and spicy flavor in this cracker. The flavor is not overpowering and shares the spotlight with the equally tasty rice cracker.

Labeling: The labeling on this package is very simple and clean. All the important information is right on the front of the box. This cracker is gluten free and vegan. Things to note are that this product contains soy and is processed in a facility that also processes peanuts.

Packaging: The packaging is very simple much like other crackers. The crackers are sealed in an airtight cellophane bag which is placed in a paperboard box.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:
Texture:         5
Taste:             5
Value:            3
OVERALL:      4.3

Reviewed 020911 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Snacks: Snapdragon Whole Grain Rice Crisps - Product Review #68

Gluten Free Snacks: Snapdragon Whole Grain Rice Crisps

PRODUCT NAME:                   Whole Grain Brown Rice Crisps

BRAND:                                  Snapdragon Pan-Asian Cusine

COST:                                    $6.58 (2-pack) $18.75 (6-pack)

SIZE:                                      3.5oz each box

COST PER OZ:                       $0.94/oz (2-pk) $0.89/oz (6-pk)

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:     NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:      N/A

ORGANIC:                              NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:      N/A

VEGAN:                                 YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:       UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:       Thailand

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
Have you ever eaten something that just reminded you of your childhood? That’s exactly what happened to me when I ate Snapdragon’s Whole-Grain Brown Rice Baked Rice Crisps. As a kid, I grew up eating Chinese rice crackers. Some of you might know what I’m talking about. They are the oval shaped rice crackers that come packed in pairs in a orange and green package. They were so good because they were light and crispy and had a nice salty, yet sweet flavor from the MSG sprinkled on them. Although these crackers weren’t the healthiest, they were a common snack in my home. When I tasted Snapdragon’s Whole-Grain Brown Rice Baked Rice Crisps, it was like a trip down memory lane. Only this time, these crackers were actually pretty healthy.

Pop one into your mouth and you will be greeted by the perfect light flavor. If you’re curious, this cracker is flavored with salt and soy sauce powder. The flavor isn’t overpowering and is just there to enhance the sweet flavor of the whole grain brown rice that this cracker is made of.

These Whole Grain Brown Rice Crisps are great. In fact I think they might even be better than the rice crackers from my childhood because they are even lighter and crispier. Being baked and not fried helps cut the fat down to only 3g per serving and calories to 110. Add to that the fact that these crackers contain 26 grams of whole grains per serving, have no MSG, and contain to trans fats and this is a great healthy alternative to chips. With 155 milligrams of sodium per serving isn’t bad either considering most chips have about double that.

If you’re looking for a nice healthy snack alternative, look no further than Snapdragon’s Rice crisps. A quick note…these crackers contain soy and is manufactured in a facility that processes peanuts so if you are allergic to both, you might want to be a little cautious with these crackers.

Taste: Great light flavor that enhances the nice sweet flavor of the whole grain brown rice that it is made of.

Labeling: The labeling on this package is very simple and clean. All the important information is right on the front of the box. This cracker is gluten free and vegan.

Packaging: The packaging is very simple much like other crackers. The crackers are sealed in an airtight cellophane bag and is placed in a paperboard box.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:
Texture:         5
Taste:             5
Value:            3
OVERALL:      4.3

Reviewed 020911 by Calvin C.

Gluten Free Rice: Lotus Foods Organic Forbidden Rice - Product Review #57

Gluten Free Rice: Lotus Foods Organic Forbidden Rice

PRODUCT NAME:                      Bhutanese Red Rice

BRAND:                                     Lotus Foods

COST:                                       $4.49

SIZE:                                         15oz

COST PER OZ:                           $0.30/oz

CERTIFIED GLUTEN FREE:         NO

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          N/A

ORGANIC:                                  YES

CERTIFICATION AGENCY:          QAI

VEGAN:                                      YES

GLUTEN FREE FACILITY:            UNKNOWN

LOCATION OF FACILITY:            Bhutan

*These statements are based on the information printed on the product packaging. We cannot verify the accuracy of this information. For verification of the statements above, please contact the manufacturer.

REVIEW:
Lotus Foods has rice called Organic Forbidden Rice. I’m not quite sure what exactly makes it forbidden, but just because it’s called forbidden, I know I want to eat it. I was surprised to see that this forbidden rice is a black rice. Lotus Foods calls it a medium-size heirloom rice. If you remember from my review earlier this week, heirloom rice natural rice that is grown from indigenous seed stock that is often ancient and hasn’t been hybridized or genetically engineered.

Like the Bhutanese Red Rice from earlier this week, this Forbidden rice is also very good for you. Lotus Foods proudly boasts that this organic rice is high in anthocyanins, a class of flavanoid antioxidants, as well as iron. In fact, they have found a study that shows that a spoonful of black rice has as many antioxidants as a spoonful of fresh blueberries. When cooked, 10 spoonfuls have the same equivalent.

When we first opened up this bag of rice, the first thing I noticed is that it is extremely fragrant. The smell is very similar to dried tea leaves. This rice is also very easy to cook. The package advertises a cooking time of 30 minutes. We decided to go with the set it and forget it way of cooking using our handy rice cooker. We had a little bean curd left over and decided to toss that into the pot with this rice. The final product was a delicious rice and bean curd mix. This rice was also surprisingly soft. It was just as soft as the Bhutanese Red rice from earlier in the week. I’m not sure if it was the bean curd that we cooked this rice with, but we sensed a hint of sweetness and nuttiness to this rice that was very pleasant.

If you are looking for a high quality rice that tastes great, is good for you, and is “forbidden”, this is the rice for you. At $0.30/oz or $0.50/serving, it’s a reasonable price to pay for a Forbidden rice.

Taste: Great nutty flavor with a hint of sweetness, although the sweetness might be from the bean curd we cooked with this rice. This rice also has great texture, nice and soft, but firm enough to hold its shape.

Labeling: Similar packaging to the Bhutanese Red Rice we had earlier in the week, but this rice is certified organic, unlike the last. There is also a nice story about this rice on the back, sans the 1,000 year old glacier water.

Packaging: Air sealed plastic packaging. The amount contained in the package is good for about 5 big eaters.

Reader’s Reviews: Please share with us your review of this company’s other products + where you purchased the product + how long you have been using this product. Please no review from the family + friends of the company producing the product…

RATING:
Texture:           5
Taste:               5
Value:              3
OVERALL:        4.3

Reviewed 012511 by Calvin C.