Here's what Independent reviewer and food blogger, Kristina Robb, has to say about the new inSpiral Raspberry Maca Kale Chips...
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Real Foods, the wonderfully friendly people who help to fill my kitchen cupboards, fridge and freezer with egg and dairy free treats, invited me to do a review of one of their new products. Of course, everyone loves a freebie, and I rather liked the idea of being a tasting guru, so I said yes. Apparently I have talented taste buds! (Could this be a new career?)
Having been truly fabulous and checked all of the allergies we have in the household, Real Foods invited me into the Broughton Street store to collect our tasting product. I took my littlest person with me, as anything I taste, the family will probably want a bit too. She is allergic to eggs and dairy, and the reason my blog is peppered with recipes without these ingredients.
We spent half an hour in the store wandering around and picking up goodies she could eat. So, not only did we come home with our interesting Kale Chips, but we also came home with Wot No Dairy Cherry flavour pudding to try, Willie's Colombian Black Cacao, Iced Delight (Blackcurrant flavour), Bob's Red Mill gluten free flour, Moo Free Chocolate, Biona fruity teddy bears, Sheese Strong Cheddar style, and Real Foods own brand, raw Cocoa butter. That was some haul!
So, the Kale chips you ask?
Well they are really rather good! Kale is everywhere at the moment. I've been reading about it on Dreena Burton's Plant Powered Kitchen recently as well as in Veg News this month. And most of the recipes are savoury not sweet, but this works as a taste sensation!
The Raspberry Maca Kale Chips are made by inSpiral and are Raw, Vegan, Dairy free, Wheat Free, Soya Free, Low GI and have no added nuts (but the packaging does note it is produced in a nutty environment). As you can see the ingredients are Kale, Raspberries, Raw Cacao Butter, Coconut Palm Sugar and Maca.
I had to go and look up Maca as I'd never heard of it before! Apparently its related to radishes and can be used as a dietary supplement to help with all sorts of physical ailments. Kale is rich in antioxidants, calcium and vitamin A, a big plus for my little people.
The tastings began when we got home and I cracked open the package for everyone to have a piece. The verdict from the littlest person (age 4) was two thumbs up! The older one (age 6) needed very little persuasion to try it, I think enticed by the raspberry seeds, and she came back for more. Hubby likes the "green-ness" of the taste and preferred the bigger bits so he got more of the kale aftertaste, while me, with my sweet tooth, I enjoyed the smaller pieces that had a more raspberry taste to them. There is an interesting texture, perhaps provided by the cacao which gives a smooth feel with the crispiness at the same time.
Friends visited, and I pounced on them with my little pot of kale. What did they think? Another six year old came back for more, and her mum liked it too, although she did make an observation that was my one negative too. It makes you feel like you need to floss!
All in all successful, and we don't have much left now. I wouldn't sit and eat a huge amount at one time, but as an accompaniment to other snacks it works well. Raw veg and hummus, maybe with a side of Kale Chips? Crackers and cheese/sheese with grapes and a few Kale Chips? Hubby suggested it as a topper for ice cream! Or just something to nibble on when you want something tasty and different that fits with just about any healthy eating or diet regime I can think of.