I recently accepted an offer to review some sauces by Ricante and new spreads from PBFit. These products are sure to enhance any meal or snack.
Ricante Everything Sauce
I’ve always enjoyed the homemade sauces from Mango Man Thony Clarke (formerly of Cafe Costa Rica), and I’ve found comparable versions in Ricante Everything Sauces. All four flavors are incredibly versatile–I’ve so far put them on beef, chicken, pasta, rice, tacos and eggs–and they are non-GMO, gluten-free, Keto-friendly and Whole30 compliant.
- The Tropical Guanabana ChimiChurri is tangy and a little spicy from the habanero chili pepper. It’s much brighter in flavor than other chimichurris I’ve had. Although I typically don’t use any sauces with steaks, this sauce complemented a grilled steak really well.
- The Tropical Mango Coco is thick and needs some coaxing to get out of the bottle. It’s basically a mango-flavored jerk sauce with the right amount of sweetness and heat, so don’t be shy about using it.
- I loved how strong the pineapple flavor is in the Tropical Pineapple. It’s not masked by other ingredients–the pineapple is the boss here, adding a tropical twist to any dish, but you do some spiciness from the habanero.
- The Tropical Tamarindo Caribbean Jerk sets the standard for jerk sauces. Your tongue will be hit with sweet-sour from the tamarind, a bit of heat from chipotle and the right amount of spices. The jerk sauce was my favorite of the four.
The 12-oz. bottles retail for $6.99. In Madison, you can find Ricanta sauces at Whole Foods.
Photo courtesy of Ricante
***
PBFit Peanut Butter and Almond Butter Spreads
I’ve previously raved about PBFit peanut butter powder, and in this return engagement with BetterBody Foods, I tried its PBFit protein peanut butter and protein almond butter spreads. It was no surprise to me that I loved the spreads, and perhaps that’s derived from their use of just five ingredients.
Here’s the low down. The protein peanut butter ($7.50) is gluten-free and has 180 calories, 10 g. of protein, 7 g. of carbs and 14 g. of fat per serving. That’s about 42 percent more protein and 12 percent less fat than traditional peanut butter spreads. It’s got the right amount of sweetness and creaminess–I ended up eating a lot of it with a spoon straight from the jar.
The texture of the protein almond butter ($12.99) depends on how much you stir it. Don’t be alarmed when you open the jar that the solids and the liquids are separated. Just take a couple of minutes and a sturdy spoon to mix it back together. The flavor reminded me of the almonds you find in a bag of trail mix, and the almond butter makes for a nice alternative to peanut butter. Each serving has 180 calories, 9 g. of protein, 7 g. of carbs and 15 g. of fat.
Photos courtesy of BetterBody Foods
