REVIEW: Wendy’s Summer Strawberry Salad

/ / Reviews / 8 Comments

Wendy s Summer Strawberry Salad Dressing

Summer is often a terrible time for many people, including me. As the uncomfortably cruel and rigidly taunting sun beats down on me, salty sweat drips down my head as I desperately try to find a cooling balm to bring my core temperature back down to a normal range, oftentimes failing miserably.

But this is when I raise my sunburned hands to the sky and thank the equally-heliophobic Wendy’s for its yearly berry salad. For 2020, it’s the Summer Strawberry Salad.

On a cool bed of crisp green lettuce — mainly romaine — sits a Tuscan cheese blend dusting, cuts of applewood smoked bacon, succulent grilled chicken breast, and surprisingly candid candied almond slivers. The salad’s complete reason for being, the sliced bits of strawberries, lay in the leafy shade, giving the entrée its summer branding and doing it remarkably well.

Gently spritzing the large helping of zesty champagne vinaigrette over the top of the salad, it managed to slide down into every nook and cranny, guaranteeing a savory experience. The strawberries are plump and notably firm, not a bruised berry in the bunch.

Each juicy bite, like a fruity fire extinguisher, cools me down internally as I nibbled carefully, enjoying the salad wholeheartedly. The tangy dressing, with its olive oil feel and garlicky taste, offers a decent counterpoint to the abject sweetness of the strawberries and, even more so, the candied almonds.

Wendy s Summer Strawberry Salad

The romaine lettuce leaves were also surprisingly fresh. Bits of the Tuscan cheese — featuring a blend of Parmesan, Asiago, and Fontina — tantalizingly resting on them with the vinaigrette acting as a delectable glue keeping them in their place. The bacon, though predictably salty, mixes well with the grilled chicken, the candied almonds giving a sweet aftertaste that was definitely needed.

Wendy s Summer Strawberry Salad Berry Close

But what it all comes down is to the strawberries in the nomenclature. While I would have liked more of them, they held this summer salad together perfectly, especially in the half-salad I ordered, the large size only about two dollars more.

In these cruel summer months, Wendy’s has gifted us with a berry-good meal-deal that has me counting down the heated days to next year’s salad unveiling. But, until then, this will definitely do.

Purchased Price: $5.69
Size: Half
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: 410 calories, 21 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 gram of trans fat, 125 milligrams of cholesterol, 790 milligrams of sodium, 17 grams of carbohydrates, 6 grams of fiber, 9 grams of sugar, and 45 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Magnum Double Almond Brown Butter and Double Pistachio Honey Tubs

/ / Reviews / 7 Comments

Magnum Double Almond Brown Butter and Double Pistachio Honey Tubs

What are Magnum Double Almond Brown Butter and Double Pistachio Honey Tubs?

The Double Almond Brown Butter Ice Cream features almond ice cream, brown butter sauce, and milk chocolate in a milk chocolate shell. Double Pistachio Honey has pistachio ice cream with honey and milk chocolate in a milk chocolate shell.

How are they?

Magnum Double Pistachio Honey Tub

I’ve never had milk chocolate covered pistachios, but this Double Pistachio Honey ice cream makes me want to buy some. I was expecting the color of the creamy base to have a green hue, but it looks like vanilla. However, the pistachio flavor was spot on. Well, it better since the nut is an ingredient. But what takes this to another level is the honey, honey. The gooey add-in makes every spoonful with it taste divine, and now I want milk chocolate covered pistachios dipped in honey. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a whole lot of it in my tub.

As for the Almond Brown Butter, I should start by saying that it has almond-flavored ice cream, not almond milk frozen dessert. Also, and this is going to sound odd, the almond base, at times, somewhat reminds me of the pistachio one. Yes, they’re both nuts, and I may be nuts for thinking they’re a little similar, but there were times when I had to double-check whether I was eating this one or the pistachio one. A green-colored base would’ve been nice here, Magnum.

Magnum Double Almond Brown Butter Tub

You might be wondering what brown butter sauce is. With the use of the word “butter,” I initially thought it would be like what we put on popcorn, baked potatoes, waffles, and fingers with rings that won’t come off. But if we’re going by what’s in the ingredients list, it seems to be a combination of brown sugar and almond butter, although its flavor leans more towards the brown sugar. Like the honey in the pistachio tub, it elevates everything. Thankfully, there was a decent amount of it in my container.

Anything else you need to know?

The more I eat these Magnum tubs, the more I’ve realized that the thick Belgian chocolate layer I face every time I break the foil lid’s seal is a pain in my snacking butt. It was great at first because it was new, unique, and the chocolate is one of the better tasting ones included in an ice cream, but now it’s become work to spoon stab my way to get to the ice cream. Besides, there’s more than enough chocolate throughout the tub, and there’s a thick layer at the bottom.

I might be in the minority about this, but if you feel the same way, let me know in the comments.

Conclusion:

I’ve had every single one of these Magnum tubs that have come out so far, and I have yet to be disappointed with any of them, and that continues to be the case with these. Between these two new varieties, I’m giving a slight edge to Pistachio Honey as my favorite between them, but either one will satisfy your sweet cravings.

DISCLOSURE: I received a free samples of the products. Doing so did not influence my review in any way. Although, it seems like it. But I assure you it did not.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 14.8 fl. oz. tubs
Purchased at: Received from Magnum/Unilever
Rating: 7 out of 10 (Almond Brown Butter), 8 out of 10 (Pistachio Honey)
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) Almond Brown Butter – 380 calories, 24 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 90 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 30 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein. Pistachio Honey – 360 calories, 22 grams of fat, 13 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 55 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 32 grams of sugar, and 5 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Jack in the Box Southwest Cheddar Cheeseburger

/ / Reviews / 3 Comments

What is the Jack in the Box Southwest Cheddar Cheeseburger?

It features a beef patty, smoked cheddar cheese, chipotle sauce, grilled onions, lettuce, and tomatoes on a buttery bakery bun. If you want something with a bit more heft, it’s also available in a double version that has two beef patties and two slices of cheese.

How is it?

I thought it gave me an idea of what a cheeseburger would taste like if Jack in the Box decided to make one using two of its tacos as the burger’s bun. (Please make this happen, Jack in the Box!)

It’s all thanks to the beef patty and chipotle sauce, which I’ve said previously tastes like a combination of Jack’s taco sauce and mayonnaise. It’s not at all spicy, but instead more smoky and peppery. I’ve enjoyed it with other Jack in the Box chicken sandwiches and breakfast burritos, and I like it on this.

The other ingredient that gets product name-billing, the smoked cheddar cheese, doesn’t seem to enhance the burger. I’m not sure it does anything else besides sweat. I mean, look at the photo above. It appears as if it’s guilty of something. What are you hiding, smoked cheddar cheese?

Maybe the cheese helps with the smokiness of the chipotle sauce. Or perhaps it sweats to make you not pay attention to how little flavor the grilled onions have in this cheeseburger.

Also, I feel as if the vegetables in the cheeseburger slightly affect the flavor punch of the chipotle sauce.

Is there anything else you need to know?

You can get it a la carte, but it’s being promoted as the headliner of a $4.99 combo that also comes with a small fries and drink.

Conclusion:

I know it reads as if Jack in the Box’s Southwest Cheddar Cheeseburger isn’t worth the price. But here’s the thing, it’s worth it because of the chipotle sauce, and because the price of the combo is low enough that I can forgive the other ingredients.

Purchased Price: $6.99*
Size: Medium combo
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: Not available at time of publication.

*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. The combo has an advertised price of $4.99.

REVIEW: Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Pepper Puffs

/ / Reviews / 1 Comment

Cheetos Flamin Hot Pepper Puffs

I’m more impressed with the shape of the Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Pepper Puffs than how spicy they are.

Oh, don’t get me wrong, these bring some heat, but I can’t help but admire how these look. In the photo below, it appears as if I’m holding a semi-cooled, pepper-shaped nugget of lava.

Cheetos Flamin Hot Pepper Puffs Pepper

Of course, Frito-Lay has shown over the past few years that it knows how to shape a corn puff. We’ve seen eggs, bones, paws, stars, snowflakes, and shapes only eBay sellers can see, but this one deserves the chef’s kiss because I imagine it must’ve been difficult to include the stem, which really sells the pepper shape.

The stem also has been influencing how I eat them. With each one so far, I’ve grabbed it by the small extension and used it as a handle to put the puff into my mouth. I think, and I’m sure it will never happen, this should be the default shape for any Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.

Cheetos Flamin Hot Pepper Puffs Closeup

The bag claims it’s the “Hottest Ever!” but I’m not sure of that because I have more painful memories with Xxtra Flamin’ Hot Cheetos. The heat takes some time to kick in, so these puffs kind of trick you into thinking they aren’t so bad. But these are noticeably spicier than original Flamin’ Hot Crunchy Cheetos, maybe 50 percent more intense.

I definitely can’t chain eat them like regular Flamin’ Hot products. Instead, I’m enjoying the puffs in small doses, like five or so. Even my nose knows these are spicier because normal Flamin’ Hot doesn’t turn my nose into a snot faucet when eating them.

In terms of flavor, these have the familiar Flamin’ Hot seasoning but amped up a bit. While they are spicy, they’re not so hot that it completely distracts your taste buds from the peppery, oniony, garlicky, and slightly cheesy seasoning.

Obviously, Cheetos Flamin’ Hot Pepper Puffs are not for everyone. If you find Flamin’ Hot, well, flamin’ hot, then I don’t need to tell you to avoid these. If you’re a card-carrying member of the Flamin’ Hot fandom, then you have to get them. But they’re around for only two weeks, so you should’ve started looking yesterday.

DISCLOSURE: Although, I bought this bag on eBay, I later received a free sample of the product from the folks at Walmart. I probably didn’t really need to tell you that since this review was finished before obtaining the sample. But I guess I disclosed it to let you know I like these enough that I’m happy I got another bag of it.

Purchased Price: Too much on eBay
Size: 7 oz. bag
Purchased at: eBay (being sold at Walmart)
Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (about 24 pieces) 170 calories, 11 grams of fat, 1.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 310 milligrams of sodium, 14 grams of carbohydrates, less than 1 gram of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 1 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Kellogg’s Limited Edition Mashups Frosted Flakes + Froot Loops Cereal

/ / Reviews / 1 Comment

Kellogg s Limited Edition Mashups Frosted Flakes + Froot Loops Cereal

What is Kellogg’s Limited Edition Mashups Frosted Flakes + Froot Loops Cereal?

This cereal is a mixture of Kellogg’s favorites Frosted Flakes and Froot Loops. I like to imagine it as an answer to the question: “What hijinks would ensue if Tony the Tiger and Toucan Sam were best friends?”

How is it?

Kellogg s Limited Edition Mashups Frosted Flakes + Froot Loops Cereal 2

I haven’t seen any promotional material elaborating on the question posed above, thus robbing me of the opportunity to see the two mascots exchange sparkling dialogue such as “You got your Froot Loops in my Frosted Flakes!” and “You got your Frosted Flakes in my Froot Loops!” However, this imagined scenario essentially delivers the main idea of what Kellogg’s Mashups offers: equal parts of crispy, lightly sweet corn flakes, and sugary fruit-flavored hoops.

The strong scent of Froot Loops emanating from the bag foreshadowed the taste experience to come. Dry, the cereal’s flavor was dominated by the Froot Loops, but the Frosted Flakes amped up each bite’s crunchiness. My sample appeared to contain a 1:1 ratio of each cereal, so the experience was pretty consistent from bite to bite.

When eaten separately, the Frosted Flakes still taste like their sweet, corny selves, but that kind of defeats the purpose of a mashup, doesn’t it?

Kellogg s Limited Edition Mashups Frosted Flakes + Froot Loops Cereal Milk

With milk, the disparity in texture became more apparent, because the Froot Loops approached soggy territory much faster. For this reason, I am not a huge fan of Froot Loops in milk, so the Frosted Flakes improved the experience by maintaining a much-needed crunch.

Anything else you need to know?

In dreaming up the hypothetical adventures of Tony the Tiger and Toucan Sam, my yearning was less about advertising and more about answering the question at the heart of this product: Why? Why, after Kellogg’s limited edition All Together cereal and General Mills’ Lucky Charms with Frosted Flakes, did Kellogg’s choose to combine two familiar brands when consumers could easily buy two boxes and do the work themselves?

My theory is that Kellogg’s knows there are two kinds of cereal lovers in this world: 1) those who are too lazy, busy, and/or frugal to become cereal mashup engineers and 2) those who will be inspired to buy multiple boxes, searching for the ideal cereal combination. Either way, Kellogg’s drums up business, and I get my heart set on a bowl of Strawberry Rice Krispies with Special K Red Berries.

Conclusion:

Froot Loops and Frosted Flakes pair well in texture, although the Frooty taste dominates. If mixing cereals is your thing, Kellogg’s Mashups saves you time and money, but it seems uninspired compared to other (real or imagined) combinations.

Disclosure: I received a free sample of this product. Doing so did not influence my review in any way.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 9.8 oz. box

Purchased at: Received from Kellogg’s
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1 1/4 cup – cereal only) 160 calories, 0.5 grams of fat, 0 milligrams of cholesterol, 230 milligrams of sodium, 39 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

Scroll to Top