Please note: our JimJams spreads and Griddle pancake mix were received free of charge, but this in no way impacted on our opinion. We were not obliged to write a positive review, and the brand did not see this review before it was put up on the site.
What’s your approach to Pancake Day? Do you make your own pancakes or do you buy a mix of some kind? Do you prefer a thin, crêpe-style pancake, or thick and fluffy American-style? Do you stuff them or top them? Sweet or savoury fillings?
Me? I’ve been known to dish up a two-course affair for the evening meal on Shrove Tuesday: something ham, cheese and bechamel-based for the main, and a stack of pancakes with a selection of toppings on the table to choose from for dessert. That all stopped when I lost a significant amount of weight, and I started to make oat or banana-based pancakes instead to cut the calories.
If health is a consideration for you this Pancake Day, then a combination of JimJams spreads and Griddle pancake mix may just suit, with a chocolate spread-topped pancake coming in at just 111 calories when made following the instructions on the pack and with recommended serving sizes.
JimJams have recently launched two new vegan no added sugar chocolate spreads: their Dark Chocolate Orange variety and a Dark Chocolate Hazelnut option. Compared with the leading chocolate spread brand, they contain 83% less sugar (0.5g per teaspoon, compared with 3.2g per teaspoon), which means less guilt – especially when my three-year-old wants to get in on the action!
Instead of sugar, they contain maltitol, which they say is a “naturally sourced sugar that does not promote tooth decay”. And the Chocolate Orange variety, which I was sent to try, tastes great too. It’s super-creamy and smooth, and lovely and rich, which means that a little goes a long way. It reminds me of the flavour of a popular orange chocolate brand, while the regular no added sugar hazelnut spread (vegetarian, rather than vegan) is rich and nutty and neither is excessively sweet. They both spread really well as well – they’re not as thick as other brands, which makes them great for pancakes!
The Griddle chocolate chip pancake mix, meanwhile, is a wholemeal blend of wheat, rye and barley flour – which means they’re packed with fibre. The powdered mix itself is vegan, with instructions on the packet to make either vegan pancakes (using water or non-dairy milk), or non-vegan pancakes (using dairy or non-dairy milk and eggs).
And it couldn’t have been much easier: the toddler loved helping! The milk and eggs came together easily with the powder when whisked, and the batter was ready to cook in under five minutes. These were fluffy, American-style pancakes which rose nicely in the pan, with just a few minutes of cooking time needed on each side. They definitely tasted healthier than white flour alternatives, but the dark chocolate chips dotted throughout made them a little more decadent.
We sliced up some banana and stacked up the pancakes, layered with the fruit and the JimJams spreads – a tasty treat that tasted more calorific than it was!
The JimJams spreads are on special offer for £2 (rather than £2.60) throughout February, and are available from Sainsbury’s, Morrisons, Waitrose, Asda and Ocado – and they’ll soon be in Tesco too. Or buy from their online shop with the discount code JJ20, and you’ll enjoy a 20% discount.
Fancy trying the Griddle baking mixes? They’re £3.25 per pack (with bundles and hampers also available), and you can buy online here. And they’ve also got waffles coming soon…
By pintsbristol Posted in Reviews Tagged beer, Bristol, CAMRA, CAMRABristol, pubs, Real Ale, smallbar Any time Enterprise Inns announce we tried to find a buyer for the pub but no-one was interested , or Tesco say, we re just delighted to be able to offer local residents convenient shopping and bring 20 jobs to the area , just remember that they are saying this as they jointly kill off another irreplaceable piece of English heritage.