Be prepared to get lots of goodies in this post! I will review clean eating (and low-carb) products, throw a giveaway, and last but not least, provide you with an easy and scrumptious recipe for a perfect, savory (and fatty!) 3-ingredient low-carb spread! So, if you are into fat bombs, the spread is a wonderful “fat bomb” spread, tailored to fit with one of the reviewed products. Read on to find out which product and to get the recipe!
UPDATE: The giveaway is over and the lucky winner is Denise Leitermann. Congrats!
A while ago, I was contacted by a Swedish company that sells products for clean eating. They mainly target their products to the US and Canadian markets. That is very understandable; the market here in the Northern Europe is small and restricted. Even the LCHF movement is profound in Sweden; other Nordic countries lag badly behind. Here, in Finland, things are not any better. The officials are still denying the benefits of low-carb diets and touting nonsense about benefits of vegetable oils and whole grains (especially rapeseed oil and rye bread, ugh, how do you dare to make people sick with your flawed recommendations!).
I got a Finnish book published a while ago, related to ketosis and ketogenic eating. I translated my cookbook (here in Kindle format) in Finnish and added my story of how I healed myself with ketogenic diet, the basics of the diet, and why it helps relieve many diseases and symptoms. Those who can cope with Finnish language can get the book here.
But back to the Swedish company, KZ Clean Eating, that asked me to try their products. I was thrilled, as most of the ready low-carb products in the market are full of artificial crap and other questionable ingredients. For example Atkins products are so unnatural that I wouldn’t touch those, even with a ten-foot pole. So, my expectations were not too high, but I was very curious to see what KZ Clean Eating is offering.
After some two weeks, I received my parcel and opened it enthusiastically. I was surprised by the neat and well-thought packaging of the products — a clear sign of high quality. Below is a photo of all the goodies inside the box. Looks great, doesn’t it!
There were a few different types of crisp bread and crackers (knäckebröd and knäckekex), white chocolate, milk chocolate with salted caramel, two bags of gluten-free low-carb müsli, and Nougatcreme, which is a Nutella-type chocolatey spread. So mouth-watering! You can get these products, too, if you live in the US or in Canada. Amazon.com sells them (however now, during the summer months, they don’t carry chocolate products).
The packages were stylish and a further look revealed they indeed contained clean, natural ingredients, which are also an essential part of my daily diet. Well, the knäckebröd contained wheat bran, so it was for my husband, as I cannot eat gluten, but the two knäckekex products contained nothing with gluten. (How I love to write “knäckebröd” and those “ä” and “ö” letters easily with my Finnish keyboard! Did you know Sweden is a neighbor country of Finland, and Swedish is the second official language of Finland besides Finnish! Jättekul! (Except, unfortunately, I have forgotten much of Swedish as I need not use it daily… sorry neighbors… Most of my communication is in English, Finnish, and German, thanks to my German husband and my 5-year-old son who speaks better German than I do!).
But here is a photo of a stylish knäckebröd package! (It’s double Swedish — the wrapping paper on which the open knäckekex box is lying is from Ikea, another winning Swedish company.)
I made some bread experiments based on my Simple and Fluffy Gluten-Free Low-Carb Bread (which by the way turned out fantastic! I’m going to give you the recipe at some point) and spread some Nougatcreme spread on top of one slice. Oh wow, the taste was heavenly! That Nougatcreme has a velvety consistency, actually smoother and softer than Nutella. The taste is sweet and chocolatey, not as hazelnut as like Nutella, but you clearly taste hazelnut there. If you are used to the taste of erythritol, I bet you will have no problems with it in this product. A small minus comes from sunflower oil and rapeseed oil, which are among the used ingredients. As an occasional treat (which this spread should be anyway) I consider it quite okay, especially if you take care that you’ll get enough Omega 3 fats, as sunflower oil and rapeseed oil contain pretty much Omega 6 fats. Therefore, from one to five stars, I would give the Nougatcreme three stars ***.
Here is the spread and the improved version of fluffy and tasty low-carb bread. Looks pretty scrumptious, doesn’t it?
The box also had grain-free, gluten-free müsli (breakfast cereal), which is wonderfully low in carbs. It contains different nuts and seeds, erythritol as sweetener, and cinnamon and vanilla powder as seasonings. In addition, it has cold-pressed coconut oil. Perfect ingredients, I would say! Also, the taste is amazing, slightly sweet, but not overtly sweet — if you eat müsli in the morning, like many people do, you don’t want to numb your taste buds with too much sugary stuff. So, this clean eating low-carb müsli just became my absolute favorite, five stars *****! I ate the müsli with unsweetened almond milk, photo below:
Next, I tried the two chocolate bars, white chocolate and salted caramel milk chocolate. They both are sweetened with xylitol, so they are quite low in carbs and tooth-friendly. First, I took a bite of the salted caramel milk chocolate bar. I liked the crunchy caramel that accompanied the sweet chocolate. Actually, for my taste, the chocolate was slightly too sweet, which is not really a bad thing. One (or even half) piece satisfies your sweet tooth, and there is no danger you would devour the whole bar at once! I was pondering whether to give four stars because of the excess sweetness, but because it doesn’t matter in the end, I have to give full five stars *****, that chocolate is a perfect combination of salty and sweet flavor and crunchy and smooth texture.
The white chocolate wasn’t as sweet as the milk chocolate. I liked it very much, I mean VERY much. Even though it was sweetened with only xylitol, I couldn’t observe any “cooling” aftertaste, which xylitol usually has. I couldn’t really say the chocolate would be sweetened with any sweetener; it tasted so natural. Bourbon vanilla gave a lovely taste of genuine vanilla. Fantastic product, five stars *****!
Look at the stylish and scrumptious-looking chocolate bars below:
Now, there were two variations of knäckekex left to review (that knäckebröd with wheat bran I had given to my husband). The first one, tomato and onion, tasted somewhat, hmm, burned and I felt some dryness, especially in my throat. But I bet, with a tasty spread or dip, this tomato and onion knäckekex would be fine. But alone, I would give it four stars ****.
The second knäckekex, parmesan variation, waited to be opened. The ingredients were water, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, Parmesan cheese, flax seeds, coconut oil, pumpkin seeds, psyllium husk powder, fiber from potato, and salt. All great ingredients — and suitable for vegans as well — except a small minus from the flax seed. I know many people who cannot eat flax seeds because of gastrointestinal or hormonal reasons. (Chia seeds would be much healthier.)
Potato fiber is quite widely used in Nordic countries for LCHF (low-carb high-fat) baking. They sell it here, named “Pofiber” (for some reason, that word is entertaining for my German husband…). I have also used potato fiber in baking; it’s relatively coarse and suits certain types of breads and cakes.
But, now it was time to open the knäckekex box and get familiar with the contents. Looks good!
Thin and crispy, holds together well, yet easy to break into pieces.
And the best part: it tastes amazing! My new favorite! Also, my son loves it, though I have to heavily regulate the amount he is eating because of the flax seeds, which contain phytoestrogens. (Read more about problems with flax here.) Usually, I bake knäckebröd (or “näkkileipä”, as we Finns call it, you can imagine where the word originates from…) for him and instead of flax, I use chia seeds. In any case, I give full five stars ***** to this Parmesan knäckekex!
Now, you must be eagerly waiting for the recipe. And you might guess it has something to do with this Parmesan-flavored knäckekex. You are right! Below is a recipe for an easy 3-ingredient ketogenic smoked salmon spread, which is a perfect match with this knäckekex, though you can naturally have it on any low-carb crisp bread or cracker (this is also a wonderful recipe for a grain-free “whole grain” cracker).
Here, in the Nordic countries, we eat plenty of salmon, hot-smoked, cold-smoked, baked, and in soups. Salmon is also great when grilled! Wild-caught salmon is the best, as farm-raised salmon is not that healthy and farming threatens the whole ecosystem, for example in Canada. Even the wild-caught salmon is somewhat expensive, it’s worth tasting, at least once in your lifetime!
But here is the easy cold-smoked salmon spread recipe. Just mix all ingredients together, let the flavors mingle for a couple of hours and enjoy!
Smoked Salmon Spread Recipe
Ingredients
- 8 oz = 230 g cold-smoked wild salmon (lox or Nova style)
- 1.5 oz = 45 g red onion (1/4 of large red onion)
- 4 tablespoons homemade olive-oil based mayonnaise
- unrefined sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Chop the salmon and the red onion into tiny pieces. Place in a small bowl.
- Add the mayonnaise and mix with spoon until well mixed.
- Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Place in an airtight container and refrigerate for a couple of hours to let the flavors mingle.
- Enjoy!
| Nutrition information | Protein | Fat | Net carbs | kcal |
| In total: | 38.7 g | 67.5 g | 2.3 g | 785 kcal |
| Per serving if 4 servings in total: | 9.7 g | 16.9 g | 0.6 g | 196 kcal |
| Per serving if 6 servings in total: | 6.5 g | 11.2 g | 0.4 g | 131 kcal |
Giveaway
And finally, it’s time for the giveaway! Just comment below (and like KZ Clean Eating Facebook page!) if you want to win a box full of delicious KZ Clean Eating products worth $93! (This giveaway is only for US and Canadian citizens, but if you live outside US or Canada, don’t hesitate to participate. I will find a comparable prize, considering the winner is not from the US or from Canada).
The winner will be drawn on Sunday 10th of July and I will contact the winner personally. Good luck!!
Comment below to win!
I am Swedish but live in the United States. LCHF has been my nutritional mode for many years and I’m always interested in finding new websites and bloggers on the subject. Was delighted to find your blog today and the mention of this company. It is the first time I hear about this company. It surprised me as I am in contact with the LCHF community in Sweden both as a long-time member of KiF (Kolhydrater i Fokus) and also with several LCHF authors because I have translated their books on low-carb high-fat cooking and baking for the American market. – I’m also curious why you won’t eat flax and why you mentioned gluten as the reason. There is no gluten in flax so it shouldn’t cause a problem if you’re following a gluten-free diet. And, to round this up … do you know when the chocolates will be back on Amazon? I checked but I only found the crackers for sale.
Gun Penhoat, Ada, MI, USA
Sorry! I meant wheat bran, not flax! (I fixed it.) Thanks for noticing! Phytoestrogens is the reason why I don’t eat flax, there is more about that later in the post. But great to hear that you found the post useful and also the company worth checking!
Unfortunately I cannot say when the chocolate is back on Amazon, there are not too many KZ Clean Eating products currently, which is a pity!
These look fantastic! I’d love to try them!
Nothing beats healthy AND delicious!! Would love to try these products; they looks amazingly yummy. I’ve liked the Facebook page as well!
Thanks, Tyneisha! Good luck with the giveaway! I will draw the winner soon…
The sugar free white chocolate vanilla bars on their FB page look sooooo good!
They are the best sugar-free (non-maltitol-sweetened) white chocolate I’ve ever tasted! Often sugar-free white chocolate is sweetened with maltitol, but these are sweetened with xylitol which is much friendlier for blood sugar levels and teeth!
Oh my gosh, those chocolate snacks look delicious. I have a real sweet tooth, so I’m always looking for snacks that are not too bad for the health.
Yes, they are delicious! I love the fact that they are tooth-friendly as well. Hope you can try out some 🙂
I would love to try some of these amazing products! I liked their page on Facebook as Dandi Daffyhill.
Hi Dandi, thanks for liking their Facebook page and good luck with the giveaway!
What a great giveaway. Thanks for introducing us to this.
Hi Linda, you’re welcome! Good luck with the giveaway!
I would love to try the products.
Thanks, Manda, and good luck with the giveaway!
Thank you for the offer! I’m fairly new to your site and these products look amazing! I’m going to the Facebook page right after this and check out Amazon as well. I LOVE good salmon and love new recipes to try.
Thanks again!
Robin
Thanks, Robin! It’s difficult to find commercial low-carb products that suit clean eating, but these are fantastic! Good luck with the giveaway!
I just came back from Sweden and it’s the most beautiful place ever! We dined in the oldest cellar in the world! Fingers crossed for the giveaway to relive those Swedish moments.
Yes, Sweden is really beautiful place, so are all Nordic countries 🙂 Wish you luck with the giveaway!
Oh my goodness! Those crackers, spreads, and chocolate look fantastic! How wonderful to find clean low carb foods that are manufactured. Its so difficult to find.
Thanks so much for sharing news of this company.
Blessings!
Kim
They are really good-quality products and taste great as well 🙂 I was also happy to find products for clean low-carb eating, those products are indeed really difficult to find.
I always love trying new products. It’s nice to have an alternative if I don’t have time to prepare from scratch. Thank you for your review!
You’re welcome, Denise! Good luck with the giveaway 🙂
Thank you for the information — especially regarding the low carb chocolates!
You’re welcome! Those chocolates are really good!
Hi, I am an insulin dependent diabetic. Have been low carb/keto for 4 years now. Have not gained or lost weight. go figure. But on the plus side I do not take as much insulin now. Some days none. That is why I started low carb to get off insulin and other meds. BP is still quite high so not off those yet. Would love to try these products before I buy. Have wasted alot of money over the years on low carb products that are awful. Fingers crossed I get to try before I buy. Love your blog and recipes. Never stop them coming. Enjoy the summer.
Thank you for your comment, Kelley! You are right, there are inferior low-carb products on the market, but these are among the best ones I’ve tried. I wish you luck with the giveaway!
I am always looking for low carb snacks so I would love to try these!
I have got to try some of your recipes. They look wonderful. I would love to win to get me started on my new eating experience.
Thanks, Ruth! Hope you like my recipes 🙂 Good luck with the giveaway!
Thanks for offering this giveaway. Good to know that I can purchase online!
I would love to try these products! Glad to know they are available via Amazon!
They are worth trying, I love the healthy and clean ingredients, and the taste is also great!
I can’t wait to try the salmon spread recipe. I love salmon – I bet it will taste great on my LCHF bagels I make.
Salmon is great! -And healthy too!
Mä haluan voittaa. Tosi herkullista.
Kiitos osallistumisesta! Katsotaan miten voin järjestää sulle tuotteet, jos voitat 🙂
Oh my goodness! I scrolled thru the KZ site and am now salivating to beat the band and starving. Look forward to sending for some of the products showcased there but would be even better if I could snatch this give-away! Thanks for your great recipes and enthusiasm.
Thanks, Julia! Good luck with the giveaway!
Much gratitude for your blog, recipes and reviews. It is difficult to know all the ins and outs of good eating. Since being on a Keto diet, I have finally started to lose weight after a huge lifelong struggle. Your reviews and recipes have helped me immensely. I am already a FB fan. Thanks again. I will definitely try out these new products from KZ.
Thank you for your comment, Katie! So great to hear that you have finally found help from the ketogenic diet.
Hi Elviira! Awesome giveaway! I noticed these products a couple of months ago. I follow them on Instagram. Because they don’t sell in Europe I gave a respond on a photo that is was too bad that they don’t sell outside the US / Canada. They told me to get in contact with them. Their response was that I need to buy over 3000sek before they wan’t to ship anything 🙁 Too Bad, I was very interested in these products.
Hi Sjanette and thanks for your comment! Yes, it’s a pity that so many great products are not sold here in Europe… I also heard these products are sold in Sweden, but you really have to buy that much before they ship anything! I guess 3000 SEK is some 320 EUR. Maybe they start selling them in Europe at some point… There are online stores like LCW-shop in Germany where I often order stuff (5 kg package of erythritol, for example…)
I’m waiting for my order from http://www.l-carb-shop.de/index.php/ . Ordered here for the first time. We will see 😉
Just took a look at the LCW-shop. Looking GOOD!!! Thank you for telling!!
You’re welcome 🙂 It’s my go-to store for lchf products nowadays.
Didn’t know that store before, thanks for telling! I might order macadamia flour, you don’t really find macadamias (at least fresh ones!) here in Finland. I would like to try out macadamia flour in baking. Must be delicious! For that store the sending costs are quite high but have to order a smaller parcel first… Would be great to hear your experience how you like their products once you get them 🙂
I will came back to you when I tried the some of the products 😉 Have a nice day!
Perfect, thanks! Have a great day 🙂
I just liked your FB page… you have some awesome recipes. I can’t wait to try the salmon spread…kind of like salmon salad on a cracker! Yum! I would love to win these products, they look so good!
Thank you! Good luck with the giveaway!
I meant I liked the KZ Clean Eating FB page, forgot to say that! I was already a “Liker” of your FB page!
Lol! Thank you for both likes 🙂
Ah, I tried their granola when I lived in Canada! I absolutely loved it! Not too sweet, and super filling! They also sell it in Sweden, I might have to hit up my swedish friends to send me some, haha!
…unless you win the giveaway and get some granola!