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Sometimes less is more with food and this salad is certainly testament to that. I’ve not really been feeling the salad vibe recently with the weather being so atrocious but whenever we have curry I always make this salad as an accompaniment . If you can make it in advance all the better to allow the flavours to mingle but I have to admit that I often just throw it together whilst cooking and enjoy any leftover the next day!

I was recently sent the new Oxo Little Salad & Herb Spinner  which has undergone a bit of a makeover. I have to say it was brilliant for spinning my coriander and is also big enough to spin enough lettuce to make an average sized green salad. The rubberised base makes it literally stick to the work surface and the plunger makes spinning simply effortless. The braking is now almost instantaneous and the re-design from sloped to straight sides means that it is more space efficient and easier to store. In fact the bowl is so smart if you’re pushed for space in your cupboards I would use the bowl to serve the salad in too.

The Good Oil company also sent me a sample of their Hemp Seed Oil recently and I have to say aside from all the wonderful health giving properties it has which you can read about on their web site, I really enjoyed the nutty, earthy flavour it imparted to the salad. Did you know that just 1 tablespoon gives you 94% of your daily recommended intake of Omega 3? In fact it has so many health benefits I’m surprised it’s not available on prescription! It’s not just for making salad dressings though and can be used in the same way as olive oil.

As this salad has coriander in it I am entering it into this month’s Herbs on Saturday which is run by Karen at Lavender & Lovage and being hosted by Anneli at Delicieux this month. I am also entering Made with Love Mondays hosted by Javelin Warrior’s Cookin w/Luv as this salad is made from scratch.

NB: I was sent the Oxo Small Herb & Salad Spinner and the Good Oil Hemp Seed Oil to use, all opinions are my own and no payment was received.

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When I was recently asked what I would like to review for Brabantia I immediately knew and suggested their new Portable Laundry Bag and an ironing table cover; they went one better though and offered me a their new Pink Santini Ironing Table!

Having owned a Brabantia ironing board for the last 20 years I was extremely impressed that it was only in the last 6 months that the cover started to fray and before you ask yes I do use it and there are four of us to iron for!

So what are the positives of the Brabantia Pink Santini Ironing Table?

• Well this ironing table is extra wide unlike my old one and is therefore marvellous for ironing large items and significantly speeds up the process. Stopping to re-arrange your ironing every few sweeps really is time consuming! So I’d say this ironing table is ideal for a family’s bulk ironing.
•  There is a transport lock which keeps the board folded shut for safety when not in use which my old board did not have.
•  The height is adjustable to 4 settings – 77 – 96cm so should cater for most people’s needs.
• The cover is 100% cotton with a resilient foam/viscose underlay so no risk of static.
•  The platform for the iron can hold up to 7kg so if you have a steam unit it’s ideal, I just have a normal steam iron but prefer a solid base to work with but the Pink Santini comes in a version with a steam iron holder with a hole in it too.
• Best of all the ironing table comes with a 10 year guarantee but if my last one is anything to go by it should last an awful lot longer!

Were there any negatives?

• I would say this ironing table is not be suitable for the elderly or anyone with back problems as it is heavier than a standard sized one.
• Personally I like to sit while I’m ironing and this table didn’t go quite as low as my old table (about 1” difference) but I’m probably on my own on that one! STOP PRESS: since writing this post, with a change of chair to a firm one I can iron comfortably sitting down so I’m happy again:-)

So what are the positives of the Brabantia Portable Laundry Bag?

• It comes in five colours to fit in with your home: Lipstick Red, Caribbean Blue, Pansy Purple, Lemon Yellow and Grey.
• A large capacity of 50 litres.
• Is easy to load up with washing through the wide magnetic hoops which fold over each other to form the opening.
• Once the bag is full just unfold the hoops and you have a carrying handle to transport your washing to the washing machine.
• The bag is so stylish that I would also use it in place of an ironing basket as it doesn’t make your room look like a Chinese laundry.
• The laundry bag is made of a woven man made material which feels really robust so shouldn’t rip or tear with normal use.
• The bag is supported by 2 wooden dowels inside so unlike my previous pop up style laundry bags this should last a lot longer as the wires always end up poking through and having to be binned!
• There is a 2 year guarantee but again I’m sure it will last longer.

What were the negatives:

• The only thing that irked me were the smiling models walking around with the Portable Laundry Bag on their shoulders. I tried this in the line of duty and believe me, you wouldn’t want to do that with any laundry in it as the wires are very unforgiving on your shoulder bone and I quickly removed it before doing any damage. I’ll put this down to a photographer who didn’t like the look of the models holding the bag but that really is the only way you would transport it!

So now I’ve told you what I think, how would you like to win your own Brabantia Pink Santini Ironing Table and Portable Laundry Bag? Brabantia have kindly offered this as a prize to my readers so all you have to do is tell me any laundry related tips you have! Share your ironing technique, stain removal tips etc so we can all learn.

For your chance to win simply fill in the Rafflecopter below.

How to enter:
Complete the Rafflecopter form below to confirm your entries made via blog comments, Twitter, etc.
This giveaway will close at midnight on 31/07/2013.
Please read the Terms and Conditions below.
Winners are announced on the Rafflecopter form after the prize has been claimed by the winner.
First timers: Please watch how Rafflecopter works (video)! It is 46 seconds long. It explains everything.
If no form is showing, hit refresh and it should appear.
Complete the form – or your entries will not go into the draw.
Mandatory entries need to be completed first – so leave a blog comment before you try and complete any of the other methods of entry.
Do you want more chances to win? Come back daily after tweeting about the giveaway and fill the form in again.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and conditions:
Only open to UK participants over the age of 18.
There is 1 prize of a Brabantia Pink Santini Ironing Table worth £94 and a Portable Laundry Bag worth £26.75 (choice of colour subject to availability). There’s no cash alternative and the prize is not transferable. No part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions.
Instructions form part of the terms and conditions. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will obviously be disqualified. The winner will be picked at random using software and then contacted by email. If you win and then don’t respond to this email within 7 days then another winner will be picked. The prize will be delivered to the winner as soon as possible after you have e-mailed your delivery address.

NB: Many thanks to Brabantia for giving me the Ironing Table and Portable Laundry Bag to review and give away. All opinions are my own and I was not paid for this post.

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It’s rhubarb season and after making the recipes that I posted last year and a failed attempt to make a crumble with cinnamon which got rather drowned in the stuff I decided it was time to strip everything right back. Hubby and I love rhubarb and I think sometimes the subtleties of it can get drowned in a heavy pudding. With this in mind I decided to poach the rhubarb with some orange juice and a little sugar and then serve it with some vanilla sweetened Greek yogurt and meringue. The sharpness of the rhubarb, the freshness of the yogurt and the sweet gooeyness of the meringue work really well together here – hubby said it was really nice!

The rhubarb is enough for 6 portions but as neither of my kids like rhubarb we ate this over 3 nights and on the last night just had the compote with semolina which was really nice too and I’m not big on semolina! In the past we’ve also had this compote with custard which is the classic combo of course and one of my favourites too.

Rhubarb compote is also great with semolina!

I am entering this dish into Credit Crunch Munch as I bought my rhubarb for half price as it is in season and abundant at the moment, used Greek style yogurt to save money plus I used up some meringue nests which had been in the cupboard for a while. This challenge is run by myself and Helen at Fuss Free Flavours and being hosted by Janice over at Farmersgirl Kitchen this month. I am also entering Ren Behan’s Simple and in Season challenge as Rhubarb are very much in season:-)

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I can’t actually remember the first recipe I ever made at home but if I was a betting person I think it would be Flapjacks from “Learnabout… Cooking” by Ladybird Books. This was my first ever cookery book and cost the princely sum of 24p. I’m sure I would have made the Jam Tarts and Shortbread from here too! I stumbled across this book in my daughters room the other day and suggested we should make something from it. Hence we gave the Flapjacks a tweak with some soft brown sugar and added a chocolate drizzle decoration as we are all chocoholics in this house. I’d never made my own piping bags before but decided that from experience, using the daub with a spoon method was not going to be pretty enough. Armed with my can do approach and a bit of logic the piping bags worked really well and I’d use this method again as they really took not time to put together and the effect they gave was fab.

They don’t make books like this any more!

We really enjoyed these flapjacks as unlike a recipe I have used in the past they are not brittle and have a nice chew to them which together with the chocolate topping is just a yummy fudgy combination

I’m entering my Chocolate Drizzled Flapacks into Credit Crunch Munch as oats are really cheap and I also used value chocolate which costs only 30p. This challenge run by myself and Helen at  Fuss Free Flavours and being hosted by Janice at Farmersgirl Kitchen this month. I am also entering the “Walk Through Memory Lane” event started by Gayathri’s Cookspot and being hosted this month by Nivedhanam as this recipe is vegetarian and a huge trip down memory lane. Finally I am entering Javeline Warriors Cookin w/luv Made with Love Mondays challenge as this recipe is made from scratch:-)

So here is what you do:

Oatilicious!

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I was recently invited by Sainsbury’s to share my Signature Dish as they are running a Kitchen Heroes competition where “by Sainsburys” staples come to the rescue. I am the world’s worst meal planner and although I can see 2 or 3 days ahead after that I just tend to wing it; thats when I fall back on recipes which rely on staples from my cupboards and a few fresh ingredients that I always seem to have lurking in the fridge. With this in mind I knew that it was time to showcase my Chilli, Bacon and Chickpea Pasta which I regularly make so you could say it was one of my signature dishes (does anyone just have one)? Everyone loves this dish in my house and over the years my daughter has learned to embrace the chilli flavour which when she was a lot smaller she used to complain about and leave it to go cold before she would eat it. I did hear once that if you eat something 20 times you will like it so persevere mums out there!

My “by Sainsbury’s” kitchen heroes to which I added a few storecupboard seasonings!

As this dish is made with inexpensive staples I am entering it into Credit Crunch Munch which is run my myself and Helen at Fuss Free Flavours and being hosted by Janice at Farmersgirl Kitchen this month. I am also entering this dish into Herbs on Saturday which is run by Karen at Lavender & Lovage and hosted this month by Anneli at Delicioux.

NB: I received a Sainsbury’s voucher for my ingredients and sharing my recipe.

Continue reading »]]> We don’t usually buy crisps and snacks for their nutrients or health benefits, we buy them to have as a treat so it’s great that Walkers have launched Baked Hoops and Crosses which are made with 56% wholegrain. As a mum I know the fried snacks and crisps that my son takes to school in his packed lunch are not providing him with anything remotely healthy! Hence I would be far happier for him to eat these new Hoops & Crosses and would feel less guilty about him having them with his lunch on a daily basis. A healthy balanced diet should contain wholegrain but apparently 27% of children don’t get any. We are very wholegrain conscious in our family and eat wholegrain breads, cereals and pasta because they are not only better for you and can help combat things like bowel cancer but they just taste better too.

There are no artificial colours or preservatives in these puffed corn snacks and they contain 30% less fat than your average bag of crisps. Walkers Hoops and Crosses are available in three flavours, Roast Beef, Prawn Cocktail and Salt & Vinegar and contain only 85 calories a pack.

So what did my family make of these new snacks. Well to start with I would say the portion size was good as some bags of crisps these days can leave you feeling a bit deflated once you see the tiny amount in the bag. I’m not a lover of beef flavoured snacks (which we were sent to try) but I must say they were very nice. They reminded me of Monster Munch from my childhood only much nicer as the you can taste the sweet nuttiness of the wholegrain and the flavour is not over the top or powdery like some snacks. The rest of the family enjoyed them too and would definitely eat them again. Shortly after trying them my 9 year old daughter said “I like those wholegrain thingies” praise indeed I think! If I had one moan it would be that is no Cheese and Onion variant but hey, maybe in time!

So if you want to feel less guilty about the snacks you give your kids why don’t you give Walkers Hoops & Crosses a try!

PS: Monty the Monkey didn’t arrive looking like that but received a makeover from my daughter on arrival and was very quickly re-named Molly.

NB: I was paid by Walkers for this post but as always my opinions are my own!

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The April Credit Crunch Munch Round-up is upon us and what a brilliant array of entries we’ve had yet again this month. The winner of the Oxo Stainless Steel Rotating Untensil Holder will be announced at the end and all UK entrants barring myself and Helen were entered into the draw

So without further a do lets see what everyone brought to the table!

First up was JibberJabber with her yummy Pork, Leek and Apple Casserole which came in at 59p a portion after a bargain pack of diced pork shoulder was found!

Janet at The Taste Space brought us this very tempting looking Cauliflower Dal with Panch Phoran that makes great use of red lentils which are really frugal and filling.

Michelle came up with these Mother Hubbard Savoury Muffins when she was running low on supplies and needed to feed her 3 hungry girls. Luckily you can adapt these to whatever you have in your fridge and they are very thrifty indeed!

Victoria over at Kick at the Pantry Door devised her Definitely Not Cornish Pasties as she is from Chesterfield and didn’t want any confusion! A very frugal and delicious way to stretch some beef and veggies I say!

Nigel Slaters Parfait of Orange and Lemon was on offer from Susan at  A Little Bit of Heaven on a Plate and she cunningly made use of 3 left over egg whites from her Hot Cross Bread & Butter Pudding (Nigel’s of course) to make the gooey meringes for this delicious dessert.

Chris from Cooking Around the World had a good store cupboard clear out when he made his innovative Tray Bake Plum Cake. Don’t we all just have a cake or two waiting to be made with over-looked ingredients in our cupboards, well done Chris!

Smoked Sausage and Leek Bake came to us from the lovely Mark aka Javelin Warrior’s Cookin w’Luv when he showcased this dish from Delicioux. A tasty dish that won’t break the bank, oh I’m hungry now!

Laura at How to Cook Good Food brought us her morish Honey Bites which we are honoured to have as they were even featured in The Guardian for Felicity Cloakes Reader’s Recipe Swap feature. A quick and tasty treat using up all those store cupboard staples that the kids can enjoy making and eating:-)

Mamacook introduced a new dish to Credit Crunch Munch in the form of Chicken & Pea Orzotto (Pearl Barley Risotto) and very frugal and delicious it looks too, using only 200g of chicken meat to feed 2 adults and a toddler!

Next on the menu is Helen’s (name rings a bell, only kiddling) High Fibre Spelt Pizza which is not only frugal and delicious but very healthy too as Spelt flour contains many more nutrients and is easier to digest than normal wheat flour. I’d much rather have this than a plastic take-away pizza any day of the week, money for old rope I say!

Annie from A Working Mum’s Cook Book made these absolutely divine Ham & Sweetcorn Mini-Quiches and at £2.50 for 36 of them I call that frugal. I think they wouldn’t look out of place at a drinks party and would also be fab for a picnic:-)

Spelt Banana Bread from Sophie Dahl was my first offering this month as it uses up 4 ripe bananas and makes a delicious loaf that lasts for days and is ideal for packed lunches or just a tea time treat! My cat quite like it too!

Cinnamon Apple Crisps were the healthy and thrifty snack on offer from Jacqueline over at Tinned Tomatoes and at 50 calories a serving they’re a real winner.

Caroline Makes had fun inventing these Caramel Rice Krispie Cakes making use of her storecupboard ingredients that needed using up.

Tavuklu Pilav & Labneih, that’s easy for Elizabeth from  Elizabeth’s Kitchen to say! With the help of a half price chicken, some homemade yogurt and bulk buying of rice and garlic, £4.50 made a huge meal for her family with left overs. Super frugal!

Slow Cooker Pork Creole was the second offering from Ness at  JibberJabber. Her second pack of reduced pork shoulder was teamed up with storecupboard, freeezer and fresh ingredients to make this tasty and thrifty family meal.

Fiona from London Un-attached made this delicious Fruited Spelt Loaf which I was very impressed with (and a little jealous) which used up all those odds and sods of dried fruit and nuts that we always have a glut of in our cupboards! She had to put the rest in her freezer for fear of breaking her diet so I just need to find out where she lives LOL!

A Quesidilla Quick Dinner was Kate from Turqouise Lemons contribution this month. A quick rummage around her fridge and cupboards paired with some home made Tortillas made for this ultra thrifty and tasty meal.

Pitta Pizza Toaster Pockets were the second offering from Caroline Bakes which turned a simple pitta into a pizza using those Toasta Bags that a lot of us have lying in a drawer. A fab and thrifty idea which I’m sure kids would particularly love!

This beautiful Rhubard Upside Down Cake winged it’s way over from Michelle at Utterly Scrummy and it looks just that! What could be more frugal than growing your own rhubarb, I’m very envious of Michelle’s green fingers.

This tasty Fridge Bottom Use It All Up Veggie Stir-Fry, economical on cost if not on words was the second entry from my ultra frugal cohort Helen. Eating healthily and frugally doesn’t have to be time consuming and Helen gets so elated when she manages to empty out her cartons and packets she belts out Queen’s “Another one bites the dust”. Sales of ear plugs in the area have soared recently:-)

Another tasty dish now in the form of Onion, Cider and Double Cheddar Soup from Laura at How to Cook Good Food, sound like a match made in heaven, especially to a cider fan like me. We often have a soup supper with some crusty bread and cheese so I can’t wait to try this super soup.

Now a sweet offering from Chocolate Log Blog, Apple, Orange Pudding with Ginger Chocolate Crunchy Oat Topping! (Catches breath). With a glut of peeled oranges after some Orange Liquor making and bowl full of apples that needed using up this lush sounding dessert was created bringing to mind the phrase waste not want not and you wouldn’t want for more after eating this yummy dish.

Corn Beef Hash was brought to us by Claire at Ninja Killer Cat and jolly delicious and frugal it is too. Unfortunately this meal was the direct result of Claire’s car having blown up and so rather than eat baked beans she came up with this dish instead, hope it’s all sorted now Claire!

If there was a prize for the most whacky cake name then I’m sure this second entry from Chris at Cooking Around the World would stand a good chance of winning: The Last Crusade – Arabian-styled Chocolate, Fig and Pistachio Cake. Chris used up a whole heap of ingredients from his cupboards so well done for not wasting any Chris.

Anneli over at Delicioux made this mouth watering Pot-au-Feu (Pot Roast) which looks so inviting and I love the fact that a dash of maple syrup and creme fraiche are added to the sauce – yum!

This tasty Mackeral, Bacon and New Potato Salad comes to us from Jacqueline over at How to be a Gourmand via Nigel Slater so with a pedigree like that you just know this is good. I like the use of the dill dressing and the zing from the cornichons in this salad:-)

Solange at Pebble Soup made these Turkey Rissoles which sound really tasty and super frugal too so I can’t wait to try them soon! In fact Solange says they are fantastic so that’s a definite:-)

Tanusree across the pond at Ma Niche re-created a lovely Eggless Strawberry Cake to which she added orange juice after she came across a glut of strawberries locally. Cooking strawberries is a great way of giving them extra “shelf-life” and saving them for a future date if you don’t want to eat them immediately!

These Apple & Banana Muscovado Cakes are making me feel so hungry right now. Caroline from Cake, Crumbs and Cooking made them when she wanted to use up a ripe banana and some apples that weren’t at their peak so top marks for money saving and a fab recipe to boot!

Virgin Bloody Mary Soup with Garlic Croutons was the first frugal offering from Vanesther over at Bangers & Mash. At just under 34p a serving this soup ticks all the Credit Crunch Munch boxes and there’s no compromise of flavour here!

Next up from Vanesther were her Spicy Bean Burgers which again came in at under 34p a serving and look so delicious and far healthier than red meat which we’re all supposed to cut down on!

This Roasted Mushroom & Pearl Barley Risotto looks so divine and yet it’s so frugal. Chez Foti made this after wanting to make one of Delicioux’s dishes but used up all her mussels before she could make it so improvised to make this instead – a very happy turn of events I think!

Jane at Onions and Paper made this lush Use-It-Up Pizza which uses pesto instead of tomato puree as well as lots of other ingredients which we all seem to have but don’t always get round to using, very thrifty indeed:-)

And we’re almost there as Megadarra with Roasted Brocolli was the third entry from Vanesther who I think has gone above and beyond the call of duty with her frugal cooking this month. At just under 40p a serving this dish is another tasty winner!

Finally, although I thought I’d entered my Spelt & Wholemeal No-Knead loaf onto the linky I forgot and only uploaded the linky so here is my fast, fabulous and frugal loaf which is so easy anyone could make it!

So those were the entries and I do hope you all go and pay a visit to some blogs that might be new to you. Now for the winner of the Oxo Stainless Steel Utensil Holder. My daughter has given the Lottery Pen a good shake and the number to come out is No 11 which is Annie at A Working Mum’s Cookbook for her Ham and Sweetcorn Mini-Quiches so do get in touch so that I can get your prize sent out to you:-)

This months May host is the lovely Janice over at Farmersgirl Kitchen so do go and enter the new Credit Crunch Munch challenge where there is another fab prize on offer – I won’t ruin the surprise!

Since contacting Annie she would like me to pass on the prize to another blogger as she already has the Utensil Holder, so after another shake of my lottery pen the number is 35 which is Vanesther for her Megadarra with Roasted Brocolli above:-)

Continue reading »]]> I’m pleased to bring you April’s Food News where I review new products and ones which are just new to me and probably you.

Steenbergs Organic

I was recently sent a box of spices and baking ingredients from Steenbergs Organic who are a family run company based in Yorkshire who also specialise in Fairtrade products. I’ll be honest my first reaction to the contents were “oh my goodness, how am I going to review these as I’ve never heard of half of them”. But after my initial panic and bit of research I calmed down and started being creative with my new spices. I’ve been adding Perfect Salt to chicken thighs, lemon & garlic which I’ve roasted, Southern Fried Chicken Seasoning to potato wedges, Malay Masala to a yogurt based marinade for chicken and Za’atar to an Za’atar & Olive Focaccia which I made. All my new dishes have gone down a treat with the family and it’s great to have some new flavours in the kitchen. I really want to thank Steenbergs for expanding my palate as my Anglo/Danish one had not ventured into Middle Eastern cuisine much. My daughter’s favourite snack after school is now some pitta, homous (or olive oil) and a sprinkling of Za’atar. I even had some leftover pastry the other day to which I slathered on some olive oil, sprinkled on Za’atar and then cut into bit sized squares and baked for 8 minutes in a hot oven. I think we all get stuck in a rut in the kitchen sometimes and maybe we should just buy some ingredients that we’ve never used before and just see where they take us.

I’ve yet to try the Dukah, Happy Hippy Flower Salt, Apple Pie Mix, Rose Water and Lemon Extract but I’m sure it won’t be long until I do.

For details on prices, stockists or ordering head over to Steenbergs Organic.

Divine Chocolate Bars

Although not new the 70% Dark Chocolate with Ginger & Orange and 70% Dark Chocolate with Raspberries bars are new to the Co-op this month. I love the rich dark tobacco flavour of the ginger and orange bar where the rich and spicy aroma translates to the tongue beautifully leaving you with little pieces of gooey yumminess after the chocolate has gone. This is not a bar of chocolate to be hurried but savoured and enjoyed over time. Indeed the flavour lingers on in a very satisfying way unlike other chocolates where before you know it you’ve polished off a whole bar. Equally the Dark Chocolate with Raspberries bar carries an almost floral heady aroma and has an intense raspberry flavour as the whole bar is packed with pieces of raspberry which my children particularly liked, I was keener on the Ginger & Orange variant though, but it’s all down to personal taste at the end of the day.

Divine have also launched a new bar of 38% Milk Chocolate with Toffee and Sea Salt which is being launched in Waitrose and to be honest I was drooling just reading about this new flavour. It certainly lived up to my expectations and more. The milk chocolate is intensely rich and creamy and then the crunchy shards of salt and toffee play in unison on your tongue like a resplendent duet complimenting each other beautifully. This is a chocolate bar that you need to sit down to enjoy as you literally feel a wave of euphoria sweep over you as you eat itJ Again you don’t need to eat lots of it at once as the flavours linger with you long after the chocolate has gone!

Divine is a 100% Fairtrade company which is 45% owned by the farmers of Kuapa Kokoo in Ghana. The 100g bars retail at £1.99.

Hampstead Teas

The Hampstead Tea & Coffee company have recently launched a range of Organic Iced Teas in Elderflower, Lemon Green and Raspberry flavours. I was a bit nervous about trying these teas as I have never been a drinker of iced tea and my only experience to date was the Liptons variety of many moons ago. I was sent the Elderflower and Lemon Green varieties to try and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. The Elderflower was subtle, slightly sweet and very refreshing and the lemon green had a slightly stronger taste but again had just the right balance of flavour. I think these teas are great as they are low in calories, full of antioxidants, contain no preservatives or flavourings and are also Fairtrade. So many people reach for a diet fizzy drink these days which are pumped full of artificial chemicals and the carbon dioxide depletes the calcium in your bones. I’d much rather have a drink like this on a sunny day as it doesn’t damage you and actually has some health benefits!

Hampstead Teas are available in Tesco and independent retailers for £1.49.

Wharfe Valley Farms Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Rapeseed Oils

I’ve been aware of Cold Pressed Extra Virgin Rapeseed Oil and it’s benefits for a while so was very pleased to receive some flavoured oils from Wharf Valley Farms who are based in Yorkshire. Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil has so many benefits over its nearest rival Olive Oil. The fact that it is stable at 220°C and doesn’t burn or break down into something toxic when over-heated is my personal favourite reason for using it. How many times have you put some oil in a pan, been distracted and the next thing you know there’s an acrid smell because you’ve burnt it and you have to start all over again. Then there are the health benefits as it contains the lowest amount  of saturated fat of any oil – less than half that of Olive Oil, it’s a good source of Vitamin E, is high in monounsaturated fats and unlike its American cousin where it’s known as Canola is totally GM free.

I was sent the Oak Smoked, Red Chilli, Sicilian Lemon and Garlic & Rosemary Rapeseed oils to try. So far I have made some delicious Garlic and Rosemary Potato Wedges and some really healthy Red Chilli flavoured popcorn by substituting the plain oil for this flavoured one and a tiny amount of salt. The Oak Smoked variant is apparently good for marinating meat for the BBQ and the Sicilian Lemon perfect for marinating fish.

You can find Wharfe Valley Farms products in farm shops, delis and on the web site. A gift pack of 3 flavoured oils retails at £8 and they also come in 250ml bottles for £4.50 each or 500mls for £7.

Old School Thai Curry Pastes

Thai Chef Brett Cowie has created fresh Thai Curry Pastes to his grandmothers recipe. So far we  have tried the Green Thai Curry Paste in a chicken curry and the difference to a jar off the shelf was astounding. My husband said the flavour was really “authentic” and “grown up”. There was a real kick from the chillies in the paste and my Thai Green Chicken Curry was far livelier than usual and made my previous ones using a jar seems quite drab in comparison. There is also a Red Curry Paste which I’m sure is equally punchy and I have yet to try. The curry pastes are sold in sachets (enough for 2 curries) which stay fresh for 3 weeks in your fridge (once opened)  and any left over can be frozen.

Brett has lots of recipes and ideas for using his curry pastes which definitely look appealing. He says “The vibrancy of all the herbs and spices in the paste will add an extra dimension to your favourites dishes such as stews, pies, baked and poached fish, pasta sauces, meatballs, chilli con carne, burgers, barbeques, soups, and quiches.”

Old School Thai Curry Pastes retail at £3.90 each, check out the web site for stockists or order on-line.

Amoy Special Selection Soy Sauce

 Amoy have brought out their Special Selection Soy Sauce which is made with “the finest extracts of soya beans and blended with sea salt”. I am used to the original Amoy Soy Sauce so compared to that this Special one had a richer flavour and my husband said reminded him of Soy Sauce from his childhood. I also noticed that the salt content was slightly higher than the original version and you could definitely taste the sea salt. For a real treat though I still prefer Japanese soy sauce which is brewed for longer and doesn’t contain any sugar or preservatives.

Heinz Tomato Ketchup blended with Sweet Chilli

Heinz have just launched Tomato Ketchup blended with Sweet Chilli as a limited edition and I have to say I really like it. My husband and son also like it but my 9 year old daughter who doesn’t like spicy foods doesn’t! I could quite happily eat this instead of standard ketchup as it is just that bit livelier on the taste buds. I tried it with fish and chips but can imagine it being a great addition to burgers, steak and chicken too. I also like the fact that it comes in a traditional bottle which is aesthetically more pleasing and reminds me of being a kid!

Retails at £1.59 for a 342g bottle so it won’t break the bank either.

All opinions are my own and I have not been paid by any of the above companies but recieved samples for the purpose of reviewing. If your brand would like to be featured in the next Food News do get in contact.

Continue reading »]]> With summer just around the corner how would you like to win a mixed case of 12 Belvoir Fruit Farms Cordials and Pressés and a Sophie Conran Gardener’s Journal and Enamel Mug? Well that’s just what the lovely people at Belvoir have offered in this fabulous giveaway. I’ll let Belvoir tell you a bit about themselves and their products to whet your appetitie first!

If you’re looking for a drink that speaks of warm sunny days in the garden, then check out Belvoir Fruit Farms’ new range of delicious cordials and pressés which are bursting with the fresh taste of ripe summer fruits and delicate scented rose petals. Just one sip and your taste buds will be whisked away to a secret haven on a beautiful summer’s day. Like all Belvoir products, the five new varieties are made using only the finest, freshest ingredients with no artificial flavours, sweeteners or preservatives.

Blueberry & Blackcurrant Cordial 50cl

The crisp juice of ripe blackcurrants blends with the pressed juices of real blueberries resulting in a deliciously balanced richly fruity blend that’s great for children and adults.  Better than that, not only does this cordial taste fantastic but both blueberry and blackcurrant juices are known for being high in anthocyanins which promote health.

Rhubarb & Strawberry Cordial 50cl

This cordial contains masses of real pressed English rhubarb juice and pressed whole strawberries – a distinctly classic English combination.  The sharp crispness of the rhubarb blends brilliantly to lighten the heady summer scented sweetness of the strawberries to give a delightful aromatic cordial.  Simply delicious served with sparkling or still water and guaranteed to quench your thirst.

Cranberry & Raspberry Pressé 75cl

The dry, crisp taste of cranberry juice is lifted by the fresh fruity taste of real raspberry juice to make a delightful blend with a crisp yet sweet fruity taste.  An instant refresher for when you’ve been busy in the garden.

Elderflower & Rose Pressé 75cl

The delicate scented taste of elderflower blends deliciously with the heady floral taste of rose petals. This pretty pink, lightly sparkling drink smells and tastes divine, blending to perfection the evocative aromas of two classically English flowers.

Cherry Pressé 25cl

Made from masses of real pressed Morello cherry juice this delicious distinctive crisp cherry tasting sparkling drink is a sophisticated twist on a childhood classic.  Ideal served chilled on its own for a fruity refresher or mixed with vodka for a stunning cocktail.

So go on, give yourself a lift and try Belvoir’s delicious homage to an English Country Garden – a scene of thatched cottages covered in roses, white picket fences, cherry orchards and bees busy in the flowerbeds and strawberry patch while you doze in a deckchair!

The Belvoir Fruit Farms range comprises 16 cordial varieties, 15 pressés, 2 fruit punches and 4 still drinks including organic and non organic. All are still hand produced on the family farm in Lincolnshire and are available from leading supermarkets, delicatessens, food halls, farm shops or via the website www.belvoirfruitfarms.co.uk. Prices start from £3.00 upwards on cordials, £2.15 upwards on 75cl pressés, £1.75 upwards on 25cl pressés and £1.65 upwards for Belvoir Stills. (Taken from press release).

So for your chance to win all you have to do is enter the rafflecopter below and tell me what your favourite summer fruit drink is! For more chances to win you could also pop over to see the lovely Helen at  Fuss Free Flavours who is also running this competition.

How to enter:
Complete the Rafflecopter form below to confirm your entries made via blog comments, Twitter, etc.
This giveaway will close at 12am on 30/06/2013.
Please read the Terms and Conditions below.
Winners are announced on the Rafflecopter form after the prize has been claimed by the winner.
First timers: Please watch how Rafflecopter works (video)! It is 46 seconds long. It explains everything.
If no form is showing, hit refresh and it should appear.
Complete the form – or your entries will not go into the draw.
Mandatory entries need to be completed first – so leave a blog comment before you try and complete any of the other methods of entry.
Do you want more chances to win? Come back daily after tweeting about the giveaway and fill the form in again.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and conditions:
Only open to UK residents over the age of 18.
There is 1 prize of 12 assorted bottles of Belvoir Fruit Farms cordials and pressés, a Sophie Conran Gardener’s Journal and Enamel Mug  worth £63. There’s no cash alternative and the prize is not transferable. No part or parts of the prize may be substituted for other benefits, items or additions.
Instructions form part of the terms and conditions. Entries using any software or automated process to make bulk entries will obviously be disqualified. The winner will be picked at random using software and then contacted by email. If you win and then don’t respond to this email within 3 days then another winner will be picked. The prize will be delivered to the winner as soon as possible after the winner has responded.
I am running this giveaway on behalf of Belvoir Fruit Farms who will be responsible for sending the prize to you if you win. Their decision is final and binding and no correspondence will be entered into.
Please don’t say you have followed me on Twitter and Tweeted if you haven’t as I will check and fairness is my middle name!

NB: All the views in this post are my own and I have not received any payment from Belvoir Fruit Farms but have received the same prize.

Continue reading »]]> In honour of National Bread Week I am posting Focoaccia which I have been meaning to make ever since I saw Paul Hollywood making some on the Alan Tichmarsh show a couple of years ago! I was recently sent a box of goodies from Steenbergs one of which was za’atar (which is popular in Syria and Lebanon). I had never come across this before (or some of the other products) so mild panic did set in as I felt like I’d opened up a box of sheet music and been asked to play a medley when I’m note blind! Anyway after a quick look at Wikipedia, a trip to the library and a snoop in a book shop I decided to make the first thing that had already come into my head which was Focaccia. Indeed Paul Hollywoods latest book had some kind of flat bread covered in za’atar so I felt I was barking up the right tree! My daughter loves olives so we decided that these should also be included and I based my recipe on the one featured here for National Bread Week. I have to say that we had this with my Glenda’s Winter Lentil Soup and we ate the whole loaf  between the 4 us – it was a big hit and I will be making this again!

My daughter has now become a za’atar fan and comes in from school asking for some pitta, houmous (or olive oil) and za’atar. The Steenbergs version contains thyme, oregano, marjoram and parsley together with sumac, toasted sesame seeds and salt.

I used my small Mermaid baking sheet which was just the right size for making Focaccia and because it’s made of hard anodised aluminium there is no bending or warping in the oven which you get with cheaper quality baking sheets. The heat distribution is also second to none!

I am entering my Focaccia into Javelin Warriors Cookin w Luv “Made with Love Monday” challenge as it is made from scratch, plus Karen’s Herbs on Saturday challenge as it uses Za’atar.

Here’s a pictorial step-by-step guide:

Serve with some olive oil for dipping!