Showing posts with label product reviews. Show all posts
Showing posts with label product reviews. Show all posts
About 20 years ago now, I met a lovely lady named Jacquie. It was when I was being taught by the Missionaries of the church I belong to. She and her husband Tom used to come with them on occasion when they were teaching me, and actually we became pretty good friends through the process. I love Jacquie and her husband. They are pretty wonderful people. I don't know what I would have done without their love and support during my first year in the church. They really took me under their wings when my life fell apart and did everything they could to help me. I will always appreciate the love and the care that they gave to me.
Jacquie was an Iridologist, Herbalist and Reflexoligist. Her house always smelled so wonderful, all herby and delicious. She gave the best foot massages and she could tell what was ailing you just from looking into your eyes. She also made the most amazing Tofu Burgers. I used to love being invited over to hers when she was making them for dinner. At first I didn't know what to think when she said she was having Tofu Burgers, but with one taste I was hooked. Ab fab, as they say!!
I was recently asked by the people at Tofuture if I would like to try out their Tofu Press. I immediately thought of Jacquie and her Tofu Burgers. How could I say no!
Tofu is one of the most versatile, healthy and delicious foods around, but to get the most out of it, you really need to press it. The unique and stylish Tofuture Tofu Press removes the water from unpressed tofu simply and effectively. The gradual nature of pressing will give your unpressed tofu the perfect texture and consistency enabling it to absorb gorgeous marinades or the beautiful flavours of the dish you are preparing.
It consists of three pieces. A white base. A green inner tub with a perforated bottom which allows for the water to drain out, and a lid which acts as a press. It has really strong elastic bands which clip down beneath those little white bits you see sticking out on the base, to hold it on and press down on the tofu, with three different levels of pressure.
Its very easy to use and comes with very clear instructions on how to use it.
Here you see my package of Tofu and the Tofu Press.
Remove the tofu from the packaging, draining off and disposing of any liquid. Place the block into the inner tub with the perforations and place that tub into the base.
Clip on the lid, by pulling the elastic bands down around the hooks and push the handles down to impart a continuous pressure on the tofu.
Now leave the press in the fridge for the desired amount of time, you don’t need to return to the press to increase the pressure half-way through the pressing time. The longer you leave the tofu, the better it will be pressed.
We recommend the following guideline pressing times depending on what you are making.
Short press, 15-30 mins – for ‘cheese’ sauce, ‘chocolate’ mousse or ‘cheese’cake
Medium press, 1-2 hours – for pasties, quiches and pies
Long press, 4 hours to overnight – for stir-fries, kebabs and baked tofu
I used a medium press for these burgers.
*Jacquie's Tofu Burgers*
Makes 10 servings
This delicious recipe comes from my longstanding friend Jacquie. I have enjoyed many of these in her home. They are fabulous!
1 pound tofu (firm)
160g quick oats (2 cups)
4 spring onions chopped
1 TBS each tomato ketchup, mustard, and Bragg's All Purpose Seasoning (can use Soy Sauce)
1/2 tsp garlic granules
1 tsp oregano flakes
salt and black pepper to taste
Oil for frying
Crumble
the tofu into a bowl, along with some of the water from the pressing
(only as needed to give you the right consistency). Add the oats and
stir well together. Mix together the onions, garlic granules, oregano,
seasoning and the ketchup, mustard and Braggs. Mix this into the
tofu/oat mixture until well combined. Have ready a large sheet of plastic
cling film. Dump onto the cling film and form a log. Roll the cling
film around the log, twisting at either ends like a Christmas cracker.
Tuck the ends underneath. Place in the refrigerator and let chill
overnight.
When you are ready to cook, slice off as many burgers as you are wanting, about 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.
The press is compact and easy to store. The outer tub can also be used as a bowl for marinating your pressed tofu. To find out more about this nifty piece of kit, or purchase one, do check out the Tofuture website. There are recipes and tips and everything you need to know about the Tofu Press. You can also buy this press via Amazon in the UK, the US, Canada, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain and Italy.
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Many thanks to Tofuture for sending me this Tofu press for the purpose of review. Very much appreciated. I was very impressed with the results and I am looking forward to using it in the future for all sorts!
Note - although I did receive a press free of charge, I was not required to write a positive review in exchange.
I was recently sent some really nice products from the people at Nifty Kitchen to try out. Tasty spice All Purpose Seasonings . . . mixes/rubs that are wonderful for using in a variety of ways. You can add them to dishes to add a bit of zip or use them to dust and marinade meats, fish and poultry for grilling or baking! I've been adding them to some of my chili's and stews over the past couple of weeks and sprinkled some on my fish yesterday as well. They are fabulously tasty!
To use you simply rub, sprinkle or load it onto meats, fish or poultry before cooking. The packs are quite a large size as well, at 225g, and contain no MSG, Anti-Caking Agents or Preservatives.
They are also Vegetarian and Vegan friendly.
(Smoky baked lentils . . . )
Smoke Dust
This is their best seller, and no wonderl. It smells amazing. I have used it on chicken and fish. It added a lovely smoky punchy paprika flavour, but of course you can use it on any kind of meat or even roasted vegetables. Try it on your oven chips! It's great! Smoke Dust is available to buy here on Amazon.
(contains smoked paprika, light muscovado sugar, pink himalayan salt, garlic, black pepper, mustard, cumin and ginger)
(Pan roasted tomatoes and eggs . . .)
Magic Dust
Spicy, tasty blend that can be added to almost anything and gives a lot of flavour. This was my favourite of the three as I don't always want smokey flavours in my food and I don't necessarily always want my food to bite me back. Its a great all rounder. You can buy Magic Dust here on Amazon.
( contains Chili powder, cumin, garlic, pink Himalayan salt, light muscovado sugar, mustard, black pepper, cayenne pepper)
(oven Cajun fries . . .)
Devil Dust
Now this really packs wallop!! If you a fan of hot and spicy, you will certainly like this one. Hot paprika is the main ingredient. I added it to a pot of vegetarian chili earlier this week and it was fabulously spicy! Devil Dust is available to buy here on Amazon.
( contains hot paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic, cumin, pink Himalayan salt, light muscovado sugar, black pepper and mustard)
Note - I was sent product free of charge for review, but was not required to write a positive review in exchange. Any opinions are my own.
I am sure you all probably know by now that my husband and I are Latter Day Saints and as such we don't drink alcohol at all. I do use it in cooking from time to time, but it is just not anything that we drink as a beverage. I was really intrigued when I recently was contacted and asked if I would like to try some FitBeer, Low Calorie Premium Beer that is Alcohol Free. I said . . . why not!
FitBeer started with a family of beer lovers. Father of six, Jim, a recovered alcoholic, found himself drinking non-alcoholic options that are either too sweet, too boring or packed with caffiene. (I can totally sympathise with this. A friend recently gave Todd a bottle of non-alcoholic wine as a gift and it was totally disgusting. I didn't even save it for cooking. It got washed down the drain.)
Jim's children set out on a journey to help him find a great beer. This journey ultimately took them to the heart of the Bavarian Hills. They discovered a 500 year old Brewery who rose to the opportunity of crafting the ultimate alcohol-free beer for their new friends from the UK, with the end result being FitBeer, which not onnly has a taste which is complex and rich in flavour, but is also brimming with health benefits.
FitBeer is a classic, artisan lager, that is alcohol-free. Crisp and rereshing in taste, it has a perfect balance of subtle hops and pleasnt malt flavours, with a gentle carbonation and a delicious nectar finish. Just look at the head on that! Made with 100% natural ingredients, all sournced within 20km of the 500-year-old Bavarian brewery.
As well as being only 66 calories a bottle (less than half of its alcoholic equivalent), FitBeer is also Vegan, rich in Vitamin B12 and full of folic acid. It is also an isotonic beverage which means it's perfect for hydating you afer working out or even while working out. It is also a Great Taste Award Winner for 2017.
For more information and for details on where to buy this, do check out their web page at FitBeer.
Many thanks to them for sending us couple of bottles to try out!
Note - Although I was sent free product for review purposes, any opinions are my own. (or Todd's in this case!)
Quaker has recently launched a new range of products! "Quaker Oats to Go" is a range of on-the-go breakfast options that can be enjoyed whilst on the move. You can tackle your morning activities with confidence and vigor, safe in the knowledge that your breakfast is totally taken care of.
With these new Quaker Poridge to Go Squares and Quaker Fruit and Oat Squeeze, there is no need to compromise when it comes to your breakfast choice, because you simply don't have the time. Created from the mighty oat sunonymois with Quaker, you are guaranteed a tasty start to your day that won't slow you down.
Quaker Fruit & Oat Squeeze is a combination of yoghurt, fruit and oats with no added sugars. A great source of fibre, you can choose between three flavours. Apple & Cinnamon. Blueberry. Red Fruits.
Although there are no added refined sugars, there is still an amber amount of other sources of sugar in these (carbs), so if you are a diabetic, you might want to proceed with caution.
Quaker Porridge to Go Squares are a delicious soft and chewy square containing the same amount of oats as a 27g sachet of Oat So Simple. Choose between Golden Syrup and Strawberry Raspberry Cranberry for a 100% wholegrain breakfast that is also a source of fibre and calcium for a mighty start to the day ahead. Try warming them in the microwavable packaging for 10 seconds (cut open the end first) when the mornings start to get a bit colder.
What I think: I heated in the microwave for ten seconds, and I didn't find them overly soft, but they were chewy. I thought they tasted better as you chewed them than when you first took a bite. A great impetus to chew them longer and eat them slower, which is not an entirely bad thing. They were quite tasty. The Golden Syrup was good, but my favourite was the Strawberry, Raspberry and Cranberry one.
With amber ratings in fat, sugars and salt.
Quaker Oats to Go is available in retailers nationwide.
RRP Porridge to Go Duo Pack - 2 X 55g @ £1.39
RRP Porridge to Go Single pack - 1 X 55g @£0.75
RRP Fruit & Oat Squeeze 200g pouch @ £1.39
Note - I was sent these products for free, but was not required to write a positive review in return. Any opinions are my own.
One of my favourite things about being a food blogger, aside from the cooking and eating aspect of it, is the opportuities I am afforded every now and again to test and try out innovative products. I was contacted by AO a couple of weeks ago and asked if I would like to review an appliance for them. I was really torn between the microwave (in a previous post) and the Nutri Ninja Smoothie maker. I needed a new microwave, but I also really wanted a smoothie maker! I couldn't choose between the two items and asked them to choose for me, and was really pleased and surprised when they told me that I could review both items!
Engineererd as a system, this innovative nutrient and vitamin extractor helps to produce nutrient rich beverages to support a healthier lifestyle.
The set includes a Power Pod base with a powerful 700 watt motor and patented stainless steel Ninja blade, two "single-serve" blending 470 ml Nutri Ninja cups along with two "to-go" lids. The Ninja's extraction blades are designed to make light work of blending the chunkiest, hardest pieces of food. Whether you are blending raw fruit for a healthy smoothie, or chopping through root vegetables to make a hearty soup, the crushing power of the Ninja's power blades can create the consistency you need in just a few seconds.
Here you can see I have put in some fresh raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, orange juice, half a sliced banana and a dollop of plain yogurt into the cup.
You screw on the extractor blade and then invert the cup onto the power base, clicking it into place. Once you've done this you simply press down for short intervals and let this powerful blade do its stuff, blitzing until you have the consistency you desire. This handy pulse system gives you complete control over consistency. Another plus. Very simple.
It is rather noisy, but it does a fabulous job of grinding your ingredients down. This only took about four 20-second pulses.
As you can see the end result was very creamy and smooth. Delicious actually. I had also done a spinach one with apple and ginger, etc. earlier, but we were not overly fond of that one.It will be very much trial and error on our part and I am sure with time we will have our favourites!
I came with an in-depth owners guide and an inspiration guide with 30+ recipes to get your started on your smoothie journey!
The "to-go" lids make it very easy to carry your smoothie with you as you go about your morning duties, sit at the computer, etc.
I prefer to drink mine from a glass, but that is just me. The cups, lids, blade are dishwasher safe as well, which is another plus. Another thing I really like is the compact size which means that it is easy to store and doesn't take up a lot of storage space in our kitchen.
You can also use it to prepare frozen cocktails and frappes, iced coffees, crushed ice, etc. It is a very powerful machine and comes with a 1 year manufacturer's warranty.
To find out more details do check out the AO site. Delivery can be as soon as tomorrow and a finance plan is also available.
Many thanks to AO for sending me the Nutri Ninja Smoothie Maker. I think that this is a quality machine and something which we are going to be getting a lot of use out of over these next months. What a fab, delicious, quick and easy to way to get in some of your five a day! I love it!
If you want to check out me using it in real time, make sure you take a peek at my You Tube Review of this brilliant machine! I had so much fun doing it. What you actually see is about my 10th attempt at doing the video! I never knew it would be so hard, but I learned a lot about what you can and can't do when making a video! I need to get a stand to hold my phone so that I can do them totally hands free in the future! Try not to laugh too much! Todd says its great, but he's my biggest fan! 👍
Disclaimer - Although we were sent the Nutri Ninja smoothie maker free of charge for review purposes we were not required to write a positive review. Any and all opinions are our own and honest.
Pizza delivery company Papa John's has just launched their new ‘Papa’s Deep Crust’. Papa’s Deep Crust is almost double the depth of a regular Papa John’s pizza and is cooked in a specially designed pan, using an extra cup of cheese compared to other Papa John’s pizzas.
It also features a specially developed tomato sauce, and as an even tastier treat; it’s now on offer until 26th November 2017 priced from £10.99 from Papa John’s outlets nationwide.
Papa John's prides itself on using fresh ingredients, ensuring the use of fresh never froen dough. The specially formulated recipe features a buttery seared crust for fuller flavour and a light and fluffy deeper dough, almost double the depth of a regular Papa John's Pizzas cooked in a specially designed pan to offer an even more indulgent taste than before.
A new recipe tomato sauce has also been created, using Californian vine-ripened tomatoes which go from field to can in six hours. Added to this is a blend of signature spices and extra virgin olive oil which are then reduced to create a richer tasting sauce, complementing the new thicker base perfectly.
Every ‘Papa’s Deep Crust’ pizza uses an extra cup of cheese, which is spread all the way to the edge of the dough to create a caramelised, crispy cheese crust. Each pizza is then completed with all the favourite pizza toppings, including fresh “store cut” vegetables.
We were asked if we would like to try the new pizzas and I can tell you they did not have to ask us twice. We love Papa John's Pizza and it is normally the pizza I order when we do a takeaway pizza. Deep dish? With more of that delicious crust, a special sauce and extra cheese???? Bring it on!!
We were sent two pizzas to try. "The Works" and "Cheese & Tomato." Both looked gorgeous, and came with that signature hot pepper and garlic sauce dip. Doesn't this look fantastic??
And they smelled just as good as they looked . . . but what about the taste. Did they deliver on the promise?
The toppings were generous . . . with just the right amount of meats, peppers, onions and peppers. Yes, that sauce was really gorgeous. I have always felt that a good sauce "makes" a pizza. If you have a bad sauce, your pizza will be just blah. This sauce delivers plenty of flavour! And this was especially noticeable in the Tomato & Cheese pizza. There was lots of cheese without it being over the top. Far too often pizza shops are stingy with the sauce and cheese. This was perfect!
The crust was really nice. Not doughy at all. At least we did not think it was. The edges were crisp and the dough soft and light with a done just right bottom. It was substantial without being stodgy.
I have to say up front that Todd has never really been a pizza fan. He usually tolerates them on my behalf because I am a tru blu Pizza lover. He declared this the best pizza he had ever eaten and he said it was quite enjoyable. High praise indeed coming from him. I, of course, adored it. We both gave them The English Kitchen's Two Thumbs Up. These were really good pizzas, and, as has always been my experience with Papa John's, they arrived with perfect timing and were nice and hot.
Disclaimer Note - We were sent two pizzas from Papa John's free of charge to try out, but were not required to give a positive review in return. Any and all opinions are our own. We simply loved them!
I do get sent the most delightful things! Nick from Chewy Moon asked me a week or so ago did I want to review their snack boxes for children and I said sure! Chewy Moon is a wonderful concept, a healthy snack box for children and it gets delivered to your front door every single week. When I was a child I loved to get mail so I can imagine how thrilling it would be as a child to get one of these in the post, every single week! And as a mom, I know how much I would like that it was filled with healthy goodies for my child!
What a wonderful alternative to the high fat, high sugar content of most snacks which are available out there for children.
The packaging is very clever and very entertaining. Bright and colourful and cutesy. Very child friendly. The subscription box costs £4.99 a week. Before you can get snacking,
however, you have to pop online for a short questionnaire. Simply tell
the clever Chewy Moon people your child’s age, activity levels, body
type, hobbies and interests and rate individual snacks online. That way,
the nutritionists behind the site know exactly what your child likes
and dislikes and they can put together a box that your kids will
definitely love.
Each Chewy Moon box comes with five separately packaged snack boxes –
all of them with a different and fun design. They are the perfect size
for your handbag if you have kids that always get hungry on a day out.
But, of course, you could also pop them in their lunchbox or keep them
in your snack cupboard for an after school treat. This would be my option of choice. Kids are always feeling ravished when they get in from school.
Each box includes a fun activity pack for your kids. Mine included a pop out card character in the shape of Ninja Newt. Your child can put colect and these together themselves. There was also a fact card on geograpy (I think these vary from pack to pack, so also collectible and educational), a postcard and a little comic book type of thing, plus what looks like collectible trading cards. What fun little extras!
The whole box is designed to fit through your letter box, so no waiting around for it to arrive, or messing about asking the neighbors to take it for you. You get to rate the snacks, to build up a profile of which your child
does and doesn’t like for future boxes. Each box currently costs £4.93
including 98p P&P, but you can get your first box free.
You select between fruit box, variety box or savoury box and you can
order for multiple children. The boxes are delivered weekly and you may
cancel your subscription at any time. This is a very competitive price in my opinion. I think it is a win/win option all around. Healthy snacks for the kids, decent pricing, and they taste good. I got Tuttie Fruit, Freaky Fruits, Crazy Crunch, Strawberry Munch and Cheeky Monkey snacks in my box and they were all really tasty. The snack choices range from chocolate to fruity and everything in between! These come with brilliantly designed packaging, are healthy, tasty and really fun for children.
Two Thumbs Up!
Click here to find out more about Chewy Moon & to receive your first box for free.
Disclaimer: I was gifted this box of Chewy Moon snack for free in exchange for an open & honest review. Any opinions are my own entirely.
I was recently asked if I would like to try some of the new size Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin Bars to try out. They didn't need to ask me twice! We love Cadbury's Dairy Milk and we love Tiffin, the two together were bound to be gorgeously tasty!
The Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin, first produced in 1937, is making a permanent comeback to the UK. Originally launched in 1937, the company stopped making tiffin bars in 1972 before bringing the product back in 1985 and withdrawing it again 2003. Chocolate lovers have been “passionately campaigning” for the return of Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin for years.
Katrina Davison, Cadbury Dairy Milk Brand Manager, said “Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin has always been a firm favourite amongst chocolate lovers and is perfect for sharing. Last year, we released a limited edition bar in the summer and the response was incredible! With so many fans campaigning for its permanent return on social media, we just knew we had to bring it back for good this time.”
I, for one, am very pleased about this. I love Cadbury's Fruit and Nut Bars, and I ADORE these Tiffin Bars! I love the little crunchy biscuit bits and well, raisins/dried grapes and chocolate do it for me every time. I colour these a resounding success! That same delicious Cadbury's milk chocolare we enjoy filled with crunch and scrumminess! Yes!
Cadbury Dairy Milk Tiffin is available in 200g bars, for a RRP of £2.49 at all major supermarkets.
Note - Although I was sent these free of charge to try, any and all opinions are my own. I love a tiny piece of chocolate at night while we are watching our favourite shows. I save up all my sweetness each day for this little treat. The trick is to hide it from Todd before he eats it all up! Thanks Cadbury! (These bars are meant to be enjoyed by the whole family and not just one person in one go. That would not be wise.)
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