Ava May Fairtrade Wax Melts

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Ava May of Mayfair have just released the first ever Fairtrade wax melts to the UK market, made from products cultivated in Sri Lanka and the result of 2 years’ work to produce some beautiful home fragrances.  Wax melts vary from candles because although they are made of ‘wax’ like candles, they don’t have a wick and are instead melted over a flame in a special wax burner.  The aroma from the wax melts fills the room and slowly melts away but has the advantage of lasting longer than a candle.

We were sent a box of 7 of Ava May’s most popular wax melts to try:

  • Lavender, Geranium & Chamomile
  • Bergamot, Coconut & Tonka
  • Rose Water & White Musk
  • Saffron, Pepper & Oud
  • Damask Rose, Cedar & Oud
  • Pear, Patchouli & Orange Blossom
  • Neroli, Eucalyptus & Musk

Each of the waxes lasts for about 8 hours and can be re-melted in that time so if you don’t get a continuous run of 8 hours, the wax solidifies and can be melted later. There’s no cleaning up after a candle either, but it is recommended that you clean out the wax burner after each fragrance so that you don’t get cross-contamination.

All of the ingredients of the Ava May wax melts are 100% natural, and certified Fairtrade meaning there is a fair deal for all the producers who supply from around the world. The Ava May products are cruelty-free and vegan too with one of the main ingredients being coconut oil with added pure essential oils to create the different scents.

The fragrances are all designed to help relax you and take you to another place at the end of the day, especially in winter when we all need a bit of help. The sensory impact of scents such as Damask Rose and Lavender & Chamomile help with relaxation when the evenings are long. My favourite (and I haven’t had a chance to sample them all yet) is the Rose Water & White Musk scent for its fresh melodies and reminder of clean laundry.  The wax melts take just a few seconds to start releasing the fragrances and filling the room and they linger on for longer than the 8 hours melt time.

Ava May of Mayfair Wax Melts are an elegant way of adding comfort to your home, or being able to gift to someone the ability to relax at home.

Available online in various gift forms from: https://avamayaromas.com/wax-melts/

LoveRaw Advent Calendar 

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

LoveRaw have produced their first ever vegan advent calendar for 2023 on the back of their meteoric rise to chocolate heaven since 2013. LoveRaw have sent us one of their new advent calendars to review and the back story of how the LoveRaw team came about.

Back in 2013, Rini and Manar had what they called a ‘crazy idea’ to create vegan chocolate, but for it to also not taste vegan at all. This included using unconventional products (for the time) and trying to get the attention of lots of buyers. Along the past 10+ years, they have rejected Dragon’s Den offers, developed tons more products and probably become sick of the sight of chocolate to come to this point where they are able to sell vegan chocolate to the masses.

LoveRaw’s chocolate is made with no palm oil and no artificial ingredients. All of the base ingredients are plant based (such as chickpea protein concentrate) and are suitable for vegetarians and vegans. In fact, they say that it’s suitable for everyone, including ‘Unvegans’ who aren’t vegan at all but happy to eat something that has been produced in the vegan way.  Their chocolate contains sugar, but beyond that there are no other ingredients which you might want to. Stay away from. There’s a whole list of ingredients on the back that you’ll recognise.

The LoveRaw Advent Calendar is. The usual 24 windows we are familiar with hide medallions of LoveRaw vegan chocolate behind a foil covering which keeps them fresh as well as increasing the anticipation as you open them! LoveRaw isn’t aimed specifically at children, but the chocolate pieces are decorated with Christmas themes, just like the ones we had as children.  The pieces are only about the size of a 2 pence coin (3.3grams per piece) so there isn’t an indulgent amount that will spoil dinner but still gives you the chocolate hit. 

What was the chocolate like? I took it upon myself to try several pieces and I can confidently say that it does indeed taste like chocolate! The advent calendar is milk chocolate flavoured (we know there is no actual milk in it though) but the flavour is slightly more of a darker chocolate flavour, but not at all bitter. I think because there is added sugar, the LoveRaw chocolate tastes sweeter. There is no bitter aftertaste with it though, like some vegan chocolates have.

Whether for an adult or children, the LoveRaw advent calendar ticks all the boxes and no one will notice the difference between vegan and ‘unvegan’!

RRP £6.99

LoveRaw Chocolates

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I’m always on the lookout for new snacks, especially ones that aren’t unhealthy or might be a better option than a multipack from the supermarket where no one in our household likes certain flavours!  LoveRaw are a plant-based company who produce milk and white chocolate bars that suit the whole family. We were sent a selection box with a mix of both types of chocolate to see how we liked them…

Inside the box was:

LoveRaw Cream Wafer Bar, milk chocolate (43 grams)

LoveRaw Peanut Butter Caramel Bar, milk chocolate (40 grams)

LoveRaw Nutty Choc Balls, milk Chocolate (28 grams)

LoveRaw Cream Wafer Bar, white chocolate (45 grams)

LoveRaw Cream Wafer Bar Caramelised Biscuit, white chocolate (45 grams)

You’d be forgiven if you think you might have seen some of these bars on the supermarket shelves before, or at least a few of the supermarket elements in these bars as LoveRaw have invented some new varieties. All of the chocolate is plant-based and therefore it’s vegan and suitable for everyone to eat. Instead of milk or cream, coconut milk is used instead to give the creamy texture to make the chocolate, both milk and white variations. 

Starting with the Cream Wafer Bars, there are two in each pack and they’re individually wrapped. Neither the white nor the milk chocolate bars contain anything artificial (“No Artificial Nonsense” as it says on the packs!) and are palm oil free. The bars are hazelnut filled wafers with either a vegan white chocolate flavoured coating or a milk chocolate flavoured coating.  The Caramlised Biscuit Cream Wafer Bar has more bite to it with cinnamon filled wafters and have a caramel flavoured coating. These Cream Wafer Bars are great for snacks at lunchtime, they’re pretty filling and taste like chocolate too.

The LoveRaw Nutty Choc Balls are only 81 calories per ball and also vegan and plant based. Each Nutty Ball has a whole hazelnut in a cocoa coating and nut croquante on the outside. They’re about the size of a lychee and also individually wrapped so you can share them, or eat them at different times!

Available directly from EatLoveRaw.com, promotions include: 

  • 20% off 6 packs
  • 30% off 12 packs
  • 40% off 24 packs

Promotions start from Friday 24th Nov – Sunday 26th. With an extra 5% off on Cyber Monday.

Joy of Christmas Hamper Gift Box

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Hampers are such a good idea at Christmas. I remember receiving a few over the years when I was a child as ‘thank you’ gifts at Christmas so that the whole family could enjoy them. I don’t particularly remember what was in them but it was so exciting rummaging through all the ruffled paper to find something else. Then there’s the obvious questions to my Mum, ‘What is this?’ It would turn out to be something like a posh chutney, or a type of Christmas dessert we never had in our house. I remember loose tea being in one hamper and my mind automatically thought you had to assemble your own tea bags from it. What was the point of that?

Hampers have come a long way since then but they’re just as popular as gifts and there’s so many varieties to choose from. The Goodness Project use lots of vegan and gluten free products for their gift boxes, and there are plenty of gift boxes available on their website so you’ll find one within your price range and suitable for any occasion.

We were sent their 2023 Joy of Christmas Gift Box to try out.  This £28.50 box is deceptively full with treats for Christmas!  There’s everything you need including:

  • A bottle of Bottega Gold Prosecco (20cl)
  • Angelic Chocolate and Orange Biscuits (vegan)
  • Love Cocoa Peruvian Dark Chocolate (71%) 
  • English Truffle Potato Crisps
  • Filberts Flavoured Nut Mix
  • Lottie Shaw’s Deep Filled Mince Pie (70g)

The box is enough for one person to eat themselves or two people to share, but the bottle of Prosecco is probably only enough for 1 glass each! The Filberts Flavoured Nut Mix was a surprise with how lovely they were. There was a mixture of different nuts, but they were roasted and flavoured with herbs which made them different to what you can usually buy on supermarket shelves. The English Truffle Potato crisps from English Heritage have won the Great Taste award for 2023 probably due to the quality of the potato and then the delicious truffle flavour. If you’ve never tried truffle crisps before, then if I describe them to you as posh mushroom but not as strong, you’ll know that the taste is pretty tame and even children would enjoy it.  

For the sweeter snacks, there’s the Deep Filled Mince Pie from Lottie Shaw’s.  Bigger than the mine pies you get in the supermarket in packs of 6, this is deep filled and baked in Yorkshire to a family recipe.  It’s great for the mince pie aficionado who loves to compare all the varieties on the market each Christmas! There’s also the Angelic Chocolate Orange Vegan cookies which are also dairy, nut and gluten free. The packaging says they’re safe for the top 14 allergens which is good to know if you’re buying the gift box for a teacher or family you don’t know that well. There’s two packets of biscuits in the box (which is all recyclable) and 4 cookies in each making 8 in all. Plenty for a snack throughout the Christmas period but also great for entertaining!

Lastly there’s the Peruvian Dark Chocolate from Love Cocoa. With a weight of 75 grams it’s about the size of tuckshop confectionary but at 71% it’s a dark chocolate from one of the best chocolate makers around.  It’s very smooth and very strong so even if you’re a dark chocolate lover like me, you probably won’t want to eat all of it in one go.

The final item in the Joy of Christmas Hamper Box is the Bottega Gold Prosecco which is also organic and vegan. A light, sparkling wine which compliments the mix of Christmas flavours in the other items in the box, it’s a welcome alcohol addition to round off Christmas. It is 11% though so best keep it away from the children!

Rather than buy another ever-decreasing size box of chocolates and the dreaded Panettone

 for your neighbours or family friends this Christmas, splash out on a bit more and send a Goodness Project gift box and forget about having to wrap it – their gorgeous ribbon box is sent directly to them for you!

Available online for £28.50 at: https://thegoodnessproject.co.uk/shop/joy-of-christmas-hamper-gift-box

NOMO Christmas Chocolates

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

NOMO (No More Missing Out) have brought out a lovely range of Christmas chocolates for 2023, aimed at anyone who is allergic to the main allergens (dairy, gluten, egg and nuts) or lives a plant based life. We were sent some of the selection to review, and frankly, it’s the best part of our job when we have to force ourselves to eat chocolate!

The selection of NOMO Sharing Boxes contain 140 grams of chocolates, each individually wrapped and there’s about 12 chocolates in each box.  There are three flavours of the sharing boxes; Choc Orange Crunch, Caramel and Mint. All of the sharing boxes are vegan chocolate, plant based and free from eggs, dairy nuts and gluten so are suitable for the whole family.

If you’re familiar with the ‘big brand’ chocolates then you’ll recognise what type of confectionary these flavours are based on. The Caramel flavour is milk chocolate with a soft caramel filling. They’re arranged as two squares for each of the sweets, so you can take your time over eating them and the chocolate is surprisingly thick.  The Choc Orange Crunch isn’t a fondant filling but more of an enriched chocolate filling with piece of – you guessed it – crunchy flavoured orange pieces.  The last box is the Mint flavour which was my favourite. Again, there was generous chocolate but also a lot of the mint fondant filling which was soft at room temperature and reminded me of another famous brand.

We were also sent the NOMO Reindeers in Choc Fudge and Cookie Dough flavours. These individually wrapped chocolates weigh 33 grams and 30 grams respectively and are also vegan and free from eggs, nuts, gluten and dairy. They’re perfect for adding to children’s stockings or for Christmas parties where you don’t know if the kids are all able to tolerate conventional milk chocolate.  The Cookie Dough flavour is soft with slightly crunchy pieces covered in NOMO milk chocolate.  The child in me insisted on eating the reindeer ears first but there’s no obligation! The Choc Fudge flavour was my favourite though as it was rich, deep fudge that was slightly gooey and very indulgent. It’s a real chocolate lover’s treat.

The sharing boxes are an excellent idea no matter what time of year and are just the right portion size to be eaten after dinner over the Christmas period. They’re also great for school lunchboxes or for anyone who’s never tried plant-based chocolates before.  For those of us who are always scrambling for last minute gifts for the neighbours, these NOMO sharing boxes mean you don’t have to worry about offending anyone with an allergy by giving them something they can’t enjoy!  The NOMO Reindeers are a great pick-me-up for the supermarket too, or to enjoy on car journeys throughout the festive period.

NOMO are continuing to make great fun chocolate that’s appealing to everyone and more importantly, more accessible. There is indeed No Missing Out anymore when it comes to chocolate.

Joe & Seph’s Halloween Popcorn

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

There’s no tricks just treats at our house this Halloween and I’m looking forward to curling up in front of the fire with these delicious treats from Joe & Seph’s.

Known for their amazing selection of flavoured gourmet popcorn, Joe & Seph’s make their popcorn in small batches using only the finest, natural ingredients which means all their popcorn is packed full of flavour. I’m gradually working my way through the flavours and as it is almost Halloween the Toffee Apple and Cinnamon and the Pumpkin Spice popcorn seemed the obvious ones to try next!

The Toffee Apple & Cinnamon gourmet popcorn is coated in smooth buttery caramel and tastes absolutely delicious. After the initial caramel you get the apple coming through followed by the cinnamon. It’s all the flavour of a toffee apple without the mess! The combination of autumnal flavours works incredibly well and is a perfect treat for witches, ghouls and monsters young and old.

The pumpkin spice air popped popcorn is darker in colour than the toffee apple & cinnamon one and just as moreish – think pumpkin pie in popcorn form. This deliciously aromatic popcorn is satisfyingly crunchy and is one of Joe & Seph’s tastiest creations yet –winning a 1-Star Gold 2020 Great Taste Award before even launching!

The Chocolate Popcorn Pumpkins are perfect for any chocoholic – delicious Pumpkin Spice flavoured popcorn is encased in a creamy milk chocolate pumpkin – complete with pumpkin faces! The creaminess of the chocolate combined with the tasty popcorn makes it a real decadent treat and despite having 4 servings in the 63g bag this is one treat I won’t be sharing!!

RRP Toffee Apple & Cinnamon and Pumpkin Spice Gourmet Popcorn £4

Chocolate Popcorn Pumpkins £3.50

NOMO Chocolate Advent Calendar 

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

If you’ve never heard of NOMO, then this Christmas you will certainly see the brand in the shops and especially on the advent calendar section of supermarkets.  NOMO stands for No Missing Out and relates to the fact that their chocolate is vegan and free from dairy, gluten egg and nuts. So no one who has any of those major intolerances will miss out on chocolate this Christmas.

The same size as most advent calendars, the NOMO chocolate advent calendar has 24 windows to cover the whole of advent.  Behind each windows is a scrumptious creamy chocolate drop made with Rainforest Alliance cocoa and is entirely plant based, hence there aren’t the allergens that other chocolates contain. The chocolate instead contains rice powder, shea oil, sea salt and flavourings with a dash of sugar too.

You really can’t taste that the NOMO chocolate is any different to traditional chocolate. It’s still smooth and creamy, still has the milk chocolate taste and no after taste.

At £5 for the calendar it compares to other brands too. If you’re giving this as a gift to someone you don’t know very well, it works perfectly because anyone can eat it no matter their intolerances or allergies!  Children will love the chocolate behind each window but adults will love it just as much as the packaging isn’t just for children. Father Christmas is dressed in blue though – like the NOMO logo colours!

You can find not just advent calendars by NOMO this Christmas but lots of other chocolate sweets which we’ll be reviewing later this week. You can find NOMO in supermarkets such as Waitrose, Co-Op, Morrison, Holland & Barratt, Nisa, Sainsbury’s and Tesco. 

Available from £5 at: https://nomochoc.com/products/advent-calendar-2

Joe & Seph’s Popcorn Bites – Chocolate Orange

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Just in time for Christmas, Joe & Seph have launched their delicious Chocolate Orange Popcorn Bites. That’s right, not just popcorn, not just chocolate but Chocolate Orange flavoured chocolate!

If you’ve never had Popcorn Bites from Joe & Seph’s before, I’ll try and explain what they are. Perfectly popped pieced of popcorn are encased in cups of rich chocolate. They look like popcorn pieces set in thimbles of chocolate and turned out to create each little bite which you can pop into your mouth easily.  The popcorn and chocolate melt at different rates so as you chew, you get a hit of chocolate, then the texture of popcorn and then the richness of the chocolate again.

Joe & Seph’s are famous for their gourmet popcorn with over 80 flavours and more being added all the time. The popcorn is cooked to the highest standard with no ‘crunchy bits’ at the bottom of the bag and no unpopped kernels.  The milk chocolate meets the same exacting qualities as the popcorn, with it’s melt-in-the-mouth smoothness and no fake sugary taste. You can taste both the chocolate and the orange in each Popcorn Bite, and the popcorn itself is velvety caramel, but not too sweet.

The Popcorn Bite grab bag is 63 grams, vegetarian friendly and gluten free. There’s no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives either. It’s the perfect size for sharing or an afternoon snack and a great treat for children to share after school. You can see that it’s great for the cinema, or would be perfect as a stocking filler too!

Available at £3.50: https://www.joeandsephs.co.uk/gifts/chocolate-orange-popcorn-bites

HaPPi Oat Mil Chocolate Advent Calendar

Disclaimer : We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review but all words and opinions are our own

A fun way to count down the days to Christmas is with an advent calendar and these days there so many different ones to choose from. When you have food allergies and intolerances though, the choice of chocolate calendars is very restricted, so I was really pleased to be able to try an oat milk chocolate advent calendar from HaPPi Choc.

The calendar has a fun Christmas bauble design on the front with 24 numbered doors to help you count down to the big day. Behind each door you will find a delicious Salted Caramel, Plain Milk or Orange oat milk chocolate wrapped chocolate. The chocolate is suitable for Vegans and is also gluten, soya & palm oil free, as well as dairy, egg & nut free so it is the perfect choice for anyone with a food intolerance or who eats a plant based diet.

Lower in sugar than other chocolate brands HaPPi chocolate is sustainably sourced with their cacao purchased directly from Luker, a Columbian family owned business and co-operative. HaPPi are 100% ethically driven and work closely with a network of farmers, alliances and communities to improve social welfare, biodiversity and farming practices and their oat milk chocolate is made using single origin 47% Colombian cacao and oat milk.

In line with HaPPi’s sustainable ethos all the packaging is recyclable with the calendar containing no plastic at all. The inner tray that contains the chocolates is made from cardboard rather than plastic which is fantastic, I’ve been trying to reduce my plastic use this year so it’s great to have an eco-friendly advent calendar this year. HaPPi also give 1% of their annual net sales revenue to good causes and mental health organisations so buying a HaPPi advent calendar helps lots of other people too.

With smooth creamy chocolates no one needs to miss out on a chocolate advent calendar this year.

Divine Deliciously Smooth 70% Dark Chocolate Advent Calendar and Joyful Caramel, Hazelnut and Candied Orange Chocolate Bar

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

The world is divided into those who love dark chocolate and those who detest it. I am definitely a lover of dark chocolate, and the higher cocoa content the better so this 70% advent calendar from Divine was mine for the taking. Plus, I’m never one to pass up the opportunity to try chocolate, so when it came with Divine’s Joyful Christmas chocolate in caramel, hazelnut and candied orange flavour, there was no stopping me!

The advent calendar is packed with 24 windowed chocolate pieces, one for every day of advent up until Christmas Eve.  The calendar itself is beautiful, in black packaging to illustrate the dark chocolate and brightly coloured with decorations and figures of the farmers who product the cocoa. Unlike other calendars, this one is vegan too.

Every bar of Divine Chocolate helps to directly change the lives of cocoa farmers around the world. Divine Chocolates are made with only Fairtrade cocoa and sugar, so the majority of the ingredients are sourced from the right farmers who are given the right compensation. That alone should make you feel good about buying Divine Chocolate but it doesn’t stop there. All of the flavours and ingredients are natural, and they use only 100% pure cocoa butter. Additionally, Divine are helping to save the environment and habitations too by using NO palm oil.

This is an advent calendar clearly children will enjoy but adults will too, and anyone with a conscience will appreciate that somewhere in Ghana, there is a farmer and his family whose life will be improved by you supporting Divine Chocolate.

What is the Joyful chocolate like though? As a special edition for Christmas, this chocolate is 45% cocoa so a higher amount than typical milk chocolate without being bitter. You can feel the texture of the hazelnut filling and there are lovely pieces of caramel to give it the slightly sticky, sweet taste too. I can’t say that the orange flavour is very strong, so if you’re a fan of citrus or candied orange then this isn’t overpowering. The whole bar is a grown-up way of celebrating Christmas though, and very moreish. I would suggest this is a good treat for when you’re Christmas shopping, or to have one dark evening after dinner. If you give chocolate and money as gifts to adults, I would recommend the Divine Joyful Christmas Chocolate every time, but don’t expect it to last past Boxing Day!

Advent calendar available for £5 from Ocado, Whole Foods, Oxfam and online at: https://www.divinechocolate.com/product/divine-dark-70-chocolate-advent-calendar

Joyful Christmas Chocolate bar available for £4.50: https://www.divinechocolate.com/product/divine-joyful-christmas-bar-180g

Clean Co Non-Alcoholic Rum Alternative

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Clean Co are the specialists in creating non-alcoholic spirits, starting with their famous Clean Gin and Clean Rhubarb Gin. Now, they have ventured into other spirits including this Clean Co Rum – a spiced spirit which is also non-alcoholic but with the Caribbean flavour of rum.

Clean Co Rum Alternative has won the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) bronze award in 2021 for its vanilla on the palate and pineapple and raisin on the tastebuds. It’s certainly a welcome alternative to the other non-alcoholic spirits that don’t have much depth, taste or mix very well with other drinks to make cocktails.

Clean Co Rum Alternative has a dry, vanilla taste with smokey fruitiness that’s. typical of rum.  There’s a slight sugar taste in there too which gives it the fuller flavour of a spirit and it’s delicious with a cola drink or mixed into a cocktail thanks to the added Jamaican spices.  You can also try it with ginger ale and lime to give a different skew on its tropical flavours.

The good news is that Clean Co Rum Alternative is also vegan, has no sugar at all and is only 12 calories per 50ml serving. It has less than 0.5% ABV which classifies as non-alcoholic and is lactose free too. 

This is a great gift for anyone who is into spirits but doesn’t necessarily like rum yet, so that they can try it and supplement cocktails at home with an authentic rum flavour.  Rum lovers, especially those doing Dry January, will love having the rum flavours and none of the alcohol to feel guilty over! 

Available online for £16 at: https://clean.co/collections/frontpage/products/cleanr-non-alcoholic

Annabelle Minerals Eye Pencils

Disclaimer: We received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review but all thoughts and opinions are our own.

I’m sure I am not the only one who finds applying eyeliner tricky – I struggle to apply it evenly and invariably end up poking myself in the eye in the process! Over the years I have tried lots of different eyeliners and now favour the pencil style ones like these from Annabelle Minerals which I find are much easier to apply.

They recently sent me a selection of Eyeliner Pencils and Jumbo Eye Pencils in the most gorgeous shades of purple, the pencils are extremely gentle to the delicate eye area and incredibly easy to use, the creamy texture glides onto your eyelid and lash line without dragging the delicate skin. The intensity of the colours is fantastic, they are very rich and vibrant and highly pigmented.

I especially like the Jumbo Eye Pencils as they can be used as eyeshadow, eyeliner and primer and I have been using all three shades – Catmint, Fuchsia and Midnight – to create both day and night looks. Fuchsia is a gorgeous deep purple which is the perfect colour for anyone who’s looking to make a change from traditional black or brown but doesn’t want anything too bright just yet.

I don’t have the steadiest of hands, but the eyeliner pencils are nice and soft and I found it easy to apply to my lash line, adding a little flick at the corner of my eyes to lift them and make them stand out more.

After applying for the first time I went to work and put the eye pencils in my makeup bag, fully expecting to have to reapply at some point during the day. I was therefore quite surprised when I found I didn’t need to as the colour lasted on my upper eyelid for the whole day. As well as being easy to apply the eye pencils were easy to remove too, a wipe with eye make up remover and the colour was gone.

Annabelle Minerals products are based on only 4 ingredients and are 100% organic. Their products are suitable for every skin type as well as vegetarians and vegans.

Jumbo Eye Pencil £11.90 (available in 6 shades)

Eye Pencil £9.90 (available in 6 shades)

PLAYin CHOC Christmas Collection

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Organic Chocolate and Surprise Toy!

Decision making time is here when it comes to Christmas presents! It’s always difficult to find toys and treats for children which are more sustainable, have less additives and preservatives and are hopefully healthier than some items in the shops.

PLAYin CHOC are the modern alternative to Kinder Surprises.  They’re boxes of individually wrapped chocolates with a pop-out, make your own toy made of cardboard, and an information card with facts.  Aimed at children aged 3+, they provide a treat as well as an educational toy which they put together themselves.

The PLAYin CHOC chocolate is organic, dairy free, nut free, gluten free and the toys and packaging are all plastic free.  The chocolate is sweetened with coconut sugar (coconut is not a nut but actually a fruit) and the creaminess of the chocolate comes from creamed coconut.  There’s only cacao solids and vanilla pods which make up the rest of the ingredients of the chocolates.  

We were sent a selection box of 6 PLAYin CHOC ToyChoc boxes in a collection for Christmas.  Each box contains two chocolates of 10grams each, individually wrapped in compostable film.  The toy is a 3D puzzle which pops out from the cardboard pressing and is assembled with little hands, and all the toys are on a Christmas theme.  There’s also a fact card with each box which relates to the puzzle your child has made, giving them that extra entertainment.

These are lovely presents for Christmas – either on the Christmas table to keep children entertained, in the car on long trips or even in crackers. As they’re all compostable and recyclable as well, they fulfil the environmental check list too.  These PLAYin CHOC boxes would be great as stocking fillers too, in the knowledge that each box doesn’t contain that much chocolate that it will spoil Christmas lunch, nor will children get hyperactive because there aren’t any additives involved. Christmas morning, making toy puzzles out of cardboard cut outs is much more preferable to the sirens and bells of other toys and games!

Is the chocolate any good? Well, I’ve tried PLAYin CHOC before and even tested the difference between them other High Street chocolates. There is no coconut taste, but PLAYin CHOC is slightly less sweet than other brands, probably because there is no added sugar, just coconut sugar.  There’s still the creamy texture of chocolate, and of course, the cocoa makes sure that you still get your chocolate hit!

Gift sets will be available for £13.50 for 6 at: https://playinchoc.com/collections

Higgidy Snacking and Picnic Food

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

We did intend to bring you lots of products to showcase an amazing summer, picnics outside and BBQ season, but given the weather, we’re sitting indoors comfort eating instead!

Despite the weather, Higgidy have a massive range of foods for sharing, snacking, picnics and to cater for vegan and vegetarian friends. Their handy sharing sizes and snacking mini quiches make them ideal for any time of year, not just summer, and can be for lunch or dinner too.  We were sent a selection of items to try out, including;

  • Smoked Salmon & Spinach Quiche
  • Bang Bang Cauliflower Dinky Vegan Rolls
  • Sunblush Tomato & Cheddar Mini Muffins
  • Cheddar & Spinach Mini Muffins
  • Spinach, Feta & Red Pepper Little Lattices

Quite the variety!  The snacks we were sent were vegetarian, not vegan, with the exception of the Smoked Salmon & Spinach Quiche. I had tried one or two of the Higgidy foods before but never any of this variety, so picnic I did… albeit indoors!

All of the foods can be eaten straight from the box cold, or heated up. I preferred to have them heated but it depends how you like the eat them.  As part of a packed lunch, they’re perfect because they’re already prepared, there’s nothing that needs adding to them and you can eat a selection at a time or a whole quiche for instance.  The sharing boxes are designed to pack easily for picnics or taking out with children.  The boxes are also great for hands to dip into and share!

I loved the Smoked Salmon & Spinach Quiche with its light fluffy texture and ultra thin crust.  I warmed it in the oven and it’s very easy to eat just with a fork. The Spinach, Feta & Red Pepper Little Lattices are like little pockets where you can’t taste either the feta or the vegetables but they are there, and combined create a lovely ensemble.  The Sunblush Tomato & Cheddar Mini Muffins and Cheddar & Spinach Mini Muffins were each delicious when warmed in the oven, with my favourite being the Cheddar & Spinach Mini Muffins. They’re really filling but very soft, especially when warmed and each of them has a lovely flavour of Cheddar Cheese to them. The Bang Bang Cauliflower Dinky Vegan roles were a hit in my house because of their lovely spicy flavour to them, but all vegan so there’s some healthy veg in there too!

Higgidy have ample more food on their website and selected supermarkets store a whole range of their sharing nibbles and snacks, including Waitrose and Ocado:

Clean Co Gin Alternative 

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Not everybody likes to drink at Christmas, and some people can’t. There’s always the gift giving ritual which some employers especially don’t sanction having alcohol around.  Thankfully, there are more companies on the market nowadays who product non or low alcohol drinks like Clean Co. Clean Co produce a range of Alternative Spirits including whisky, rum and a selection of gins.  We were sent this bottle of Clean G Gin Alternative spirit to test out for the Christmas market. Was it up to the gin spirit?

Clean Co’s Gin Alternative, in this fetching Art Deco style bottle, holds 70cl of zero sugar, non-alcoholic gin. That means it’s made with a juniper source by a process which brings out the flavour more, and distilled into the Clean Go version of a London Dry Gin.  It even has the botanical flavours of a gin, just without the alcohol. It has a slightly cloudy look to it, which is part of the botanical method which gives it the distinct flavour.  There’s no sweeteners involved, absolutely no sugar and the distilling producing only 0.5% ABV which is a trace of alcohol.  It’s also vegan, lactose free and Gluten Free. You’ll also find just 14 calories per 50ml (single shot) serving.

As for the taste… this Alternative Gin is not meant to be consumed neat, so adding your favourite mixer will enhance the flavour as well as make it your own.  There really isn’t much difference between the Clean Co Alternative Gin and the standard, alcohol gin you buy in the shops.  It has a bitter taste, but not so much sugar flavour to it, and mixes well with a tonic and decorations such as lemon or lime.  The bottle arrived with a handy set of cocktail recipe cards which you can keep along side your Clean Co bottle for when you want to mix it up in the future.

Clean Co Alternative Gin is not only great for Christmas time, especially when you’re busy with everything else and need a clear head, but it makes a great gift for those who are doing Dry January and still want to feel like they’re drinking, but not cheating!

Available from £16.00 at: https://clean.co/collections/shop/products/cleang-non-alcoholic

Bold Bean Co Jars of Beans

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Here’s a world you didn’t know existed – jars of beans! And we don’t mean baked beans; no these Bold Beans Co beans come in huge 700 gram jars of all sorts of beans to add to recipes, make fajitas, create sauces with and even ear raw if you want to!

Why are beans becoming such an important piece of our diets nowadays? Along with the vegan and vegetarian update since lockdown, beans are the unsung heroes of farming. Did you know that legumes are natural fertilizers?  The nitrogen nodules produced by the roots of beans actually put nutrients back into the soil without any work being put into them. This benefits future crops and other food being grown around them.  Beans are also an easy, cheap source of protein and fibre plus they can keep you full for longer thereby making meals go further.  The versatility of the bean means it can be added to lots of dishes, mashed up and used as a base or even turned into snacks.

The shear variety of beans available out there probably passes you by unless you are an avid bean gardener.  Think about all the different dishes available and cuisines from around the world; you probably know of more beans than you realise! Do you actively cook with these superfoods though?

Bold Bean Company have a range of beans available so sent us a selection of their bestselling beans which is also available online as part of their ‘Taste the Range’.  The 6 jars that were sent to us were;

Queen Red Beans

Queen Black Beans

Queen Chickpeas

Queen Butter Beans

Organic White Beans

Organic Chickpeas

I’d heard of most of them but didn’t really know anything about them nor how to cook with them. Thankfully, there are recipes available on the Bold Bean Co website, but we decided to try the Queen Butter Beans in this mince casserole (along with olives and a tomato sauce) and to roast the Queen Chickpeas in the oven with some oil and spices to make a snack.

The first thing I should note in reviewing these jars are that they are BIG! If you aren’t used to storing big jars or don’t have a fridge big enough, then I would suggest with the smaller varieties. I had to rearrange my fridge shelves for the opened jars and find a space for the unopened ones to use later. Secondly, some of the jar lids were very, very tight and required a trip to my neighbours’ house for them to open!

Each of the bean varieties have been sourced for their flavour. Once they are slow cooked to bring out the natural taste and preserve the nutrients as best as possible, they are seasoned and jarred. They’re not suspended in water though – this is bean stock, created so that the beans can marinate in a proper legume stock to keep in the flavour, nutrients and ensure the beans remain soft and don’t dry out.  The bean stock can be used in soups or stews after the jar is finished with, saving you time but probably adding nutrients and flavour to a dish you wouldn’t normally use.

I added the Queen Butter Beans to a mince meat stew I had stored in the freezer in order to make a quick meal. Adding the beans along with some olives made it not only healthier but tasty too. The Queen Butter Beans (which won a Great Taste Award in 2021) are surprisingly not like butter beans you’re used to on the salad counter. These giant sized beans are creamier, but not mushy and have a slightly sweeter taste to them than canned beans that have been saturated for too long. There’s a proper taste to them, and adding them to another dish means they soak up the flavours whilst adding a texture all of their own.  These Queen Butter Beans would be great for babies who are weaning onto solid food. They’re easily mashed!

The second beans I tried were the Queen Chickpeas. Bigger than the jar of Organic Chickpeas (which are great for salads, soups, broths etc) I chose these because of how I wanted to cook them. Forking a handful off onto kitchen paper, I dried them out slightly, put them in an oven dish with some oil and sprinkled them lightly with chilli.  As I was already cooking the mince meat stew, at the same temperature (180C) I roasted the chickpeas as a snack that can be eaten later.  35 minutes in the oven and they were lightly roasted, but not mushy at all, and had soaked up the oil and the chilli. Careful not to use too much chilli though because it goes a lot further than you think!

As there are 500 grams of beans in the whole jar (200 grams of the bean broth makes up the full amount of 700 grams) then I will be pacing myself on using the rest of the beans. The Queen Black Beans will be brilliant for fajitas (my favourite dish!) and tacos; the Organic Chickpeas for salads when I will be able to use them cold and the Queen Red and Queen White Beans can be used in stews and casseroles where I don’t normally use them, and give some lovely colour.

I’ve only had one meal and one snack from the beans so far… I suspect the giant 700 gram jars are a ploy to get me addicted to each of the beans slowly so that I become reliant on them in my every day cooking and the easy of just opening the jar and taking what I want but so far, I’ve enjoyed what I’ve tried and been nicely surprised by the texture, taste and quality of them.

I think once more people cotton onto the properties of beans and how healthy they are, Bold Bean Co will become a favourite for everyone!

Bold Bean Co have recently won a BOOM award from the Soil Association for being able to demonstrate their support for the organic industry.

Taste the Range set of beans available for £25 at:

Clearspring Organic Seaveg Crispies

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

I’m a huge lover of sushi and even make it at home for my family so when we were offered these Clearspring Seaveg Crispies, there was no hesitation, especially when we heard that Clearspring won a BOOM Award from The Soil Association!

If you’ve never tried seaweed on its own before, it’s an incredibly light, thin snack with a taste of heavy greens. It’s a lot like a lighter version of kale that’s been roasted and dried, but the Clearspring Seaveg Crispies are more than just flattened ocean vegetation – they’re organic and flavoured with either Chilli, Turmeric or ginger as well as the original flavour.  Seaweed is packed with all sorts of nutrients including iron, and as an added bonus, it’s better for the environment because it’s grown in the sea and doesn’t take up landmass needed for other essential food groups. Seaveg Crispies are also Soil Association certified, meaning it’s certified to be of a high standard of organic food production.

Each pack is only 23 calories, which isn’t surprising when you realise there’s only 4 grams in each pack. However, each pack of Seaveg is gluten free, high in fibre, vegan and has no additives or preservatives. There’s only some sunflower oil, sea salt and whichever added flavouring you choose.  I started with the Chilli which is actually pretty hot, so not one for children! I really enjoyed them though and the handy packs and how light they are mean they can be taken to work or out on picnics with you. They may be thin and light but they are big in both taste and personality!

The other flavours are just as strong and variety is a good thing when you need a different kind of snack. Organic and healthy snacks are so often full of additives and over processed that they’re not as healthy as you would think.  Clearspring Organic Seaveg Crispies have so little processing and additional ingredients that there isn’t any danger of you feeling frustrated with them and the iron content is great when you need a pick-me-up.  Talk about a varied diet – I bet you can’t say you’ve eaten anything like it this week, can you?

The Original Seaveg Crispies flavour is great for children to take to school in lunchboxes or if you need to get some fibre or iron into babies too, as it’s easily mashable into something like avocado or even an evening meal. I wouldn’t be surprised if the leaves of Seaveg would fit into a child’s size portion of lasagne too, replacing the pasta to make a healthy alternative.

From £1.29 available at Ocado and online at: https://www.clearspring.co.uk/collections/products/products/organic-seaveg-crispies-chilli-crispy-seaweed-thins

Lo Bros Kombucha Cola

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

If you’re looking for a healthier drink this summer, or something that’s just that bit different compared to what you normally summer on, then have a look at the Lo Bros Kombucha Cola and drinks.  Kombucha is fermented tea (green tea and black tea fermented with sugar) to produce a drink with live cultures.  Lo Bros have taken this a step further and produced a canned drink with a cola taste and just as much fizz and bubble as you would assume. Oh, and they’ve produced two other versions that they’ve sent us to try too! Meet Ginger & Lemon and Passion Fruit too!

Each of the drinks are made with natural ingredients and are naturally low in sugar.  The 250ml cans replace plastic bottles too, so you’re doing your bit for the environment as well as using the most efficient way of keeping the fizz in with the carbonated drinks.  It’s low in calories too – just 6 calories per can.

What do they taste like though?  I was surprised that the Lo Bros Kombucha Cola tasted like cola. It has that slightly sweet taste but isn’t too effervescent nor overly sticky in taste.  The can was just the right amount for a glass to have with lunch and certainly doesn’t feel like a ‘health drink’ because it’s not heavy nor is it really synthetic.

The Ginger & Lemon was very refreshing! It’s like a fizzy cordial without the sugary taste, just the energising citrus and spicy ginger taste. It works well with ice and is probably best when straight out of the fridge.  I also liked the Passion Fruit flavour, which like the other flavours is low in sugar, natural and has live cultures.  It’s more of a fruity taste, with a slight sweetness to it.  I think it would appeal to children more than the other drinks and can be drunk either cold from the fridge or slightly warmer and in a lunchbox.

Over time, the effects of the kombucha are more beneficial than the sugary shop-bought cans we are used to seeing advertised everywhere so I hope that these Lo Bros Kombucha drinks become more popular and appeal to a wide variety of people who prefer these flavours and reach for the kombucha rather than the brands!

Available from 42 pence a can (£5 for 12) at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lo-Bros-Kombucha-Sugar-250ml/dp/B0BNND9CCY?ref_=ast_sto_dp

Clean G Rhubarb Alcohol-Free Gin

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Barbie the Movie is everywhere at the moment, and so is pink!  There’s pink outfits, pink houses and cars and pink cocktails across social media and no wonder when the movie has been such a hit this past weekend.

Clean G’s rhubarb gin is actually not what it seems… it’s alcohol free with no sugar but has the rhubarb taste that’s all the fashion in cocktails nowadays. It still has the dryness of gin, just without the aftershock of some alcohol-free spirits which have the chemical taste to it that screams ‘synthetic’.  It works really well as a cocktail though, tempered with all the usual mixers like tonic water, or with a lemon or lime to make it a bit sharper. There’s a peppermint taste to it too which is not what you expect at first but if you’re mixing it as a cocktail you can work with it and bring out the flavour. The rhubarb flavour is there but it’s not that strong so don’t expect to be able to drink it on its own and have the rhubarb flavour hit you first of all.

Although it has less than 0.5% ABV, it counts and non-alcoholic so there’s no guilt involved here! It’s got no sugar or additional sweetener, is lactose free, gluten free and vegan too.  There’s only 12 calories per 50ml serving too!

Still not sure about an alcohol-free pink gin? Clean G Rhubarb is an International Wines and Spirits award winner (2021) and is made in the same way as conventional gin – in copper stills with added botanicals to give it the flavour.  Many people can’t tell the difference between real gin and alcohol-free Clean G and I couldn’t either. It’s a great idea for anyone who likes gin, and especially to have this pink gin version in the house in case anyone is not drinking this summer. Even better as a Christmas present when friends and family are doing Dry January in the New Year! 

Available at: https://clean.co/collections/frontpage/products/cleang-rhubarb-non-alcoholic and other retails, typically £16 for 70cl bottle.

Italian Crisps and Snacks from Fox Nut & Snacks

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

We are in full swing of summer now, and I’ve lost count of the amount of places I’m meant to be, want to be or end up finding myself thanks to the beautiful weather.  With friends coming round too, there’s always a need for endless snacks to go with the wine, Prosecco or chats with the girls.

The Artisan Olive Oil Company sent us these crisps and vegetable chips to try, as part of their artisan Italian snack range, all of which are found on their website.  This was one of those times when I opened a box and kept delving to find more and more yummy treats; my mind whirling with how I was going to try all of them in such a short space of time… but don’t worry, the girls with the wine, Prosecco and chatter helped me out!

Included in the bundle was;

Vintage Truffle Potato Chips (120g)

Vintage Potatoes with Sweet Chilli (120g)

Vegan [vegetable] Crisps (150g)

Lightly Salted Tortilla (125g)

Blue Corn Tortilla (125g)                    

For anyone looking for summer snacks, this is only a small selection of what the Artisan Olive Oil Company offer, and you can see that there’s more than just your run of the mill crisps just in this selection.  The flavours are varied as well, which helps when you don’t know what everyone will be drinking.

It is surprisingly fast how quickly so many packets of crisps disappear when you open them! We did study them first though, noting how each of the crisps were of high quality. The potato crisps were sharp, fresh and there were no burnt edges or green crisps in the packet, and none of those monster crisps you used to find as a child! All of the vegetables were of high quality and were cooked in high quality oil.  The Vintage Potatoes with Sweet Chilli are not as hot (in taste) as some of the other brands on the market, but have more of a sweeter taste to them. The crisps are still precise though, and make for a lovely texture. 

The same goes for the Vintage Truffle Potato Chips, which have a subtle taste but are great with the flavour of the oil coming through and the quality of the potatoes. I really liked the Vegan Crisps which were vegetable chips of carrot, beetroot and parsnip. Not only are they some of my favourite vegetables but they have a taste all of their own once they’re cooked, and the added seasoning makes them irresistible.

Finally, the Lightly Salted Tortilla and Blue Corn Tortilla are more gritty, but flavoursome corn chips, with a tiny bit of flavouring to them but just as delicious. These went really well with white wine and their slightly sour tastes of Pinot Grigio and I think would be even better eaten with a dip or salsa, all of which are found on the Artisan Olive Oil Company’s website where you’ll find even more summer treats!

Crisps and snacks available online from £4.25 per 120g bag at:

Groovy Food Company Hot Agave Nectar and Chipotle Agave Nectar

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

Groovy Food Company have launched 2 new Agave flavours to their range of sauces, honeys and oils. The Hot Agave Nectar and Chipotle Agave Nectar sound like they could be fire hot additions to the BBQ this year with their chilli flavours an chipotle, but are they just another sauce to keep in the fridge for the next 6 months?

Both of the sauces are actually fat free and have no artificial colours. The Hot Agave Nectar has no artificial flavourings either and both are suitable for vegans and Kosher – KLBD.  They’re not just for the BBQ thought. They’re great on salads, pizza, any kinds of meat or fish, as an accompaniment to cheeses or even on lasagne or pasta to give it more of a zing!  

The Hot Agave sauce is chilli hot, but not so hot that your mouth burns.  It would be suitable for older children as an addition to their pizza or salad or to use it as a dip for chicken nuggets.  It’s got a lovely texture to it, making it very easy to pour and eat when drizzled over your meals.  It certainly makes vegetables more exciting and with the addition of the Chipotle Agave Nectar, you can alternate flavours or add both to the same meal.

The Chipotle Agave Nectar has a smokey flavour to it but again is not too hot that children couldn’t enjoy it.  The Agaves make for great sauces to dip the crusts of pizzas into, but I haven’t tried it as an addition to making a sauce yet – maybe a homemade pasta sauce with added Chipotle Agave Nectar would give it that extra kick?

Once opened, they both need to be stored in the fridge and shaken every time used, but there are approximately 75 servings from each bottle. 

If you’re a fan of chilli and chipotle then these Groovy Foods agaves are worth trying, and trying on all sorts of different dishes to see how they can change anything from vegetables to your favourite homemade dishes.

Available from Ocado for £3 at:

https://www.ocado.com/search?entry=groovy%20food%20company

Belvoir Farm Summer Spritz

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

It’s summer, the sun is shining and I’m sat watching Wimbledon on TV with a refreshing glass of Belvoir Farm Summer Spritz – life doesn’t get much better than this!

The limited edition Summer Spritz is a very refreshing drink, especially on a hot day like today. Sparkling spring water is mixed with strawberry, apple, elderberry and lime juices and finished with a hint of mint and it really does taste fantastic.

It is lovely on its own with a few strawberries or it works well as a mixer for your favourite tipple.

As it’s Wimbledon season it would be rude not to have a glass of Pimms, so I tried Belvoir Farm’s recipe for Strawberry Pimms. This fruity cocktail was was a big hit with my friends today.

It is nice and easy to make and if you want to try it this is the recipe.

150ml Belvoir Farm Summer Spritz
50ml Pimms
15ml Belvoir Farm Raspberry & Lemon Cordial
Handful of strawberries
Handful of fresh mint leaves

Method – Add 3/4 of the strawberries and mint to a high ball glass and muddle. Add the Pimms and Raspberry & Lemon Cordial then fill the glass with crushed ice. Top with the Belvoir Farm Summer Spritz.

Like the rest of the Belvoir range, Summer Spritz is made from the finest ingredients with no artificial flavours or preservatives. It is also suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

Available from Ocado and look out for it in Aldi next week

RRP 750ml £2.25

Joe & Seph’s Gourmet Popcorn

Disclaimer: we received these products free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

It’s World Chocolate Day today – our favourite day of the year and we have been celebrating with some of our favourite chocolate treats from Joe & Seph’s

Joe & Seph’s are a family business and began making popcorn back in 2010 in their family kitchen. After taking the popcorn to a food show they sold out in 2 days and the rest is history. They use the finest, natural ingredients and now have a range of over 40 exciting flavours which include both sweet and savoury flavours.

The White Chocolate & Raspberry Popcorn Slab costs £8 and believe me is worth every penny. Combining Caramel and Raspberry popcorn and smothering them in delicious white chocolate, Joe & Seph’s have come up with the most amazing indulgent treat. I would like to say that we ate this over a couple of nights but that would be a complete lie! It was so good we demolished the whole slab in one sitting!!

The Caramel & White Chocolate Gourmet Popcorn costs £4 and is a real treat for the tastebuds, especially if you have a sweet tooth. The air popped popcorn is coated in smooth caramel and white chocolate and has a satisfying crunch when you bite into it. Once you’ve tasted this I guarantee you won’t go back to cinema popcorn again!

The Milk Chocolate Popcorn Bites are pieces of salted caramel popcorn in a creamy milk chocolate cup. The creaminess of the chocolate and the crunch of the popcorn go so well together and are a real decadent treat. They say each bag contains 4 servings – I think their servings are much smaller than mine!! RRP £3.50

We’ve really enjoyed celebrating World Chocolate Day with Joe & Seph’s and I can’t wait to find out what their next popcorn flavours are going to be.

Happi Oat Milk Chocolate

Disclaimer: We received this product free of charge for the purpose of this review and all thoughts and opinions are our own.

We’ve been munching our way through a lot of chocolate this week in preparation for World Chocolate Day on the 7th July.  As well as traditional chocolate we have been sampling some plant based brands as being Vegan or following a dairy free or gluten free diet no longer means you need to miss out on delicious chocolate treats.

Happi Choc was founded by Gavin, Lee & Rosie who spotted a gap in the market for top quality, healthier and FUN plant based treats that they were happy to share with their children and enjoy themselves.  Lower in sugar than other chocolate brands the chocolate is sustainably sourced with the cacao bought directly from a Columbian family owned business and co-operative called Luker.  The company are 100% ethically driven and work closely with a network of farmers, alliances and communities to improve social welfare, biodiversity and farming practices. (We recently tried FATSO chocolate which is sourced from the same Columbian business)

The Happi chocolate is made using single origin 47% Colombian cacao and oat milk and comes in a range of delicious flavours – Plain Milk, White Chocolate, Salted Caramel, Orange, Cacao Nibs Crunch & White Raspberry.

Happi chocolate is the very first oat milk chocolate I have tried and I have to say I’m really impressed, the chocolate is smooth and creamy and there is definitely no compromise on taste and with less sugar it’s better for my waistline too!

My favourite was the Cacao Nib Crunch, the rich flavour combined with the crunchy cacao nibs is simply irresistible and a chocolate lovers dream. For white chocolate lovers the White Raspberry bar is one to try, with plenty of freeze dried raspberries giving it a fruity boost this one is incredibly moreish!

The packaging is also recyclable with a cardboard box and a home compostable plastic inner. They also give 1% of their annual net sales revenue to good causes and mental health organisations so another good reason to try it.

Happi is available in 40g and 80g bars from Selfridges, Ocado, Amazon and local independent retailers.

Màzo London Q Candle 

Disclaimer – We received this item free for the purpose of this review/feature but all words and opinions are our own.

We all love a candle, and to receive a British made candle is an extra special gift when there is such choice out there.

Màzo Candles London is a London based company founded by two sisters, Màz and Zö as a luxury candle brand made with natural essential oils and all natural, vegan wax and pure cotton wicks. Like a fine wine, the candles were designed to have a range of aromas layered to create a unique fragrance unlike other candles on the market and to evoke a sense of well-being in your home.

The sisters, who founded the company in 2022, have created a range of luxury candles all of which are available on their website. The range includes Mystic (citrus notes Bergamot and Jasmine with myrrh and tobacco for a cosy atmosphere), Pink (fresh grapefruit and pink peppercorn), Chaparral (guava and eucalyptus to refresh the spirit) and Q, which was the candle which was sent to us.

Opening the parcel which arrived at my door, I could smell the tones of bergamot coming through the packaging. The scent also contains fig, Egyptian Jasmine, Oud and pure Frankincense.  I think it was the frankincense which reminded me of the posh spas and boutiques that sell the higher end gifts in London’s West End. 

The 220gram net candle is set in a gorgeous square glass frame, adorned with metal work on the outside which is unaffected by the flame. Once the candles starts to burn though, the light from the double wicks casts patters through the metalwork onto the floor, creating a shadow effect.  Màz and Zö have thought of everything with these candles because there’s even little protectors provided to stick on the bottom of the metal feet so that you don’t mark the furniture as the candle burns!  The double wicks, which are made of pure cotton, create a tandem glow but also means that the candle burns more evenly.

The scent is heavenly, as you’d imagine and you can tell that this isn’t synthetic wax with an added fragrance made with additives. The natural wax burns more slowly and is much smoother, plus the scents linger longer and you can detect the different layers of Jasmine and Frankincense especially. The candle has a burning time of around 40 hours, so for the size of candle it lasts much longer than High Street brands.

New candles are always exciting, and we love trying new brands at The Review Studio, so to find a local candle company who specialise in natural ingredients and also produce such high quality candles is a real treat!

Available for £72.00 at: https://mazocandleslondon.com/products/q-candle