Category: Vegetarian

Oppo Ice Cream – 4 New Flavours for Summer!

Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, Home, Summer, Vegetarian

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

Tuesday 27th June is National Ice Cream Day! To celebrate, Oppo Brothers have sent us a selection of their new flavours for 2023 to try, and they sent us some of their most popular ice creams too!

Oppo Brothers Caramelised Biscuit Swirl Ice Cream (475ml) is a tub of their newest flavoured ice cream, with the added bonus of only being 95 calories per 100ml. The caramel ice cream is adorned with pieces of biscuit to add to the Biscoff-style. Sweet but not sticky, the Caramelised Biscuit Swirl Ice Cream goes well with already sweet desserts such as sticky toffee pudding or jam roly poly. We ate this on its own though, with the lovely gold Oppo Brothers Spoon which we were sent too!

We also received the Opp Brothers Double Chocolate Brownie Ice Cream (475ml) which has pieces of chocolate in a chocolate ice cream. This flavour only has 90 calories per 100ml and is a good source of protein as well as a fantastic dessert all of its own, is lower in sugar than other ice creams and own the ‘Great Taste’ award in 2022.  Although this could be eaten alongside a dessert, it’s a treat for the whole family and a tub of 475ml goes a surprisingly long way.

The third tub of ice cream was the Oppo Brothers Double Salted Caramel Swirl Ice cream (475ml). This flavour won a ‘Great Taste’ award in 2018 when it came out, and boasts only 82 calories per 100ml. This ice cream is REALLY sweet so I would only eat this on its own, with probably only a few spoonfuls needed in order to get a good ice cream ‘hit’. It’s very indulgent, and if you like trying new flavours of ice cream then this is a definite win, and isn’t offensive at all. No weird flavours here, just wholesome summer ice cream treats!

I had never tried ice cream snacking balls before, so the next two boxes were a treat. The Oppo Brothers Chocolate Hazelnut Snacking Balls (12 balls at 14ml each) make for great additions to desserts, small portions of ice cream for kids or as a snack for lunchtime when you’re working from home! You can see in the photo that they are bite sized, smaller ice creams covered in chocolate crispy shells. The Chocolate Hazelnut Snacking Balls have small hazelnut pieces in the shell, and come in at only 25 calories a bite. 

We were also sent 12 Salted Caramel Balls, which only had 22 calories per ball – bonus! Both these and the Chocolate Hazelnut Snacking Balls are vegetarian friendly and made with fresh milk and cream and natural ingredients.

Summer isn’t the same without ice cream lollies and Oppo Brothers sent us two varieties; Vanilla Almond Caramel Swirl Ice Cream Sticks and Salted Caramel Biscuit Crunch Ice Cream Sticks. Each one is ice cream with a chocolate coating and they are only 130 calories each.  The Salted Caramel Biscuit Crunch won a ‘Great Taste’ award in 2022 and the newer Vanilla Almond Caramel Swirls are both great for children a well as adults as they aren’t too sweet but are still cooling in this weather. They’re both graded as ‘C’ on the Nutri-Score too, and the packets fit neatly in the fridge so you can store them for a few months, or until they’re gone!

Oppo Brothers have lots of choice for Summer 2023 whether its ice cream, snacking balls or ice cream sticks, you’re bound to find something the family will love! 

Available from  Sainsburys, Tesco, Asda, Ocado or Amazon from £5.00.

Balmonds Cooling Cream

Baby, beauty, Children, cruelty-free, eco friendly, Family Life, health, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

With these summer temperatures, everyone looks for new ways to stay cool especially if we’re spending time outdoors. Balmonds Cooling Cream is for that reason; to keep cool and sooth your skin with its aloe vera, menthol and lavender extracts.  

A completely vegan recipe, Balmonds Cooling Cream helps moisturise dry or flushed skin, creating a barrier to dehydrated skin to prevent it feeling any more tired.  The medicinal effects of lavender help heal skin that is mildly damaged from dehydration whilst the aloe vera soothes the top layers of skin. It’s ideal for the whole family as it only contains plant ingredients. The cooling cream is fragrance-free, paraffin free and cruelty free so also makes for a great gift.

The 99% natural cream is cool to the touch and takes a little while to absorb into the skin but when it does it gives a matt finish. It can be used as an after-sun lotion, hand or face cream, for hormonal hot flushes and for after chemotherapy or radiotherapy. It’s very gentle, very soft and can be taken anywhere with you, especially on holiday!

Available for £19.00 from: https://balmonds.co.uk/products/cooling-cream-100ml-skin-salvation

Sinzero Low Alcohol Chile Wine

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Drinks and Mixers, Family Life, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Him, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

No one misses out this Father’s Day with the Sinzero range of low and no alcohol wine.  The range includes a Cabernet Sauvignon, a Chardonnay, a Rosé and a Sparkling Brut white wine which have only recently been launched in the UK. Whether you’re drinking alcohol or not, each of the Chilean bottles tastes of summer and you won’t notice the difference having low alcohol makes compared to what you find on the supermarket shelves. Each variety has a maximum of 0.5% alcohol. 

Starting with the Sinzero Chardonnay, which is both vegan and alcohol free, the unmistakeable sharpness of Chardonnay is still there, with a slightly fresher, fruiter scent and after taste.  This makes a great accompaniment to food especially white meat and fish and doesn’t have the acidic flavour you’re used to with some Chardonnays, probably because it’s from Chile.  I’m reliably informed it only has 20 calories per glass too!

The Sinzero Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon tastes of vanilla but has a fragrance of strawberries, redcurrants and summer berries.  I loved this one on its own, not with food but it goes particularly well with lighter meals like Italian pasta, it is a lovely lunchtime wine.  The Sinzero Chliean Cabernet Sauvignon is also award winning, with 96 points and a gold medal in the IWSC.

Sinzero Chilean Rosé is a great wine for BBQs and works swimmingly with pasta, cheese and lighter dishes. I can also be drunk on its own and is also vegan and less than 25 calories per glass. It’s crisp, floral and fruity, just like a rosé should be!

Finally, there’s the Sinzero Chilean Sparkling Brut.  We saved this for a family birthday as everyone could drink it, regardless of age or what medication they were on! The sparkling, crisp wine goes with anything or can be drunk on its own as the celebratory drink it is meant to be. Like all the other Chilean wines, it is light and fruity plus has less than 0.5% alcohol. Perhaps a good sparkling for family celebrations, especially as it’s got a slightly sweeter taste?

I didn’t know non-alcohol and low alcohol wines could be so tasty, let alone light and refreshing like the Sinzero line.  I’m looking forward to seeing what other varieties they bring out in the future!

All Sinzero products are available via DryDrinker.com;

Sinzero Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon from £11.25 p/ bottle

Sinzero Chilean Chardonnay from £11.25 p/bottle

Sinzero Chilean Sparkling White Wine from £13.76 p/bottle

Sinzero Chilean Rosé from £11.99 p/bottle

Superfood Face Firming Serum Made by Coopers

beauty, Birthday Gifts, cruelty-free, eco friendly, Gifts for Her, Vegan, Vegetarian, Women

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

We have had face creams for daily repair for a few decades now. Then there were night creams, designed to repair whilst you’re asleep and your skin is rejuvenating. Nowadays, we have serums to take care of your epidermis during the day, or in the case of the Superfood Face Firming Serum Made by Coopers, this serum works during the night to keep your skin soft and supple.

The Coopers Superfood Firming Serum is made with a blend of bio-active plant oils to instantly firm and regenerate cells. The vegan serum, which contains organic black cumin, pomegranate, chia, broccoli, baobab and passion flower also contains no parabens and isn’t tested on animals. The combination of all the plant extracts gives you a brighter, more youthful complexion. 

Although vitality serums are usually used at night, and under moisturisers, the Coopers Superfood Face Firming Serum can be used on clean skin during the day as well and on the neck. Just a few drops warmed in the finger tips and massaged into the skin gives extra moisturisation.  The serum is a rich, oily texture with a strong cumin fragrance which reminded me of the CBD oils, although this formula does not contain CBD.  It takes a while for it to soak into your skin but when it does, it leave the skin super hydrated thanks to its rich texture. The effects last over night until the morning when you can either apply it again, or use your usual daily skin routine.

This is especially good for vegans who want products made of plant extract but also not tested on animals but still has the same moisturising effect as High Street cosmetics.

Available from £35 at: https://madebycoopers.com/products/superfood-firming-serum-30ml?_pos=1&_sid=ed0b148ff&_ss=r

Johnsons Lawn Seed Celebration Wildflower Tins

Children, eco friendly, Family Life, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Home, Home & Garden, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

I love gardening, especially this time of year when all the plants start to really take off, it’s a joy to be outside and the wildlife is taking over our gardens.  I plant a lot of seeds, take cuttings and every year promise myself to do something different to encourage nature in the garden.

Johnsons Lawn Seed are helping with that goal.  They don’t just sell grass seed for lawns, but seed mixes too. We were sent some Celebration Wildflower tins to try for this summer, which incidentally coincides with #NoMowMay; the month where we are encouraged to not mow the lawn and let the wildflowers, weeds and therefore nature take over. It increases diversity and encourages the ecosystem to flourish.

Johnsons Lawn Seed Celebration Wildflower tins are 100% wildflowers which cover up to 15 square metres, which is about the size of a large room. The prepare the area to be sown, a bed of soil needs to be weed free (to decrease competition) and raked finely to give a medium-fine seedbed.  Seeds should be sown from April to the end of June, then rake over them slightly and water in to ensure the birds don’t get them! Wildflowers don’t need to be deep in the ground to be able to grow well.  The wildflowers should start to bloom from mid-June onwards until the first frosts of the autumn (mid October) as long as you keep them watered, especially at the germination phase.  

The tins, which are the same type of pull-cans as supermarket beans, contain 17 different seed types including California Poppy, Cornflower, Cosmos, Painted Daisy and Pot Marigold.  Each of the different wildflowers grow to different heights and at different times so over the course of a summer you get a tumbling array of different flowers, scents and foliage. With each tin, the 15 square metres of soil space will probably provide a few wildflower bouquets over time as well, but the variety of different seeds will attract all sorts of butterflies, bees and even moths to the garden over the course of the season.  Children will love to help plant these as well as watch them grow as they are quick to geminate and wildflowers by their nature are able to grow in all sorts of soil and spaces. If you don’t have a soil bed anywhere, a pot or window sill will also accommodate the blossoms if you keep them well watered.

The Celebration Wildflower seeds we planted this week haven’t germinated yet and it will be a few more months before they do, and we are looking forward to seeing what comes up, and what wildlife is attracted into the garden.

Available from £7.99 at most garden centres. See details at Johnsons seeds here:  johnsonslawnseed.com 

Good Gracious Shampoo and Conditioner

beauty, Family Life, Gifts for Her, Home, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

It’s no surprise to anyone who knows me to find out that my naturally curly hair is difficult to tame, frizzy if I don’t straighten it and the curls only stay in place when the hairdresser puts them in.  My curly hair is also exposed to extreme hard water in my area, which strips out all the oils and all the nutrients to leave my hair dry. Each time I wash it, if I don’t straighten my hair I have to add loads of products or else, I just tie it up and try and forget about it.

Good Gracious is a new brand available at Tesco, with a range of shampoos, conditioners and masks which are tailored to your needs to give you the best product combination for your hair. All of the products in the range are 97% natural and vegan friendly. The ranges are Purple (hydrating), Pink (colour care), and Orange (repair) which is the range I was sent to try for my poor, dry hair. There are masks available too, all of which are at Tesco in the haircare aisle.

The Orange range, meant for intense repair of hair, contains Argan oil, sweet almond oil and almond milk for a triple hit of intense treatment to hair. Working together, the ingredients have a repairing effect on hair, especially if used long term. When I opened each bottle, there is a lovely smell from the Argan oil and almond milk. The shampoo and conditioner work best when used together so I have been testing for a few days now and leaving my hair to dry naturally to give a better idea of how it repairs. My hair is becoming softer and the curls more defined, and over time I hope it becomes even more manageable with the more I use the Good Gracious products. Argan oil for the win with Good Gracious hair!

Follow Good Gracious on Instagram @goodgraciousbeauty and every time they reach a milestone following they donate to a different charity, starting with Shooting Star Children’s Hospices.

Available from Tesco from £5 at: https://www.tesco.com/groceries/en-GB/search?query=Good%20Gracious&icid=tescohp_sws-1_m-ft_in-Good%20Gracious_ab-226-b_out-Good%20Gracious

Purely Plantain Chips

Food & Drink, Gluten Free, Mental Health Awareness, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

Whenever I am invited to a picnic I to take something a little different and these Purely plantain chips were a real hit this week. Founded by Stefania Pellegrino and Mark O’Sullivan Purely’s aim is to save the world from boring snacks and spread the love for the awesome power of the plantain!

A staple food for many in South America, plantains are members of the banana family, but whilst they look like large bananas, they are starchier and lower in sugar and aren’t usually eaten raw.

The chips are available in three different flavours, Sea Salt, Nice & Spicy and Wild Garlic and they all taste delicious. My favourite is the Sea Salt, it has just the right amount of crunch and saltiness, making it the perfect snack for picnics or sat watching a film.

So what do plantain chips taste like – well they are thicker than normal crips, have a satisfying crunch and are incredibly moreish. As they have 30% less fat than potato crisps, they are a much healthier choice too.

The chips are available in a 75g sharing bag (although they are so moreish you may not want to share!!) as well as 28g bags which are perfect for lunchboxes.  

Purely Plantain Chips are available to buy directly from Purely and you can also find them in Selfridges, Holland and Barrett and Ocado.

Tyrrells

coronation, Food & Drink, Lunchbox Fillers, Spring, Summer, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

Crisps are the staple savoury snack for buffets, parties and family get togethers. With Coronation parties being planned up and down the country you can guarantee that the nation will be chomping on crisps throughout the festivities. Crunchy and packed full of flavour they go with pretty much everything from sandwiches, cheese or even a pint.

I’m in charge of the buffet for The Review Studio Coronation party so was really pleased to receive a couple of bags of Tyrrells crisps, the regal sounding Coronation Chicken and the Tomato & Chilli Chutney flavour.

The Coronation Chicken crisps have been relaunched as a limited edition to commemorate the Coronation of King Charles III. Packaged in celebratory packaging featuring plenty of colourful Union Jack flags, the crisps are made with the finest potatoes and hand cooked & spun for exquisite taste. Combining roast chicken with a subtle curry kick these crisps are nice and crunchy and incredibly moreish! I’m not always a huge fan of spicy crisps as I find that they can be a little strong but the bite of the curry was perfect and really complemented the roast chicken flavour without being overpowering.

With a RRP of £2.75 the 150g bags are currently available in Booths, Waitrose, Tesco, Asda and WHSmith Travel and will be available at BP from 2nd May.

The brand new Tomato & Chilli Chutney flavour crisps have a warm chilli flavour with a hint of smokiness. These crisps are packed full of flavour with a perfect crunch and are the perfect addition to any picnic or Coronation party this summer.

The 150g bags have a RRP of £2.75 and are currently available from Asda and Waitrose and look out for them in Tesco from 21st March.

Sea Animal Collection from PLAYin CHOC

Children, coronation, cruelty-free, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Lunchbox Fillers, Plastic free, Toys, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

The brand new Sea Animals Collection from PLAYin CHOC is here in time for the Coronation weekend! The sustainable and ethically sourced chocolate is accompanied by a cut out toy of a sea animal along with an information card to educate children about the world around them.  If you remember Kinder Surprise as a child, then this is the modern, environmentally friendly version for the 21st century.

PLAYin CHOC was created by Mum Maya back in 2016 in her kitchen at home where she wanted to make simple chocolate for her family which was just cacoa, coconut and vanilla.  Crucially, it was also dairy free chocolate, hence there’s no milk or cream involved in the process, just coconut products.

With the help of her two children as ‘chief testers’, Maya perfected the Peruvian, fairly traded organic chocolate and created the PLAYin CHOC brand. Their mission is to create healthy chocolate treats without plastic, and to promote environmentally sensitive topics. Among other projects PLAYin CHOC have featured are Endangered Animals, Woodland Animals and even a whole dinosaur set!  At Christmas and Easter they produce Advent Calendars and gift boxes and this year PLAYin CHOC have produced the Sea Animals Collection.

We were sent these three boxes to indulge ourselves.  Opening the boxes, we found an orca, seahorse and swordfish. You can’t tell what’s in the box until you open it so it’s a great surprise for children. The box contains two pieces of chocolate (in recyclable plastic), a cut out of each animal which children can put together to create a toy and an information card about the animal, some facts and their personalities. There are 18 different animals to collect in all and the toys, which are made out of durable cardboard, can be used again and again, along with the cube boxes the chocolate and toys come in!

Although the chocolate is coconut based and vegan, it doesn’t taste very different to everyday chocolate so the kids won’t notice the change.  It is 100% plant based though so it will appeal to everybody – these make great gifts in children’s party bags or to keep them quiet on car journeys and whilst travelling.

With so many toys to choose from, healthier vegan chocolate and fair trade, what is there not to like about the PLAYin CHOC range, especially for the Coronation?

PLAYin CHOC Endangered Animals are £2.25 at: https://playinchoc.com/products/toychoc-box-br-sea_animals

MyPura Baby Wipes

Baby, camping, Children, eco friendly, health, Plastic free, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

Thankfully, it has become well known in the last few months that all types of bathroom wipes aren’t good for the environment. They cause blockages in your own domestic plumbing but beyond that, the wipes cause devastation to the wildlife once they are released into the reservoirs, rivers and seas. They may say they’re disposable, but many are not.

MyPura Baby Wipes are NOT disposable via the toilets in homes and plumbing system across the UK. They are however, designed to be more environmentally friendly in many other ways, so there is less guilt about using them once you throw them away.  Made of 99% water and organic aloe vera, they don’t have any plastic content and therefore are 100% compostable and 100% biodegradable, so landfill isn’t a problem. 

Each pack contains a generous 24 wipes and perfect for baby, they are perfume and alcohol free. Alcohol often dehydrates the skin, so with the aloe vera, they help to hydrate baby’s skin and can be used by you too. Brilliant for taking off make up!  I was particularly pleased to see that the packaging is 100% recyclable and the wipes are verified vegan and Allergy Friendly too. 

Do they work though?  I particularly liked the MyPura wipes because they could be used on me as well as children, and they didn’t have any scent that put me off or made me feel self-conscious. Sometimes when you use wipes on your face, there’s the alcohol smell or a fragrance left behind that you’d rather not be smelling all day, and these MyPura ones don’t have that.  They’re also really efficient because they are made of aloe vera and a high content of water, so don’t dry out as soon as you take them out of the packet.  The packet is also really handy too as it seals up again quickly after use!

From £2.03 per pack (on subscription) at: https://mypura.com/products/eco-baby-wipes

PLAYin CHOC Chocolate

Birthday Gifts, Children, eco friendly, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gluten Free, Lunchbox Fillers, Mother's Day, Plastic free, Stocking Fillers, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

Anyone looking for chocolate gifts will love the PLAYin CHOC organic chocolate range. Made from Peruvian Cacao it has no dairy, no gluten, no nuts and is totally vegan. The business was started by Maya back in 2016 when she wanted to create dairy-free chocolate using the simplest ingredients; cacao, coconut and vanilla. Maya also wanted to promote awareness about the planet’s biodiversity and offer an ethical alternative, so all of the PLAYin CHOC products are plastic free.

Beyond how award winning this chocolate is (It has won the Great Taste Award in 2022 for both their dark and milk chocolates, among other accolades), the range is something to behold in terms of fun. Just a quick look at their website and you can see the chocolate gift boxes available, all of which include their winning chocolate, but also have models which children can build based on the theme of the gift box. There’s Endangered Animals, Woodland Animals, Dinosaurs, Rabbits and a Christmas box. There’s some lovely 12 and 24 day advent calendars available at Christmas time too!

For the adults, PLAYin CHOC also have 60gram tablets of 6 pieces of chocolate.  We were sent the Peruvian Cacao Milk Chocolate and Peruvian Cacao Dark Chocolate to try. Each chocolate is wrapped in compostable material (it looks like plastic but it’s not) so you can store them easily or even add them to a lunchbox for a quick chocolate treat.  

My favourite was the Dark Chocolates. You can really taste the cacao in them, and there’s a strong flavour from the coconut as well.  I really enjoyed the fact that there were no added extras to the chocolate, it’s a chocolate lover’s worse nightmare to be deterred from the real chocolate by additives, preservatives and unnecessary flavourings.  The dark chocolate has a stronger chocolate flavour,, but the milk chocolate is milder if you’re not a big fan of dark. 

If you’ve never tried PLAYin CHOC, have a look at their website for chocolate for both chocolate for the kids, as well as yourself!

Available online from £3 each at: 
https://playinchoc.com/products/copy-of-justchoc-box-br-organic-peruvian-cacao-m-lk-chocolates-60g

JustChoc Box<br>Organic Peruvian Cacao Dark Chocolates 60g

NOMO Chocolate Easter Eggs

Children, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for children, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gluten Free, health, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

If you’re unable to eat chocolate due to being lactose intolerant, have an allergy to nuts or are vegan, you used to struggle to find chocolate on the High Street. Nowadays, there are a lot more options available to you though including NOMO chocolate.  No More Missing Out? That’s their slogan. Does their chocolate live up to it though?

We were sent a selection of different flavoured chocolate Easter Eggs and Easter character chocolates. Although not necessarily aimed at children, anyone can enjoy them but we are also treated to an Egg & Lolly character egg for very young children. All of the chocolate are vegan and free from egg, nut, dairy and gluten.

The adult Easter egg flavours included Cookie Dough, Orange Crunch and Caramelised biscuit.  Each Egg weighs 160 grams and has an extra Bunny included in the egg.  The chocolate is listed as ‘an alternative to milk chocolate’ which is slightly darker than conventional milk chocolate but not bitter like dark chocolate is.  We particularly enjoyed the Orange Crunch chocolate which had a distinct flavour of orange with a slight texture to it which added an interest to the confectionary.  The Cookie Dough flavour is similarly textured and very sweet whilst the caramelised biscuit is as grown-up as it sounds with crunchy biscuit pieces and the sweetness of the caramel.  The added bunnies (a character chocolate, each one weighing 30 grams) are similar milk chocolate substitutes but just as tasty! 

The Egg & Lolly character Easter Eggs are also vegan and free from egg, nut, dairy and gluten.  The 92 grams cute little eggs are perfect for younger children who won’t know the difference between milk chocolate and these free from eggs. Inside the egg there’s a chocolate lolly to enjoy, as well as some fun activities for children to do over the Easter holidays.

You can also buy the NOMO Easter Bunny separately. At 30 grams, the chocolate bunnies are also vegan, dairy free, gluten free etc and are filled with flavoured truffle in either Orange Crunch or Cookie Dough like the Easter Eggs. 

Dairy free, Gluten free and egg free chocolate has come a long way in the last few years, and for anyone who needs a ‘free from’ diet, NOMO Chocolate Easter Eggs and Bunnies are so similar to the real thing, you won’t know the difference! 

NOMO Easter Eggs are available at: https://nomochoc.com/collections/nomo-easter-range and health food shops.

Kelly Loves Sushi Kit

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Gifts for teachers, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

I love sushi, but I have never made it at home before. I’ve eaten it as take-away lunch at work, at a restaurant for dinner and I’m a fan of the raw fish too but I’ve never thought of making it for myself. 

The team at Kelly Loves asked if we’d like to sample their Sushi Atelier kit for our Mother’s Day Gift Guide and even added some extra treats for me to be able to start my sushi journey.  Well, when the kit arrived, I was in for a treat! The box contains a double bento box (for keeping the sushi fresh when out and about), sushi rice, wasabi, picked ginger, a bamboo sushi mat, spicy mayonnaise, a packet of 7 nori seaweed sheets, sushi vinegar and fried onions.  There wasn’t much missing from the kit apart from the fresh ingredients of course!

The kit includes a postcard with a QR code to access lots of recipes of Japanese and Korean food, including different sushi rolls you can make.  Using the code and a bit of knowledge of sushi, I started with the rice which thankfully has instructions on the side. It isn’t as simple as just boiling up the rice; you also have to add the sushi vinegar to flavour once the rice has been cooked and cooled. I also used the spicy mayonnaise to affix the fried onion but you can fix the onion by wetting the seaweed first too. The mayonnaise added more flavour but was very messy to use.

The instructions tell you how to cut the nori seaweed sheets in half and fill them with the rice and fillings (I chose smoked salmon, cucumber and avocado) and then roll them using the roll mat.  You will need a sharp pair of scissors to cut the seaweed and a very sharp knife to cut the sushi once it’s rolled, which meant I had to sharpen my knives several times otherwise it tears through the seaweed and leave the roll in a heap!

Once the sushi is cut, you can arrange it any way you like and add the pickled ginger, wasabi and we were also sent soy sauce to dress the sushi with.  When it came to serving, if you’ve never had wasabi before, it would be worth trying the tiniest (and I mean tiniest!) amount as it’s extremely hot.  If you’re used to sushi with wasabi though, it’s great added with the pickled ginger, which is a generous amount in the jar provided with the pack.

Nothing beats freshly made sushi which is completely different to most shop bought varieties.  I made up only half of the rice in the pack, which is just as well because as you can see from the photos, this was only half of what was available, and with the other ingredients only half being used, there is plenty left for another meal.  I think this amount could feed 4 people, depending on what fillings you use.

The sushi tasted AMAZING and now that I know how to make it and how easy it is, I will be making it more often, topping up the items in the box with what I need and perfecting my rolling technique!  Everything from the rice to the fried onion is of high quality and has the authentic sushi taste, all of which adds to the overall effect.

As a gift, this is a super great idea for anyone and especially any foodies, and as for Mother’s Day, it will make a fabulous present for Mum, especially if you make it for her!  

Kelly Loves also has some other sushi products online including a ramune carbonated drink, which is much like lemonade. They also have spare ingredients online like the fried onion, pickled ginger and sushi vinegar. There’s also roasted sesame seeds, cabbage kimchi (delicious!) and a variety of different soy sauces online if you want to add to the gift to Mum on Mothering Sunday.

I loved this kit, not just for the quality of the ingredients but because it was all there and so easy to use but resulted in a delicious meal which my Mum really enjoyed. Despite it being the first time I made the sushi and it being a bit of a mess (see photos!) I loved making it and Mum actually commented that it was like the sushi you eat in a restaurant, which was a nice compliment. I can highly recommend Kelly Loves sushi kits for Mother’s Day gifts, and to start a love of homemade sushi for all the family!

Sushi At Home Kit currently on sale at £29.99 here: https://kellyloves.com/collections/sushi-at-home

The Flower Shop Valentines Handbag from Vendula

Birthday Gifts, cruelty-free, Fashion, Gifts for Her, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day Gifts, Vegan, Vegetarian, Women

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

The most perfect Valentine’s gift, a handbag which you can use again and again, is even more perfect when you realise its vegan leather!

Vendula London celebrate 20 years in business this year, and are planning some new collections to celebrate the achievement. The Flower Shop Pink Heart handbag is one of them and we road tested it this weekend to see how it fares. 

The 15cm by 16cm bag comes with two straps, one shoulder strap and one jumbo pearl strap to make it a clutch. The heart-shaped bag is covered in fluted pink fabric with a single brass clasp fastener. Inside, there is one compartment and it’s lined with the iconic Vendula London lining. The details on the front of the bag are hand stitched pink and white hearts with pink rose details.

Although a great Valentines gift, this handbag could be used all year round especially to match a pink dress, or to dress up a plain black or white number.  Going to a summer wedding? This would be ideal for a friend-of-the-bride, or even as a gift for a Matron of Honour!  It’s also a great prom accessory, to go with a long gown and the talk of the town. I can really see this Vendula London handbag making an appearance at Ascot this year too!

The fine detail on the bag is really tactile, but well made. It really looks like leather but is actually completely vegan.  As it comes with two different straps, it’s more versatile for going out but the straps can be taken off completely and used as a hand clutch. The bag is quite wide at 8cms but can’t fit too much in so you either need someone else to carry your phone for you or to have good pockets in your outfit!  It would carry a cash card and keys easily though. It is great for packing though as it doesn’t crush easily with its metal frame and all the decorations are flat. You can fit each of the straps inside as well if you need to transport it in luggage.

The Vendula Flower Shop Valentines handbag makes a very cute gift and a lovely accessory to a night out or wedding. It looks and feels like a collection piece which you’ll keep for ever and ever and won’t go out of fashion.

Even better, Vendula were voted the Most Innovative UK Vegan Accessory Brand 2022 by Life Lux Magazine too!

Available from £108.00

Afternoon Tea at Colonel Saab, Holborn Town Hall, London WC1

alcoholic drinks, Birthday Gifts, Days Out, Family Life, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Mother's Day, Valentine's Day Gifts, Vegetarian, Women

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

I’m a lover of afternoon tea. I also love Indian food, so when they mentioned Indian afternoon tea, there was no way I wasn’t going to try it!

Colonel Saab, located at the Holborn Old Town Hall at 193-197 High Holborn, London WC1 was only opened in October 2021 but is already winning awards. Just walking through the door, you can see all the accolades, including the Forbes top 40 Indian restaurants in London.

Inside, the 134 covers restaurant is situated over the ground floor and a cut-o mezzanine floor. As soon as you pass the bar, it’s the giant multitude of rose glass Indian chandeliers  which leave you fascinated with the décor.  Photos of owner Roop Partap Choudhary’s family, antique paintings and at the back, a photo each of his parents, Colonel Choudhary and his wife, Binny Choudhary.  The restaurant is named after Colonel Choudhary and is a love letter to their relationship since their marriage more than 40 years ago.

We were there to review the Indian Afternoon Tea, a specialty of Colonel Saab which takes a bit of explaining as India isn’t known for their own Afternoon Teas. Firstly, Champagne was brought out to each of us before the tea arrived. You don’t have to have the typical English Breakfast Tea to accompany your meal, so I tried the Massala Chai tea whilst my guest had a latte coffee.  Massala Chai is a special blended tea, with milk, which has spices such as cinnamon and a touch of sugar to give a full bodied, slightly sweet tea that challenges the usual English Breakfast.  I ordered a second pot of Massala tea in the end as it was so delicious!

The beautiful afternoon tea cage was brought over to our table with the familiar three tiers, but with an Indian twist.  The first tier of sandwiches were cucumber and yoghurt, and dhokla fingers.  If you’re not familiar with dhokla, it is an Indian cake-like fermented batter that is savoury but flavoured through the middle.  The middle layer had the familiar scones with cream and jam, but their added Indian twist here was a vegetable samosa!

The final layer at the top were the cakes!  Carrot cake, Lemon Meringue, two different flavours of macaron and a chocolate truffle each.  If, like us, you were particularly full by this time, you can always ask for the cakes to be boxed for you to take away.  However, they are so delicious, it’s easier to just have another cup of tea and work your way through them!

With the delicious afternoon tea finished, I was given a tour of Colonel Saab to show where the idea came from and the facilities beyond just the restaurant floor. The bar, on the ground floor, is available at any time and doesn’t need booking. Around the corner are the family photos of Roop Partap Choudhary [the founder] and love letters between his parents.  Behind the front door, there are the private dining rooms, which were beyond magnificent!  One large room, or a divider makes them two smaller rooms, the area is dominated by a huge canopied fireplace.  You can’t miss the enormous mobile bar though – which although made by Aspreys of London, belonged to Colonel Choudhary and travelled around with him whilst on campaign. It is stunning, and still looks as if it could serve drinks today.

Going upstairs, there’s more tables, all of which have different styles. At the far end of the mezzanine there is a quiet ‘nook’ area of a canopied table for four.  A perfect hideaway and position to watch the restaurant downstairs!

I was also told to walk downstairs to the bathrooms as this is one of the most ‘Instagramable’ areas of the restaurant. Dark red walls festooned with family photos and even more of the beautiful rose glass chandeliers. The bathroom itself was also very beautiful with carefully designed soft furnishings and retro sinks.

Don’t forget the two portraits of Binny and Colonel Choudhary in the main restaurant, with so many decorative plates around them, and the 6th centuries old painting between them that is an Indian traditional and takes literally years to paint.

By the time we had finished, we had been there nearly two hours and didn’t want to leave.  The atmosphere of the restaurant and the friendliness of the staff, all of whom said hello to us whilst we were there made this a hidden treasure. Just outside of Covent Garden but not quite in theatre land, it’s easier to get to than you think and as well as the fantastic food, it’s fascinating to visit. 

Afternoon tea is £25 per person or £48 for two. Champagne afternoon tea starts at £41 per person. 

https://colonelsaab.co.uk

Holborn Town Hall, 193-197 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7BD

020 8016 6800

reservations@colonelsaab.co.uk

B.fresh Juices

Drinks and Mixers, Fitness, Food & Drink, health, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

New Year – New Me. At least that’s my intention!

I’m trying to increase the amount of fruit and vegetables that I eat and as a glass of juice counts as one of the 5 a day I was really pleased to receive a selection of delicious mixed juices from B.fresh. The fresh, cold pressed juices and juice shots are made from 100% natural ingredients, with no added sugars or sweeteners and are produced on their farm in Shropshire.

The three juices I tried are

Happy Greens

Get Up and Glow

Strawberry Shines.

The Happy Greens drink has an apple base with kale and spinach. I really loved this one, the earth tones of the spinach and kale were perfectly balanced with the natural sweetness of the apple juice.

The orange, Get Up and Glow, cleverly mixes carrots with orange juice and apple with a hint of turmeric for that on trend health boost. Packed with antioxidants and vitamin C a glass of this juice is a great way to start the day.  

The Strawberry Shines drink combines 35% strawberry with apple, carrot cucumber and beetroot, I was expecting the strawberry flavour to be stronger but the flavour that stood out more was the apple with the strawberry coming in as a very pleasant aftertaste.

Each 250ml bottle counts as one of my five a day and with no added sugar makes a great healthy start to my day. I’ll pop one in my bag for a lunchtime treat too!

Available from the B.fresh website from £3.65 per 250ml juice

iSqueeze Juice

Drinks and Mixers, Family Life, Food & Drink, Gluten Free, Lunchbox Fillers, Sustainable, Vegan, Vegetarian

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

After the excess of food and drink consumed over the Christmas period, Dry January provides the perfect opportunity to reset your body and mind. Dry January is the month when many people abstain from alcohol and as well as saving money it also has plenty of health benefits too, including improved sleep, weight loss and cutting out alcohol can also help lower blood pressure and cholesterol too.

Lots of people associate orange juice as a breakfast staple but it can now be enjoyed “on-the-go” thanks to a growing number of iSqueeze machines in retail establishments, enabling you to grab a fresh juice whilst out and about. You will find machines in supermarkets, convenience stores, cafes, restaurants, gyms, and even hospitals.

The easy to operate self-service machines squeeze the fruit in seconds before bottling it, letting you enjoy fresh orange juice with no nasties, preservatives or sweeteners. The juice is packed full of flavour with plenty of zesty pulp and is very refreshing to drink.

The juice is available in a variety of sizes and each iSqueeze 250ml bottle (priced between £1.50 – £2.50) contains 3 oranges, 330ml (priced between £2 – £2.80) bottle – 5 oranges, 500ml (priced between £3 – £4.00) bottle – 8 oranges and the 1 litre bottle (priced between £4.25 – £6.00) contains an impressive 15 oranges.

As well as orange juice iSqueeze also have machines that will squeeze pomegranates and grapefruits too, with the technology to extend to further fruits including apples, so keep your eyes peeled!

All fruit is sustainably sourced, meaning zero waste, and the bottles are made from 100% recycled plastic which can easily be recycled. The juice is squeezed whilst you wait and is packed full of immune boosting ingredients and is high in vitamin C, folate, as well as potassium.

You will find iSqueeze machines in a growing number of places around the UK, we have one in our local Booths and you can also find them in Sainsburys, Coop, Nisa, Costcutter, Spar, Centre Parcs and plenty of other locations too.

Spice Kitchen Subscription Box

Birthday Gifts, Family Life, Father's Day, Food & Drink, Gifts for Her, Gifts for Him, Subscription Boxes, Vegetarian

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

My New Year’s Resolution is to cook more from scratch, rather than relying on ready made sauces. I love curries but have never really tried making my own, so I was really pleased to be able to try a subscription box from Spice Kitchen Each box contains a selection of spices along with a handy recipe guide with plenty of tasty recipes to get you started. Using the spices with the suggested ingredients means you know exactly what is going into your dish and that all the ingredients are healthy and suitable for the whole family.

The subscription boxes are available as a 3 month or 6 month subscription which are posted monthly or quarterly – you choose the timings. The spices are different in each box

3 month subscription – India, Around the World, Middle Eastern & African Spice Collecion

6 month subscription – The same as the 3 month followed by Chilli, Moroccan and Flavoured Sea Salts

The spices are packaged in resealable plastic bags which are clearly labelled so that you know which spice is which. Each box contains enough spices to make over 100 meals so you can try plenty of different recipes with each box. Once you have tried the ones in the recipe guide have a look at the Spice Kitchen website where you will find plenty more.

I flicked through the recipe book and was spoilt for choice, all the dishes sounded lovely however after a lot of deliberation we settled on Chicken Biryani, one of our favourite takeaway meals. We had all the ingredients so were able to try it out straight away. The instructions are really simple and easy to follow and I was really impressed just how easy it was to create a delicious curry.

We served the Chicken Biryani with Naan bread and rice and the whole family loved it, it was flavoursome and had just the right kick to it.

Next we tried the Punjabi Chickpeas, again we had all the ingredients in and my son made this for us. He said it was really easy to make and there were 4 clean plates at the end of the meal, so this speaks for itself!

Now I know how easy it is to make curries from scratch I know this is one New Year’s Resolution that I won’t be breaking! The subscription boxes are a way to bring authentic Indian cooking into the home and would make a great gift for any keen cook or foodie this year.