Delicious Alchemy Haul

The friendly people at Delicious Alchemy have sent me some goodies to try! I love baking and trying all things new so when I opened the box to find so many products I was ecstatic!

Let's take a look at what I got!

Chocolate Brownie Mix 
This mix is not only gluten but dairy free too. To make this mix all you need is 2 large eggs and 100g of unsalted butter or a dairy free alternative. I can feel what seems to be chocolate chips in this brownie mix which I am looking forward to as they will ooze a little bit and add decadence to the brownie.

Vanilla Sponge Mix
Possibly one of the most versatile mixes on the market! I have yet to find a basic free from sponge mix in the shops. With this I can make many types of cake, from Victoria sponge to butterfly cakes. This too is dairy as well as gluten free and only needs 3 large eggs and 180g of butter or dairy free alternative.

White Bread Mix
A scary product for me here. I used to be fantastic at baking bread, but gluten free bread is a whole different kettle of fish! There is obviously no kneading as there is no gluten but at the same time I find the bread mixes get very thick and the middle of the ones I've previously baked became a bit dense and stodgy. I am hoping with a mix the ingredients are right so I will have a good loaf rather than guessing as I go along. All you need is 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil and 325ml of tepid water.

Rice Flake Porridge
I have never tried rice porridge before, and considering the amount of porridge I eat, this is quite surprising! They look very see through but I imagine that it will be quite soft and almost fluffy when cooked. The cooking process is the same as regular porridge, so we will have to wait and see!

Oats
Another very versatile product in the box. Not only can this be used for porridge making, this is just pure gluten free oats so will be great to incorporate into many recipes. Like every other one of their products this will be free from dairy too depending on how you use it. These would be fantastic to make a rhubarb crumble, seeing as I have so much of it growing in the garden at the minute!

I can't believe how generous Delicious Alchemy have been! I can't wait to get baking!

Hannah x

Kelkin - Mint Chocolate Rice Cakes

You may remember back in January when Kelkin were stocked in Lidl at fantastic prices. Unfortunately it was only a limited offer, so I stocked up and brought the longest dates I could find.

Part of this large Haul was the Kelkin Mint Chocolate Rice Cakes. Mint chocolate is one of my favourites but I'm always undecided which season it's best for. At christmas I love mint hot chocolates but mint choc chip ice-cream is amazing in the summer! Which gives me mixed memories when eating something mint and chocolatey!

At 80 calories each these are a great lighter option than reaching for a magnum. The rice cake itself is quite thin, about half the thickness of a typical snack-a-jack and have a very thin layer of minty dark chocolate on the top. There is 6 in a pack and retail and around the £1-£1.40 mark.

I found that there is just the right amount of chocolate layered on the top to make the rice cake not taste dry but not so much to make it hard to bite through. The chocolate had a good snap and combined with the fluffier, drier consistency of the rice worked well together. The other advantage of these rice cakes is that they fulfil my chocolate bar yum yum (to normal people a craving) but they are more filling so you don't eat half as much!

The whole cake tastes just like an after eight in flavour, a real decadent option. Crumble and combine these with some frozen yoghurt and a bit of cream and they make an amazing sundae. I can't believe that these are quite as minty as they are. I imagined they would be much more of a hint of flavour rather than a full on hit of mint, which is what you receive.

Since buying these I have found them hard to get hold of. I do believe they are readily available in Irish Tesco's, but my local one has seemed to stopped stocking them. But if you can get hold of them I would really recommend you try them if you love foods like mint magnum, Starbucks christmas hot chocolate or even mint ice-cream!

Hannah x

Teapigs - Another Haul!

Teapigs sell some of the most unique teas I have ever come across. Some interesting teas have caught my eye in the past, my curiosity has made me pick them up to try. Unfortunately the majority I tried taste of the papery bag. This is where teapigs stand out to me. The tea tastes so fresh and not interfered by the bag as they use a silky material.

So lets see what I got!

Liquorice and Peppermint
This tea contains liquorice root and pure peppermint leaves. That's it! A simple blend but sounds like such as great twist on a classic. This tea is recommended to steep for at least three minutes. I am very excited to try this blend as I love peppermint tea, not only does it have health benefits and help when you have been accidentally glutend, but it tastes amazing too! Adding liquorice can only mean great things.

Apple and Cinnamon
From my initial thoughts and smelling this blend all I can think of is warm fires and autumn leaves. I know we have barely got into summer but this makes me so excited for the colder months, as everything you eat and drink turns into comfort food! This blend contains apple, cinnamon, apple pomace, roasted chicory root, citric acid, sweet blackberry leaves and natural flavourings. There is a bit more to this tea so I imagine it has some complex notes. Perfect for a cooler night to unwind.

Popcorn Tea
Flavoured green teas are very much in fashion at the moment. I have always been a great lover of green tea, so seeing so many new flavours does add some fun to an everyday drink! This is the most fitting flavour for me as popcorn is one of my favourite snacks. According to the box rice was originally added to green tea to make it go further in Japan. Recommended to steep for at least three minutes, this tea also has very little ingredients and is merely green tea and toasted rice.

Super Fruit
This tea smells amazing through the box, so fresh and fruity. This tea is packed full of super fruits so will be great as it's antioxidant rich. Hibiscus, elderberries, currants, blackcurrants, natural flavouring, cranberries and blueberries can be found in this tea. I think this would sound like the perfect tea to ice with a BBQ. We will have to see!

Everyday Brew
Although I am a lover of tea, 'typical' tea I have never been the biggest fan of. Granted I have only had cheap tea bags, so this may make all the difference. I do love iced tea though and on the back it does instruct you how to ice this blend perfectly. I think I may do this with some lemon and see how I get on.

Earl Grey Strong
Earl grey is such a classic tea. I love earl grey, I typically buy Twinnings as this is what I grew up with, but I am pleased I have got the Teapigs one to try as it is good to branch out, I may even enjoy it more. In this tea you will find, black tea, cornflowers, natural bergamot flavour with other natural flavourings and natural lime flavour. This too should be steeped for at least three minutes and can have a splash of milk added.

Sweet Ginger
Ginger I have always been told is good for when you feel sick, so for long car journeys this would be my best friend! I am going on holiday in the next couple of months and there is a six hour journey so I think I will pack this with me and give it a go then! This mix also has liquorice and cinnamon so sounds quite wintery to me and so throughly warming.

Chocolate & Mint
I have reviewed this product last week, if you haven't see you can find it here. This is such an interesting tea and is very refreshing. There is cocoa husk, peppermint and chocolate chips in this tea. Flavours in this tea are prodominetly peppermint but there is a warth and a chocolatey aftertaste.

I am looking forward to getting all these teas brewed and finding some new favourites! If there is another Teapigs flavour you have had and I need to try, I would love to know!

Hannah x

Provena Gluten Free - Chocolate Muffins with Chocolate Chips

Saturday morning I took to the kitchen to bake the Provena packet mix. Provena specialise in oat products and sent me a lovely box of goodies to try!

Obviously being the chocoholic that I am I just had to bake the chocolate muffins first. On the pack it states that this mix can make 8 muffins or 20 cupcakes. I decided to bake these as cupcakes as I find that sometimes muffins are a little too large for a snack.

To make this mix, all you need is three eggs and 150ml of melted butter. I measured out 150g as butter's weight seems to be almost equivalent to its ml melted. Then all you do is add the packet mix and you're away!

The fantastic thing about the Provena mix is that it is more or less impossible to get wrong, because there is only two ingredients to add. As it goes they are staples in my fridge anyhow, so no shopping required! I find that packet mixes that have so many ingredients to add are quite pointless in my eyes. You may have just taken the time to bake from scratch. For me a packet mix is something I have in the cupboard and get out when I want to make baked goods but quickly, particularly if people are coming over and I only have half an hour! This would make this great to bake with kids as there isn't much to remember!

Texture wise this cake mixture is one of the best I have tried so far. There is a good sponginess, the mixure  is well aerated and is not at all dry. Very small chocolate chips are incorporated, giving a slight gooeiness throughout, which provides a stronger chocolatey flavour suspended in the cake.

I tested these on my whole family who are not gluten free. James ate three so that was a clear winner from the guy who is weary of any of my gluten free food! My dad couldn't tell the difference and everyone else agreed! This would be perfect to store in the cupboard to bake for friends who aren't even gluten free, as they really won't be able to tell the difference and you can join in too!

I will most certainly be baking these again. Provena will also be at the Allergy and Free From Show in two weeks time, I would really recommend stopping by and taking a look at their products.

Hannah x

Teapigs - Chocolate & Mint Tea

After showing you my haul of Teapigs goodies last week, I thought that I would review the most interesting tea I have ever heard of.

Chocolate and mint tea, whilst sounding amazing to me, it also sounded scary. After the initial excitement, I was then concerned that it would taste like a watery hot chocolate, I couldn't think of anything worse! I am pleased to say that this wasn't the case!

This smaller sampler pack retails at £1.30 on the website and contains two bags. I think that this is a fantastic idea. Everybody has a whole box of tea you don't like sitting in the cupboard for years until you feel that you can justify throwing it away as it's out of date!

This tea recommends steeping for 3-5 minutes. Like many I know I am one of those people who just keeps the bag in the cup. I quite enjoy starting a tea with a subtle flavour and it getting stronger towards the bottom. The ingredients in this tea are peppermint leaves, chocolate chips and cocoa husk. This is one of the things I love about teapigs, the tea is 100% natural. I know this one in particular has chocolate chips but I can read all the ingredients and know exactly what I am consuming.

Flavour wise this tea was not entirely what I was expecting, but in all honesty I wasn't sure what I was expecting. It is very much like your typical peppermint tea, there is a light twist to it however. I wouldn't say that it tastes straight up of chocolate, but it does give the peppermint a warmth and richness to it. There is a chocolately minty aftertaste you have in your mouth when drinking this tea, much like you have after eating a mint Magum or After Eight.

I really enjoy this tea and gives you all the benefits of mint tea with a bit of a difference, I have seen there is liquorice one too, which I think will be well worth a try!

Hannah x

Kent & Fraser Lemon Butter Shortbread

Friday treat day! Today's treat is completely my bag! A small pack of Kent & Fraser lemon butter shortbread. I have made it pretty clear by now my love of lemon and lemon flavouring. When these were in my Snackly box, I just knew they would be perfect for me!

The description claims the to be 'A delicious duo of delicate shortbread made with creamy butter, deliciously sharp lemon juice with the added zing of freshly grated lemon zest'. Now I can certainly vouch that they are delicate. As when I was opening the pack I managed to get it to slip out my hand and one flew out and smashed on the desk! I couldn't do it again if I tried! Hence why there is only one pictured! I found the flavours to be lovely and soft. Just enough lemon is present in the shortbread to make it well flavoured but not too sharp. Although I didn't seem to find the lemon zest, unless this is grated very small I didn't seem to have any, which was quite disappointing as I think that having a bit of chewy zest in the cushiony texture of the dough.

The texture is very soft and slightly crumbly very much like a mainstream shortbread in texture. It melted in the mouth and was beautifully buttery. Considering there is no butter present in the recipe, it is one of the creamiest, least dry free from shortbread I have tried. I have found it difficult to find a shortbread with no powdery aftertaste or texture. Finding that this had the perfect combination of good taste as well as good texture is something that really pleases me and one side can tend to let the other down with baked goods.

The pack itself contains two shortbreads and is a 35g pack and contains no artificial additives or preservatives and seems to be free of egg and dairy too when looking at the ingredients. However it does not certify this, but the bakery does handle nuts.

Here's a list of ingredients so you can check for any other allergens:

Rice flour, maize starch, icing sugar, maize flour, caster sugar, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, natural lemon extract (sunflower oil and natural lemon flavouring), sea salt and emulsifier: Xanthan gum.

You can find this product, along with the rest of their range here!

Hannah x

Teapigs Haul

Yesterday I received a surprise parcel which James had ordered to be delivered to my office. The box has the Teapigs logo printed all over it, which of course made me extremely excited as I loved the tea I have had the last two Tuesdays in Giraffe.

I opened the box and inside was a beautiful gift bag with a wide Teapigs ribbon running the whole way around and secured in a bow. Logo covered tissue paper concealed what was inside, I just had to open it to find out what was in there.

I had an inkling that peppermint tea might be in the gift bag, after heavy hinting to James, but I was surprised to find a couple more items which I never would have thought he'd find or choose. These are possibly even better than the tea!

The first thing I found in the box was the 15 bag pack of peppermint tea that I thought I might find. This natural leaf tea is by far the best peppermint tea that I have ever tried. Once I have finished getting through the bulk of tea bags I bought from Holland and Barratt, I don't think I will have anything other than Teapigs. I have been well and truly converted!

I then saw a box of two tea bags which were the chocolate and mint flavour. Mint choc chip ice-cream is my all time favourite and Costa's summer special mint choc chip cooler is amazing. So this tea is completely up my street. The ingredients in this tea bag are: cocoa husk, peppermint and chocolate chips. I cannot wait to try this as I think it will be a very minty hot chocolate style tea!

The last item in the gift bag was hidden in a box. Inside this box I found the most delicate glass cup and saucer, 'Teapigs' is printed onto the base of the cup. I am a mug addict and I have at least 40 in my collection. I do have a couple of glass cups already but none like this, and although I love them I do not actually own a glass cup and saucer! This mug is perfect as I love watching the teabag infuse through the glass, there is something oddly therapeutic about it!

This package was a complete surprise and brightened up what otherwise was a pretty grotty Monday morning!

I would love to know if there is a must try Teapigs tea flavour that you love!

Hannah x

Costa Coffee - New Egg Free From Wrap

Three weeks ago I spotted that Costa had released a new gluten free wrap. This one is suitable for the Veggies too as it is free range egg and slow roasted tomato.  One was picked up and put in my order straight away to give a try to see what I thought, also to bring some more veggie foods to this little space on the web. I seem to be quite the meat eater looking at past posts!

This wrap I believe retails at around £3.50, so is similar price to all food in costa. But in general is quite pricey if you consider how much you could make it for. Although it is fantastic for a quick fix whilst out. At 405 calories and lighter ingredients, this wrap is ideal as a more everyday eat as they have clearly been conscious of the calories as we have limited free from options.

A seeded wrap is the foundation to this product. Within this is egg, mayo, tomatoes and apollo lettuce. The egg has been mashed and mixed into the mayo to give more of a sandwich filler texture rather than sliced pieces. Slow roast tomatoes compliment the egg and adds a hit of stronger flavour to what would otherwise be quite bland.

Unfortunately I could not stand the texture of this wrap and really struggled to finish it. Soft egg and wrap with a chewier tomato, as it has been roasted did not contrast too much. It was the really spikey lettuce added to this combination I could not stand. When you have ingredients as soft as egg I feel the only lettuce that will compliment it would be an iceberg or spinach. In comparison the the Urban Eat version which does have a smoother lettuce, this is much softer flavour as well as texture and gives it the slight edge in the egg wrap wars.

What really put me off the wrap completely was I found a HUGE bit of egg shell, and regardless of of dish, if I find egg shell, I cannot eat anymore as the only thing I can compare it to is nails down a black board. It makes me cringe and feel slightly nauseous. In all fairness to the wrap I know this is incredibly rare in pre packed sandwiches and I just got unlucky, but it did ruin the experience for me.

I wanted to love this wrap as it opens my options so much more. Just because I didn't enjoy the textures I wouldn't discourage anyone from trying it as I know I am very sensitive to textures and the flavours were fantastic! But for me personally I would not repurchase this wrap.

I would love to know if you have tried this wrap and felt completely different about it. I would be great to hear!

Hannah x

Giraffe - Gluten Free Menu

Last week I was up in Manchester for a business trip, and what's a trip to Manchester and staying a three minute drive away from the Trafford Centre without going there! So myself, my boss and my colleague headed off there for a shopping evening.

The Trafford Centre closes at 10pm which is a whole hour later than the shopping centre I tend to visit. So we were able to shop and eat with no rush.

Being the awkward individual in the group I felt so conscious that we were walking through all these amazing Chinese and Thai places where they were drooling. Me being me was overwhelmed with what I like to call gluten gilt.

After looking around we saw a Giraffe, which my colleague said was really good when she went before, so we asked if they have a gluten free menu, and they do!

I started with an iced tea which contained green and camomile tea, mango juice and mint. It was honestly the best drink I have had in a very long time, sweet but very refreshing. I would recommend this if you ever go to Giraffe.

For my main I actually asked for the sharing starter of chilli nachos with the added chorizo option. You are also able to add chicken but I wasn't in the mood for this as I have had it a lot recently. The dish consisted of  a layer of seasoned tortilla chips, jalapeños and red chillies (which I put to the side), black beans, chilli sauce, sour cream, guacamole and cheese. The chorizo was then added to the top with a bit more melted cheese.

The meal was very large and I do not know how two people would manage it as a starter and then eat a main too! I found that the tortillas were lovely and crisp and didn't go soggy. The flavours were very full and rich. All ingredients were distributed well and no part of the dish was starved or submerged in one ingredient. Towards the end it was getting very hot to eat. I am the biggest wimp when it comes to heat and although I moved all the chilli I could, I think some got through!

To finish my meal I couldn't manage dessert although there was many options. I had a Tea Pigs peppermint tea instead. I have to say this tea I have seen in shops but always thought that the price was a bit high for my liking and that surely it would not taste much difference for the price you are paying. To my surprise I think I have been converted. I have not had such as fresh tasting peppermint tea.

I have looked the product up on google since and it's 100% dried peppermint and the quality of the flavour is superior to any I have tried before. The silky bag really allows the flavour to infuse in the drink without a papery taste.

I would love to know if you have been to Giraffe and what you thought!

Hannah x

Honeybuns Snowy Hills Cake

I'm back with another Honeybuns product today! Snowy hills to be exact. Two of these have reached my grasp lately. I won the first and the second came in the most recent Snackly box.

After trying both a regular size and a mini version of the product, I must admit that the mini did suit me better as it was a bit more manageable. As I have said many times before, the great thing about Honeybuns products is that you can pick a size that you would prefer. Mini's are certainly my first choice, being the snacker I am, I enjoy smaller amounts.

This cake is only gluten free as it does contain egg and dairy, but is suitable for vegetarians. There is 495 calories per 100g so I would class this as a treat, rather than a regular eat!

This is one of the most unusual cakes that I have tried full stop. Two layers make up this cake slice, the first being a ginger, polenta and almond shortbread, followed by a lemon sponge. Crazy right? Whoever thought this up is a genius! Lemon and ginger is not a combination you see all too often but it really does work. I believe there must be some sort of lemon curd in the middle as there is a slight sticky textured, lemony flavoured something holding the two layers together which adds moistness to the cake and an extra hit of sweetness.

The shortbread is not too solid so the textures are not too contrasting, if it was a tough shortbread it would throw the combination off kilter. The sponge is very moist and bouncy, a complete contrast to many free from sponges I have tried. It is slightly tacky in texture too, very much like your typical lemon drizzle cake.

The only drawback to Honeybuns products so far is their avaiblity. They have a fantastic online shop but unfortunately I do not have anywhere local to buy them. Stockist are available but my local is a few miles away. I am not against buying online, if anything its one of my guilty pleasures whilst checking social media, it would just be lovely to be able to pick up a Snowy Hills or Congo bar when I get the craving! Although I am very excited to find out they are being stocked in Waitrose and John Lewis Cafe's so I will be sure to tell everyone, and I suggest getting to see if they are in your local ones ASAP.

As another Great Taste Award winner, Honeybuns seem to know what all of us in the free from market want and how to make wonderful cakes!

This product is fresh and will not keep for too long, so a perfect excuse to eat it quick!

Hannah x

Snackly Open box - June 2015

It's that time again! A little earlier than expected my Snackly box came into the office. Unfortunately I was on a business trip in Manchester since Monday. As I did not get back until Wednesday night I was not aware it had came!

I think the earlier box is due to an amazing salted caramel treat that has to be eaten within 7 days. So why not have a look whats in this month's box!

The Sweet Reason Company - Salted Caramel Gluten Free Brownie Bite - RRP £22 for a box of 8
This is the treat that has to be eaten within a week. This brownie looks like a much more sticky texture than brownies I have had recently. I love brownies with flavours infused, such as the Honeybuns ones as they add interest to an item which is very readily available in the gluten free market. At £2.75 a bite I am expecting amazing things! There is also a 10% discount in this box for your next order their website.

Easy Bean Chickpea Crispbread Seeds and Black Pepper- RRP £2.95 For Full Size
We had these in the box a few months back. I did try them and I wasn't the biggest fan. There is a review I've written waiting to be uploaded. I may try them again and add a 'second try' to that post. The flavour just wasn't for me but if I try them in a different way I may change my mind!

Kent and Fraser Lemon Butter Shortbread - RRP £2.29 For Full Size
Kent and Faser featured in the box a couple of months ago with a ginger cookie which was delish! See my review here. I am looking forward to trying this twin pack as I have a love for lemon flavouring in sweet treats.

Peace of Cake London Fruit & Nut Biscotti - RRP box of three £8.99
This packet is a third of what you would receive in a full box so are another more luxury item at roughly £3 for this double pack. Fruit and nut sounds right up my street so I think I may have these as a weekend breakfast. There is nothing better than a coffee and Biscotti for breakfast when you are in a sweeter mood. It is like cake for breakfast!

Nothing But. Apple & Fig Snack - RRP £1.25
These are 100% freeze dried apple and fig pieces. I will have to ask someone to try these for me as unfortunately the last and only time I had fig, my throat started to close up! So I don't think figs like me! Which is a shame as you all know I do enjoy dried fruit. They do have some other flavours that don't contain figs or strawberries, so I may be able to find some to try here.

Beech's Fine Chocolates Anglesey Sea Salt Milk Chocolate - RRP £1.50
This sounds A-MAZ-ING. Sea salt in anything is something I jump for, so to receive a chocolate bar with Anglesey sea salt was something I was so excited to see. I honestly think salt itself tastes really good and added to anything brings out the flavour even more. I will most certainly be eating this with a good film!

This months snackly box totalled to roughly £8 which is what you pay for the box, not including the shipping. For finding so many great new products I think this is great value for money and also allows you have have small amount of food I would never get through a full box of.

I would love to know what you received this month!

Hannah x

Honeybuns - Heathcliff Brownie

After driving EVERYBODY in my office mad doing my best  tone deaf impression of Kate Bush. I finally sat down and ate the Heathcliff brownie from Honeybuns, it certainly kept me quiet for a few minutes!

This is up there in one of the best brownies I have ever eaten. Gluten free brownies I do feel have been really overdone. You can bet wherever you go that offer gluten free options, there will be a brownie. Not wanting to sound ungrateful that big chains are thinking about us, but why do they assume that all coeliac's eat are brownies!?!?!

Now I am assuming one of two things. That A) Browines just sell really well and this is why I am flooded by them everywhere I turn and Honeybuns have produced them to keep up with competitors. Or B) Honeybuns saw all those brownies and thought to themselves 'let's show them how it's done'. I like to think it's the latter.

What makes this brownie so one of a kind is the use of dark chocolate. Dark chocolate and I would get married if we could. I love the richness that darker chocolate can give which you cannot achieve with a milk chocolate. Orange has been infused in the brownie, making a perfect paring, the sharp  bitter chocolate with a sweeter orange hit is a flavour I really enjoy.

The brownies texture was beautifully moist and had the gooey centre which is one of the key attributes that have to be present in a brownie to make it a memorable one for me! You wouldn't believe how many dry brownies I have tried. The chocolate chunks and orange peel I found gave a dense chewiness to the soft brownie, which adds an extra texture you don't always find in a brownie.

I would say that this brownie is so decadent that it could be served with ice-cream as a dessert, and I would recommend that if you are hosting a dinner party buying the tray bake for this purpose. It does not taste gluten free, so none of the guests would know the difference and you can join in! I think heating this brownie would be very tasty too!

If you are interested at the award winning Heathcliff brownie or any of the Honeybuns range, you can find them here!

Hannah x