BBQ with ALDI - ALDI Part Two

A few weeks ago I told you all about the gorgeous Mother's Day products ALDI had to offer, if you missed it you can find my review here. Today it's the turn of their food.

We were sent some of ALDI's Beef Quarter Pounders with Blue Stilton and some of their Tiramisu to review recently. Jonathon was in his element with the burgers and Tiramisu is my all time favourite dessert so it's fair to say we were both pretty excited about the prospect of reviewing these two items.

We started with the burgers (the logical choice). We cooked them under the grill and the smell was absolutely gorgeous. Now I'm not a fan of beefburgers or stilton for that matter so this taste test was all down to Jonathon.

The burgers were very succulent and the Blue Stilton flavours really did come through providing a well rounded overall flavour. Unlike some burgers these weren't too fatty, something I am always concerned about with cheaper burgers. In fact the meat in these burgers was good.

Jonathon devoured the pack of burgers and really enjoyed them. They'd make a nice change for barbecues this spring/summer and no-one would know you only paid £1.79 for a pack of four!

Next we tried the Tiramisu. This is always my go-to dessert in restaurants, I just can't bring myself to go past it! These puddings came in two individual pots (one pot per person). I'm just going to go right out there and say this - I LOVED these! Unlike some store bought Tiramisu these weren't too creamy or rich. The coffee from the sponge was quite strong but it was absolutely perfect for my taste. The balance of flavours between the cocoa dusting, cream and sponge were nothing less than perfect for me and I thoroughly enjoyed this wee treat.  I was very pleasantly surprised by the price too, at 89p for two these wont dent the bank balance too much but watch out they will hit the waistline!

Both of these products were very much enjoyed and would definitely make a popular choice at barbecues this summer. We will certainly be having them again - Barbecue or not!

The Beer Quarter Pounders with Blue Stilton are available from ALDI stores nationwide for just £1.79, and the Tiramisu for 89p.

Samples were received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

Nakd Nudie Bars Giveaway Winners

Morning! I hope you are all well and enjoying this lovely weather we have. As ever, thank you very much to those of you who entered the Nakd Nudie Bar giveaway, another fantastic response. A huge thank you also to Nakd for giving Rhoda Reviews two sets of bars to giveaway.

So, here we go....the two lucky winners of a set of Nakd Bars are (as selected by random.org) ................

Mirt G (@mirt1)

Joanne (@runnerduck22)

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Please drop me an email (see top left of blog) with your details so we can get your prizes sent out to you. If I have not heard from the winners by 10am Mon 9th May 2011 I reserve the right to select new winners.

If you missed out on winning don't worry Nakd bars are available from Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Boots, Holland and Barrett and independent health stores nationwide. You can also order online at www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk. 

Very Lazy - Caribbean Chicken

We have long been fans of Very Lazy Garlic in this house. It's so easy (not to mention less smelly) just to open the jar and add some pre-chopped garlic to your cooking - we love it. So when we were asked to try Very Lazy's new Caribbean Chicken Cooking Concentrate, well we were very intrigued.

The Very Lazy Caribbean Chicken Cooking Concentrate is, as the name implies, an easy way to create Caribbean Chicken at home. All you need to do is add chicken, coconut milk and pineapple.

We tried this meal one Saturday night, attracted by the lack of effort involved. The jar of concentrate can cater for 4 people when you add 500g diced chicken breast, 200ml coconut milk and a 227g can of pineapple pieces in juice.

It's very easy to make, simply stir fry the chicken for 3-4 minutes then add the Very Lazy concentrate and fry for 2 minutes. Stir in the coconut milk, pineapple pieces and juice then simmer for 10 minutes.

We served the chicken with rice and altogether it took only 20 minutes to create this meal. So, what did it taste like? Well as the two chillies on the packaging suggests, it was quite nippy! If I'm honest it was definitely my limit of spiciness and we both found ourselves rather warm while eating it! Having said that it had a lovely flavour, with the fruitiness of the pineapple and spiciness of the concentrate complimenting each other well. I'd probably have preferred it a little milder, but if you like a bit of heat in your food you wont go wrong with this both in terms of flavour and ease of preparation.

Very Lazy Caribbean Chicken is one of the four new flavours of Cooking Concentrate from Very Lazy which includes Chilli Con Carne, Green Thai Curry and Stroganoff. It is available from ASDA and online for £1.92. You can keep up to date with all of the news from Very Lazy online, on Facebook and on Twitter.

A sample was received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely our own.

The Happy Egg Co.

When I was a wee girl we used to keep our own hens on the croft. There was nothing quite like fresh free range eggs on a morning. My parents still get freshly laid eggs from a local farm and I love tucking into their beautifully bright orange yolks.

Along with fresh fish, fresh eggs is something I do really miss. Supermarkets have shelf upon shelf of eggs but I've rarely found any that even come close to the flavour of fresh eggs. Another thing that bothers me is the price of eggs these days! I refuse to buy eggs laid by caged hens as a matter of principal and it's becoming increasingly more expensive to buy free range eggs - or is it just me?

For quite some time now we have been buying eggs from the happy egg co. I've always found their eggs to be good quality, reasonably priced and I like the way they approach egg production, particularly the way they care for their hens. When I was asked if I would be interested in reviewing the happy egg co. on my blog I had no hesitation in saying yes.

So what is it that makes the happy egg co. different? Well for one thing they have high standards that they expect from all of their farms in order to keep their hens happy and, consequently, their eggs tasty. All of their hens have ample space to roam with trees, swings, adventure areas, sand pits and bugs to keep them happy. I've always been an animal lover and so the well being of the hens is of great importance to me. The happy egg co. regularly monitor and inspect all of their farms to ensure that their hens are being treated with the care that they deserve.

As for the eggs, well all of the happy eggs I have tried have been very good quality and tasty. They have a good colour of yolk which implies to me that the hens are well reared - allthough the yolk is not as deeply orange as the fresh eggs of my childhood.

I regularly use happy eggs in baking and I've never been disappointed with the results. Similarly the eggs make for a delicious omelette, scrambled egg or egg mayonnaise sandwich.  I have no qualms at all in buying happy eggs. I always feel that they are good value for money, and they are the best supermarket free range eggs I have ever bought.

The happy egg co. currently have a competition on their website - worth a look! It's a colouring in competition for the family to enjoy. First prize is a year's supply of eggs! Second prize is amazon vouchers (3 winners) and third prize a happy egg apron and oven glove set (10 winners). So dig those colouring pencils out and get entering! Competition ends 20th May 2011, you can get all the details here. Good luck and enjoy!

To find out more about the happy egg co. follow them on Twitter or visit their website http://www.thehappyegg.co.uk/. They have a great range of recipes on the site.......in fact here's one to whet your appetite.....

Chocolate and Raspberry Mousse

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 happy eggs
200ml / 7 fl oz double cream
100g 72% (or higher) dark chocolate broken into small pieces
200g raspberries

Method

• Heat 150g raspberries in a saucepan with a little water until they break down (use a fork to mash them).
• Force the raspberries through a sieve to remove the pips.
• Whip the double cream until soft peaks form when the whisk is removed.
• Add some of the raspberry sauce to the cream and mix together. Keep adding the raspberry sauce and mixing together until the peaks loosen, don't add any more sauce after this.
• Separate the eggs and whip the whites until hard peaks form when the whisk is removed.
• Warm the chocolate in a bowl over a pan of simmering water, take off the heat as soon as it has melted and combine with the yolks (take care not to heat too much, otherwise the chocolate will grain or the eggs will cook).
• While the chocolate mixture is still liquid, fold in the raspberry cream until well combined, then carefully fold in the whipped whites.
• Pour into serving dishes and chill for two hours or more. This will leave you with a strong but light dark chocolate and raspberry mousse. 
• Use the remaining raspberries to decorate your dish. 

Samples were received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. 

Provamel "Botanical" Yoghurts

Since I became ill it has been suggested to me that perhaps I should follow a dairy-free diet.  This is not an idea that has filled me with joy - I love milk, cheese and yoghurts. Still people manage it so there must be some tasty alternatives out there.

One such alternative is Provamel who have a large range of soya products including soya milks, shakes, cream, custards and desserts. They have recently added "botanical" yoghurts to this range and I was lucky enough to be sent some to review.

The new "botanical" range are dairy-free yoghurts which combine an infusion of natural herbal remedies with delicious fruits making them the first of their kind.

I was sent the two flavours to try - Apple Green Tea and Lime Lemon Balm. Even the names of these flavours caught my attention instantly and I couldn't wait to give the products a go. I really wasn't sure what to expect from the yoghurts but spoon in hand I dug in!

I started with the Apple Green Tea and was immediately struck by how fruit it was. Naturally it tasted of apples, but the inclusion of small chunks of apple really added to this yoghurt. As for the green tea, well I couldn't specifically taste it so if you're not a fan of tea don't let this put you off. The addition of the green tea means that the yoghurt is full of antioxidants and consequently, using the natural properties of green tea, can help boost metabolism. I really enjoyed this yoghurt and you certainly wouldn't know it's dairy-free by its taste. I've never had an apple yoghurt that tastes anywhere near as fresh as this does and as I sat in the sun enjoying it I realised how light, fruity and summery it was - gorgeous!

I then moved onto the Lime Lemon Balm. This yoghurt was a lot more smooth and creamy than the Apple Green Tea but it was no less delicious! The lime flavour was gorgeous, very refreshing and not sharp in any way. It was very reminiscent of the lime mousse on a keylime pie and I couldn't bring myself to put this yoghurt back in the fridge - "just one more spoonful". It was a very soothing yoghurt and I suppose that's largely due to the lemon balm which is renowned for its properties as a great reliever of tension.

With both of these yoghurts I certainly wouldn't have known they were dairy-free, but they are in fact made from organic soya beans in a carbon neutral process. The result of the collaboration between these natural herbs, organic fruits and soya beans is a yoghurt which is low in fat, rich in plant protein, packed with health benefits and high in flavour.

I absolutely couldn't fault these yoghurts and with only 90-odd calories per 125ml you certainly wont feel guilty about indulging in them.

The new "Botanical" range is available from Holland & Barrett and all major health food stores with an RRP of £1.55 (for a 500g tub). Keep your eyes peeled for their new flavour set to be added later in the year. For more information about Provamel visit their website.

Samples were received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

Russian Doll Lip Balm Giveaway Winners

The Russian Doll Lip Balm Giveaway has had a fantastic response! It's clear from the blog and the Facebook page that you all think these wee lip balms are super cute too. Thank you very much for all of your entries and for supporting my blog. I wish I could give you all a prize but I'm afraid there's only 6 to give away.

Before I draw the winners, I'd just like to thank madbeauty.com for providing the prizes for this giveaway. They have a great range of very cute lip balms on their website so if you aren't drawn as a winner why not pop over and see if anything takes your fancy?

Ok, without further ado...the winners selected by random.org are............

ANGELA (@daisyangel1)

SARAH (@selene1611)

ANGELA (@MrsWebster147)

Nicole (@nikkiopia)

BABBITYBEE (@TracyNixon)

MAISIE (@maisietoo)

CONGRATULATIONS!!

Please drop me an email (see top left of blog) with your details! If I haven't heard from you by 10am Tues 3rd May 2011 I reserve the right to select a new winner.

If you missed out the Russian Doll Lip Balms are available from madbeauty.com with an RRP of £2.99.

Medicinal Cookery - Dale Pinnock

I first happened across Dale Pinnock a year or so ago when my husband heard him on Radio 2 with Chris Evans. As you can imagine we are always on the look out for something that might help my M.E. so Jonathon sent me a link to Dale's website. I had a read and thought it looked great but didn't have the energy to do much more about it.

A few weeks ago I was asked if I would like to review Dale's new book, Medicinal Cookery. The name stood out to me instantly and I realised this was a great opportunity.

Dale Pinnock is the UK's only Medicinal Cook. He is the first to bring together Herbal Medicine, Nutrition and Cookery to create a new way to help combat a variety of common health problems. I have always placed great stock in the benefits of Herbal Medicine and Nutrition, but have never really had the chance to fully understand how different foods can help you and what they can help with.

Medicinal Cookery is designed to encourage readers to "eat themselves better". It is a beautiful, easy to read, well structured book that combines Dale's knowledge with his recipes and stunning illustrations. The book is set into easily accessible chapters containing information about healing some of today's most common health disorders. Chapters are dedicated to The Skin, Digestive Problems, The Heart & Circulatory System, The Immune System, The Joints and The Nervous System.  Each of these chapters is written in a way that's very easy to read and to understand. Dale explains the basics of each system, before explaining what we can do to help it and why it works. He incorporates top tips and recipes, as well as an explanation of why each food is good for you.

Each section incorporates a few recipes which are all healthy and will aide the body. Before looking at the book I expected the recipes to be dull and boring as is often the case with "healthy" recipes, but I was pleasantly surprised by the recipes this book holds. How do you fancy a Chocolate Orange Truffle Torte to help your heart or a Leek, Onion and Feta Tart with Jerusalem Artichoke Mash to aide your digestive system? All of the recipes in this book look easy to make and most importantly tasty!

Personally my favourite part of this book is the closing chapter, Nature's Edible Pharmacy. In this section Dale explains the health benefits of various fruits, grains, nuts and seeds, herbs and spices and vegetables. He also explains the best ways to use the foods to ensure that you are making the most of them. It's so easy just to pick up the book and flick through to find the health benefits of your favourite foods.....or maybe your least favourite to encourage you to eat them!

I have left this book lying in the living room recently and everyone who has come into the house has picked it up and been absorbed by it. It's the kind of book you can settle down and read in one go, or pick up and read chapters on a whim. It's extremely well written, has an excellent index and is very easy to understand. I now feel that I understand the true benefits of a healthy diet and what various foods can do for your body. This is so much more than just a recipe book and I know that the minute you pick it up you will be hooked!

Medicinal Cookery is Dale Pinnock's first book. It is published on 21st April 2011 and is available for £6.99 in paperback. You can find out more information about Dale, together with some of his recipes on his website, www.dalepinnock.com. You can also keep up to date with all of his news on Facebook and follow him on Twitter.

A sample copy of the book was received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

PG Tips - The New Ones

I do enjoy settling down with a nice cup of tea, there's something very soothing about it. I recently had the chance to do plenty of tea drinking when PG Tips asked me to review their new range - The New Ones.

The New Ones are a range of three new everyday black teas (The Fresh One, The Strong One and The Delicate One), each with its own flavours and attributes to suit varying tastes at varying times of the day.

The New Ones - RRP £2.69

PG Tips are actually the number 1 tea brand in the UK. 30 million cups of their tea is consumed in the world every single day. With this kind of stature I was really intrigued as to what the new teas would hold.

We did a taste test with all three, side by side, to compare and contrast them. It was all done very scientifically, as you can imagine, to ensure the teas were infused for the same length of time, same volume of water etc. Yes I'm an engineer and I like things like that!

So what about the teas then? Well we started with The Delicate One (blue), it's described as being a "gentle, mellow tea for moment of relaxation" and combines lightly pressed leaves with decaffeinated tea. We both gave this tea a go and while it had a nice aroma, the flavours were too weak for my liking. If you like a weak cuppa (as I know many do) then I'm confident you will enjoy this tea, but it just wasn't strong enough for my tastes.

Next we tried The Fresh One (green). It's described as a "uniquely clean, smooth, golden and fresh-tasting tea" as a result of being pressed within hours of picking the leaves. This tea had a lovely flavour, it really did taste very fresh and was refreshing. We both really enjoyed this, it was stronger than The Delicate One, but still had some very subtle flavours coming through.

By the time we got to The Strong One (brown) it really did have a lot to beat. This tea is described as a "full flavour blend with extra-pressed leaves and a rich, rounded character." This tea was very nice, much stronger than the others and would give you a great kick start in the mornings! For me, it was perhaps too strong (I sound like Goldilocks don't I?) but I could still appreciate and enjoy the flavours.

All in all this is a lovely range of teas, with something for everyone and for varying tastes throughout the day. We both liked The Fresh One best, perhaps because it's most springlike? Maybe if we had done this in the depths of winter The Strong One would have prevailed?

The New Ones have been created using a new innovative process that presses freshly picked tea leaves at different times of the day in  order to create the three new flavours. It's a historic launch for PG Tips and offers something different to tea fanatics.

The New Ones are fully Rainforest Alliance Certified and are available from all major retailers now. They are available in 80 bag boxes with an RRP of £2.69. For more information about PG Tips and their products visit their website www.pgtips.co.uk.

Samples were received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this blogpost. All opinions expressed are entirely that of Rhoda Reviews.

SodaStream - Get Busy With The Fizzy

I have vivid memories of the SodaStream we had when I was a wee girl. It was a creamy colour and used glass bottles. We used to love getting to use it and the drinks always tasted so good. I was talking to my in-laws about this, and they told me that my husband and his sister used to ask for their Mum to "make them" a drink for many years as they always thought of "making" a drink in the SodaStream.

I reckon the last time I had a drink from a SodaStream was about 17 years ago....until now! I was lucky enough to be sent a SodaStream to review, much to the delight of everyone who has entered our house since it arrived! As I write this I'm assuming everyone knows what a SodaStream is, but I guess there could easily be people reading this that have never had the pleasure of being introduced to a SodaStream, so this next part is for their benefit. 

A SodaStream is a method of creating carbonated drinks in the comfort of your own home! The SodaStream was invented in 1903 and was a huge hit in the 20th century. It works by simply injecting CO2 gas into water (just plain water from the tap) to carbonate it. There are a huge range of different flavoured syrups available which you simply add to the carbonated water to create your drink - simple!

I was sent SodaStream's new Limited Edition Jet to review. This SodaStream works in the same way as the other drinksmakers however it has been launched to mark the launch of their new global awareness campaign "A World Without Bottles". 

SodaStream Jet (Limited Edition)

"A World Without Bottles" is a campaign to raise awareness of bottle waste and its effects upon the environment. According to recent research it is estimated that half a million plastic bottles are consumed in the UK each year. Shockingly, only 20% of the resultant waste is recyclable. SodaStream are looking to inform the public of both the costs involved and the alternatives available to help ease the impact upon future generations.

As an engineer I've always had an interest in the environmental impact of products and processes. In fact renewable energy and sustainability featured heavily in my university thesis, so I'm always interested in products and companies that are going the extra mile to help the environment.

Gas Cylinder

The SodaStream is one of these products. The SodaStream Jet includes a reusable bottle which lasts up to 3 years. This could equate to as many as 2000 bottles and cans we would send to landfill sites, that's a really scary figure. The SodaStream itself does not require any electricity to operate it, purely gas. Clearly the gas bottles must be manufactured somewhere, similarly the flavoured concentrates and their bottles. This is obviously an energy intensive process, however when you consider that one bottle of flavoured concentrates will make up to 12 litres of drinks, and a gas canister 60 litres (the same as 112 aluminium cans), not to mention the fact that they only require to be transported from the factory to the shop, and shop to your home once then it must surely be a greener alternative?

I could actually analyse this for ages and launch into a big debate, but don't worry I'll save you from that. You probably actually just want to know what I think of the SodaStream. Well it's absolutely brilliant. We have had people of all ages using it, right up to grandparents who loved seeing a SodaStream in all its glory again. In fact one night we had some friends round and instead of heading for the beer they all opted for SodaStream instead!

RRP 3.29

We were send three flavours with the SodaStream, Dandelion & Burdock (a blast from the past), Red Berry Mix and Passionfruit and Mango. They all tasted great, and just as I had recollected they were great fun to make. You simply fill the reusable bottle with water, screw into the drinksmaker, push the button three times to carbonate the water then add a capful of concentrate! 

In fact we were all so taken with the SodaStream that we went ahead and bought a further eight flavours from their website (they currently have an offer with 8 bottles for £20). It took us quite a while to choose from the range of flavours but we are delighted with all of them. There's such a great choice of 60 varieties, from energy drinks (perfect for my husband at hockey) to sugar free, and mixers to traditional Cream Soda. Each and every one we have tried has tasted great.

There's more to this SodaStream than helping to save the environment though....it could help you save money too. When you consider that the bottles of concentrate cost roughly £3.30 each and you can get up to 12 litres from each one you begin to realise the savings you could make. Not only that but you can mix up the  flavours you have without worrying that a bottle might be going "flat" in the cupboard. The only other "operating cost" is the gas cylinder. The cylinders are available in either 35l or 100l. The idea with the cylinders is that you only pay for the gas. So for example say you have a 100l gas cylinder that has just run out, you would buy a new one from SodaStream for £19.99 then send you old one back. When they receive the old one you will be refunded £10, meaning your gas only costs £9.99. The cylinders make up to 60 litres meaning that one litre of Cola would cost you just 45p (not taking into account the initial outlay on the drinksmaker itself). 

As part of their "A World Without Bottles" campaign, SodaStream are donating $1 from the sale of every drinksmaker to The Water Project which helps to provide clean drinking water for deprived communities in Africa. 

I absolutely adore the SodaStream! It takes up little space in our kitchen, produces fantastic results, saves us money, helps the environment and every $1 donated will supply 1 person in Kenya with clean water for 1 year........seriously what's not to love about this?

SodaStream drinksmakers are available in all different shapes and sizes.  They can be purchased on the SodaStream website and in stores nationwide, click here to find your nearest stockist. To view a full list of the flavours click here, syrups are available to purchase online or in Lakeland, Robert Dyas and Argos. You can also follow SodaStream on Twitter (SodaStreamUK) and Facebook.  

For your chance to win a SodaStream make sure you are following them on Twitter on Fridays...you might just get the chance to take part in their #FizzyFriday competition!

A sample was received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received. All opinions expressed are entirely my own. Iamges courtesy of SodaStream website. 

Cathedral City Mature Lighter

We are huge fans of cheese in this house - love nothing more than a cheeseboard, crackers, grapes and a good game of football on a Sunday afternoon. When we were asked to put the Cathedral City Mature Lighter cheddar to the test, well we couldn't possibly refuse.

A recent report has revealed that as a nation we are spending more money on reduced fat cheese than ever before. I must admit that I've always been a  bit of a cheese snob who doesn't think that reduced fat cheese tastes quite as good as full fat, so I was intrigued to see what the Cathedral City Mature Lighter would be like.


Cathedral City is the number one cheese brand and is as big as its next three competitors combined so they must know a thing or two about good cheese. The Cathedral City Mature cheddar is our normal go-to cheese so the taste test was going to prove interesting!

We tried three of the Cathedral City cheddars, Mature Lighter, Mature and Extra Mature. We did both a blind taste test and a general nibble. We found that during the blind taste we loved all of the cheeses, and although we managed to identify the extra mature cheese, we couldn't make up our minds between the Mature and Mature Lighter. I was really surprised by this, I expected the Lighter cheese to be immediately obvious, but no!


We then just nibbled the cheeses to try and identify the differences between them. As you'd expect the Extra Mature had a much more mature flavour than the other two, but surprisingly it wasn't at all crumbly and was still really quite creamy. This was my husband's favourite as he loves a nice strong cheese.


When it came to identifying the differences between the Mature cheese and the Mature Lighter we really struggled! Both were really creamy and had a lovely flavour. I'd say the Mature cheese had a slightly deeper flavour, but to be honest I certainly wouldn't pick out the Mature Lighter as a reduced fat cheese.


The Cathedral City Mature Lighter cheddar really is full of flavour and has really surprised me, it tastes just as good as a full-fat cheese, but amazingly contains 30% less fat. When it comes to reduced fat cheese, the Cathedral City Mature Lighter has definitely won me over and it will certainly be an addition to our shopping basket from now on. 


Cathedral City Mature Lighter is available from all major supermarkets. For more information about Cathedral City, together with some great recipes, visit their website www.cathedralcity.co.uk. 


Here's one of the Cathedral City recipes to whet your appetite.....


Mini Cheesy Sticks - perfect nibbles for guests or a wee treat for little ones.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes

Cooking Time: 12 minutes

Makes: about 26

• 350g pack ready-rolled puff pastry
• 150g Cathedral City Mature Lighter, grated
• Handful flour, to roll pastry on

1. Pre-heat the oven to 220C.
2. Scatter the flour over the work surface. Unroll the puff pastry, scatter over most of the grated Cathedral City, and then fold the pastry in half.
3. Roll out to the thickness of a £1 coin. Cut in half width ways and then cut into 1cm strips. Twist the strips 3-4 times. Lie on a baking sheet, scatter over more cheese and bake for 12 minutes, or until golden.
4. Leave to cool, and store in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
   
   
   Enjoy!!
   
   
   Samples were received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this blog post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Simply Hibi Review and *Giveaway*

When preparing for our wedding (two years ago on Monday!) I investigated the possibly of putting wild hibiscus flowers into the bottom of all the champagne glasses, with the intention that they open up as you pour in the champagne. My Mother-in-Law has some in the fridge and I was instantly taken with how gorgeous they were. Eventually we decided that they were an unnecessary cost and didn't bother with them, but this was my first introduction to the hibiscus flower. 

I was recently asked to review Simply Hibi, a hibiscus infusion drink, and my interest was immediately piqued.  Until now I had never seen anything else that used the hibiscus flower, so naturally I have to give it a go.

Simply Hibi is a combination of Hibiscus Infusion (hibiscus and water) and natural fruit juices. It's a 100% natural product which boasts high levels of antioxidants thanks to the nature of the Hibiscus plant.


The tropical hibiscus variety Hibiscus Sabdariffa  has been used for its medicinal purposes in Asia, North Africa and the Caribbean for centuries. The high levels of antioxidants it produces help the body fight free radicals and help to maintain good health. 


So what does this juice actually taste like? Well, I've always been a huge fan of cranberry juice, but I think this is even nicer. It has a flavour quite similar to cranberry juice, but without the dryness. In fact the Simply Hibi flavour is quite a rich. To my mind it's almost like a cross between cranberry and blackcurrant. It has a lovely flavour, is fresh and easy to drink. 


The juice itself has a deep reddish-purple look to it. This can be attributed to the flavanoids it contains (the same compounds that give red wine, watermelon and red grapefruit their colours). 

I really like this drink and the fact it is not only delicious, but it's 100% natural and is good for you. Studies have shown that regularly drinking hibiscus infusion can actually lower blood pressure. Simply Hibi can also be used in place of cranberry juice for the relief of cystitis. Great reasons to give it try. It's also not just a juice for breakfast time, I've been drinking it through the day when I need a wee boost and it's great.


I particularly like that fact that the ingredients for this juice are ethically traded. The Sabdariffa hibiscus plants used to produce Simply Hibi are grown by 2000 small-scale farmers in Uganda. The production of hibiscus is their livelihood, giving them a reliable source of income. Simply Hibi also helps the farmers by providing them with training in organic farming methods and practices to support their hibiscus growing as well as their other crops. I always like to keep in mind how products are sourced, and drinking this gives me a feel-good factor knowing that it's helping farmers in Uganda. 


With a great taste, health benefits, recyclable packaging and ethically traded ingredients, Simple Hibi is a fantastic drink. It's now the first thing I reach for in the fridge every morning.

RRP £.139

The lovely people at Simply Hibi are giving TEN Rhoda Reviews readers the chance to win TWO cartons of Simply Hibi each! To be in with a chance of winning just complete the compulsory entry below.


COMPULSORY ENTRY
 - Join the Offical Simply Hibi Appreciation Society on Facebook and pop back here and tell me you have done so, preferably with your Facebook name. EASY!


There is one bonus entry available too. 


BONUS ENTRY (must complete above first)
 - Tweet "I've entered to win 2 cartons of Simply Hibi on @rhodak09's blog. 10 winners. Enter here http://goo.gl/77gch" Then leave a SEPARATE comment telling me you have done so.


Please remember to leave a method of contacting you, e.g. twitter / Facebook ID. There are a total of two entries available per person.


There are ten sets of two Simply Hibi cartons  to give away, two cartons to each of ten lucky winners. The winners will be selected from all eligible entries at random using random.org. Every effort will be made to contact the winner but if after a week we have had no response we reserve the right to select a new winner. The giveaway is open to the UK only and will close at midnight on Saturday 30th April 2011.


Simply Hibi is available in selected Waitrose and Sainsbury's stores in 1l cartons, with an RRP of £1.39. An organic version is available in Holland and Barrett for £1.59 per 330ml bottle. You can also buy online at www.simplyhibi.co.uk. 


Samples were received for the purposes of this review. Thank you to Simply Hibi for providing the prizes for this giveaway. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Celebrate Thai New Year with Thai Taste

I think I've said before that I really enjoy a good Thai Green Curry. I used to make them from scratch but given current circumstances we tend just to use pastes these days. So when I was asked to review for Thai Taste I couldn't possibly say no!

Thai New Year is approaching fast (13-15 April) so it's a perfect excuse to indulge in your favourite Thai dishes - at least that's my excuse.

I was lucky enough to be sent Green Curry Paste, Rice Noodles, Easy Thai Red Curry Kit and Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce from Thai Taste.....and we have loved every minute of testing them.

All of the Thai Taste products are manufactured in Thailand so you really do feel like you are getting an authentic Thai meal in the comfort of your own home.

£1.99

We started by trying the Easy Thai Red Curry Kit. The kit is made from fresh and all natural ingredients as well as being gluten free. It contains curry paste, coconut milk and Thai herbs, and is sufficient to feed 3 people. The recipe on the back suggests using sirloin steak but we decided just to go for chicken. The instructions are really easy to follow and the kit is well labelled - even the most novice of cooks could manage to cook this meal. We actually cooked it the night before we wanted to eat it as the packaging said that the flavour is better on the second day. We served it up with rice and it was delicious. The curry tasted really fresh with the flavours of all the herbs coming through. I couldn't fault it in any way and it was so easy to make - it only took 15 minutes! 

£1.40 for 200g

We then decided to try to the Green Curry Paste (gluten free) and Rice Noodles (gluten free). Both were really straight forward to use, and we actually teamed them with beef for this meal. The Rice Noodles need to be left to soak while cooking the curry itself. The end result was a gorgeous, flavoured-filled curry with tasty noodles. I've only ever used "fresh" rice noodles before so I wasn't sure how the dried ones would work out, but they were great. It was nice to have something other than rice with curry, and we made this as a kind of stir fry. 

Finally the Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce (gluten free). Well I've been having this with fish fingers! To my mind it's a perfect sweet chilli sauce, with the perfect balance of heat and sweetness, delicious.

We both really enjoyed these products and couldn't fault any of them. From a practical and money-saving perspective I particularly liked the Green Curry Paste, it costs just £1.49 for 200g and you will get several meals from this. In fact you can even freeze it for future use - a great deal if you ask me.

I had already fallen in love with these products when I read that Thai Taste donate 1% of all sales to the Duang Prateep Foundation in Thailand. The Foundation addresses the problems facing slum people - you can learn more about their projects here.


Thai Taste products are available from Asda, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose as well as some department stores and delicatessens, for a full list see here. They have a whole section on their website dedicated to recipes. Here's one to whet your appetite - enjoy!


THAI FISH CAKES

Makes: 16, Serves 4 as a starter

Preparation time: 10 minutes, plus chilling time

Cooking time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

·         450g (1lb) skinless fish fillets (salmon, haddock, etc) cut into chunks

·         4 spring onions, finely sliced

·         1 red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

·         2 tbsp Thai Taste Red Curry Paste

·         2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves

·         1 tbsp Thai Taste Palm Sugar

·         1 tsp Thai Taste Fish Sauce

·         1 tbsp fresh lime juice

·         50g (2oz) fine green beans, finely sliced

·         1 tbsp Thai Taste Rice Bran Oil, for frying

To serve:

·         Dipping sauces

·         Lime wedges

·         Shredded spring onions

 Method:

1.      Place the fish chunks, spring onions, chilli, curry paste, coriander, palm sugar, fish sauce, lime juice and a pinch of salt in a food processor and blend until finely minced.

2.      Transfer to a bowl and stir in the sliced green beans.

3.      Divide the mixture into 16 pieces, roll each one into a ball and then flatten into discs.

4.      Transfer the fish cakes to a plate, cover with cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to 1 hour to ‘firm up’.

5.      Heat the oil in a large frying pan and when very hot fry the fish cakes for about 1-2 minute each side, until golden brown and cooked through. Lift out and drain on kitchen paper, then serve with a selection of dipping sauces and a wedge of lime. Garnish with spring onions.

Samples were received for the purposes of this review. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Nakd Nudie Bars Review and *Giveaway*

I tend to eat snacks quite a lot at the moment. Whenever I'm hungry it's so much easier and less energy to grab a quick snack than to prepare a meal. I know it's wrong but at the moment it's the best I can manage. I try very hard to eat healthily, snacking on seeds, fruit and carrots, but inevitably my sweet tooth overrules and I end up dipping into some chocolate.


You can imagine my delight when I was asked to review Nakd "nudie" healthy snack bars.  Nakd bars are 100% natural with no added sugar or syrups. In fact they are made from raw fruit, nuts and natural flavours rolled together. I have tried many "healthy snack" and cereal bars in my time (I used to eat a lot of them when I was at work), and it's amazing how many of them are packed with sugary syrups and additives. It's nice to see an "honest" healthy snack bar with no hidden nasties in it.

RRP 72p

I was sent their three new flavours to try, Berry Delight, Cocoa Mint and Cocoa Delight. All of these bars are gluten, wheat and dairy free as well as 100% vegan. I'm always slightly sceptical when I see foods that are suitable for so many diets, I always imagine they will be bland and uninteresting. I guess that stems from trying some of Mum's gluten free foods back in the days when there was limited choice and limited taste! I was therefore hugely impressed when I tried these bars - flavourful, moist and extremely tasty.


So what are these bars made from then? Well the Cocoa Mint consists of 48% raw dates, 29% raw cashews, 17% raw raisins, 6% cocoa with a hint of natural mint and chocolate flavour. The Berry Delight is equally nourishing, with 49% raw dates, 31% raw cashews, 17% raw raisins, 3% raw raspberries and a hint of natural berry flavour. The combination of flavours works really well. I was particularly impressed with the Cocoa Mint which really did taste chocolatey and had a lovely minty flavour to it.


I sent the Cocoa Delight to work with my husband one day. When he got home I asked him how it was. His response "mmm yeah it was nice". I then pointed out that it was 1 of his 5 a day, his response "in that case it's fantastic!"


Yes it's true, these fabulous wee bars do make up 1 of your 5 a day! At 135 kcal per bar they aren't just healthy but they're not too fattening either. I absolutely loved the two I tried, in fact I had to make a huge effort to pass the Cocoa Delight over to Jonathon! They are the kind of thing you can just have sitting in your drawer at work, your handbag or kitchen cupboard ready for whenever you need a healthy snack. It doesn't really feel like you are eating fruit either and the natural sweetness in the bar does help to curb those sweetness cravings. 


These three new Nakd "Nudie" flavours join four others in the range including Ginger Bread, Cashew Cookie, Pecan Pie and Cocoa Orange. With Oatie bars and Infused Raisins also available from Nakd, there's something for every taste.


I'm delighted to announce that Nakd have offered 2 lucky readers of Rhoda Reviews the chance to win a set each of the Nakd range (including Oatie and Nudie bars). 

To be in with a chance of winning you just need to follow Nakd on Twitter (@nakd_wholefoods), then pop back here and leave me a comment saying you've done so with your Twitter ID. EASY! 


There is one bonus entry available (you must do the above first) for tweeting "I've entered to win a set of Nakd Bars from @nakd_wholefoods in @rhodak09's blog giveaway. You can too at http://goo.gl/5CBcA" Please leave a SEPARATE comment letting me know you have tweeted.


Please remember to leave your Twitter ID in your comments so I can verify the entries and contact you if you're a winner.


There are two sets of Nakd Bars  to give away, one each to two lucky winners. The winners will be selected from all eligible entries at random using random.org. Every effort will be made to contact the winner but if after a week we have had no response we reserve the right to select a new winner. The giveaway is open to the UK only and will close at midnight on Tuesday 26th April 2011.


Nakd bars are available from Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, ASDA, Boots, Holland and Barrett and independent health stores nationwide. You can also order online at www.naturalbalancefoods.co.uk.  


Samples were received for the purposes of this review. Thank you to Nakd for providing the prizes for this giveaway. No other reward, financial or otherwise, was received in exchange for this post. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.