Yushoi tastes great and is good for you, too

Yushoi tastes great and is good for you, too.

The That's Food and Drink testing team were introduced to the joys of a snack that, despite being one of the most tasty we have tried in a very long time, is actually rather good for you, too!

The recipe of Yushoi Snapea rice sticks calls for them to be made out of green peas and rice.

It's not fried, but rather it is properly baked to seal all those delicious flavours in.

Each 21g serving contains a very pleasing 96 calories and, if that weren't enough, it's high in fibre and is a good protein source, too.

Looking out for someone who has a nut or dairy allergy? Then this product is ideal for them as it is not only nut and dairy free, it is produced in a bakery where nut products are never used.

It's also great for vegans and vegetarians and it has no artificial nasties or MSG.

Flavours that are available are Soy and Balsamic Vinegar, Smoked Salt and Szechuan Pepper and Sweet Chilli and Lemon, plus Lightly Salted.

My wife's favourite is the Smoked Salt and Szechuan Pepper, whilst my favourite was the Soy and Balsamic Vinegar. Other testers preferred the Light Salted variety and the Sweet Chilli and Lemon which carries a heck of a potent punch!

They come in a variety of pack sizes, 21g single serving, 6 x 21g multipacks or a 105g re-sealable sharing bag, so they are idea for whatever you have in mind, be it as part of a healthy lunch, a mid-morning snack, or nibbles for a party.

You should be able to find them in The Cooperative, WH Smith, Whole Foods Market, Selfridge's and Morrisons. You can also buy them on line at either Amazon or Ocado.

The price of a 105g sharing pack is an amazingly low £1.99.

They are produced by Calbee UK, a subsidiary of Calbee Inc., the largest producer of savoury snack foods in Japan.

The product has been designed by top nutritionists working with health experts to make certain that these snacks comply with government criteria to encourage better eating habits and reduce obesity.

www.yushoi.co.uk

There's a new Sauvignon Blanc available. It's from Eisberg

Need to reduce your calorific intake or you can't or won't drink alcohol?

Miss your favourite white wine, miss the taste of Sauvignon Blanc wine?

You do not have to miss it any longer, as Eisberg has introduced a very taste-filled Sauvignon Blanc wine, which has no alcohol and reduced calories.

The alcohol content is never more than 0.05% and one 125ml serving contains only 28 calories. Whilst a standard glass of Sauvignon Blanc wine has something on the order of 104 calories. That's quite a saving.

But you might be thinking: "Well, that's all well and good. It does you good, but does it taste good, too?"

In this instance, it not only has the potential to do you good, it also tastes pretty good, too.

What, exactly, does it taste like?

It has the classic Sauvignon Blanc wine bouquet. Summer fruits and hedgerow fruits are definitely on the nose.

The taste is interesting. There's none of the bite you might expect -no alcohol- but this raises other points of interest. The nose of this wine also follows through to the taste.

This  Sauvignon Blanc wine has a taste of summer fruits, of preserves lovingly  made from wild hedgerow fruits, but with a more exotic undernote, too. What is it? Peaches? Perhaps a combination of peaches and apples?

It is also mouthwatering  and at only £3.50 from Waitrose or Co-op stores all over the country, this is a wine that you simply can't buy by the single bottle. I'd recommend buying them in multiples of three at the very least!

Freeganism lite, or how to save money safely

For those who do not like the idea of grubbing through bins for free food outside the rear of supermarkets and risk getting arrested as a thief, or perhaps even run the risk of catching an unpleasant disease (food and bins are not a good combination) there is always the option of waiting for the short dated bargains.

Please let me explain. Almost all supermarkets have sections in the store where items are sold off at very cheap prices. They are either items that are remaindered or have cosmetically damaged packaging. They are sometimes known, quaintly, as the "bent bargains" section!

There are also usually a refrigerated bargain section where, towards the end of the day, you can find bargain refrigerated items. For example today my wife and I found four pizzas that were normally £2.00 each for the very reasonable price of 37p each!

These are now safely stowed away in our freezer for later consumption.

You can often obtain bargain cooked meats, bargain fresh meats, cheaply priced cheeses, cut price sandwiches and the like.

Bargain bread and cakes are often nearer to the baked goods section.

There will also be a section devoted to cheaper vegetables and fruits, too.

You need to scope out your favourite supermarket and mark down the location of any likely bargains. And work out the best times to get there,

For example, arrive at spot on 5.30pm and you'll fill your basket or trolley with bargains.

But arrive at 5.40pm and all that is left is a howling wasteland bereft of any bargains whatsoever!

You'll have fun finding the bargains, sometimes staff are very helpful to patient, friendly and chatty regular bargain hunters. And if that's you? You will be quids in, as the saying puts it!

So, happy bargain hunting folks!

Eggs are perfect. Especially the Crackin Eggs!

Yes, eggs are the perfect food.

And here's why!:-

½ Dozen Crackin’ Egg Facts
1. Eggs are a superfood and are rich in vitamins and minerals including Vitamins A, D, B12, B2 (Riboflavin), Folate, Biotin, Pantothenic acid, Phosphorous, Iodine and Selenium

2. Contrary to popular belief, eggs contain HDL cholesterol which is good for you and actually removes excess cholesterol from the rest of the body and transports it back to the liver

3. Eggs have a low energy density so make you feel fuller for longer and are very good for energy levels, metabolism and concentration

4. 12.6% of the edible portion of an egg is protein which is one of the highest you can get and is used as a reference standard against which all other foods are assessed

5. Egg protein is a rich source of the essential amino acid leucine, which is important in modulating the use of glucose by skeletal muscle and in facilitating muscle recovery after exercise

6. Eggs are good for your bones, muscles, liver, eye sight, thyroid gland, immune system, red blood cell formation, nervous system function, hair, skin and nails

So what exactly are "Crackin Eggs?"

 The eggs are free-range hard-boiled eggs which come in twin packs with special seasoning sachets (salt & black pepper, sweet chilli or sour cream & chive).

They are also particularly handy as the eggs last up to 4 weeks outside of the fridge due to their special coloured wax coating – which is also a fun addition to any picnic hamper!

The eggs are really affordable - a twin-pack with seasoning costs just £1.59 at Ocado.

Visit  http://crackineggco.co.uk/ for details.

Want pulled pork? Then turn to Santa Maria

It has been said that patience was the secret ingredient for perfect pulled meat.

Well, that's not necessarily the case, because now Santa Maria’s Pulled Pork Dinner Kit and Pulled Chicken Dinner Kit create tender and fully-flavoured delicious  meat in just 90 minutes. And now there's no need for overnight marinating or lengthy slow-cooking.

Santa Maria’s Taste Developers, who are renowned experts in world flavours, have taken inspiration from the highly popular US trend for sweet, smoky and sticky meats and have crafted a meal kit with all the essential ingredients for this US street food sensation. So we now no longer have to take a flight over to the USA to taste this truly awesome speciality dish.

Both kits, the Santa Maria Pulled Pork Dinner Kit and Santa Maria Pulled Chicken Dinner Kit, come complete with a special seasoning mix sachet created (it's a different but equally special blend for pork or chicken, a special oven proof cookery bag for the infusion of all of the flavours, a sachet of barbecue sauce, a sachet of red onion seasoning and a pack of eight mini flour tortillas, too!

You need only five minutes of preparation time to season a pork joint like a shoulder cut or a whole chicken.

Put your selected piece of meat inside the special cooking bag and 90 minutes later the meat will be juicy and jam packed full of authentic barbecue flavours.

But not only that, the meat will be so tender it will be easily shredded with a fork.

Pile taco shells or seeded brioche buns with pulled meat and serve with homemade red onion slaw, fries (or chips!) and grilled corn on the cob.

Or for an extra special treat, use the kit’s mini tortillas to make Mexican canapés for dinner party entertaining or just because you want to!

Are you a seasoned grill-pro looking to bring the BBQ indoors for a winter treat? Or perhaps you are a novice chef with a real jones for some American-style cooking, Santa Maria Pulled Pork Dinner Kit and Santa Maria Pulled Chicken Dinner Kit guarantee the flavours of the U.S.A., but free of any fuss.

Santa Maria Pulled Pork Dinner Kit and Santa Maria Pulled Chicken Dinner Kit should be available from Morrisons at a price of £3.99.

Visit http://www.santamariaworld.co.uk for details

Hari Ghotra’s Curry Kits for authentic cooking by you

You can spice up your life and the lives of your loved ones with a Hari Ghotra’s Curry Kit.

You can find these on sale at www.harighotra.co.uk for what Hari describes as: "a 'bargainous' £3.50!"

These tantalising and tasty kits make it easier to cook authentic Indian food providing exact quantities of the handpicked spices from the expert herself.

Each kit includes special individually numbered bags for every stage of cooking and easy to follow instructions. In addition, the kits include a video link to cook along with Hari.

Experience exciting spices, unique ingredients and different cooking styles by selecting from curry classics such as Korma, Tikka Masala and Biryani. Or lesser known dishes from the creamy yet spicy Makhani and the South Indian Xacuti, which incorporates coconut and Kashmiri chillies.

(EDITOR: You get the joy of knowing that you have cooked a delicious and authentic meal yourself, under the expert guidance of top chef Hari Ghotra.)

Information:

Hari Ghotra’s Curry Kits £3.50

Hari Ghotra’s Curry Kit set of six £18.00

Hari Ghotra’s Curry Kit set of twelve £36.00

Hari Ghotra’s Spice Tin – Six Spices £25.00

Hari specialises in North Indian cuisine with the aim to simplify recipes without losing authenticity. As well her upcoming appointment as Chef of Tamarind's new restaurant, Tamarind Kitchen, she is a regular contributor to Great British Chefs http://www.greatbritishchefs.com/contributors/hari-ghotra.

Check out Hari’s new and improved website to find recipes, videos and the online shop to purchase curry kits.

Please check out see the summer recipe links below:

Asparagus with Indian Spices (Asparagus season is April-June)

http://www.harighotra.co.uk/asparagus-with-indian-spices-recipe

Kedgeree (Spicy Smoked Fish Rice)

http://www.harighotra.co.uk/kedgeree-recipe

Lamb Burgers

http://www.harighotra.co.uk/lamb-burgers-recipe

Chicken Tikka Skewers

http://www.harighotra.co.uk/chicken-tikka-recipe

Tandoori prawns Skewers

http://www.harighotra.co.uk/tandoori-prawn-skewers-recipe

Almondy cakes. They tate so good, who knew they were gluten free?

Yes it is perfectly true. One of the best exports from Sweden has to be the Almondy Cake.

But did you know that they are gluten free?

Well, they most certainly are! Almondy Cakes are gluten free Swedish cakes.

They come in two utterly decadent and utterly delicious flavours, Toblerone topped and Daim topped.

Almondy cakes are baked in the company’s bakery which is just  outside Gothenburg, Sweden.

The trademark almond bases are made to an original Swedish recipe that dates back from the 1890s.

You'll locate them in the freezer aisle of many of the UK's major supermarkets.

They offer a simple, yet very effective solution to your dessert needs.

They are great as an after dinner desert, but equally good as an afternoon treat with a pot of tea or coffee.

You can serve them plain or why not try serving them with fresh cream or some whipped Greek Yoghurt or ice cream? Perhaps topped off with some fresh berries? Perfection every time!

The Almondy Daim combines the irresistible signature almond base with a golden cream and crunchy almond caramel, deliciously coated with smooth milk chocolate.

Almondy Toblerone combines the almond base with rich chocolate cream and smooth milk chocolate.  On top is a generous layer of Toblerone pieces all covered with smooth milk chocolate.

A 400g cakes costs around £3.00 from Tesco, Asda, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons and Budgens.

They defrost in under 30 minutes so are great in a desert emergency!

If you are unsure which type to buy, buy both for a mere £6.00! Who knows? You might be able to keep one in the freezer, or will you get both out at once and really impress your guests?



   

TrueStart Coffee

 What is TrueStart Coffee?

It's probably one of the only genuine innovations in the world of instant coffee in several years. Because it is not sold as a simple coffee.

It's recently been launched and is the world’s only 100% natural caffeine controlled coffee.

It's designed for you to take half an hour before you work out and the results are said to be "really good."

So, what is it for?

TrueStart Coffee, is the world’s only 100% natural caffeine controlled coffee, ensuring that drinkers can optimise their physical and mental performance.

The caffeine content of your normal cup or mug of coffee can vary wildly from 10mg to 250mg but TrueStart offers the world’s only caffeine balanced drink which guarantees 95mg of caffeine per 2g serving.

TrueStart allows people to take caffeine control into their own hands, meaning that you know exactly what’s being put into your body.

TrueStart is a completely natural product made 100% from the finest Columbian Arabica beans, ensuring it’s free from synthetics and sugars. This has the benefit of providing sustained energy release and premium taste, too. (EDITOR: It does taste good, but then it is made from top quality Columbian Arabica coffee beans!)

It retails for £6.99 for a 40 scoop pack (and you must keep in mind the fact that it costs 20 times less per serving than other energy supplements) and is now available in Tescos, Nutri Centres, Holland and Barrett (from 23 March), www.wiggle.com and at http://www.truestartcoffee.com or at http://goo.gl/mhYAG1.

Easter and Summer cocktails at a fraction of the usual price with the magic of Aldi

You will be able to prepare some pretty mean cocktails this year for your Easter and Summer parties and barbecues when you nip down to Aldi and source your requirements from their stupendous range of spirit drinks, wines, fruit juices and the like.

Want to serve Champagne? Using Veuve Monsigny Champagne Brut (£10.99) which is a delicious crisp Champagne embodied with the flavour of baked apples. This is now well within the budget of many people. So long, of course, as they shop in Aldi!

Why not try a delicious Champagne and Amaretto cocktail? Using Aldi's delicious Bellucci Amaretto Liqueur, £ 4.29  a bottle, of course!

1 shot amaretto
2 shots orange juice
Champagne

Or if you wish you could use the very special  floral Belletti Prosecco, instead. That's about £8.00 a bottle.

Or there's the tasty Dry London Gin. You can serve it with a bottle of tonic water some ice cubes an gash of lime juice (stir well!) and a wedge of lime as the garnish. You can use as much or as little gin as you desire, though 50ml is the suggested amount.

And if you like Irish coffee, you'll love it made with some of Aldi's Ballycastle Irish Country Cream (£3.75 – 70cl). Just add a spoonful of coffee, top up with some hot -not boiling!- water and stir well. You can add a bit of Aldi's fresh cream if you want to make it even more special.

There's a great range of wines at Aldi and you can even buy these buy the case for home delivery. https://www.aldi.co.uk and check out the range and their stunning prices.

WELLY A new name for top quality cooked meat

As we head deeper into 2016 and our purses seem to get even tighter, many of us turn our lunchtime attention to boring salads and listless soups.

WELLY, which is a new British made cooked meat brand, has come to the rescue of families and individual mealtimes across the UK as it has launched a tasty new range of premium sliced meats.

Tired of the boring same old same old lunches? Sick of eating a pointless salad made from what your grandparents would have dismissed as a bowl of old weeds? Like a colleague who ended up with a scratched throat when the sharp stem of some weed, sorry, delicious salad ingredient, stabbed her as she swallowed it down?

But now there is a new, classy act that is hitting select chiller counters around the country, WELLY prepared meats.

They offer a range of cooked hams and chicken slices that are like the meats you remember from years ago, but which are available today.

They taste good, but what is the difference between WELLY and other purveyors of cooked meats?

Could it be the fact that WELLY meats are only ever sourced from select farms that WELLY knows and trusts to supply quality meats?

This means that parents can send their children off to school knowing that their lunch is a proper, balanced meal and that the meat is fully traceable, too.

With many cooked meat brands sadly falling short of the mark when it comes to offering us good quality and affordable product, WELLY is launching to provide British ham and chicken to those who care about where their food comes from.

The hams come in a delicious array of flavours. You'll be tempted to try their delicious honey roast ham, cooked or wafer thin. Or perhaps their truly scrumptious British Roast Chicken is more to your liking?

WELLY meats can be found in Waitrose stores and NISA stores.

Prices are:
Honey Roast Ham, 115g, 9 slices.  RRP £1.19
Cooked Ham, 115g, 9 slices.  RRP £1.19
Wafer Thin Honey Roast Ham, 300g, RRP £2.00
Lean Breaded Ham, 300g, 13 slices. RRP £3.00
Wafer Thin Roast Chicken, 300g, RRP £2.00

(EDITOR: In sandwiches, with sandwich thins, on open rolls or even used as the basis for a new and exciting curry dish invented by my wife (roast chicken curry) WELLY will really give your meals some WELLY!)