The January Degustabox review

January's Degustabox has arrived - if you're scratching your head thinking "hang on, didn't you blog about a Degustabox just about a week ago?", you'd be quite right, but that was actually December's box which they sent out in the New Year to avoid the festive period. As soon as I glanced in the box, I could see a definite Chinese New Year theme going on - great news !

So here's what was in this month's box :

 Amoy Taste of Asia Thai Green Curry & Malaysian Laksa Cooking Sauce (2 x £1.79) - I love globecooking, as you'll know if you've ever glanced at my country-by-country recipe index, but it can often be complicated sourcing all the exotic spices and ingredients. These handy cooking pouches are ideal for taking out all the hassle and both provided very tasty and simple meals. I didn't think they'd be very authentic but I was surprised to learn that they are made in Thailand - I'll definitely be exploring the rest of the range.

Tsingtao beer (£2) - Apparently China's finest beer. It's a smooth pilsner that Madhouse Daddy really enjoyed alongside the Thai Curry.

Yushoi Lightly Salted Snapea Rice Sticks (£2) - Made with green peas and baked, these are a healthier snack option than most crisps and similar snacks, providing 99 calories per 21g serving. They're nice but we found them a bit bland. They're available in other flavours though : Smoked Salt & Szechuan Pepper, Sweet Chilli & Lemon and Soy & Balsamic Vinegar.

Slim Noodles (£2.49) - You may remember in the past I reviewed Slim Pasta which is basically the same. It still has a very strange smell that I find unpleasant but it's pretty much tasteless once you've rinsed it and covered it in sauce. Flavours like soy sauce, ginger or curry would work well with this. The huge selling point is the fact that it's made with konjac, is carb free and only contains 9 calories per 100g. Great news if you're trying to lose weight. It's also Dukan-friendly.

Finn Crisp Crispbread (£1.20) - These crunchy strips have a tangy sourdough flavour and can be munched like crisps straight from the pack or spread with whatever sweet or savoury toppings you like. We had some topped with salmon pate.

They can also be crushed and used as a crunchy topping for things like pasta bakes or, here, a cheesy vegetable bake.

Coldpress Apple juice (£1.40) - This is a really tasty apple juice or, more precisely, a really tasty golden delicious juice. Coldpress juices and smoothies offer just one variety of fruit so you can really savour the unique flavour, so you get to choose between golden delicious or pink lady rather than just apple juice. It's cold pressed rather than heated and isn't pasteurised so it retains more nutrients and natural flavour. Delicious !

Conscious Chocolate (£3) - If I eat chocolate, it's my naughty-but-nice indulgent treat so I'm never really attracted to the "healthy" chocolates on the market. This one is raw, organic, handmade, paleo and vegan friendly, free from gluten, dairy, soya and refined sugars. I got the Intense 70% dark chocolate which was a shame as I'm not a dark chocolate lover. It's pricey given the size of the bar, but if you want a healthy, raw chocolate or have special dietary requirements, it could be worth a look.

Jordans Country Crisp Fruit & Nut (£2.69) - I am rather partial to a bowl of Country Crisp. It has a great flavour and I love the crunchy texture that makes it really satisfying. I wouldn't have said that this was a new flavour though as it tastes similar to one I've had before.

Clarks Carob Syrup (£2.39) - I often use Clarks Maple Syrup but I had yet to try their carob syrup. It's a naturally sweet low GI syrup that is is suitable for vegetarians, vegans and diabetics as part of a controlled diet. It can be used to sweeten drinks and in baking as a healthier alternative to refined sugar.

Degustabox Discoveries Crobar (£2.25) - Sorry but nobody in the family wanted to try this one. It's a revolutionary natural energy bar, containing cricket flour, as well as nuts, seeds and fruit. Yes, that's cricket flour as in groud up grasshoppers. Hmm. I know they're supposed to be ultra healthy and a great source of protein and more eco-friendly than rearing meat but I still didn't want to try this one. I can see a lot of disgruntled people not realising that these contain cricket flour until they read the small print because it's not made clear on the packaging !

This month's recipe card suggested Chicken Chow Mein and Mint Chocolate Baked Oats, which both sound like things I'd like to eat.

A subscription to Degustabox costs £12.99 per month including delivery, with each box having a value of much more than that (£23 this month), but the great news is, I have a discount coupon code for you which gives you a whopping £6 off the price of your box - just enter code BLDEG15 at the checkout. Even with a couple of things I wouldn't buy (the cricket flour bar and the raw chocolate), that still makes it great value and it's a good way to discover new products.

for more information :

http://bit.ly/DBhomepage - website

http://bit.ly/DBUKfacebook - Facebook

http://bit.ly/DBUKTwitter - twitter

Also now on Instagram @DegustaboxUK with a free box being given away for each 100 likes.

Disclosure : We received the product in order to write an honest review.