Nim's Apple Fruit Crisps review

 The postie recently dropped off a fun new snack for us to try out here at The Madhouse - Nim's Apple Fruit Crisps, made with the very aptly named Redlove apples. Sounds like the perfect snack for any Valentine's Day (or Galentine's Day, if you want a night out with the girls) celebrations that you have planned !

If you've never tried Nim's Fruit Crisps before, they are made from air-dried fruit and vegetables, with no oils, additives or chemicals. The whole fruit is used, resulting in almost zero food waste, and more than 80% of the fruit and veg is grown in the UK, with most of it sourced within 40 miles of the factory. The Redlove apples used for these crisps were all grown and air-dried in Kent. They not just eco-friendly though - they are also kosher, vegan-friendly and count towards your 5-a-day.

The kids loved the fact that they are red all the way through, although they did turn their noses up at the ones with stalks and pips left in - "it's good for you, a bit of extra fibre", I told them, but they weren't having it ! We are all big fans of the sweet, tangy, apple flavour though. I think they would be the perfect match for a glass of champagne, if you want something a bit different to nibble on for a special occasion, but the kids were happy to just grab a bag and munch on them !

Nim's Apple Fruit Crisps can be picked up at Tesco's for £1 per 20g bag, but there's a 3-for-2 offer on at the moment. 

for more info and to buy online : https://nimsfruitcrisps.com/

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

Baylis & Harding Rosé Prosecco Fizz Valentine's Gifts review

Love is in the air and Baylis and Harding have created a lovely selection of pampering gifts that are perfect for Valentine's Day and beyond. Inspired by the delicious sweet scent of Prosecco with a delicate hint of Cassis, this fabulously fizzy fragrance will delight the senses as fruity top notes of Blackberry and Raspberry, carefully blended with Creamy Vanilla, drift gently though your home.

 The Ultimate Indulgence Collection (RRP £18 from Debenhams), in the top picture, contains everything you need to create a luxury bathing experience in the comfort of your own home. The set contains 500ml Shower Crème, 500ml Body Lotion, 250g Bath Soak Crystals and an EVA Body Polisher. Presented in a pretty gift box scattered with hearts, this will make the perfect gift for Valentine's Day or Mother's Day. Relaxation guaranteed !

Invite your loved one to put their feet up for a while with this snuggly Treats For Feet set (RRP  £8 from Debenhams and Morrisons), containing a pair of pale pink, supersoft socks and a 125ml tube of Foot Lotion. Slip in a hand-written voucher promising a relaxing foot massage courtesy of yours truly and you have the perfect gift for a romantic night in !

Our favourite packaging is the stylish  Prosecco Van (RRP £12 from Debenhams) which contains 100ml Body Wash, 100ml Hand & Body Lotion and a nylon body polisher, all presented in a reusable tin. Juliette asked to have this one, because she wanted the tin on her bedroom shelf, and as 14th February is also her birthday, I could hardly say no, could I ?!

The whole range is also available on Amazon. If you're planning ahead, the gorgeous fruity fragrance will appeal to women and girls of all ages, so you can stock up for Mother's Day too. 

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

New finds for February (review round-up)

I've had lots of lovely surprise goodies arriving in the post over the past few weeks, starting off with this very special box of Cadbury chocolates. For several decades, Milk Tray Man has demonstrated that you can't go far wrong with chocolate when it comes to putting a smile on your wife or girlfriend's face, and now, "all because the lady loves Milk Tray", you can get bonus points for Valentine's Day with a special personalised box. Check out the Make Your Own section over at www.Cadburygiftsdirect.co.uk - I think I'd have to put "Hands off these are exclusively for Cheryl" if I bought one for myself !! As well as Milk Tray, you can personalise Dairy Milk chocolate bars, with text and also photos.

 

Don't forget #ChaiTime if you're hitting the shops this weekend - you can treat yourselves to a free Drink Me Chai at Cafenest in Mothercare in nine different towns from 2-3pm every day throughout February - don't mind if I do !! (Check out this week's freebie roundup for full details.) I received a tub of Spiced Chai Latte to play with at home too.

Dole have launched two new product ranges to encourage the nation to lead healthier lives by increasing their fruit intake: Frozen Fruit and Resealable Fridge Packs. No peeling, chopping or mess makes them perfect for smoothies, as well as breakfast toppings, snacking, cooking or baking. I'll be having a play with these and sharing the recipes with you very soon.

Vosene helped give the Madhouse kids' hair a fresh start for 2017 by sending us through some products from their Squeaky Clean range, which promises tangle free, shiny hair and advanced protection against head lice. The 3 in 1 Shampoo (RRP £2.54, 250ml) gently cleanses and conditions hair and scalp for naturally shiny, healthy-looking hair and contains natural tea tree oil and lemon eucalyptus oil to help prevent head lice when used alongside their Conditioning Defence Spray (RRP £2.54, 150ml). This leave-in spray detangles and smooths your child’s hair and the clinically proven formula also helps to prevent head lice, using natural ingredients such as citronella oil. (Both suitable for kids age 3+)

With 34% of UK households cutting back on eating sugary foods too often and, of those, 92% trying to actively reduce the amount of sugar in the foods they buy, it is clear that Brits are becoming increasingly concerned with overall sugar consumption. In response, Heinz have launched their brand new No Added Sugar Beanz, naturally sweetened with stevia plant extracts. Naturally low in fat, a 100g serving of Heinz No Added Sugar Beanz contains just 0.2g of fat and is cholesterol free. I served them up with some bangers and mash and nobody was any the wiser !

Kiddylicious sent us a surprise gift box (or gift tube !) of their healthy kiddie snacks. The Madhouse kids have been happily munching on Fruit Wriggles (fruit puree and juice made into wriggly snacks), Gingerbread Buddies (made with love and wholemeal flour), Smoothie Melts (crunchy, melty, bubbly bites) and Crispie Tiddlers (fruit puree and juice mixed with puffed rice). 

After winning a twitter competition for Chinese New Year, I received a selection of Mr Lee's Noodles and was very impressed at the wide range of flavours - Dragon Fire Mushroom, Tai Chi Chicken, Shaolin Monk Vegetables, Penang Chicken Curry Laksa, Hong Kong Street Beef and Warrior Fighting Shrimp. Perfect for a quick lunch at work or a snack for the kids when they get home from school ravenously hungry !

Stérimar sent us their STOP & PROTECT Cold and Sinus Relief nasal spray to put through its paces. Made with 100% natural sea water with added copper and eucalyptus oil, it provides hydration to keep the nasal lining from drying out and also helps to fight colds and secondary infection by washing out the nasal cavity. As always happens, I got the sniffles at the start of the week, just in time for the school holidays, but as soon as I started sneezing, I started using the Sterimar and was delighted to see that it didn't develop into a full-blown cold. It's suitable for pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and children from 3 years. Available from Boots and most independent pharmacists, RRP £8.99 for 120 sprays.

And finally, Twinings sent us a box of their English Strong Breakfast Tea which promises to be "lively and full of flavour". It certainly does have a robust but very pleasant flavour that is great for kicking off the day. (RRP £4.99 for 80 tea bags)

Disclosure : We received the products, as competition wins, random surprise giftings or in return for a review.

How about cooking a romantic "Pheromeal" for Valentine's Day ?!

Are you planning on cooking a special romantic meal for Valentine's Day? Bertolli with Butter have partnered up with Susan Duncan, Professor of Food Science and Technology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, to reveal six ingredients that you can use in ‘Pheromeals’ (pheromone-laden dishes) for your loved one.  They have created six recipes using these six ingredients and challenged me to make one of them.

The top six foods for love are:

· SCALLOPS: Offer sensory attributes; their texture, taste and aroma, which suggest sexuality and help put you in the right frame of mind for romance. They are also high in zinc which is essential for healthy sperm production

· CHOCOLATES: The sweet, smooth textures of chocolate are psychologically suggestive of sensuality in the right context and have been shown to de-crease tiredness and increase positive moods for up to 5-30 minutes after eating

· WINE: In small doses has calming attributes which relax us and reduces inhibitions

· CHILLI PEPPERS: Chillies get the metabolism going and increase blood flow – and contain capsaicin which can release endorphins in the brain, perfect for a romantic situation

· TRUFFLES: Contain compounds such as androstenol which are recognized as pheromones

· SPICES SUCH AS SAFFRON, LAVENDAR, AND VANILLAS: The sensual aspect of spices such as saffron and lavender go a long way to putting you in a romantic frame of mind. Repeated and extended consumption of saffron has also been shown to increase male sexual function

Here are the Valentine’s Day Pheromeals concocted by Bertolli with Butterand Susan Duncan:

Lustful Linguine

Featuring oysters and saffron to elicit lust

Perfect for: Getting out of the friend zone with a secret crush

You thought they’d always be out of your league, but the stars have aligned and you finally got the date you’ve secretly desired for months. A combination of oysters and saffron will make your intentions known and do more than excite your partner’s senses. Studies have shown this pair of ingredients to boost libido and increase sexual behaviour . And with those smooth and velvety textures being heavily associated with sensuality? It won’t be long until you’ve turned Mrs. Robinson’s thoughts from dinner, to dessert.

Serves 2

Ingredients List:

• 3 tbsp Bertolli with Butter

• 12 oysters, shucked, with their liquid

• ½ pound medium shrimp, shelled

• 4 salted anchovy fillets, rinsed

• 4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• 3 large garlic cloves, finely chopped

• Pinch of saffron, crumbled slightly

• ½ teaspoon red chili flakes

• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

• 250g linguine

• Salt to taste

Recipe:

1. PREP INGREDIENTS: Put the oysters, shrimp, anchovy fillets, parsley, garlic, saffron, chili flakes, black pepper, and ¼ cup olive oil together. Leave to marinate for 2 hours.

2. COOK PASTA: For every pound of pasta bring 6 quarts of water to a rolling boil over high heat, salt abundantly, up to ½ cup, and then cook the pasta until al dente. Drain without rinsing.

3. STIR THROUGH: In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of Bertolli with Butter over high heat, then cook the seafood mixture, stirring frequently, seasoning with salt, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pasta to the skillet and toss several times, letting the pasta cook and absorb some of the juices. Stir in some additional Bertolli with Butter for taste. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti Outta My House

Featuring tomatoes, full fat yogurt and red wine reduction to produce calmness

Perfect for: The Break Up

It’s a story we’re all familiar with. You thought your partner was a bit of a dish, but things have gone stale, and the relationship has gone well past its sell-by-date. Thanks to Spaghetti Outta My House, you’ve now got the perfect plate of pasta to serve for a calm parting of ways. The high-carb, low-protein content of the dish produces a calming effect which is accentuated by small amounts of wine in the sauce. Exactly what’s needed when a soul needs soothing.

Serves 2

Ingredients List:

• 1tbsp Bertolli with Butter

• 500g plain yogurt

• 175ml red wine

• 2 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 tbsp parsley

• ½ can chopped tomatoes

• 150g spaghetti

Recipe:

1. PREP INGREDIENTS: Warm the yogurt slightly in a sauce pan, and stir together with the garlic and parsley. Pour in the red wine, and reduce slightly. Once reduced, add the tomatoes and bring to slight heat

2. COOK PASTA: Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain and toss together with 2tbsp with Bertolli with Butter

3. STIR TOGETHER: Place the spaghetti into a large casserole dish and stir sauce through

Pull’em Penne

Featuring cocoa and red chili peppers to generate energy and excitement

Perfect for: Sealing the deal

Everything’s been going well and you’ve made it to date three. You know you two click, and hearts are pounding. But you’re done with holding back, and it’s time for those boots to get knocking. With this high energy Pull’em Penne they can, well into the night. The cocoa infused in the pasta is a well-known stimulant and the capsaicin in the chilli increases energy expenditure . Your plate might be hot, but the room’s going to get even hotter.

Serves 2

Ingredients List

• 200g Cocoa penne pasta

• 2 chilies chopped

• 1 can diced tomatoes

• 10 cherry tomatoes

• 200g jumbo prawns

• 2 crushed garlic cloves

• 1 handful fresh marjoram

• 2 tbsp Bertolli with Butter

Recipe:

1. PREP INGREDIENTS: In a pan, sauté garlic with Bertolli with Butter until fragrant then add in chillies, tomatoes and dices tomatoes. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes and put in prawns. When prawns turn red season with salt and pepper

2. COOK PASTA: Cook cocoa penne according to instructions on pack

3. STIR TOGETHER: Place pasta in large bowl and stir ingredients through, mixing in extra Bertolli with Butter for taste

Take a Chill Pill Carbonara

Featuring brown sugar chicken to improve mood and trigger comfort

Perfect for: Rescuing Valentine’s Day from a lover’s quarrel

Maybe you’ve forgotten to get a gift or make a reservation, and your date has been left questioning how well you really know each other. They’re annoyed and there’s a whole lot to make up for. If you’ve failed the initial Valentine’s Day challenge, serve this comforting Take a Chill Pill Carbonara to help smooth things over and save the rest of the night. It is choc-full of comforting sweetness and protein, which improves your mood; and thanks to research revealing people’s positive response to warm foods, the rest of your dinner conversation will hopefully be less heated.

Serves 2

Ingredients List:

• 3 tbsp Bertolli with Butter

• 25g unsmoked back bacon, chopped finely

• 1tsp brown sugar

• 125g chicken breast, cut into strips

• 200g dried spaghetti

• 2 free-range eggs, beaten

• 2 free-range egg yolks, beaten

• 75ml Elmlea Double Light Cream

• 50g Parmesan, grated, plus extra to serve

• freshly ground black pepper

Recipe:

1. PREP INGREDIENTS: Fry the bacon in Bertolli with Butter, gradually adding adding brown sugar as you go. Add the chicken into the same pan and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until cooked through

2. COOK PASTA: Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil and cook the spaghetti according to packet instructions. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.

3. STIR TOGETHER: Put the beaten eggs in a large bowl. Add the spaghetti to the eggs and a little of the reserved cooking water and mix well. Add the cream, 2 tbsp Bertolli with Butter, Parmesan, cooked chicken and caramelized bacon and stir to combine

You’ve Tortellini Me a Thing or Two about Love

Featuring truffles and scallops to stimulate romance

Perfect for: The proposal

It’s the big one. After months of dates and dinners, you have four small words to say, although it might take you the whole night to get them out. Thanks to You’ve Tortellini Me a Thing or Two about Love, you have the perfect meal to make sure you get a “yes” to the big question. It’s full of truffles, which have a musky scent that will get the ladies imagining a man’s touch, as well as scallops, for a final aphrodisiacal push … Not that you’ll need it once they’ve seen that ring!

Serves 2

Ingredients List:

• 2 tbsp Bertolli with Butter

• 1 pack of cheese Tortellini

• 2 scallops (approx. 200g)

• 2tbsp truffle oil

• Garlic to taste

Recipe:

1. PREP INGREDIENTS: In frying pan, sauté scallops in Bertolli with Butter, garlic, and truffle oil

2. COOK PASTA: Cook one pack of cheese tortellini according to directions on packet

3. STIR TOGETHER: Place pasta in large bowl and stir through with Bertolli with Butter, then scallops

We tried the Take A Chill Pill Carbonara and it was delicious. I substituted Greek yogurt for the double cream to lower the fat content a bit and also added leeks. The brown sugar chicken is an inspired addition and it's a great way of using up leftovers after the Sunday roast, meaning you could have this every week, rather than saving it just for Valentine's Day !

Disclosure : I received a shopping voucher to cover ingredients fot the recipe.

Personalised Valentine's Day Gifts (Snapfish review)

With what is officially the most romantic day of the year fast approaching, Snapfish got in touch to ask if I'd like to try creating a special gift for Madhouse Daddy. They have a wide range of  personalised photo gifts, ranging from beautiful photobooks and canvases to the more fun and quirky mugs, cushions or mobile phone cases. You can even create a totally unique Valentine's Day card for the object of your affections.

Well, here's what I chose for Madhouse Daddy. What do you mean, it's not very romantic ?! Well, OK, admittedly, it doesn't look anything special when you unwrap it, but it's a magic mug.

When you fill it up with hot liquid, it magically transforms into a photo mug, showcasing a whole host of fun family moments.

The magic mug can display a collage of 15 photos and takes just minutes to order because the website sorts out the layout and resizing for you. There are 14 background colours to choose from and you can write a message with a choice of 10 popular fonts. Basically, you can create a totally unique and special mug for the very reasonable price of £9.99.

Now, February 14th is a double celebration at The Madhouse because, as well as being Valentine's Day, it's also Juliette's birthday. I therefore decided to buy her a special gift too and created a collage poster featuring the photos that her school posted on their blog during her class skiing trip a couple of weeks ago. I just know that this will have pride of place on her bedroom wall and will probably end up a cherished keepsake for years to come. The posters are available in 4 sizes from 15x10" to 40x30" with a stylish gloss finish. You can choose from a single photo poster, collage poster or calendar poster. This poster  (30"x20") cost £15.99.

There are loads of other gift options if you're still looking for inspiration - you might also like to look at my past reviews of their photobooks and Christmas stocking fillers (photo stickers, personalised notebooks and photo placemats).

for more information : www.snapfish.co.uk

Disclosure : I received some credit in order to create and review some personalised photo gifts.

Sweetie hearts for your Valentine Sweetheart ! (review)

Do you remember when penny sweets really did cost a penny and with the 5p change left over from your school dinner money, hanging round your neck in a neck purse (I bet they'd be banned on health and safety grounds now !), you could literally buy a bag full of sweets to chomp on on the way home? Well, I don't think we'll ever see those prices again unfortunately, but I was still very pleased to learn about Retro Sweet, formerly known as MySweetieJar.com, and their wide range of nostalgic sweets.

They kindly sent us through this beautiful Love Lolly May Sweet Box (RRP £14.99) for us to try out. Inside the box, you get three different bags of sweets and they looked so lovely, I almost didn't want to mess up the packaging !

The little packets of Love Hearts were immediately pounced on - and not just by the kids ! I used to love these in my youth and reading the silly messages on them still makes me smile. They're perfect for Valentine's day too.

In the middle bag are beautiful foil-wrapped chocolate hearts which looked very posh and tasted lovely too - you can't go far wrong with a velvety, smooth chocolate heart !

In the final bag were Jelly Bean Love Hearts which ended up being my favourites. I love the slight chewiness and the instant burst of sweet fruitiness when you bite into them and chew - hmmm !

If you're looking at the heart-shapes and thinking that they'd make a perfect Valentine's Day or Mother's Day gift, there's another cool feature - you get a personalised A6 Gift Card with the message of your choice for that personal touch.

That's just one of the Valentine's gift ideas from Retro Sweet though -  they feature an extensive Valentine’s Day range of gifts, from chocolate heart trays bearing your sweetie’s name to hampers and even sweet bouquets.

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

What the Heck - a Valentines Peck heart-shaped sausage ! (review)

You may remember, last year we reviewed some Heck sausages from the lovely Debbie & Andrew - click through to read my original review - so we were delighted to receive a delivery of some of their high class bangers to review.

You may have noticed that I'm going to give the Dukan 2 diet a try, which means eating lots of lean meat for protein. The Chicken Italia sausages are perfect as they contain less than 3% fat - that's 70% less fat than a standard pork sausage. They are made with juicy British chicken breast and thigh with basil, tomatoes and mozzarella and they are labelled as gluten-free and low fat.

You get no gristle, no chunks of fat, just pure lean meat with extra natural ingredients which blend to create a really delicious sausage. The Chicken Italia sausages got a resounding thumbs up at The Madhouse for taste, quality and healthiness, so I was delighted to see that they have extended the range with the addition of  'skinny' chicken balls and burgers based on the same award-winning recipe. (HECK Chicken Italia Balls (£3/340g/12 balls) have just gone on sale at Tesco this month and the Chicken Italia Burgers will follow later in the spring.)

They also have a lovely product that is perfect for Valentine's Day - Peck heart-shaped sausage patties. How about popping one of these on top of the heart-shaped crumpets from ASDA for the ultimate romantic breakfast in bed ?! They are  available to buy from Waitrose, Asda and Tesco and via mail order from www.heckfood.co.uk throughout February, £2.99 for four but don't hang about because they are limited edition.

Heck say that they are perfect  served between two slices of bread (heart-shaped too if possible) and with a generous squeeze of brown sauce or ketchup, but if you fancy something a bit more elaborate, they have a couple of recipes that will get your Valentine's celebrations off with a bang(er) !

PECK Eggs Benedict

Ensure you use fresh eggs for this recipe as it helps them retain their shape during cooking.

Serves 2

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 PECK Heart Sausages (available from Asda, Waitrose and Tesco throughout February)

2 slices rustic bread, toasted

1 medium tomato

Sprinkle of dried oregano or a few chopped fresh oregano leaves

1 tsp olive oil, for drizzling

2 tbsp Hollandaise sauce

2 medium eggs

To serve; fresh oregano or thyme leaves (optional) and cracked black pepper

Method

1. Cut the tomato in half, season and scatter with oregano. Drizzle the tomatoes with a little olive oil and place under a preheated medium grill for 18 - 20 minutes along with the PECK heart sausages, turn the sausages half way through the cooking time.

2. Either slice the bread or cut a heart shape from each bread slice and lightly toast.

3. Meanwhile, fill a large, shallow pan with water (about 3cm deep) and bring to a simmer. Place into the water two heart shaped moulds. Then break the eggs into separate small cups (again to help maintain their shape when they're placed in the pan). Gently tip the eggs into the moulds and poach for 2-3 minutes or cooked to your liking.

4. Warm the Hollandaise sauce in a bowl in the microwave or in a small pan

5. To serve, place one tomato half on each piece of toast. Top with the Peck heart sausages.

6. Once the eggs are poached, drain them with a draining spoon and place on top of the sausage. Spoon a tablespoon of Hollandaise sauce onto the eggs. Garnish with fresh oregano or thyme leaves and cracked black pepper.

Or how about this, for a gourmet dinner à deux? The champagne sauce can easily be subsituted with a good veg or chicken stock to make if a family-friendly 'loved up' supper too!

PECK heart sausage with Potato Rosti, Wilted Spinach and Mushroom Champagne Sauce

Serves 2

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 PECK Heart Sausages (available from Asda, Waitrose and Tesco throughout February)

275g New Potatoes, boiled for 5 minutes and grated

Sauce

1 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot or small onion halved and thinly diced

1 cloves garlic, crushed

110g baby chestnut mushrooms, sliced

150ml dry Champagne or Sparkling Wine (can be substituted with a good vegetable or chicken stock)

50ml vegetable stock

75ml crème Fraiche

85g Fresh Spinach

Seasoning

Sprinkling of chopped fresh parsley for serving

Method

1. Cook the PECK heart sausages under a medium grill for 18 – 20 minutes, turning occasionally.

2. Heat ½ the oil in a frying pan over a moderate heat, add the diced onions, garlic and mushrooms, fry 5 – 8 minutes until the onions and mushrooms are soft.

3. Season the grated potatoes, divide into 2, dust hands with flour and bring the potatoes together to make 2 potato cakes. In another fry pan, heat the remaining oil and fry the potatoes over a medium heat for 10 – 15 minutes, turning occasionally.

4. Pour the stock and the Champagne into the pan with the mushrooms; increase the heat until the liquid is reduced to a 1/3.

5. Combine the Crème Fraiche and seasoning in a small bowl and then add to the frying pan and stir until mixture has thickened.

6. Place the spinach in a pan with 1 tbsp of boiling water, cover and cook for 30 seconds to a minute to allow the spinach to wilt down.

7. Serve the potato rosti cake with the wilted spinach on top followed by the PECK heart sausage, spoon over the sauce and serve sprinkled with the chopped parsley and cracked black pepper.

for more information :  http://heckfood.co.uk

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

ASDA's Valentine's offerings

Admittedly, buying your Valentine's day gifts at the supermarket may not be the most romantic approach, but feast your eyes on this lovely selection of cute products that ASDA sent us through from their Valentine's Day range. The prices are great too.

A single red rose is traditionally romantic, even if it's not the most original idea, but believe it or not, the one in the picture above has a little twist because it's made of chocolate - it only costs £1 too so you could push the boat out and buy a dozen, if you're feeling flash !

You can't go far wrong with chocolate so staying on the choccie-theme, you might like the trio of indulgent Belgian chocolate heart-shaped brownies from the ASDA Chosen By You range (£2 for a pack of 3) or the fabulous Made With Love DIY heart which is a solid milk chocolate heart shape with a tube of pink icing and coloured sugar sprinkles to allow you to create your own romantic message - could be a cute idea for a wedding proposal and it only costs £1.50 - just call me a cheapskate (or a cheap date !)

Staying on the heart-shaped food theme, what could be better for a romantic breakfast in bed than some heart-shaped crumpets? (RRP £1). ASDA also have mini indulgent breakfast pastries, if you want to linger a bit longer under the covers (but watch out for crumbs !)

The way to a man's heart is reportedly through his stomach and I love these Love Hearts cookie stampers (£4) - I can't wait to try them out. They come with a choice of three Love Hearts messages: 'Be Mine', 'Sweet Heart', and 'Love You'.

According to the saying, cold hands, warm heart, but if you want to keep your fingers nice and toasty, these reusable Love Hearts handwarmers are perfect. Simply click the metal disc inside each one and they instantly heat up to a toasty 55 degrees centigrade. (£4) Great for the kids, after they've been playing in the snow.

Other fun ideas to inject some romance into your day are a heart-shaped ice cube tray (also great for making chocolates or ice cream) (£3), pink plastic heart-shaped champagne flutes (£1), an I Love You toast stamp (£1) and a great deal on champagne - ASDA's Louvel Fontaine is just £10 a bottle, reduced from £24.25.

Keep an eye open instore as you do your shopping or online !

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

ASDA Valentine's range review

If you're still scratching your head, wondering what to get for your other half for Valentine's Day or how to set the scene for a romantic night in, you'd better get your skates on - it's tomorrow ! The good news is, ASDA have some lovely bits and pieces instore that you can throw in your trolley along with the weekly shop.

I love the Love Hearts Tea Light Candles which are perfect for a candlelit dinner for two. As well as providing some soft lighting, they also have romantic messages on them that are reminiscent of the retro sweeties. The pack of six costs £3.

The Heart Throb Bubble Tubes are also very cute, especially if you have a childish streak !

If you fancy bubbles of a more grown-up nature, the heart-shaped plastic champagne flutes are perfect for Valentine's day too.

Asda have a wide selection of Valentine's gifts on offer, including mugs, confetti, heart egg shapers, champagne and even a personalised gifting range, so you're bound to find some inspiration for cheeky little gifts for him or her.

Disclosure : I received the products in order to write an honest review.

Other blogposts you may be interested in :

Valentine's recipe : Hot chocolate soufflé

Valentine’s recipe : Heart Shaped Cake

Valentine's Day goodies from Lush

Valentine's experiment with Baldwins aphrodisiacs!

When I spotted an email entitled "Valentine's experiment with Baldwins aphrodisiacs" in my inbox, I almost deleted it as yet another Viagra spammy email in amongst the numerous others asking me if I want to get my blog to the top of Google search engines or informing me that someone in Nigeria wants my bank details so that they can divert a million dollars into my account or telling me that my paypal account needs the password resetting. But then, as my finger hovered over the delete button, I realised that this was actually a genuine email. Well, me and my big mouth ... I always say that I love blogger challenges and am always up for them, especially as most of them involve cooking. This one would apparently focus on turning up the heat in a different department altogether !

Well, I had a quick giggle as I read about the "slightly unusual, fun and pretty cheeky project" that they had in mind and breathed a sigh of relief at the precision that "in no way are we asking for anything personal to be divulged or any kind of graphic descriptions" (!) so I thought it could be a rather cheeky and humorous gift for Madhouse Daddy for Valentine's Day !

Well, the postie dropped off an innocent looking package containing four products from G Baldwin and Co, who is one of London’s oldest herbalist and apothecaries. Inside were four separate products. I headed to the website to scrutinise the write-ups :

Peruvian Maca - now this one's name was a total passion killer before I even opened it because it reminded me of Macca Pacca on In The Night Garden. It is actually also known as Maca-Maca ! OK, time to put my mum persona away for the moment and set my mind to the project !

The website informs us that Maca (Lepidium meyenii) is a root vegetable grown at altitudes of over 10,000 feet in the harsh terrain of the Peruvian Andes. It is packed with vitamins, plant sterols, essential minerals, proteins, amino acids and fatty acids, as well as alkaloids, tannins and saponins. The website explains : "Regarded as an adaptogen and superfood, Maca is also known as ‘Peruvian ginseng’ for its similarity to Asiatic ginseng in supporting physical and mental performance. It has been used for centuries in the Andes to enhance fertility, and to increase energy and stamina." See, it doesn't mention being an aphrodisiac - it's more of a general tonic. The label on the bottle does though ! "Maca is often used by those in need of energy and may contribute to healthy sexual function." Maca comes in several forms - we got the vegicaps but there is also an elixir or a powder, which can be used in cooking and baking or added to porridge, nutrition shakes or fruit juice. We had a laugh about the Maca roots on the label looking like sperm, swallowed one then sat back and waited to see what would happen. Well, nothing did really, but we didn't fall asleep in front of the telly so it might have given us a bit of extra energy. (It's been a long week - believe me, that's already an exploit !) (These cost £16.39 for 90 Vegicaps and you're supposed to take 3-6 per day, which sounded like a lot to us !)

OK, on to the next one !

Korean Panax Ginseng - The write-up says : "A highly esteemed herb that has been valued for thousands of years as an 'adaptogen'. In its traditional place, it was taken by older people - late middle age - to 'quieten the spirit'. Living up to its reputation, Ginseng tends to support the body's needs in an individual way - stimulating to a strong constitution and toning the long term poorly or aged. For general tiredness, physical exhaustion or just overwork, Ginseng could be the answer." I remember Madhouse Daddy's mum giving him ginseng capsules as a boost when he was taking his exams, so I think many people view ginseng as an energy boost more than an aphrodisiac. These ones have a bit of a strange herbal taste but you only need to take one capsule a day. They do seem to work as a pick-me-up, taking the edge off your tiredness rather than sending you wild with desire, but that's already a pretty good start ! (£9.99 for 30 caplets)

Asian Cornus (shan Zhu Yu) - Off to another far flung destination. After Peru and Korea, the next product originates from China. It's a tincture which means that it's a liquid that needs to be added to a little water - 15-20 drops three times a day. That's not very practical - imagine pulling this out in your lunch hour at work and explaining what it is ?! - but it's quite pleasant. It has an indefinable taste - quite sharp, somewhere between sherry and mouthwash ! - and again, it did seem to act as an energy boost, almost like an energy drink. Checking the label, this contains 25% alcohol which is why I thought it tasted like sherry/mouthwash ! (£5.65 for 50ml)

Harmonising Bath Oil - This is a blend of Lavender, Marjoram and Geranium oils mixed with dispersable bath oil to soothe, restore and balance the system. This is a really heady blend which is absolutely fabulous for unwinding. Even just smelling it in the bottle is enough for you to feel your head clear, your muscles start to relax and your stress fade away. If you're feeling tired, stressed or under the weather, a luxurious bath with some of this is is bound to perk you up. Whether that leads on to a night of passion or just a great night's sleep is up to you though ! (£7.39 for 100ml which is enough for up to six baths, according to the bottle)

So, what did we think? Well, I think they probably do work as an energy boost. Whether is that is down to the products themselves or the placebo effect, I have no idea. I also think that in terms of being an aphrodisiac, they again have the psychological effect of setting yourself up for a romantic night. If someone buys you champagne and chocolates, serves up oysters, ginger and other reputedly aphrodisiac foods, scatters the bed with rose petals or dims the lights and puts on a romantic movie, they all act as (more or less discreet !) signals that you have an ulterior motive at the end of the evening ! Buying and consuming any of these products, especially as a couple, sets the mood and gets you in the right mindset, which combined with the added energy boost that some of them seem to provide could indeed help you spice up your (love) life ! For a humorous, tongue-in-cheek Valentine's gift for your other half, I think they're perfect too !

for more information : http://www.baldwins.co.uk/
(who, I discovered, don't just sell aphrodisiacs - they have everything from natural cleaning products, candle-making kits and organic baked beans to aromatherapy oils, toiletries and incense)

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

Other reviews you may be interested in :

TV Celebrity Chef Martin Blunos Creates Aphrodisiac Recipe For Valentine's Day

Board Games Definitely Not To Play With The Kids from EdenFantasys !

Launch of World's First Erotic Alarm Clock !

Tesco's Valentine's Chocolates review

Tesco's recently sent me some of their Finest Belgian Chocolates from their Valentine's Day range to review. It's a hard life being a blogger sometimes ! I was immediately impressed by the beautiful presentation. As they come ready wrapped, your other half need never know if buying a present slipped your mind and you grabbed something from the supermarket shelf with minutes to spare !

I started off with the Finest Belgian Milk Chocolate Praline Hearts which come in a 100g pack. Each one is wrapped in silver foil and is the perfect blend of smooth milk chocolate and hazelnut praline.They combine romance with a touch of luxury and would be the perfect sweet for your sweet on Valentine's day !

Next up was the 200g Finest Milk, Dark & White Belgian Chocolate Selection. As I mentioned above, I love the fact that this comes ready-wrapped but I would have preferred a more neutral colour for the wrapping paper - pink is a bit girlie if you want to offer this to your husband or boyfriend !

There was an audible "ooh" as I opened the box and we all gathered round to see what was on the first layer. There's a great selection and they look really posh and extra special.

I wasn't sure if the second layer would be a duplicate of the first but it isn't - you get a whole different selection. They're all very nice and have a great variety of flavours and textures.

Even better news is that many of the chocolates are half price or reduced on Tesco's online store. The box of chocolates above for example was £6 but is now just £4, which sounds like a great bargain to me.

Disclosure : I received the products in order to write an honest review.

Other reviews you may be interested in :

Aldi Valentine's DVDs (and not just Rom-Coms !)

Bellucci Chocolate from Turin review

Valentine’s recipe : Heart Shaped Cake