Bonny Bite snacks review

With the kids going back to school (and parents going back to work), it is the perfect time for looking out for new and preferably healthy snacks to keep everyone going throughout the day. When I was given the chance to try out a new range of fruity snacks from Pravera Ltd, my instant reaction was "oh, I thought they were into health and beauty products". Well, it turns out, I was right. Last year I reviewed some Ben & Anna Natural Care Bath Salts which are also distributed by Pravera. Learning that they had moved into organic and sustainable food products, I was keen to see what we would think. 

So let me introduce you to Bonny Bite, a range of dried and puffed organic fruit and vegetable snacks that appeal as much to kids as grown ups. Clean and simple to transport and eat, they offer the nutritional benefit and natural sweetness of the fruit without any added sugars, preservatives or artificial flavours.

As you can see in the picture, the snacks are gently dried and puffed, withholding their vibrant colours as well as their intense flavours and essential nutrients. The distinct natural fruit shapes - such as these apple rings or the berries and kiwi slices below - allow you to instantly recognise what you are eating and help young children to associate the sweet fruity flavours with the kinds of fruit that they are eating. These apple rings, for example, are beautifully sweet, slightly tart, crunchy and crispy then melt in your mouth to create a soft, intensely appley mouthful. The taste reminds me of fresh apple juice and is very refreshing and enjoyable. 

The Crunchy and Puffed Strawberries are equally tasty. The soft, airy texture almost dissolves in your mouth, giving a fresh natural burst of sweetness that reminds me of eating a spoonful of strawberry jam, minus the added sugar. You get the great taste of jam while feeling wholesome and virtuous for eating nothing but natural fruit - that definitely sounds like a win-win situation to me !

I was keen to see what we would think of the kiwi version, as it is a fruit that is less common in dried form. Despite being labelled as Dried Kiwi, I found the fruit to be deliciously moist and chewy, packed with a sweet but tart flavour that we all loved. I particularly enjoyed the combination of the soft, chewy fruit with the occasional crunch of the seeds popping between my teeth.

My daughter was keen to try out the Veg Medley too, so we all had a nibble. This limited edition pack is made up of crunchy and puffed onion, sweet capia pepper and cherry tomatoes and was a surprising (to me) hit. The peppers and tomatoes offer just as much sweetness as the fruit options and the onions add a savoury tang that made me feel like I was eating pizza. Definitely a game changer if you want a healthy, lower calorie and lower fat snack to put a smile on your face with no sense of going without.

Grown, picked, dried and packed in Türkiye, the Bonny Bite snacks are organic, gluten free and vegan. The fruity packs provide fibre, vitamin C and antioxidants, while the Vegetable Medley also offers vitamins A, K, B6, lycopene, potassium and folate. Also in the range are Organic Dried Watermelon, Organic Crunchy and Puffed Melon and Organic Dried Melon, which give you a great way of enjoying the flavours of these summer fruits throughout the whole year. They're delicious and I thoroughly recommend them.

RRP : £2.95

for more information : Bonny Bite | Discover Healthy Fruit Snacks Today

Disclosure : We received the product in order to share our honest review.

Genius Gluten-Free Triple Seeded Soft Rolls (review)

Whether you're looking for a gluten-free option for summertime barbecues or picnics, Genius have the answer in their Triple Seeded Soft Rolls (RRP £2.39 for 4). They sent us through a pack to try out and they were a big hit with the whole family.

They contain three varieties of seeds - linseed, poppy and sunflower - which add a nice crunch to the soft, chewy texture. The rolls, which are gluten and wheat-free, are slightly dry compared to regular bread rolls but they are far superior to many of the other gluten-free brands that we've tried in the past. As long as you add a dollop of mayonnaise or ketchup or add "wet" ingredients like coleslaw or tomatoes, they are very palatable.

I was intrigued to learn what went into wheat-free bread so I went to investigate the ingredients list : Water, Tapioca Starch, Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Rapeseed Oil, Humectant: Vegetable Glycerol; Yeast, Sunflower Seeds (4%), Linseeds (3%), Treacle, Millet Seeds (2%), Psyllium Husk Powder, Stabilizer: Hydroxypropyl Methyl Cellulose; Free Range Dried Egg White, Poppy Seeds (1%), Maize Flour, Salt, Sugar Beet Fibre, Maize Starch, Rice Starch, Caramelised Sugar Syrup, Preservative: Calcium Propionate. I notice that there are Millet Seeds which don't get a mention in the product name and description - maybe triple-seeded has a better ring than quadruple-seeded in terms of marketing !

Whether you want a product to use as burger baps, bacon butties or picnic rolls, these will certainly put a smile on the face of any followers of a gluten-free  diet.

star rating : 4/5

Available in Tesco, Morrisons, Ocado and ASDA.

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

Mrs Crimble's new launches for Coeliac Awareness Week

This week (9th - 15th May) is Coeliac Awareness Week and to mark the occasion, Mrs Crimble's has launched some brand new sweet treats to add to its range of gluten-free goodies. Along with two types of madeleines - Authentically French Classic and Chocolate - they have some new Lemon Cookies, which they sent through for us to try.

They got very bashed up in the post but this won't be an issue for you if you're buying them in the shops ! They have a lovely zesty lemon flavour that is very refreshing and always seems a lighter option than chocolate, for the palate if not the calorie count ! Even as someone who doesn't need to buy gluten-free options for dietary reasons, I'd happily munch away on these. As they aren't covered or filled with chocolate, they won't melt in the heat so they're ideal for summer picnics or packed lunches too. They're are on sale in single serve packs at 69p each, so they work out pricier than a pack of biscuits, but they're nice if you ant something to grab for a quick coffee break, whether indoors or al fresco.

for more information : www.mrscrimbles.com

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

Mrs Crimble's Gluten Free Madeleines review

Great news for gluten-free foodies - Mrs Crimble's have added a new line to their range of free-from cakes with these Authentically French Madeleines. Ooh là là !

They come in two varieties - Classic (with a subtle vanilla flavour) and Chocolate (with a rich choc filling). We tried both and thought they were both lovely. The cake is soft but quite compact, as a madeleine should be, and they are just as tasty as non gluten-free madeleines that we've eaten in the past. 

They are individually wrapped so they are ideal for packed lunches or snacks on the go. The Classic ones are slightly dry, like most madeleines, so you might want to make time for a cup of tea of coffee with them. I was very impressed to see the calorie count - only 136 calories for the Classic and 128 for the Chocolate, which is about the same as cake-type treats sold as low-calorie options by big diet brands.

My one niggle is the packaging. I've mentioned this many times before but I hate excess packaging and, when you open the pack, this is what you see. The bag could be half or even a third of the size and still fit all six madeleines inside quite comfortably.

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £2.50 for 6

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

The Black Farmer Pulled Pork Sausages review

The Black Farmer recently sent us some of their Pulled Pork Sausages to try out. I must have been living under a rock because it was a brand that I was unfamiliar with but they've been around for over a decade ! 

The man behind the brand is Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones, who was born in Jamaica but moved to the UK at the age of four. After working as a chef, behind the scenes on foodie TV programmes and as the founder of a food and drink marketing agency, Wilfred bought a small farm on the Devon/Cornwall border and, eleven years ago, launched The Black Farmer gluten free food brand, which markets award winning sausages, bacon, burgers, meatballs, chicken, eggs and cheese. 

The Pulled Pork sausages were created after they won over 40% of the votes on a recent poll run on Facebook by The Black Farmer to choose the next flavour. They are made with generous pieces of smoky barbecue pulled pork with British RSPCA approved outdoor bred pork and The Black Farmer’s special recipe seasoning.

I debated using them in a sausage casserole or a spicy sausage dish such as jambalaya, but in the end, I decided to go for a simple plate of sausage, mash and beans where the flavour of the sausages could take centre stage.

They're lovely and juicy with no visible fat or gristle. In fact, when cooking them, I had to add a tiny amount of olive oil because they didn't release any fat at all during the frying process, which is always the sign of a high quality sausage.

They have a delicate smoky BBQ flavour with a very slight kick and taste genuinely meaty, unlike many bland supermarket sausages. In fact, as soon as they come out of the pack, they smell appetisingly meaty, and they really remind me of genuine butcher's sausages. 

A pack of 6 sausages weighs 400g and 100g of product contains 222 calories, 17.9g of fat, of which 7.1g saturates, and 3.1g of carbs. That sounds pretty good to me, especially for something that tastes so good, even if you don't need a gluten-free diet. They're a premium product but they're affordable too - at around £3 a pack, they'll definitely be landing in my trolley on a regular basis from now on ! I fancy trying the pork & leek, pork, onion & chive or pork, Bramley apple & cider ones next. Decisions, decisions !

star rating : 4.5/5

RRP : £3 for 400g

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

Kids' Kitchen free-from kids' ready meals review

In an ideal world, we would all sit down to a nutritious homecooked meal at the end of each day but sometimes, after a particularly busy day at work, that just ain't happening ! Kids' Kitchen are a gluten-free, dairy-free and wheat-free range of meals designed for children aged 2 to 9 that are absolutely perfect for those days. Launched in September 2015, they are the UK’s first range of allergy free meals for children and they are nutritionally balanced, free from artificial colours and additives and low in salt with no added sugar. There are eight recipes available and we've been trying them all out (and when I say we, I really mean we - even the grown-ups tucked in and thought they were tasty !)

The first one we tried was Sausage Casserole with Root Vegetables - a mix of lightly spiced gluten-free pork and leek sausage, carrot, swede and red peppers in a tomato and paprika sauce with roasted diced potatoes. The 250g pack provides 210 calories and 9.8g of fats, of which 3.8g saturates. I thought this would be the Madhouse kids' favourite but they weren't too sure about the taste of the sausages. I tried it and thought it was very nice though !

Cottage Pie is another recipe that the Madhouse kids are familiar with, but this one is topped with Sweet Potato Mash so they looked at the orange thatch dubiously.

Once we dug in and discovered the mince in rich gravy with peas and carrots, they were won over though and devoured the whole lot ! The 250g pack contains 173 calories and 2.5g of fat, of which 1.3g saturates.

Beef Lasagne was another top choice for the kids, who wanted to start with the dishes that they are most familiar with. It didn't look overly appetising when I took it out of the oven, but once I dug in with a spoon, it looked much tastier.

It's made using minced British beef in a bolognaise sauce with gluten-free lasagne sheets and a dairy-free Bechamel sauce. I'll be honest - it didn't get as positive a reaction as my usual homemade lasagne - but I don't use a dairy or gluten-free recipe so it's not really a fair test. We thought it was a bit dry but I have no idea how you can make a dairy-free bechamel so that's probably why. Each pack contains 220 calories and 6.5g of fat, of which 3.5g saturates.

Next was the Moroccan Chicken - chicken breast with chickpeas, butternut squash, sweet potato, courgette, red peppers and apricots in a Moroccan sauce with quinoa, brown rice and lentils. This is a lovely mild, sweet dish and the kids loved the flavour, even if they weren't totally sure about the quinoa ! Each pack contains 168 calories and 1.5g fat of which 0.8g saturates.

We tried two other chicken dishes which both got a thumbs up. Caribbean Chicken (chicken breast with mango, red peppers and sweet potato in a jerk sauce with brown rice - 206 calories and 3g of fat, of which 2.3g saturates) and Chicken Korma (chicken breast with chickpeas, peppers, sweet potato and apricots in a coconut korma sauce with brown rice - 218 calories and 3.5g of fat, of which 2.5g saturates). Madhouse Daddy tucked into these ones and thought they were both very nice, although they could have done with bigger chnks of chicken and a bit more seasoning. (I had to remind him they were designed for kids !)

The final two were for me - I got the ones that nobody else really wanted but they actually tasted fantastic and I think they'd be my top choice, which is surprising as they aren't the ones I would have chosen intially. The Salmon & Cod Pie with Sweet Potato Mash (with sweetcorn and peas) tasted amazing with a sprinkle of sumac (180 calories and 5g of fat, of which 3g saturates) and the Lentil & Butternut Squash Pie (lentils and butternut squash with peas and peppers in gravy with a sweet potato mash) was a bit mushy but also tasted lovely with a sprinkle of garlic peper (173 calories and 0.5g of fat of which 0.5g saturates).

As the kids couldn't decide which one they wanted to taste, I served up several (shared between them) with rice. The grown-ups also ate one (or two if we were really hungry !) with rice and we all found them very satisfying.

I love the way they taste homemade and, looking through the list of ingredients, there are absolutely no hidden nasties and nothing you wouldn't find in your own kitchen. The meals are all kid friendly while introducing slightly exotic flavours and recipes that even appeal to grown-ups. I'd be tempted to buy these as a low fat, low calorie lunchtime meal to throw in the microwave at work (they can also be reheated in a conventional oven and can be frozen), but looking at the grown-up Kirsty's range, there are lots of healthy options available there too which need a closer look. Slow Cooked Beef with Celeriac Mash (307 calories), Malaysian Butternut Squash Curry with Brown Basmati Rice (348 calories), Thai Chilli Chicken with Rice Noodles (296 calories) and Pork and Herb Sausages with Sweet Potato Mash (276 calories) all sound like tasty but diet-friendly options so the kids may get to keep their Kids' Kitchen meals after all !

Kids' Kitchen meals are available exclusively at Asda and, given the high quality of the ingredients and the incredibly healthy nature of the dishes, I was expecting them to be really expensive. They actually cost £1.95 each and are currently on offer at 3 for £5 which I think is great value. I went to check out the grown-up versions too and they are £3 each or two for £4 so it's definitely a great time to fill the freezer for some stress-free meals on manic days !

star rating : 4.5/5

for more information : http://kirstys.co.uk/range/kids-kitchen-ready-meals/

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

We've been sampling the Tesco Free From range

The Orchard At Tesco recently invited me to join a festive campaign to try out some products from their Free From range. I had a voucher to choose whatever I wanted and, as I walked around the store, I was impressed to see that they had everything from mince pies and profiteroles to turkey stuffing and Yorkshire puds. As we already had the festive goodies covered, we opted for some of the more day-to-day options though - some chocolate wafers, tomato & garlic pizza sauce (£1 for 200g), tomato & basil pasta sauce (£2 for 350g) and mini breadsticks.

Strangely (or not !), the kids immediately wanted to try the Free From Belgian Chocolate Wafers (£1.75 for 107g). They come in a pack of five and are both gluten and wheat free. They very much reminded me of the taste of Kit Kats and I thought they had the perfect chocolate to wafer ratio.

Everyone thought they were very tasty and the kids made short work of them ! They taste just as good as the non gluten-free options, which is great news for anyone who is intolerant. If you're watching the calories, you'll also be pleased to know that each twin wafer only contains 117 calories.

In terms of savoury snacks, the Free From Mini Breadsticks (£1.40 for 125g)  also got a very positive reaction ... especially when served with a smoked cheddar dip. The fact that they are small make them ideal for lunchboxes or for young children who are just starting to feed themselves and want some fun finger food. They're lovely and crunchy, although I did find them a bit bland without a dip. At 15 calories per breadstick, they make a great accompaniment to soup or salads or just when you fancy nibbling on something.

The Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce was also very tasty and was perfect for using up the leftover Christmas turkey. We'll be making homemade pizzas very soon to try out the pizza sauce.

Disclosure : I received a voucher to take part in a sampling and feedback campaign with The Orchard At Tesco.

Mrs Crimble's Crimbo and New Year treats (review)

Santa wasn't the only one spreading festive good cheer this year as, in the run up to Christmas, Mrs Crimble's sent us through a box full of their gluten-free foodie treats to try. It was certainly a case of We Wish You a Merry Crimble's !

We unpacked everything and discovered lots of tasty treats from their ranges, including cereal bars, pasta with sauce, cheese crackers and their iconic and much loved coconut macaroons.

Pierre always loves tucking into Mrs Crimble's coconut macaroons. I reviewed them all the way back in 2011 and they're still just as tasty. I love the moist, juicy texture, unlike some coconut macaroons that taste like sawdust and have you immediately reaching for a drink. The chocolate makes them extra indulgent and as a gluten-free sweet treat, you'd be hard pushed to find better. As you can see from the packaging, Mrs Crimble's are proud sponsors of the UK’s largest breast cancer charity, Breast Cancer Now. They have also given their macaroons a twist, recently launching Chocolate Macaroons with the addition of warm and spicy stem ginger pieces.

If you're averting your eyes thinking that you've already overindulged far too much over the festive period, you might prefer the Gluten-Free Cereal Bars, which are part of the Gluten Free…and Good For Me family of products which offer a balanced choice because they are low fat, calorie counted or with beneficial ingredients. The bars are designed as a new year's treat that won't ruin your diet but they are also surprisingly tasty and satisfying, with a lovely sweet fruitiness and a delicious chewy texture. All three flavours - Cherries & Berries, Sultana & Apricot and Banana - have no artificial additives, are 150 calories or less and contain lots of healthy fibre and honey. Above all, they're delicious and appealed to both the kids and the adults in the family.

Also part of the part of the Gluten Free … and Good For Me range are these three different Pasta With Sauce pouches, which are a convenient lunch-time option because they can all be made in 10 minutes, simply by adding water and either boiling or cooking in a microwave. There are three varieities to choose from - Fusilli with a Rich Tomato and Mediterranean Herb Sauce, Fusilli with a Gourmet Mushroom and Cream Sauce and Fusilli with a Cheese and White Wine Sauce. Each pouch is designed to serve one as a main meal or two as an accompaniment.

The Hot Chilli Cheese Crackers were the perfect New Year's Eve nibble, providing some satisfying crunch and chilli heat to counterbalance the festive fizz !

Mrs Crimble's is the Official Free From Sponsor of England Netball, in particular supporting the Back to Netball scheme which encourages female players of all ages to get active and re-introduced to the much loved school sport. This lovely recipe book also encouraged us to get busy in the kitchen !

It contains some lovely family favourites, such as Lemon & White Chocolate Chip Drizzle Cake ...

Superleague Bakewell Tart

or Banoffee Pivot Pie.

Other ideas are more original but sound equally tasty, such as Super Quick Chocolate Brownie Trifle ...

or Tropical Coconut & Lemon Cheesecake.

Basically, whether you want healthy or naughty, home-baked or shop bought, Mrs Crimble's have something to cover all bases !

for more information : http://www.mrscrimbles.com/

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

#readcookeat recipe : Coconut Flour Cinnamon and Raisin Muffins (The Winter Wedding)

When I was reading The Winter Wedding by Abby Clements, I spotted this mention of Cinnamon and Raisin Muffins when Amber emails her work colleague and new flatmate :

(p132) From : Amber

Priority heads up. Muffins in the kitchen. You have two minutes to get there before the whole office email goes out. I'll put the kettle on

[...] 'Cinnamon and raisin,' Amber said as I arrived at the kitchen.

'Yum.' I picked one up and took a bite.

I've recently been experimenting with coconut products for Indigo Herbs Organic, Gluten-free & Dairy-free Baking Challenge so  I decided to see how they would come out using coconut flour and coconut oil. It takes a while to get used to using coconut flour so you can't just substitute it for regular flour. It does give it a nice coconut flavour though.

 Coconut Flour Cinnamon and Raisin Muffins

ingredients :

1 cup coconut flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking powder

6 large eggs

1/2 cup melted coconut oil

1/2 cup honey

2 tsp vanilla extract
coconut water (optional - as needed)

2tsp cinnamon

1 cup raisins

Put the dry ingredients - coconut flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon - in a bowl.

The coconut oil comes in a jar in solid form.

It needs to be melted, just like butter, in a saucepan or in the microwave before incorporating it.

Whisk together the wet ingredients - eggs, melted coconut oil, honey, vanilla essence.

Beat the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. The texture ended up too dry so I added in about 2/3 of a carton of coconut water to make it moister.

Spoon into muffin tins and bake at 180° for 20-25 minutes.

The kids weren't huge fans because they thought the texture was slightly strange - grainier and heavier than with normal flour - but I thought they had a lovely flavour. I've been eating them for breakfast.

Disclosure : I received a bundle of coconut goodies from Indigo Herbs to take part in their Autumn-Winter Organic, Gluten-free & Dairy-free Baking Challenge.