Saturday, 30 November 2024

Degustabox November 2024 review

 

Temperatures have decreased dramatically in recent weeks so, when the postie dropped off this month's Degustabox, I was hoping for ingredients for winter warmers and cheeky snacks for nibbling under the duvet in front of the telly. Would my wishes come true? Let's have a look at the contents below and find out !


Mission Wholemeal Wraps (RRP £1.59) are perfect for rustling up a quick snack (our favourite filling is banana and Nutella) or for adapting into a tasty lunch (filled with ham or chicken, mayonnaise and salad) or dinner (anyone for fajitas?!) These wholemeal wraps have a stronger, nuttier flavour than our usual white wraps that we all enjoyed and they have a higher fibre content. They would be perfect for using up the leftover turkey after Christmas. Available in Morrisons.


Monty Bojangles Pretzel Parade (RRP £3.95) are a new chocolatey sweet treat that was a unanimous hit here at The Madhouse. The unique combination of cocoa dusted truffles, white chocolate chips and pretzel flavour offers an original and unexpectedly delicious flavour. They would be perfect as a Secret Santa gift. Available in Ocado.

  

Moo Free Jingle Chums (RRP 80p) would be a perfect stocking stuffer for anyone who is dairy intolerant. They are dairy-free and vegan friendly but they are perfectly acceptable even if you have no dietary issues. They taste great and we loved the cute festive character hiding under the wrapper. Altogether now, "we wish you a Moo Free Christmas" ! Available at Tesco, Asda and online at moofreechocolates.com.

Ocean Spray Cranberry Classic (RRP £1.85) is a perfectly festive drink to enjoy on its own, blended with orange juice on Christmas morning or jazzed up in one of the many cocktails over on the Ocean Spray website. It has a sharp, crisp taste that wakes you up and refreshes your palate. Don't save the cranberries for the sauce on the side of your Christmas dinner plate, get some in drink form too ! Available in all major supermarkets.

Eisberg Selection Pinot Noir 0.0% (RRP £8 - other subscribers got Eisberg Pinot Grigio 0.0%) is a soft and smooth alcohol-free wine with notes of redcurrant and sweet spice. It can be paired with roast pork and vegetable pasta dishes, but it is a perfect match with the Christmas turkey too. Ideal for pregnant or breastfeeding mums or anyone else who wants to avoid drinking, it comes in at just 18 calories per glass. Available at Morrisons, Club Soda and Amazon.


Knorr Hairy Bikers' Herby Stock Pots (RRP £1.90) are another handy product from the range that we've been enjoying in recent Degustaboxes. These Herby stock pots are a quick and simple way of adding tons of flavour, whether you're cooking a meaty, vegan or veggie meal. Whether making risotto, pasta, soup, stew or casseroles, just pop a stock pot into the dish and add water if necessary to add a rich depth of flavour. Perfect for knocking up a quick dinner with the festive leftovers. It is lovely to see the dearly departed Hairy Biker Dave Myers on the packaging too. Available at Sainsbury's, Waitrose, Ocado and Asda.

 

Double Dutch Ginger Ale (RRP £1) is described by the producers as "liquid velvet with a kick". Natural ginger is mixed with a touch of cardamom to offer aromatic notes that round out the flavour with a silky depth. It can be enjoyed on its own or mixed with aged spirits like whisky or dark rum. It has an earthy, full-bodied flavour that will give you a nice kick. Available at Ocado, Amazon and on the Double Dutch Drinks website.

Blanco NiƱo Lightly Salted Tortilla Chips (RRP £2.95 - other subscribers got Chilli & Lime or Smoky Chipotle) are traditionally made tortilla chips using an ancient method called nixtamalisation. They have a lovely flavour and are gluten-free, vegan friendly and free from artificial ingredients. They use slow-cooked, whole, regeneratively-farmed, non-GMO corn and taste reassuringly fresh and natural. Available at Sainsbury's, Co-op, Ocado and Wholefoods.


Brain Blasterz Sour Wormz (RRP £1.29 - other Degustaboxers received Sour Boltz) offer the original dual flavourz - sorry, flavours ! - of blue raspberry-lemon-cherry cola and apple-strawberry. The vegan gummies have a pleasant chewy texture but I have to admit, I found them a bit too sour for my tastes. They are rated a level 3 out of 5 on the Sour Scale so I must be a wimp though ! Needless to say, the Madhouse kids loved them. 

 

Revolution Waves Raspberry (RRP £1) is a pleasant-tasting, fruity-flavoured, spring water drink that is free from artificial additives. It has an extra bonus - the range has added vitamins and minerals, so the raspberry variety includes vitamin D for boosting your immunity. Most importantly, it tastes great and is very refreshing. Available at Heron Foods and Wholesalers.

Ambrosia Plant Based Custard (RRP £1.95) is a great store cupboard staple, especially over the Christmas period. It is delicious served over Christmas pudding but my personal favourite pairing is with apple pie. It is Ambrosia's first ever plant based custard, made with natural flavours with added calcium and no preservatives or artificial colours. I personally couldn't taste the difference and we all gobbled it up. Available in Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco.

A subscription to Degustabox costs £12.99 per month including delivery, with each box having a value of much more than that, but the great news is, I have a discount coupon code for you which means you'll get the first box for just £9.99 - enter code PKUFE at the checkout. 


for more information :

Also now on Instagram @DegustaboxUK

Disclosure : We received the box in order to write an honest review. As a Degustabox blogger, I receive all of the products that go into the monthly boxes, but subscribers may not get exactly the same selection.

Sunday, 24 November 2024

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 48


This week, I'll be working my way through all the end-of-term school reports then the week after it will be after-school class meetings to discuss the pupils' progress and problems, class by class. That is the sign that the holidays are on their way - bring them on, I say ! We've been gaily buying Christmas presents every time we see them in the shops or on Black Friday deals online and we're getting there, slowly but surely. I can't tell you what I've bought but there are some crackers in there that should hopefully appeal to their recipients. We will be putting the Christmas decorations up this afternoon if all goes to plan. We've been grabbing lots of Too Good To Go bags lately, with everything from muffins to family-sized trays of lasagne, which have been going down well. I have a fridge full of salad and random pieces of meat now ! Here's this week's plan for food.

Monday

lunch- school lunch

dinner - roasted cod with garlic and herbs (from a Too Good To Go bag) with rice and salad (Pierre can have a chicken burger or leftovers)

Tuesday

lunch- leftover fish for me/another chicken burger for Pierre with baked potatoes and grated carrots

dinner- Mongolian beef with rice

Wednesday

lunch- I'm home alone so I will knock something up with whatever is lingering in the fridge (there is some choucroute (sauerkraut) from Too Good To Go which could be good actually)

dinner- sausages, mash and beans

Thursday

lunch- school lunch

dinner-  chilli con carne and rice

Friday

lunch- school lunch

dinner - chicken burgers with pasta

Saturday

lunch-  creamy pork and mushrooms with baked potatoes

dinner- pizza

Sunday

lunch- roast chicken, roast potatoes, veg, gravy

dinner - soup

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

Sunday, 17 November 2024

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 47


After last week's hectic schedule, I'm happy to have a quieter week this week. I still have Pierre's parent-teacher evening on Monday and a trip to the bank on Tuesday but that's it. I think we might get the Christmas tree set up next weekend. I know it's early but we'll be visiting family over Christmas so it won't get appreciated otherwise. We did several Too Good To Go bags last week so the fridge is packed with random things to use up. Here's the plan for the coming week.

Monday

lunch- school lunch

dinner - Nadiya's smoky meatball stew with couscous

Tuesday

lunch- leftover meatball stew

dinner- fish, rice and carrots

Wednesday

lunch- leftovers

dinner- Pork, leek and rice stir-fry (minus the kale !)

Thursday

lunch- school lunch

dinner-  chicken gyros with rice

Friday

lunch- school lunch

dinner sausage stew with mash

Saturday

lunch-  pasta carbonara

dinner- something created from too good to go (seems to be the new norm)

Sunday

lunch- roast dinner

dinner - soup

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

Sunday, 10 November 2024

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 46


Menu-planning at the Madhouse has got confusing lately. During the week, it's just me and Pierre. At the weekend, but often from Thursday night onwards, Sophie comes home for the weekend. On Friday, Juliette comes home for the weekend, accompanied by her boyfriend, but he works so only eats at home for about half of the meals. Shopping has become a logistical nightmare as I never know how many people I am buying for ! Menu plans still come in useful as a rough guide but we tend to veer off plan more frequently when someone requests something specific or we don't have enough ingredients for the number of people present. As an added complication, this week we have a bank holiday on Monday and parent-teacher evenings on Tuesday and Thursday. Here's what's on this week's menu plan.

Monday

lunch-  smoky bbq pork with pasta and sweetcorn

dinner - meatloaf with mash and carrots

Tuesday

lunch- breaded fish with rice and veg

dinner- fresh pasta (ravioli filled with ham)

Wednesday

lunch- leftovers

dinner- gnocchi with creamy chicken

Thursday

lunch- school lunch

dinner- chicken cordon bleu with rice and ratatouille

Friday

lunch- school lunch

dinner - chicken burgers with pasta

Saturday

lunch-  chicken fajitas

dinner- pasta carbonara

Sunday

lunch- spaghetti bolognese

dinner - bacon sandwiches

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

Sunday, 3 November 2024

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 45


We had a lovely autumn half term and now we're getting ready to go back to school. Having put the clocks back, it's going to be pitch black when my alarm goes off at 6.15 tomorrow morning, which I'm not looking forward to. Only a month and a half until the Christmas holidays though so I can't complain. During these holidays, we had a lovely trip back to see the family then came back in time for Pierre to celebrate Halloween with his friends. He dressed up as a blood-soaked zombie and they came home with loads of sweets so he was very happy. I've already started Christmas shopping but I'm not feeling at all festive yet though. I'm sure it won't be long until they turn on all the Christmas lights in the streets and that always brings on the festive cheer. Here's what's on this week's menu plan.

Monday

lunch- school lunch 

dinner - chilli con carne and rice

Tuesday

lunch- chicken cordon bleus, baked potatoes and beans

dinner- bacon and tomato pasta

Wednesday

lunch- fridge-diving for me - time to use up the leftovers

dinner- chicken burgers and chips

Thursday

lunch- school lunch

dinner- the remaining chicken burgers with spicy couscous

Friday

lunch- school lunch

dinner - pork curry with rice

Saturday

lunch-  Deliveroo or McDonald's (kids' choice)

dinner- chicken pita with salad

Sunday

lunch- sweet & sour chicken and rice

dinner - bacon sandwiches

***Click on my Menu Plans tag to see all my other weekly menu plan blogposts.***

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