Arran Sense of Scotland (review)

This summer was absolutely amazing in terms of weather, giving us the chance to enjoy endless blue skies and gorgeous sunshine, both on our holiday abroad but also when we got back home. Walking home from work today, I noticed the first conkers on the ground and thought to myself aah, despite the sunny weather, there's no denying it - autumn is definitely on the way. If you're not ready to say goodbye to the summer and want to keep the holiday vibe going for a little longer, you may want to try out the extensive range of products from Arran Sense of Scotland (formerly Arran Aromatics). 

As the name suggests, this family-run company has been creating vibrant, evocative scents from its Home Farm factory, an old dairy farm near the historic Brodick Castle on the Isle of Arran. For three decades, they have been creating bath, body and home fragrance collections inspired not only by the breath-taking scenery of Arran, but its deep-rooted ability to make any visitor relax and reset as soon as they step off the ferry. From the freshwater spring to a pinch of seasoned gorse, there’s a bit of Arran in every single product.

We received two products from the range, starting with the Glen Iorsa Lavender & Spearmint Calming Mist (RRP £15). If going back to work and school has stressed you or your kids out, this is the ideal product. Just spray a little on your pillow and the soothing fragrance will whisk you off to the Land of Nod for a relaxing night of sleep. Alternatively, you could spray some around the room or even spritz it onto your skin. The fragrance is fresh and natural and I could detect something other than spearmint and lavender - a closer look revealed that it also contains background notes of geranium, sage and patchouli. The product is named after the calm serenity of a remote glen on the Isle of Arran. Perfect for rejuvenating body and mind.

The second product that we received is the Unisex Mixed Shower Gel Discovery Gift Set (RRP £10), one of the collections that allows you to try several of the fragrances from the range. This set includes After the Rain, Glenashdale, Lochranza and Machrie shower gels, all in 30ml bottles, so they're perfect for travel restrictions. 

Each of the fragrances is very different but I like all of them and it's lovely to mix up the scents depending on my mood. If you do prefer one of the fragrances, you could splash out on a big bottle of one variety. Here's what the company say : "Discover our signature scent of Lime, Rose & Sandalwood with After the Rain. Enjoy the freshness of grapefruit and rasped lemons with the invigorating scent of Glenashdale. Transport yourself to the rugged beauty of Lochranza in the North of Arran and enjoy a unique blend of patchouli and cedar enhanced by a citrus twist of lemon and grapefruit. Experience the coastal freshness of Machrie and discover an invigorating combination of Seasalt, rockrose and mandarin." I love the freshness of Glenashdale when I'm feeling tired after a long day at work but Machrie somehow reminds me of being on holiday - maybe because it reminds me of the sea? 

There is another possibility though - maybe the fragrance is one of the products I've used on holiday in the past without even knowing it. The brand supplies its high-end products to several luxury hotels, including Malmaison, Cheval Collection, Virgin Hotels and Seamill Hydro to name but a few.

for more information :  https://arran.com/

 Disclosure : I received the products in order to share my honest opinion.

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 37

First full week of school done and it all went according to plan, except that the bus company decided to go on strike. It lasted from Monday to Thursday and they only announced whether or not they were going back to work the next day every evening so it was a nightmare. I was very relieved when they went back to work on Friday as I was having to leave the house at 6.45am to leave time for the long walk to work - nightmare ! We stuck to the plan all week except for Sunday dinner, when we decided to have raclette - a classic French dish of boiled potatoes, ham/salami and oodles of melted cheese - instead of the planned roast.

Monday

lunch- school canteen for me, leftovers for whoever eats at home

dinner - chicken burgers & spicy wedges with coleslaw

Tuesday

lunch- school canteen for me, leftovers for whoever eats at home 

dinner- pork chops with gratin dauphinois (creamy potato bake) (on last week's plan but didn't get made) & green beans

Wednesday

lunch- spaghetti carbonara

dinner- chicken korma with rice

Thursday

lunch - ham-wrapped endives in cheese sauce (for me), chicken nuggets with rice & tomato salad (for the kids who are eating at home)

dinner- fresh pasta (with a creamy mushroom sauce, if anyone wants it - otherwise plain)

Friday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers for the kids

dinner - chicken enchiladas

Saturday

lunch- time to clear out the fridge of leftovers before I go shopping - and if it's empty, I'll go freezer diving instead !

dinner- we didn't get Deliveroo last week so the kids have asked for it this week instead

 

Sunday 

lunch- roast chicken, roast potatoes, veg & gravy

dinner- leftovers or toast

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

Book review : The Night Ship - Jess Kidd

The Night Ship is a book of two stories, with alternate chapters focusing on two young characters, separated by 350 years. Despite this difference in historical setting, their lives are similar in many ways. They are both stuck in a place they never wanted to be in with little to offer and no friends to help them pass the time. They are both in a somewhat hostile environment and are left to deal with daily life and whatever it can throw at them, finding things to entertain themselves and learning about the world they are growing up in and their place in it.

We are first introduced to Mayken, an excited and curious young girl in 1628 who has boarded the Batavia, a fine sea vessel of the time, in Holland. She is accompanied by her nursemaid, following the death of her mother, and is about to travel across the world to rejoin her father, with his marble mansion, red and white roses growing around the doorway, chestnut stallions and dapple mares. From her childish viewpoint, he appears to be a dashing, fairytale hero and from the outset, I was worried about how she would cope with the less grandiose reality once she arrived.

Her nursemaid suffering from seasickness, Mayken is left to explore the ship and find her own adventures. It is fascinating to see the other characters on the boat, from the dour preacher and his extensive family to the gruff and aggressive sea captains. Joining ranks with a mischievous cabin boy, she dresses in rags and goes to uncover the secrets of the Below World, filled with swarms of rats, sleeping soldiers, the gruesome ship's doctor and tales of Bullebak, a scary eel-like monster that slithers around the ship, searching out its next victim.

Gil's story, on the other hand, is set in 1989. His mother has also died and he is sent to a tiny fishing island off the Australian coast where his reclusive and irritable grandfather will look after him. Left to his own devices, he gets to know the team of researchers digging up the remains in and around the coral reef that surrounds the island, as well as the few local families. There have been many shipwrecks over the years, including ... the Batavia.

Both Mayken and Gil find themselves as hopeful, young innocents, trying to survive in a hostile world, faced with the worst of human nature. The adults surrounding them should be looking out for them but mainly tend to fail in their duty of care, worrying more about saving themselves than helping out anyone else. What makes the story even more heartbreaking is that the shipwreck of the Batavia is a historical fact. Mayken's tale may not be completely true but many of the characters on board the ship and their actions after the shipwreck are and details are given in the epilogue. Gil is a pure invention but it doesn't make his story any less heart-rending.

star rating : 5/5

RRP  : £12.99

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Canongate Books; Main edition (11 Aug. 2022)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1838856501
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1838856502

 

 Disclosure : I received a review copy of the book in order to share my honest opinion.

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 36

That's it, the holidays are over and we've all headed back to school (except for Sophie who still has a few weeks left). I get Wednesdays off and Thursday afternoons off this year, which sounds good to me and less hectic than last year. I've just gone shopping for next week and bought way too much food as I got loads of quick and simple things for the kids to cook for lunch (which invariably never get eaten !) - ah well, it can go in the freezer if it' still in the fridge at the end of the week ! Last week's menu plan was hit-and-miss as I came down with a tummy bug and was off food for a couple of days. Luckily I was back up and running before going back to work though. The kids found loads of things to eat in the freezer so they weren't complaining ! A couple of meals are relisted from last week as they didn't get made.

Monday

lunch- school canteen for me, leftovers for whoever eats at home

dinner - chilli con carne with rice

Tuesday

lunch- school canteen for me, leftovers for whoever eats at home (or I bought sausages, either in sandwiches or with leftover rice)

dinner- Mediterranean chicken (seasoning & cooking bag - add tomatoes, courgette & red pepper) with couscous (this was on last week's plan but didn't end up getting made ... umm same again ! Third time lucky ?!)

Wednesday

lunch- sausages & lentils

dinner- filet mignon in gravy with mash & green beans

Thursday

lunch - eating with a friend, kids can sort themselves out or come along, depending on their timetables

dinner- pork casserole with rice

Friday

lunch- canteen for me, leftovers for the kids

dinner - battered fish with ebly & veggie patties

Saturday

lunch- cheese puffs (Pierre can have a beefburger or leftovers instead) with mash & ratatouille

dinner- I think we deserve a takeaway :)

 

Sunday 

lunch- roast chicken, gratin dauphinois (didn't get made last week) & salad

dinner- leftovers or toast

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

Our first attempt at making sushi with Kelly Loves !

Back at the start of the summer (where has the time gone ?!), we were offered the chance to try our hand at making sushi, courtesy of Asian snack and drink company, Kelly Loves. Both Juliette and Sophie are huge fans of sushi and frequently buy it on Deliveroo, at the local Chinese restaurant (which has a sushi section) or from the supermarket but I'd never thought of making it ourselves. To be honest, I thought it would be really complicated, both in terms of making it and sourcing the ingredients. 

 

Well, the second part was instantly dealt with. Founded by Kelly Choi, Kelly Loves brings a large selection of tasty snacks and meals typical of the Far East into your home and they sent us a fabulous starter kit, containing everything (except for seafood and vegetables) that we'd need for making sushi, plus some extras. When we unpacked the box, we discovered a sushi mat, a box of sushi rice, sushi nori, wasabi, spicy mayo, fried onions, sushi vinegar, sushi ginger, tofu miso soup, aloe vera drink, Korean rolls meal kit and a bento kit. Wow, where to start ?!

 

We started off by cooking the rice. The Sushi Rice is described on the box as a "fine short-grain rice as used by our sushi chefs". A box contains 500g which sounded a lot to me, as we'd only have two people eating it, so we cooked half the box. With hindsight, we could have used up a whole box though. While the rice cooked, we peeled and sliced the ingredients that we'd bought to go in the sushi - prawns, smoked salmon, carrots, red pepper, cucumber. Once the rice is cooked, you need to stir through some sushi vinegar - aha, so that's what gives the sushi its special flavour.

I was all ready to start looking up sushi recipes online but the girls pooh-poohed that idea, saying that it was simple as each sushi only had one ingredient, along with the rice. Well, I didn't know that (assuming they are right !). Juliette laid a nori sheet (half of one, in fact) on the rolling mat and topped it with rice.

She added some strips of cucumber. Can you spot where she went wrong? Yep, she laid them the wrong way !

She managed to roll them up quite successfully though, especially for a first attempt. She said they didn't look right because they had the nori on the inside, like a spiral. After chopping them up, the middle section looks great but the ends need a bit more rice to help them hold together.

For the next sushi, Juliette decided to try one with prawns inside and no nori sheet. 

I was convinced it would all fall apart but the rolling mat did squash it all together quite successfully. It did crumble slightly when I tried to chop it into pieces (each roll creates about five or six individual sushi pieces) but again, we were quite impressed with the finished creations.

I decided to have a go and - smacks myself on the wrist ! - ignored all the rules and put several different ingredients together (carrot, red pepper and cucumber). The problem that we were encountering was that the more sushi we created, the stickier our mat was getting with rice sticking all over it. I decided to try a new technique, laying a sheet of cellophane over the sushi mat, which worked for rolling but then stuck to the rice when I wanted to chop it. 

My attempts at sushi resulted in these completely collapsed dollops on the plate, which had the kids in complete hysterics. We could have tried making more but by this point, we'd used up all the rice. What our sushi (mine in particular) lacked in visual appeal, it certainly made up for in taste and the girls scoffed the lot, declaring it delicious ! Above all, we had great fun and lots of giggles making the sushi and decided that this would be a great activity for teenage sleepovers, providing something fun to do and also food to eat. 

The girls munched their way through the sushi as soon as it was made so they didn't need to store it but they loved the Bento box and thought that it would be ideal, not just for sushi but for making cool packed lunches to take to school. The fact that there are two boxes, closed with a wooden lid that is held in place with the elastic strap, gave the girls ideas of making a sandwich/savoury snack plus fruit/dessert options in the other box.

The girls tried the aloe vera drink after making the sushi and loved the fruity, refreshing flavour. We had a good giggle at our less-than-wholly-successful sushi-making but decided that the taste was there and we had enjoyed a fun afternoon together, so that counted as a win ! Let's hope we'll get on better with the Korean rolls !

for more information : https://kellyloves.com/

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

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 35

We got everything done that we needed to do last week, sorting out the back-to-school shopping and cracking on with the decorating. On Monday, we're going out for a final end-of-the-holidays meal at a restaurant chain where you order your main meal and have a buffet for starters and desserts - always goes down well ! I go back to work on Wednesday, the kids on Thursday and the real start of lessons is Friday - just in time for the weekend ! No idea who will have school when for this week but everyone can fend for themselves with whatever's in the fridge and freezer. We pretty much stuck to our menu plan last week, but we got invited out for a meal with friends on Thursday, which was nice. Also Pierre wanted to cook and he made a cracking chilli con carne and a sausage couscous (totally made up but delicious!), with just a little bit of advice from me - hope he keeps it up !

Monday

lunch- end-of-the-holidays meal out 

dinner - not sure how hungry we'll be but there's everything we need for spaghetti carbonara

Tuesday

lunch- Mediterranean chicken (seasoning & cooking bag - add tomatoes, courgette & red pepper) with couscous (this was on last week's plan but didn't end up getting made)

dinner- gratin dauphinois (creamy potato bake) with beefburgers and green beans

Wednesday

lunch- I'll be at work, the kids can sort themselves out

dinner- tacos

Thursday

lunch - eating with a friend, kids will be at school or can sort themselves out

dinner- time to go freezer diving - I'll have fish, the kids have have chicken or pork chops, with garlic mash & a bag of frozen veg

Friday

lunch- I'll presumably be at school, kids can sort themselves out

dinner - at some point this week, the house will be in chaos, I'll be knackered after a full day at work and will still have oodles of paperwork to fill in for the kids, so I'll predict that we'll fall back on Deliveroo !

Saturday

lunch- fishfingers, potato wedges and peas

dinner- Meatball & garlic bread traybake

 

Sunday 

lunch-  Key West lime chicken with rice & peppers/onions

dinner- leftovers or toast

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

August 2022 Degustabox review : Back To School & Relaxing Evenings

Much as I hate to admit it, the summer holidays are drawing to a close. I took the kids shopping yesterday to find new trainers and PE kits. Today we called into Pierre's school to pick up the "back to school kit" that we ordered at the end of the summer term. I'm starting to get emails about work things. There's no denying it - the countdown has begun.

When the latest Degustabox arrived recently, I pulled out the info sheet to see this month's theme and instantly smiled at the optimistic label. Yep, it's all about back-to-school but they've twinned this with Relaxing Evenings. Ahh that sounds good to me !

 

 

The first product that I pulled out of the box was a pack of Urban Fruit Glow (RRP £3). This product instantly rang a bell but I couldn't remember what it tasted like - a quick search revealed why. We got a pack of Urban Fruit Strength in a previous Degustabox, which I donated to Pierre who was in isolation in his room with Covid ! This pack is a blend of mango, pineapple, acerola cherry and turmeric and is a source of vitamin C. It's 100% natural with no hidden nasties and we love the tropical fruit flavour. Available at Tesco, Amazon and Ocado.

Sxollie Xider Packham's Triumph Perry (RRP £2.20) confused me when I looked at the bottle - is it a cider or a perry? I jumped on to google to find out what a perry actually is (you can tell I'm on holiday with some spare time on my hands !) and discovered that it's a pear cider. Aha, it suddenly makes more sense ! My next question was how do you pronounce it? I soon found this answer too - it is pronounced "Skollie" and is a South African slang word for a cheeky rascal. With that cleared up, Sxollie is a medium-dry perry, made purely with eating apples grown in the sunshine, with honey, caramel and subtle elderflower notes. More like a wine than a cider, it contains no added sugar, flavourings or concentrate. It's 100% natural, gluten-free, vegan, lower in calories and tastes great, straight from the fridge on a hot summer's evening.

Ocean's Halo Korean Barbecue Soy-Free Sauce  (RRP £4) is described as a spicy Gangnam-Style Sauce! This organic kelp-based sauce gets its flavour from red jalapeños and sesame tahini. That kinda put me off, so I dipped my finger in and tasted it suspiciously. It actually tasted a lot better than I expected ! It's soy free, gluten free and certified vegan and can be used for BBQ, dipping or marinades. It's great for stirring through chicken and vegetables and serving with rice for a quick and tasty meal.

Palmini Hearts of Palm Angel Hair (RRP £4.49) is part of a range of products (they have pasta, rice and mash) made from hearts of palm - something I've eaten many times in France, straight from a tin. I'd never thought of using them for creating alternatives to pasta, rice and mash but why not ?! Low in calories, low carb and sugar free, it's a light and healthy option and once you've coated it in sauce, you'd be hard pushed to notice the difference ! Available on Amazon and Planet Organic. 

  

Good Earth Pomegranate & Blueberry Kombucha (RRP £1.60) has a lovely fruity kick, behind which hides a kombucha made with black tea and fermented with live cultures. It is organic, uses 100% natural ingredients and comes in at under 30 calories per can. Good Earth also donates 1% of its revenue to Bright Green Future, an environmental non-profit association.

Horlicks Vegan Malt Drink (RRP £3.49) is a dairy-free version of the relaxing drink, perfect for unwinding at the end of a long day (or whenever your stress levels are rising !). I didn't know that Horlicks can be drunk hot or cold or even used in numerous baking recipes. Enriched with 14 vitamins and minerals, it can be used with any milk alternative.

 

Heinz Veg Hoops (RRP £1.25) are a great way of adding extra veggies to your kids' diets without them turning up their noses ! Containing 30% more veg, the pasta is made with carrot and cauliflower then coated in a vegetable sauce. It's low in sugar, a source of fibre, vegan-friendly and contains no artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. Perfect on toast when you need a quick meal or the kids need a quick snack that they can heat up in the microwave !

Nesquik All Natural Strawberry Flavour Milk Drink (RRP £1.80) offers the great taste of Nesquik in convenient ready-to-drink cartons. I had a quick taste and it reminded me of the powdered form of strawberry Nesquik that I used to drink as a child. The kids drank the rest before I got another look in though ! The drinks contain 91% milk and are made with only simple, natural ingredients. Delicious !

Dr Will's All Natural Classic Mayo (RRP £3) declares to be "so simple you could make this at home, but we've saved you the effort. Classic. Versatile. Delicious." What more could I add?! It's sugar free and uses quality ingredients to provide a natural dollop of flavour. Perfect in sandwiches, on the side of a salad or mixed into homemade coleslaw. Also available as Chilli Mayo.

This month's product of the month, McVitie's BN Chocolate (RRP £1) are a big hit with the Madhouse kids, who have been munching on them for years in France. You get two crunchy biscuits, sandwiched together with a rich chocolatey filling and - best of all according to the kids ! - a cheeky face cut into the biscuit. All flavours are natural. There are 16 biscuits in each pack and the kids would happily munch through a whole pack in one sitting if I let them !

Another variation on the same theme, McVitie's Mini BN Strawberry (RRP £1) are equally tasty and better suited to snacks-on-the-go as they come in sealed packets of five biscuits. The smaller size makes them easier for younger children to handle but big kids love them just as much too ! These also only contain natural colours and flavours.

The final product in this month's box is a Nissin 5 Spices Beef Cup Noodle (RRP £1.75) - apologies for the stock photo. It was munched before I took the individual photo ! Just add boiling water for a delicate noodle soup with the full flavour of beef and an irresistible combination of five carefully selected Asian spices and flavours. Perfect for a quick lunch or snack option for busy teens and apparently very tasty.

 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 :

http://bit.ly/DBhomepage - website

http://bit.ly/DBUKfacebook - Facebook

http://bit.ly/DBUKTwitter - twitter

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.

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 34

Into the last ten days of the school holidays and I still have so much to do ! We did well last week though, catching up on washing and carrying on with the decorating. I don't think we'll finish before going back to school but the main bits should be finished (hopefully !) We stayed on plan for most of the week, but we did opt for a takeaway after a busy day decorating (which was on the cards anyway !). This week will be much of the same  but I also have to head into town with the kids to restock on clothes/shoes for school.

Monday

lunch- grilled ham, mash & veg with gravy

dinner - pork chops in BBQ sauce with rice & sweetcorn

Tuesday

lunch- pasta carbonara

dinner- roasted sausage and potato supper (with chipolatas, red peppers and onions)

Wednesday

lunch- Mediterranean chicken (seasoning & cooking bag - add tomatoes, courgette & red pepper) with couscous

dinner- chilli con carne with rice (special request from Pierre)

Thursday

lunch - tacos with leftover chilli (assuming there is some !)

dinner- Jamie Oliver's comforting sausage bake (to use up the rest of the chipolatas)

Friday

lunch- honey garlic pork chops with gratin dauphinois & salad

dinner - I'm thinking the fridge will be full of leftovers

Saturday

lunch- I'll put McDonald's here as it'll be munched at some point, whenever we end up going on our shopping trip

dinner- whatever remaining Chinese nibbly bits I uncover in the freezer, along with some chicken nuggets

Sunday 

lunch- garlic & herb chicken (seasoning sachet) with roast potatoes & veg

dinner- leftovers/sandwiches/toast

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

What's Cooking At The Madhouse ? menu plan week 33

The last menu plan I posted was on 3rd July (week 27). Since then we've had a fortnight on holiday in the Dominican Republic, a few days back at home then a fortnight visiting the family in Hastings. That leads us into week 33 - blimey, five weeks of no cooking ! I need to go shopping but I think I'll try to clear out stuff from the freezer this week. I have no idea what is in there but I'm sure most of the meat will be in there and my cupboards are full of seasoning sachets and odds and ends from recent Degustaboxes. I do need to get on with my decorating (stripping the wallpaper then repainting the walls on the stairs and on the landings) so I may end up opting for the odd takeaway if we're too tired though !

Monday

lunch- spaghetti bolognese

dinner - steak & ale pie and rice (and a bag of frozen veg if there's one in the freezer)

Tuesday

lunch- chicken stir-fry (with baby sweetcorn, mangetout, beansprouts, onions (red peppers and carrots if I've headed to the shops), noodles and sweet soy sauce)

dinner- gammon with roast potatoes & carrots and lashings of gravy !

Wednesday

lunch- chicken korma & rice

dinner- the girls will be trying homemade sushi (look out for an upcoming review), there should be leftovers for me and Pierre

Thursday

lunch - barbecue chicken salad (or there should be leftover rice for anyone who prefers that to salad)

dinner- baked potatoes with tuna/mayo, cheese or leftover barbecue chicken

Friday

lunch- burgers, mash & coleslaw

dinner - soy & chilli chicken with peppers and peanuts with rice or noodles

Saturday

lunch- tacos (even if it isn't Tuesday !) or fajitas

dinner- lasagne

Sunday 

lunch- beef or pork (depending on what is in the freezer) casserole with pasta

dinner- toast or fridge-raiding for leftovers (or I've no doubt the kids will try to convince me to go for a takeaway on Deliveroo !)

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

July 2022 Degustabox review : Summer & Get Outdoors

School's out for the summer and we've been enjoying the sun (and hiding from it when it all got a bit too intense!), travelling (we had a fantastic fortnight in the Dominican Republic but getting over the jetlag was tough for a few days - eek !) and now we're catching up with family. It's almost like COVID never happened, with us all enjoying the sun mask-free, visiting new places and going to summertime events stress-free. Fingers crossed that that continues once the kids all go back to school. All that was missing was some tasty nibbles and drinks to keep our energy levels fuelled - enter the latest Degustabox !

This month's box has the theme Summer & Get Outdoors which sounds perfect. As I unwrapped the contents, I could see lots of new products from well-known brands and also some totally new brands that I'd never heard of that really appeal to me. Time to investigate !

Clif Bar White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Energy Bar (RRP £1.75) is a creamy bar, packed with 9g of plant-based protein, perfect for supplying energy for all your summertime excursions. The flavour of the roasted nuts really complements the creaminess of the white chocolate. Available at most supermarkets, sports retailers and health stores.

Heinz Plant Proteinz Thai Red Curry Soup with Beans & Chickpeas (RRP £1.50) is great for a quick lunch or snack when it's too hot to spend time in the kitchen preparing a big meal. Bursting with the goodness of plants and beans, it contains 15g of plant based protein. It is packed full of onions, carrots, red and green peppers, haricot beans, chickpeas and red curry paste. It tastes great, as well as being good for you and low in calories (204 calories per can). Perfect if you want to add more vegetables to your diet.

  

Hamadaya Naturally Brewed Soy Sauce (RRP £2.99) is a gourmet soy sauce, made from the best koji and a process involving immense time and effort. It comes from a company founded in 1818 and the same closely guarded, time-tested, two-century-old recipe is still used. It has a rich, deep flavour that is ideal for splashing into stir fries and drizzling over spring rolls. Available on Amazon and Japan Centre.

Shaken Udder Chocolush (RRP £1.75) is a rich, creamy milkshake made with real Belgian chocolate that gives it a delicious flavour. Each 330ml bottle provides 51% of your RI of calcium, as well as B12 for natural immunity support. It contains no artificial colours, flavours and preservatives and is gluten-free. The rich chocolatey taste is what the Madhouse kids preferred though. 

Herdez Authentic Mexican Seasoning (RRP 2 x £1.19) instantly appealed to me. I love trying exotic cuisine and Mexican is a particular fave, as long as it's not too hot. I'd never heard of this brand but they have over 100 years of experience creating quality regional flavours. We got the Classic Tacos mix, made with cumin, garlic and Cayenne chilli peppers. We also got Yucatan which is a zingy citrus, garlic and coriander seasoning mix, perfect for tacos or fajitas. The zingy, bold flavours really give you the impression that you are sampling a taste of true Mexican flavours. Available in the majority of larger Tesco stores.

Mission Chargrilled Wraps (RRP £1.50) are perfect for summertime meals, whether you wrap them around barbecued meat or stuff them with roasted vegetables or salad and sauces. They're great with the Mexican meals using the seasoning sachets from the box too or just as a sandwich alternative, filled with ham and cheese with salad. They're soft and have a lovely smoky flavour coming through. They can be eaten cold straight from the pack but are apparently even tastier if you heat them briefly, in a dry pan, in the microwave or on a barbecue for the ultimate summer vibe ! Available in Sainsbury's, ASDA and Morrisons.

KP Salt & Vinegar Flavour Peanuts (RRP £3) are a product that intrigued me. I love peanuts and I like salt and vinegar crisps but would the two really work together? Well, yes, they do actually ! The salt and vinegar flavour is really strong and explodes in your mouth but then the peanut flavour comes through afterwards, so it's almost like a two-in-one snack experience. Each 30g pack provides 185 calories and is a source of protein and fibre. Even better - they won't melt in the summertime heat so they're great for stuffing in pockets and handbags for snacks on the go !

 

Mister Free'd Mango Chilli Tortilla Chips (RRP £1.99) are a new take on the well-loved snack, offering a mango chilli flavour for a sweet and spicy kick. This is great if you want to dig in without bothering with the usual guacamole, salsa and dips. The kids loved these and will definitely be buying them again. They are gluten-free, vegan-friendly and made using natural ingredients. 

Polaretti Fruit Freeze Pops (RRP £1.50) have been munched in record time, given the record-busting temperatures. The freeze-at-home pops are made with real fruit juice and should be shaken before freezing - something I'd never thought to do before ! The kids loved all of the four flavours - strawberry, lemon, orange and sour cherry. Available in Asda and Aldi.

 

Pravha Lighter Tasting Pilsner (RRP £2 per 330ml bottle, £25.99 for a 24 pack) offers all the bold flavour of a high quality Prague-style pilsner, perfectly balanced with an unexpectedly light and refreshing taste. I'll be passing this one on to Sophie.

Rubicon Spring Sparkling Water drinks (RRP £1.29 each or £3.49 for a multipack) is a healthy, refreshing drink made from spring water mixed with fruit juice. We tried Orange-Mango and Black Cherry-Raspberry which are both very nice but kids may be put off by the fact that they are much less sweet than many fizzy drinks. The drinks are vegan, use water collected directly from its natural source and each can contains under 10 calories. Perfect for adults who want something fruity to enjoy on a hot day.

Skittles Squishy Cloudz (RRP 2 x £1) are a great new twist on one of my favourite sweets. The flavours are the same as regular Skittles but the Cloudz, as their name suggests, offer a soft and airy gummy texture sensation. I love the regular Fruits ones but the kids loved the Crazy Sours. 

 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. 

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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.