Montezuma's Absolute Black 100% Cocoa Dark Chocolate

January 27, 2017, 6:20 am

≫ Next: Spotted In Shops! Oreo Egg N' Spoon, Oreo Thins, Twix Cookies, Tic Tac Breeze & More...

≪ Previous: Solkiki Toasted White Vegan Chocolate

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If you're trying to reduce the sugar this January, it can be mighty hard to find a lower sugar chocolate bar, let alone one that's sugar free. Luckily, a few companies are now making them more widely available. One is Montezuma's, whose Absolute Black 100% Cocoa bar is now available from Sainsbury's stores.

For that dramatic cocoa hit...don't say we didn't warn you!

As well as being completely sugar free (apart from the naturally occurring sugars found in cocoa beans), it's also dairy free, vegan, soya free and gluten free. However it may contain traces of dairy, nuts and sesame seeds.

I've had plenty of 100% cocoa bars in my time, from the likes of Hotel Chocolat and Grenada Chocolate Company, and all have varied in taste. Some are bitter and unpleasant and some have a smooth sweet flavour despite the lack of sugar.

This bar achieves some sort of middle ground. It will definitely be bitter to anyone unaccustomed to 100% chocolate, but to me it tasted fairly mild compared to some bars. If you're avoiding sugar or on a sugar free diet, this is a handy and tasty bar, it's inoffensive and widely available. If you love your sugar though, I would step away now!

Overall, a good bar from Montezumas as far as 100% chocolate goes, perfect for any sugar free diet. If you like this I'd also recommend Grenada Chocolate Company's 100% Cocoa bar.

8 out of 10. 

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Spotted In Shops! Oreo Egg N' Spoon, Oreo Thins, Twix Cookies, Tic Tac Breeze & More...

January 30, 2017, 10:10 am

≫ Next: Marks & Spencer Made Without Dairy Unsweetened Almond Drink

≪ Previous: Montezuma's Absolute Black 100% Cocoa Dark Chocolate

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It's that time of month again...no, not for a grumpy Kev who craves chocolate but a time to lust over new food products, with a jam (and cake) packed edition of Spotted In Shops!

There's been quite a lot of new releases on the shelves in the month since Christmas, so let's take a look at what's out there. Hold on tight you're in for a sugary ride!

Cadbury Dairy Milk Egg 'N' Spoon Oreo:

Cadbury's have replaced their Vanilla Egg 'N' Spoons (Which I loved!) with this new version containing Oreo cookie pieces. Available in all supermarkets.

Twix Chocolate Caramel Cookies:

Last year we got Twix Spread, but this year Twix is getting the cookie treatment! Who knows what we'll get next...Twix Doughnut anyone? Spotted in Tesco, fresh bakery section.

Oreo Thins UK version:

Oreos have slimmed down! I hear these are very good...available in both Original Vanilla and Chocolate Cream flavours. Spotted in Tesco.

McVitie's Digestives Thins Milk Chocolate Cappuccino:

Not to be outdone, McVities Digestives are also on a diet, available in this yummy sounding Milk Chocolate Cappuccino...

McVitie's Digestives Thins Dark Chocolate:

As well as Dark chocolate...

McVitie's Digestives Thins Milk Chocolate:

And not forgetting Milk Chocolate! All are available in Tesco.

McVitie's Hobnobs Nibbles Milk Chocolate:

McVitie's have also finally brought Hobnobs to their Nibbles range. Check out The NibNob herself - Nibbles & Scribbles review of them. Available from all supermarkets.

Kellogg's Crunchy Nut Peanut Butter Clusters:

I so wish I could try these, I bet they're amazing! But alas, they contain pesky gluten. If you have any trouble finding them do try tweeting Kellogg's. Also do check out Peanut Butter Queen Nibbles & Scribbles review. Spotted in Tesco.

Nature Valley Crunchy Peanut Butter Bars:

Staying with the Peanut Butter theme...I wish I could try these too! Spotted in Sainsbury's.

Nature Valley Popcorn Salted Caramel, Almond & Pretzel Bars:

These sound pretty interesting! Spotted in Tesco.

McVitie's Hobnobs Milk Chocolate & Coconut Snack Bars:

Back with McVitie's again, they've revamped their snack bars range and added hot, trendy new flavours like coconut...

McVitie's Hobnobs Milk Chocolate & Salted Caramel Snack Bars:

Salted caramel (a new product wouldn't be complete without it!)...

McVitie's Hobnobs Milk Chocolate & Golden Syrup Snack Bars:

Plus Golden syrup...sounds yummy but plain.

McVitie's Hobnobs Milk Chocolate & Ginger Snack Bars:

Last but not least, something that's actually hot: ginger flavour! All of these are available in Sainsbury's.

McVitie's Digestives Mini Caramel Crispies Tub:

McVitie's have also been busy creating a new range of sharing tubs, available in Asda. There's a Digestives Mini Caramel Crispies variety...

McVitie's Digestives Mini Milk Choc Tiffins Tub:

As well as Digestives Milk Choc Tiffins...

McVitie's Hobnobs Mini Milk Choc Teacakes Tub:

Plus Hobnobs Mini Milk Choc Teacakes.

Tic Tac Breeze Cranberry Sugar Free:

Ferrero's Tic Tac Breeze is a new sugar free version of Tic Tacs made with stevia and other sweeteners. And in a bizarre twist, they also contain crystallised herbs...just what you've always wanted in your Tic Tacs, right? Spotted in Tesco.

Tic Tac Breeze Lemon Balm Sugar Free:

Also available in the calming Lemon Balm flavour...an interesting choice! Spotted in Tesco.

Maryland Cookie Bites Choc Chip:

Maryland are now doing these bite-sized chocolate coated cookies...yum! Check out my snacks wifey Reaching For Refreshment's review.

Maryland Cookie Bites Choc Chip & Caramel:

Also available in Choc Chip & Caramel. Mustn't forget the caramel! I'm surprised it's not salted. Spotted in Tesco.

Maryland Crispies Choc Chip & Coconut:

Not content with bite-sized cookies, Maryland are also doing these new "Crispies" cookies...check out a review from none other than The Coconutter Herself. Spotted in Tesco.

Maryland Crispies Choc Chip & Caramel:

Also available in Choc Chip & Caramel. Always. Caramel. Available in Tesco.

Maryland Treats Big Cookies:

Bucking the trend for thin biscuits, Maryland are going large and not going home...these new Treats Big Cookies Choc Chip seem to be a Poundland exclusive, for 50p!

Cadbury Dairy Milk Popping Candy Bunny:

Cadbury are adding a bit of fizz to Easter this year! Shame about the chocolate.

Goodfella's Sweet Fella's Raspberry Cheesecake Dessert Pizza:

Goodfella's are back with yet another Dessert Pizza, this time Raspberry Cheesecake. Has anyone tried these sweet pizzas? If so let me know your thoughts!

Kellogg's Coco Pops Crispy Granola:

Not content with the regular Coco Pops cereal Kellogg's are doing a multigrain Coco Pops Crispy Granola. Spotted in Tesco.

Kellogg's Crunchy Nut Glorious Oat Granola with Caramelised Hazelnuts:

They're also doing this rather yummy sounding Crunchy Nut Oat Granola with Caramelised Hazelnuts. Spotted in Tesco.

Magnum Tub Classic Ice Cream:

I still need to try this Classic Vanilla Magnum tub... I feel a trip to Iceland calling me! Check out my reviews of the Magnum Tub White Chocolate (it was amazing!) and Magnum Tub Almond.

Muller Light Blackcurrant & Liquorice Flavour Limited Edition:

I've heard this is quite nice...although given my experience with the Turkish Delight Limited Edition I'm not sure I want to try it. Available in all supermarkets.

Weetabix Additions Coconut & Raisin:

If I could eat gluten this is probably something I would buy! Spotted in Tesco.

Weetabix Additions Apple & Raisin:

I'm not sure about this one though. Spotted in Tesco.

Nestle Multigrain Shredded Wheat Rye & Quinoa:

Nestle are taking a piggy bank on the Healthy Eating train with a new range of Multigrain Shredded Wheat. This Rye & Quinoa variety also has "brown sugar flavour". Spotted in Tesco.

Nestle Multigrain Shredded Wheat Barley & Spelt:

This one has a "hint of honey". Spotted in Tesco.

Tesco Peanut & Dark Chocolate Bars:

Last but not least, it seems Tesco are taking on Nakd and have brought out their own bars containing a mixture of soy protein crispies, nuts and coconut. There's also an Apricot & Yoghurt variety.

Well, that's it for today...there were so many new products out this month that I can't possibly fit them all in here. Looks like I'm going to have to do a Part 2...do stay tuned for that, and thanks for reading!

Marks & Spencer Made Without Dairy Unsweetened Almond Drink

January 31, 2017, 12:37 pm

≫ Next: Walkers Max BBQ Pulled Pork Crisps

≪ Previous: Spotted In Shops! Oreo Egg N' Spoon, Oreo Thins, Twix Cookies, Tic Tac Breeze & More...

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Just a quick review for this new M&S Unsweetened Almond Milk today...I spotted this in the Free From section of M&S over the weekend for £1.50, which compared to Alpro Almond Milk (which is usually £1.89 in most supermarkets), is a bit of a bargain. It's made with similar ingredients but seems to have a higher percentage of almonds in, although I haven't compared it directly to Alpro.

I usually use almond milk as a lighter alternative for hot chocolate if I have vegan guests, but on this occasion I tried it by itself. It was pretty good, it has a slightly thicker and creamier consistency than Alpro Unsweetened Almond Milk does. I later made some hot chocolate with it and it tasted even better, and since it's unsweetened I added some raspberry stevia drops to make a nice light drink. 

Overall, this is a pretty good Dairy Free Unsweetened Almond Milk and to be honest I'll happily buy it again over Alpro! If you're after a healthier, low sugar dairy free milk this is the one to go for.

8 out of 10.

Walkers Max BBQ Pulled Pork Crisps

February 1, 2017, 1:12 pm

≫ Next: Nestle Fab Birthday Cake Flavour

≪ Previous: Marks & Spencer Made Without Dairy Unsweetened Almond Drink

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I always love finding a new Walkers crisp flavour, they tend to push the boat out in terms of unusual varieties - who can forget ones from last year such as Cheese, Cucumber & Heinz Salad Cream, Bacon & Heinz Tomato Ketchup and Sausage & HP Brown Sauce Crisps?

This year they've gone for something more "on trend", in their "Walkers Max Deep Ridged" range. It is of course BBQ Pulled Pork, which unfortunately isn't suitable for vegetarians - sorry folks!

The crisps are certainly deep ridged alright, and mighty huge...check out the length of the one above! Luckily they delivered as much on flavour as they did in size: they have a strong, smoky BBQ pork flavour, slightly sweet and very meaty. They're very moreish, athough I felt happily satisfied from just the one bag. They're a bit pricey at £1.05 per 50g bag at WH Smiths, but that's more down to WH Smiths always overcharging for stuff. I expect these will be a lot cheaper in other shops and wouldn't be surprised to see Boots stocking them soon.

Overall, this is a great new flavourful variety from Walkers Crisps, and if I see at at a cheaper price I'll definitely be happy to buy it again.

Ingredients: Potatoes, Vegetable Oils (sunflower, rapeseed), Pulled pork seasoning (sugar, salt, fructose, flavourings, spices, pork powder, smoke flavour, colour paprika extract). 

Nutrition Information (per 50g bag): 267 Calories, 16.4g Fat, 25.4g Carbohydrates, 3.3g Protein.
 
8.5 out of 10.

Nestle Fab Birthday Cake Flavour

February 3, 2017, 9:02 am

≫ Next: J.D Gross Dark Chocolate Sea Salt (Lidl)

≪ Previous: Walkers Max BBQ Pulled Pork Crisps

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Nestle Fab Ice Cream is 50 years old, who would have thought it? To celebrate they've brought out this new special Birthday Cake Flavour lolly with Sprinkles on top, costing £2 for 6 lollies. When I heard this was out it was one of those things I just had to try, I love me Birthday Cake flavcoured products (who can forget the Birthday Cake Popcorn?!) so to Sainsbury's I went!

I haven't eaten a Fab Lolly in years, probably since I was a wee child in fact. So I did feel a bit self-conscious scoffing this whilst people walked past, but I consoled myself with the fact it's in the name of research.

The ice creams are described as "Raspberry water ice and sponge cake flavour ice with a vanilla flavour coating and sugar strands". Opening one, it looked and smelled lovely. Of course I bit straight into the sprinkly bit first!

It tasted lovely; sugar laden, crunchy and creamy all mixed together. The vanilla is quite prominent whilst the raspberry ice underneath complements it nicely. Once I'd got past the sprinkles layer however, the lolly became a tad boring; there's far too much raspberry ice and not enough sponge flavour ice. It's too fruity and not creamy enough.

Overall, I did really enjoy these ice creams, but mostly for the top half - the raspberry bit kind of spoils them and I think they should have reversed the sections so there's more of the cake flavour ice. Whilst not perfect, these are still a fun novelty edition and I'd recommend giving them a try.

8 out of 10. 

Nutrition Information (per lolly): 2.2g Fat, 11g Sugars, 0.06g Salt, 76 Calories.
Ingredients contain: milk, maltodextrin and soya. Suitable for vegetarians.

J.D Gross Dark Chocolate Sea Salt (Lidl)

February 5, 2017, 2:27 am

≫ Next: Nudie Snacks Coconut Chips: Chocolate, Sweet Thai Chilli & Original

≪ Previous: Nestle Fab Birthday Cake Flavour

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I always love trying a new chocolate bar, if it's new then chances are it's going in my basket...and when I saw this new J.D Gross Sea Salt Dark Chocolate in Lidl it was no exception. This costs £1.29, contains 56% cocoa solids and is dairy free, so is suitable for those who are vegan, although it may contain traces of milk, nuts and soya.

I do love the blocks on J.D Gross bars, they're so stylish and look extra special. Opening the foil wrapper, the chocolate had a pleasant semisweet aroma.

And it tasted lovely! I almost mistook it for milk chocolate as it's so sweet, but this isn't a bad thing at all...it's quite smooth and somehow the addition of the 0.5% sea salt brings out the smoothness more. It compliments the sweetness and lifts what otherwise might have been an average dark chocolate bar.

Overall, this is a surprisingly tasty new bar from J.D Gross/Lidl and one I would buy again if I'm passing by. It's always nice to get more variety of dairy free chocolates too!

8.5 out of 10.

Nudie Snacks Coconut Chips: Chocolate, Sweet Thai Chilli & Original

February 6, 2017, 9:19 am

≫ Next: Go Birch Birch Tree Water Review

≪ Previous: J.D Gross Dark Chocolate Sea Salt (Lidl)

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Recently I was contacted by Nudie Snacks, makers of a range of Premium Toasted Coconut Chips, and offered to review some of their range. Being a lover of all things coconut and a regular snacker on coconut chips I could hardly refuse.

Nudie Snacks sent me three varieties; Chocolate, Sweet Thai Chilli and Original. The original variety has won a Great Taste 2014 Award, and after trying them I can see why!

Nudie Snacks Premium Toasted Coconut Chips Chocolate:

I thought I'd start with the most exciting flavour first...what better combination could there be than chocolate and coconut?! These are vegan, gluten and dairy free, and contain only toasted coconut chips, sugar, cocoa powder and sea salt. And they tasted AH-MA-ZING! I've tried a few varieties of Coconut Chips now, from Holland and Barrett's, to Itsu and Urban Fruit. But these are hands down the nicest of the lot! The chips are perfectly toasted whilst the cocoa gives it that extra indulgent chocolatey hit, making them feel like a naughty treat rather than something healthy. These get a big 9 out of 10!

Nudie Snacks Premium Toasted Coconut Chips Original:

This Great Taste 2014 Award Winning variety may be a bit plainer in comparison to the Chocolate, but it's just as tasty in its own right. The chips contain coconut, cane sugar and sea salt and again are perfectly toasted. They have a sweet and almost caramelly flavour that is perfect, and the touch of salt is spot on, making them very moreish. I couldn't stop nomming! 8.5 out of 10.

Nudie Snacks Sweet Thai Chilli Premium Toasted Coconut Chips:

Last but not least is the Sweet Thai Chilli flavour, which is also vegan, gluten and dairy free and contains coconut chips, sugar, salt, pepper, chilli, paprika and coconut oil.

Unlike the other flavours this is more of a savoury flavour, whilst still managing to pull off a sweet chilli taste. It's very moreish and addictive! Certainly just as satisfying as a bag of chilli flavoured crisps, and a lot more healthy too. I thoroughly enjoyed these. 8.5 out of 10. 

Overall, I have only good things to say about this range of Coconut Chips from Nudie Snacks; all the varieties are perfectly toasted, fresh and crunchy whilst the flavours are on point. The best part is that all are with fairly clean ingredients - no dairy or artificial nonsense! I hope to see these in the shops, because they're a lot nicer than pretty much all of the other varieties I've reviewed thus far.

Nudie Snacks are available from Ocado.com or Nudie Snacks Website.

Go Birch Birch Tree Water Review

February 7, 2017, 9:29 am

≫ Next: Haagen Dazs Mango & Raspberry White Chocolate Ice Cream Bars

≪ Previous: Nudie Snacks Coconut Chips: Chocolate, Sweet Thai Chilli & Original

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Along with the Nudie Snacks Premium Coconut Chips I was sent recently, I was also sent this carton of Go Birch Birch Tree Water. I was rather excited...I've tried Birch Water before but this one sounded uber special: "Carefully tapped from Birch trees in the Baltic region of Europe, the pure water is absorbed by the roots of the Birch and filtered slowly through the trees becoming enriched with naturally occurring enzymes, amino acids, antioxidants and minerals such as manganese".

From the carton: "For centuries across Europe, the locals have tapped and consumed fresh birch tree water called "sap" to hydrate and detoxify". 

I chilled the carton for a good few hours, and poured some into a glass. The sap is clear, and looks pretty much like normal water but with a thicker consistency.

I took a sip. It's mildy sweet, light and refreshing. Almost like sweetened water. That may sound bad but thisis actually a very refreshing and pleasant drink. I could definitely feel the hydration from it, and it doesn't have that odd musty flavour that Coconut Water often does.

Overall, I really enjoyed this Go Birch water! It's refreshing and light, and it's good to know that it comes with a hefty dose of minerals. I imagine it'll be perfect for the Summer months if you're on a healthy eating kick. It's sweet enough to taste pleasant without being overly sugary.

8.5 out of 10.

Available from Ocado.com.

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Haagen Dazs Mango & Raspberry White Chocolate Ice Cream Bars

February 8, 2017, 9:37 am

≫ Next: Seed and Bean Cornish Sea Salt Dark Chocolate

≪ Previous: Go Birch Birch Tree Water Review

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Haagen Dazs have recently launched a new range of Ice Cream sticks into multi-packs, including Salted Caramel Milk, Vanilla Caramel Almond, White Chocolate & Almond, and this variety - Mango & Raspberry which is only exclusive to Tesco stores. As much as I want to try the whole range they're a little pricey so I went for just this one. No doubt I'll try the others in the future, although I've already reviewed the Vanilla Almonds Stick last year, which seems a tad different to the new Caramel variety.

These cost £3.50 per three pack and are described as "Mango ice cream with raspberry swirl and Belgian white chocolate with sweetened raspberry pieces". They don't state if they're suitable for vegetarians unfortunately, however they contain no gluten ingredients.

The sticks have a nice curved shape, but did look a tad on the small side. Although all ice cream sticks are shrinking now so I suppose these are pretty similar in size to a Magnum.

I bit in; the white chocolate cracked easily since these had been out of the freezer for a while. To be honest I didn't notice the ice cream was mango flavoured initially, I assumed it was just vanilla. The predominant flavour is of raspberry, thanks to the swirls of sauce running through the ice cream and the pieces in the chocolate shell. This is a nice ice cream, but I don't feel it really delivered the promised flavour of mango as well as raspberry. I was a bit disappointed to be honest because I was super excited to try this! The white chocolate was good quality, and I didn't hesitate in eating a second bar...but still!

Overall, it's nice to see an edition of these exclusive to Tesco, but if only they'd got the flavours on point. More mango please, Haagen Dazs! I really want to try the Almond and White Chocolate and Salted Caramel varieties next, hopefully they will be a lot better...

Nutrition Information (per bar): 237 Calories, 15.6g Fat, 20.8g Carbohydrates, 20.7g Sugars, 2.7g Protein. 

7 out of 10.

Seed and Bean Cornish Sea Salt Dark Chocolate

February 10, 2017, 2:42 am

≫ Next: Valentines In Shops - Luuurve Edition: Maltesers Teasers Packs & More!

≪ Previous: Haagen Dazs Mango & Raspberry White Chocolate Ice Cream Bars

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I've been trying a lot of dairy free chocolates lately, it's always nice to find more vegan and dairy free options in shops. One brand I've been buying quite a bit of is Seed and Bean, who make a variety of Organic Vegan chocolates in many different flavours. This particular variety contains 70% cocoa solids, and smoked cornish sea salt. It costs around £2.49 in various health food stores as well as some WH Smiths stores, where I bought this one.

I do like the blocks on Seed and Bean bars, they're a lot more interesting than your average bar and the cocoa pods are a nice touch.

The chocolate is very rich and flavoursome, with a nice melt in the mouth texture. The smoked sea salt gave it a tasty edge, lifting it from average dark chocolate to something a bit more special. I was skeptical initially that the combination would work, but it's actually really nice! I soon demolished a hefty portion of the bar.

Overall, if you're vegan, dairy free or just looking for a different flavour of dark chocolate, you can't go wrong with this! Do also look out for some of Seed and Beans other bars...they do a Coffee Espresso Dark Chocolate, Lemon & Cardamom Dark Chocolate (review due shortly!) and the more out there Lavender Dark Chocolate!

8 out of 10.

Valentines In Shops - Luuurve Edition: Maltesers Teasers Packs & More!

February 10, 2017, 10:30 am

≫ Next: Kallo Milk Chocolate & Coconut Rice Cakes

≪ Previous: Seed and Bean Cornish Sea Salt Dark Chocolate

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The day of luuuurve is just around the corner, so let's take a look at some of the Valentines goodies from Cupid gracing the shops right now. If you need any last minute sweet ideas then this post is for you!

Maltesers Teasers Gifting Pack:

The Maltesers Teasers chocolates from Celebrations have finally been given their own box, currently available from Tesco stores for £3!

Celebrations For You Gift Box:

Or if your other half likes a bit more variety there's always the original pack!

Emoji Be My Valentine Cake:

If your other half is a Social Media addict maybe they'll love this emoji cake. Rumour has it there's also a poo edition...Available in Tesco.

Morrions Be My Valentine Freshly Baked Giant Cookie:

If your other half prefers cookies, what better treat than this giant cookie from Morrisons bakery.

Reese's Giant Peanut Butter Hearts:

Not forgetting the peanut butter Kings and Queens, there's these huuuuge Reese's Peanut Butter Hearts, which I've seen in TK Maxx.

Chupa Chups Lolly Flower Bouquet:

If your lover loves a lolly (what a mouthful!) this Chupa Chups Flower Bouquet is perfect. Available in Wilkinsons.

Hershey's Kisses Deluxe with Hazelnut Centres:

A bit like a Hershey version of a Ferrero Rocher, these Hershey's Kisses Deluxe with hazelnut centres are available in Poundworld. Unlike Ferrero Rocher however they contain gluten free rice crisps!

Swizzell's Mini Love Hearts:

Swizzells Love Hearts are the classic sweets that will bring a smile to any lovers face, no matter what age. Now in minis! Available from Wilko & Tesco.

Creighton's Bunch of Roses Chocolate:

Combining rose flavoured white chocolate and edible rose petals, this romantic bar from Creighton's sounds a bit different! Available online or from Fenwicks.

Creighton's Violets Are Blue Chocolate:

This variety combines dark chocolate with violet, for those with a less sweet tooth.

M&S Love Gift Cake with Hidden Red Heart:

This red iced cake from M&S contains a hidden red heart...just be careful you don't accidentally break it!

Tesco Chocolate Melt Sponge Pudding:

This rose-shaped all butter sponge contains belgian chocolate pieces, a rich ganache sauce centre and is finished off with a ruby lustre. Ooh la la!

Tesco Write On Me Cake:

Tesco are also doing this cake complete with an icing pen to write your own special luuurve message.

M&S Be My Valentine Love Letter:

This chocolate slab from M&S contains a space so you can personalize it with your own message. Nice idea!

M&S True Love Chocolates Box:

M&S are also doing these snazzy looking heart shaped chocolates. True love indeed!

M&S Chocolate Raspberry & Prosecco Cupcakes:

Raspberry and Prosecco Chocolate Cupcakes...what better way to show your love than cake and alcohol?!

Ferrero Rocher Heart Shaped Gift Box:

What's better than Ferrero Rocher in a heart shaped box? (Available in Tesco & Wilko)

Ferrero Raffaello Heart Shaped Gift Box:

Well, maybe Ferrero Raffaello in a heart-shaped box if you're a coconut lover! (Also available in Tesco & Wilko)
 
Mr Kipling You're The Apple of My Pie: 

My Kipling are doing some Valentines special editions of their cakes featuring various love messages. Such a nice touch! Available from all supermarkets.

Nomnom Chocolate Salted Caramel Love Bar:

I've never heard of Nomnom Chocolates before, but this "Love" bar slounds intriguing: Super Salted Caramel with Oak Smoked Halen Mon sea salt, organic butter and 44% cocoa milk chocolate. Available from Fenwicks.

Gnaw Chocolates The Love Bar:

Last but not least, this milk chocolate bar from Gnaw Chocolates features chewy red heart gummies - so cute! Available online, Fenwicks & various department stores.

Well, that's all for this year's Day of Luuurve, do let me know if you bought or received any of the featured snacks for your loved one! What did you think of them? 

Kallo Milk Chocolate & Coconut Rice Cakes

February 12, 2017, 3:11 am

≫ Next: Loving Earth Organic Salted Caramel Chocolate

≪ Previous: Valentines In Shops - Luuurve Edition: Maltesers Teasers Packs & More!

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I do love anything with coconut added to it, so when I spied these Kallo Milk Chocolate & Coconut Rice Cakes for only 39p in Heron Foods I bought them immediately. They're currently on a 3 packs for £1 deal so it seems like they have a lot they need to get rid of.

They're simply just plain rice cakes with a thin layer of milk chocolate and some dessicated coconut sprinkled over the top. They tasted nice enough, they're a great snack and the coconut definitely makes them less boring than a regular chocolate rice cake. But they could've been better...they really needed more coconut!

Overall, not a bad snack at all and they definitely make a nice change from regular chocolate rice cakes, but hopefully they'll add more coconut to the recipe in future!

7.5 out of 10.

Loving Earth Organic Salted Caramel Chocolate

February 13, 2017, 9:11 am

≫ Next: Poundland Spoon It Out Easter Eggs

≪ Previous: Kallo Milk Chocolate & Coconut Rice Cakes

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The day of luuurve is upon us tomorrow, and for a change I'm shunning the more conventional sugar and truffle filled chocolates in favour of this; an organic, raw, dairy free and vegan white chocolate.

I found this bar, or rather "heart" in a local health food store for £1.75. It's made with virgin cacao butter, coconut nectar, raw cashew nuts, coconut and pink lake salt.

I do love the heart shape of it, it felt uber special when I unwrapped it and was rather unexpected. The colour reminded me somewhat of Caramac, and it had a strong cacao butter caramel aroma.

The first thing I noticed after biting into it was the texture; it's almost fudge-like, very melt-in-the-mouth and sort of greasy. It felt a bit unusual to eat something so soft! The taste is lovely; it has a strong natural salted caramel flavour, with the cacao butter coming through very prominently.

Being honest though I can't say I loved this chocolate, the main thing that lets it down is the texture...it's just a little "too" fudgey, which I put down to the high percentage of cacao butter. This is of course a good thing and makes it far healthier than chocolates that rely on sugar as the main ingredient, and it's a raw bar so I wasn't expecting anything conventional. However when compared to Solkiki's Toasted White which I bought on the same day, Solkiki is the clear winner.

Nevertheless, if you're dairy free or vegan and looking for something a bit different...this is most certainly worth a try! They do other varieties including Dark Chocolate and Creamy Coconut Mylk; I would beinterested in trying those...

7.5 out of 10.

Poundland Spoon It Out Easter Eggs

February 15, 2017, 1:03 am

≫ Next: Poundland Creamy White Chocolate

≪ Previous: Loving Earth Organic Salted Caramel Chocolate

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Does this look familiar, anyone? Did you almost mistake it for a Cadbury Dairy Milk Egg N Spoon box? I nearly did when I passed by it in Poundland recently...

Since Cadbury replaced the original Vanilla Egg N' Spoons with Oreo Egg N' Spoon, there's been a gap in the market for plain vanilla filled eggs, and it seems Poundland are the ones to fill it, quite literally. But are these as good as the Cadbury equivalent? That's the burning question you're all asking I'm sure...

Sadly they're not, in fact they are simply AWFUL! I don't know how they managed to go through a new product development trial to be honest...

Starting off, they at least looked the part - in fact I'd say they look better than Cadbury's version. They come with one little spoon for 4 eggs, so you better eat all these yourself otherwise hygiene may be an issue! (Not that you'll want to...more on that later). The spoon looks like the ones you get with tiny pots of ice cream; cheap but it does the job...

...even though it had no job to do, because the filling is so firm it's practically un-scoopable!

Where the filling in Cadburys Egg 'N Spoons is soft and smooth, the filling here is like a block of hard vanilla icing sugar. For real! Scooping, or rather "scraping" a bit of it out made it crumble apart. There was no way I could get much more of it out without actually snapping the spoon. So I just shoved the egg in my mouth!

I wish I hadn't because these are awful. The filling tastes ridiculously sweet and has a weird stale milk flavour, presumably from the cheap whey powder in the ingredients. It's seriously like eating icing sugar but even that would have been more enjoyable than these! The chocolate tastes like cheap calendar chocolate, although I was expecting that anyway.

Well what can I say about these abominations that must have been laid by a diabetic chicken? They're dreadful and Poundland should be ashamed of them. Save your £1 and go for *The real thing instead...you'll thank me for it!

1 out of 10.

*These out-crap Cadbury's in terms of crapness. Now that's crap! 

Poundland Creamy White Chocolate

February 17, 2017, 7:05 am

≫ Next: Caveman Cookies New World Pumpkin, Maple & Cranberry

≪ Previous: Poundland Spoon It Out Easter Eggs

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After my disastrous experience with the abominable Spoon It Out eggs from Poundland recently, why would I subject myself to more chocolatey misery from them I hear you ask? Good question...I don't know what to say other than: curiosity! When I saw these new "Creamy" White Chocolate bars in Poundland, along with Milk and Dark chocolate varieties, my interest perked: I wonder how creamy they really are? £1 is a bargain for creamy chocolate!

I didn't notice that the ingredients contain vegetable fats, which is presumably how they can call these "creamy" in the first place since they're not creamy in the sense of tasting like "cream" at all. Maybe they should have labelled them "Greasy"? You can have that idea on me Poundland...

The blocks looked nice and it's a fairly chunky bar, but that's where the positives end. The chocolate tastes very faintly of "real" white chocolate (whatever that is, since many don't consider white chocolate as "real" chocolate anyway) and is very sweet and flavourless. There's not much creaminess or dairy notes to it at all, quite ironic don't you think?! It tasted more like a milky "flavoured" bar. I imagine it would be useful for coating cupcakes or used in baking, but even then I would go for something better quality.

Yes, save your pounds people and go for a Milkybar instead - infinitely more enjoyment will be had by your tastebuds!

4 out of 10. 

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Caveman Cookies New World Pumpkin, Maple & Cranberry

February 20, 2017, 11:14 am

≫ Next: Oko Bay Mango Coconut Milk Ice Cream

≪ Previous: Poundland Creamy White Chocolate

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The Paleo Diet has increased in popularity in recent years and with it the range of new Paleo-friendly snacks too. You can now get Protein bars (like The Primal Pantry Paleo Protein Bars), brownies, cookies, nibbles and more. They're usually a bit pricey, but recently I was lucky enough to find these "Caveman Cookies" made by The Caveman Bakery, for only 20p on a market stall. Bargain!

As well as being paleo-friendly they are also gluten and dairy free, and contain no refined sugar. The ingredients consist of "maple syrup, honey, almond meal, pecan meal, dried cranberries, apple juice concentrate, sunflower oil, pumpkin seeds and spices".

These aren't any regular cookies...each one comes individually wrapped and is soft and chewy rather than crunchy. I must admit this disappointed me a bit.

Luckily they tasted delicious...the moist chewiness is actually nice. The maple syrup is very prominent, as are the spices, cranberries and seeds. It's a nice combination that makes for a very moreish snack..I soon found myself reaching for a few more! It didn't take long to finish off the box, which is a shame since there weren't many in the pack.

Overall, these are certainly a very tasty paleo snack, I wouldn't call them a cookie exactly but they're moreish regardless. They're available from a few UK websites so if you're after some Paleo snacks I'd recommend googling them.

8 out of 10.

Oko Bay Mango Coconut Milk Ice Cream

February 21, 2017, 10:46 pm

≫ Next: Rebel Kitchen Dairy Free Coffee Mylk

≪ Previous: Caveman Cookies New World Pumpkin, Maple & Cranberry

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Continuing the theme of healthier products at bargain prices, today's review is for Oko Bay Mango Coconut Milk Frozen Dessert, which usually costs £4.99 in Holland & Barrett for the original and chocolate varieties, but for which I found for a mere 49p in Heron Foods recently! Naturally I snapped up several tubs.

This ice cream or "iced dessert" is special in that it is made predominantly with coconut milk, making it vegan, dairy free and lactose free. It's also GMO free. Opening the lid which said "Taste the Island Life" (very exotic!) it had an orange, sorbet-like appearance. It was rather firm so I allowed it to thaw at room temperature for a while, before spooning into a bowl.

It was still pretty firm so I decided to just dig right in. The texture is different from ice cream, it's more akin to a firm sorbet, but that's not a bad thing because it melts in the mouth as you eat it. It's very tasty and creamy, with the mango bringing a fresh fruity flavour. It felt quite luxurious, especially compared to other dairy free options on the market like Alpro Ice Cream. If I were to eat dairy free ice cream regularly, this is undoubtedly one I would want to have in my freezer! It makes a great base to add your own inclusions like chocolate chips, sauces etc, but it's also tasty and indulgent all by itself.

Overall, this Mango Oko Bay Ice Cream is pretty good indeed and I do hope it's appearance in Heron Frozen Foods doesn't mean it's being discontinued. We need more variety in dairy free ice creams! If you do spot this anywhere and are vegan or dairy free, I'd recommend picking up a tub.

Ingredients: Coconut milk 42%, water, cane sugar, mango puree 10%, chicory root fibre, coconut oil 2%, stabiliser (guar gum, locust bean gum, xanthan gum), natural flavouring, colouring (anatto, beetrot red). Gluten free, soy free, dairy free, GMO free, vegan.

8 out of 10. 

Rebel Kitchen Dairy Free Coffee Mylk

February 23, 2017, 12:48 am

≫ Next: Foodie Market Brazil Nut & Cherry Paleo Bars (Aldi)

≪ Previous: Oko Bay Mango Coconut Milk Ice Cream

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Whilst in Waitrose recently and in need of an energy boost, I noticed this new Rebel Kitchen Dairy Free Coffee Mylk was reduced to £1.20. I thought I would give it a try, since I've been experimenting so much with dairy free options recently. This is made with organic coconut milk, spring water, organic date nectar and organic coffee. It's suitable for vegans, and everyone else too!

For a drink made with all clean ingredients, this was pretty tasty indeed...I will even let them off with describing it as "ridiculously tasty" - because it is! I found this a lot more refreshing than a regular dairy coffee milk drink, and not as sickly. The balance of flavours is just right...it's creamy, mildly sweet and with just the right hint of strong coffee flavour. I felt both energized and refreshed after drinking it - double win!

Overall, whether or not you're vegan, dairy free or eating only clean, organic foods...this is a tasty coffee drink that will give you both energy and refreshment. Highly recommend!

Nutrition Information (per 100ml): 46 Calories, 2.2g Fat, 5.8g Carbohydrate, 0.7g Protein. 

8.5 out of 10.

Foodie Market Brazil Nut & Cherry Paleo Bars (Aldi)

February 24, 2017, 8:30 am

≫ Next: Chocolate and Love Coffee 55% Dark Chocolate

≪ Previous: Rebel Kitchen Dairy Free Coffee Mylk

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I teased it in my review of Aldi's Foodie Market Macadamia & Coconut Paleo Bars, and here it is finally; my review of the Brazil Nut & Cherry variety. Allow yourselves to get very excited!

Like the Coconut variety, these come in packs of five and cost £1.99 - a bargain when compared to similar bars on the market! They're gluten free, dairy free and suitable for vegans as well as paleos, containing natural cold-pressed ingredients like brazil nuts, dates, cherries, and almond oil.

These are somewhat similar to The Primal Pantry's Brazil Nut & Cherry bars, but actually a lot nicer. The bars are firmer, with a delicious and slightly tart cherry flavour, and a nice fresh earthy nuttiness from the brazils. They felt like a real treat indeed, without being too sugary or sickly sweet. They were also very satisfying and filling.

Overall, out of the two varieties of Foodie Market Paleo Bars Aldi are doing these are a clear winner! Now I just need to try the Cashew Crush variety...

8.5 out of 10.

Chocolate and Love Coffee 55% Dark Chocolate

February 28, 2017, 3:01 am

≫ Next: Lindt Excellence Lime Intense Dark

≪ Previous: Foodie Market Brazil Nut & Cherry Paleo Bars (Aldi)

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Chocolate and Love are a new Fairtrade organic brand that have recently been rolled out in Sainsbury's stores. Currently, they're on offer for £2 a bar, so I thought I'd see what they're all about. Being a lover of all things coffee I naturally went for the Coffee 55% cocoa dark chocolate, although their other varieties are very enticing too (they do Mint, Orange, Creamy Dark, Caramel Sea Salt).

This bar is not only fairtrade and organic, but dairy free and Vegan society approved. There's 4% organic coffee incorporated into the chocolate, which is a pretty decent amount compared to some coffee flavoured chocolates on the market.

The chocolate certainly smelled very rich and coffee-like, especially for a 55% cocoa bar. And it tasted just as rich as its aroma; there were some complex cocoa bean flavours, backed up with the the stronger coffee flavour. It was very tasty indeed! More of an espresso than a latte in coffee terms - this is definitely one for coffee purists.

Overall, it's always great to see more organic, ethically sourced vegan chocolates on shelves that cater for all needs. If you're a fan of richer and more flavoursome chocolates, this is one for you!

8 out of 10.