Botonique Botanical Drink For Wine Lovers

June 15, 2018, 9:17 am

≫ Next: Charlene's Chocolate Factory Wake Me Up Before You Cocoa

≪ Previous: Marks & Spencer Single Origin 100% Cocoa Dark Chocolate

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Today's review is something a bit different, and not something I feature as much of compared to snacks - a fizzy drink! But not just any fizzy drink, rather, a botanical drink with added vitamins designed for wine lovers - minus the alcohol! Its "made by and for very positive people but there are some antis we favour: anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-toxins, anti-dehydration".

The drink contains an array of vitamins and flavours extracted from herbs, spices, citrus, milk thistle, minerals and amino acids. There's no added sugar, sweeteeners or sulphites, just pear juice to give it a light delicate sweetness.

I chilled the bottle and poured it out into one of my fancy cocktail glasses, to get the full benefit. I'm not a wine drinker and rarely use it so this felt like a special rare occasion indeed. I took a sip - it's just the right level of fizziness. The flavour is subtle and definitely botanical, which I loved.

I was a big fan of those botanical drinks called Aqua Libra as a kid, and this reminded me of it very much, but more subtle and with a nicer refreshing edge. I can see why it's aimed at wine lovers - it does have that "special" flavour like a fine wine rather than a plain old fizzy spritzer. I think I could even feel the vitamin extracts working their magic on me...I was definitely in a better mood after a glass, and that's without any alcohol! Result!

Overall, while I'm not a wine snob so can't compare this to the real stuff, it is definitely a nice drink for anyone who is health conscious and looking for some added vitamins. It feels "special" enough to be a treat, without being unhealthy at all. Plus - there's only 17 calories per glass!

8 out of 10. 

For more info and where to buy, see:

www.botonique.com

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Charlene's Chocolate Factory Wake Me Up Before You Cocoa

June 18, 2018, 12:47 pm

≫ Next: Marks and Spencer Mindanao Island Dark Chocolate

≪ Previous: Botonique Botanical Drink For Wine Lovers

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Another review courtesy of Charlene's Chocolate Factory today, makers of interesting and quirky chocolate bars (check out my reviews of their Bubblegum Blonde, Mint Choc Chip and Beetroot Bars!). This time it's for something a bit more common as a chocolate flavouring - coffee, brilliantly named after the classic Wham! hit. I do love me some coffee in the mornings, so I loved the idea of being woken up by a chocolate bar rather than coffee!

A bit of background first: Charlene's Chocolate Factory are of course named after the classic Charlie and The Chocolate Factory film, and are dedicated to making interesting and quirky bars, from the likes of Gin and Tonic, Marmite and various fantastically-coloured bars. To check out their range see:

www.charleneschocolatefactory.co.uk

A darker bar than the others I've reviewed, this vegan chocolate contains 72% cocoa solids and has ground coffee beans direct from Italy added. Ooh-er! One side has a lovely patterned effect printed on whilst the other is divided into blocks. I do like the design, it makes the bar feel extra special and unique!

It tastes pretty good, and definitely like a strong shot of espresso! If you like rich dark coffee then this is the bar for you. The chocolate is just the right level of sweetness and compliments the more intense coffee flavour very well. A few squares of this make for a nice little pick-me-up instead of reaching for another cuppa through the morning (although both are preferable of course!).

Overall, this is another lovely bar from Charlene's Chocolate Factory, and one for the true coffee lovers. Do check out their range as they do some really funky stuff (the Orange Coloured White Chocolate bar looks particularly cool!)

www.charleneschocolatefactory.co.uk

8 out of 10.

Marks and Spencer Mindanao Island Dark Chocolate

June 19, 2018, 6:15 am

≫ Next: Dr Oetker Unicorn Confetti, Midnight Magic, Glamour & Sparkle

≪ Previous: Charlene's Chocolate Factory Wake Me Up Before You Cocoa

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Following my review of the M&S Single Origin 100% Cocoa Dark Chocolate last week, today we have something perhaps a little more palatable to those not used to sugar free chocolates, a Single Estate 72% cocoa bar from Mindanao Island in the Phillipines. This bar is part of the new range at M&S which also includes a single origin White Chocolate bar.

The bar is thinner than other bars M&S usually do, no doubt due to the need to charge more for less since these are from single estate cocoa growers. And to be honest that's no bad thing - the taste is much better than any average dark chocolate!

For a 72% bar this was very flavourful, with an almost honey like taste as well as some sharper fruity cocoa flavours. I enjoyed every bite and savoured it since the bar was quite small. And despite being small I felt like I'd gotten a lot more compared to the larger dark bars.

Overall, if you're a dark chocolate lover I would highly recommend giving this one a try - the flavour might just surprise you!

8.5 out of 10.

Dr Oetker Unicorn Confetti, Midnight Magic, Glamour & Sparkle

June 20, 2018, 11:25 am

≫ Next: Crunchy Caramel M&M's Limited Edition UK

≪ Previous: Marks and Spencer Mindanao Island Dark Chocolate

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Today's post is more of a heads up - Dr Oetker have launched a new range of sparkley baking sprinkles, perfect for topping any cupcake or cookie! They sent me some to review however unfortunately I'm unable to due to my gluten allergy - boo :( For the rest of you however, get baking!

There's the magical rainbow-coloured Unicorn Confetti:

A mix of multi-coloured sugar strands and other shapes, these are ideal for making a colourful birthday cake or cupcake!

If you're more about the glamour then there's these glittery Glamour & Sparkle sprinkles:

In gold and silver colours they do look very posh indeed!

Last but not least, for the more magical-minded there's a Midnight Magic variety!

Comes complete with shiny stars, sugar balls and colourful strands. Cosmic!

Of course these all mean you can make very modern, instagrammable creations perfect for any unicorn lover! Find the range in most supermarket baking aisles - I recently saw them in Morrisons.

Crunchy Caramel M&M's Limited Edition UK

June 23, 2018, 12:34 pm

≫ Next: Grown Up Chocoate Company Sea Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate

≪ Previous: Dr Oetker Unicorn Confetti, Midnight Magic, Glamour & Sparkle

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Without warning, Mars UK have only gone and launched Limited Edition Crunchy Caramel M&M's upon the nation! Yes, these fantastic new treats are out now and available from Poundland in 109g bags.

Naturally I had to pick a bag (or two!) up for sampling and reviewing purposes. They're described as "Milk Chocolate (51%) with a caramel center (21%) in a sugar shell". I tipped the bag out onto a fancy plate as soon as I got home...the M&M's looked somewhat like balls on a pool table.

I believe caramel M&M's are an absolute first for the UK, although other countries have done the combination already. America are even lucky enough to get chewy caramel M&M's! But this is the UK and we're lucky to get any new M&M flavour, so we mustn't grumble too much. How do they taste then I hear you ask?!

Well, the caramel is a bit like toffee brittle or the innards of a Daim bar, with a buttery flavour that is delicious! I was seriously surprised how nice it was because I was expecting standard tasteless caramel, but it's actually the real deal. It works nicely with the chocolate and shell, mingling to create a creamy, crunchy buttery sensation. It's only for those who like super crunchy things though - granny would probably hate these!

Overall, I reckon these will be very popular and wouldn't be surprised if they stay around longer than a limited period. Bravo Mars UK, these make up for the more uninspired (but still tasty) Hazelnut M&M's mix from last year!

Ingredients: sugar, cocoa mass, full cream milk powder, lactose, cocoa butter, glucose syrup, butter (from milk), starch, shea kernel oil, sweetened condensed skimmed milk, palm oil, palm fat, shea fat, emulsifiers (soya lecithin, E471), stabiliser gum arabic, colours, salt, dextrin, flavourings, raising agent, peanuts, glazing agent carnauba wax, palm kernal oil, natural vanilla extract. 

Nutritional Information per 100g: 478 Calories, 18g Fat, 74g Carbohydrates, 69g Sugars, 3.9g Protein.

8.5 out of 10. 

Grown Up Chocoate Company Sea Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate

June 25, 2018, 2:18 am

≫ Next: Nakd Nibbles Mint Humbug Review

≪ Previous: Crunchy Caramel M&M's Limited Edition UK

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Today's review is from The Grown Up Chocolate Company, who I have featured several times with their interesting and unconventional bars (check out my Mince Pie Bar review!). They kindly offered me a sample of this new Sea Salt Caramel in Dark Chocolate Bar, so of course I couldn't say no!

Their bars are handmade with quality ingredients, and this one in particular contains a very high 70% cocoa solids - it's not often you get such high cocoa dark chocolate paired with caramel, especially salted caramel!

The bars weigh 100g and are available from www.thegrownupchocolatecompany.co.uk. Since these are supposed to be for grown ups only it's recommended to keep them away from the kids!

Opening the foil wrapper (always a good thing), the bar was in a nice chunky square block format. A little caramel was oozing through a crack in one of the squares, and it smelled lovely! The dark chocolate had a nice rich aroma.

  
I tried to cut a piece in half to get a shot of the gooey caramel which was a little tricky, but I think I succeeded! (see above).

So how does it taste? First off, the chocolate is indeed very rich, but definitely not bitter like some dark chocolates. It's just sweet enough and the perfect carrier for the caramel, which is not the average mass market caramel but a big step up in quality! It tastes buttery, golden and with a hint of salt that gives it a liquid butterscotch like taste. It's very rich indeed, with the cream and butter in the ingredients coming through prominently.

Overall, I really enjoyed this bar and it felt like a special treat indeed. I can see why the range is aimed at adults rather than children; the flavours on offer are a bit more decadent and richer than the average confectionery product. I hope to see these in local stores soon!

For more info and to buy: www.thegrownupchocolatecompany.co.uk

8.5 out of 10.

Nakd Nibbles Mint Humbug Review

June 26, 2018, 11:56 am

≫ Next: Unicorn Smarties Limited Edition UK

≪ Previous: Grown Up Chocoate Company Sea Salted Caramel Dark Chocolate

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It's been ages now since Nakd brought out their Fruit & Nut Nibbles range, and one product from it that I haven't been able to find anywhere was the Mint Humbug variety. Until now! I managed to find a bag of these in a small health food store in Leeds recently.

They're the same as all the other fruit and nut Nakd nibbles; raw, vegan, gluten free and cold pressed, containing a mixture of dates and cashew nuts and raisins, as well as natural mint flavouring.

Unlike the Cocoa Mint bar these aren't chocolatey flavoured, and all the better for it really...they really are reminiscent of mint humbug sweets, but y'know...natural and healthy and without all the sugar! They're a great sweet and filling snack, very moreish but won't leave you hungry afterwards.

Overall, these are some tasty nibbles from Nakd, it's just a shame they're not as easy to find as the other varieties. Highly recommended if you can find them.

Nutrition Information (per 40g): 137 Calories, 4.7g Fat, 22.4g Carbohydrates, 21.1g Sugars, 2.6g Protein, 1.4g Fibre.

8 out of 10.

Unicorn Smarties Limited Edition UK

June 27, 2018, 9:15 am

≫ Next: Maltesers Buttons, Oreo Cake Bars, Rolo Snack Bars & More!

≪ Previous: Nakd Nibbles Mint Humbug Review

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I wasn't going to review these Unicorn Edition Smarties initially, after all they are just regular Smarties in pink and blue shells, plus they contain gluten. However the allure of fancy colours drew me in and it's always nice to have another limited edition candy wrapper for the collection!

I have to say, as daft as this "Unicorn trend" is, the colours do look pretty. Perfect for topping cakes, cupcakes and maybe even cookies with!

How do they taste? Well, I couldn't eat them but I gave them to a friend after taking these photos who commented "just like regular Smarties. Very sweet and good for a quick snack but not the best quality chocolate. A shame there's no orange flavours".

So there you have it! Tastes just like regular Smarties (why couldn't they make them raspberry flavoured or something?) but without the orange ones that make regular Smarties so interesting. (Although you can now get Orange Smarties as a Limited Edition too, so there's that!).

Are you excited about these new Unicorn Smarties? Will you buy them just for the colour? Let me know in the comments!

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Maltesers Buttons, Oreo Cake Bars, Rolo Snack Bars & More!

June 29, 2018, 10:30 am

≫ Next: Munchy Seeds Salted Caramel Topper

≪ Previous: Unicorn Smarties Limited Edition UK

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A long overdue Spotted In Shops today...without further ado let's crack on and take a look at some of the new treats in shops this Summer!

First up - Maltesers  Buttons are now out at Tesco in large and small bags. Nom nom!

Also at Tesco - the new Rolo Snack dessert bars!

This new Cadbury Layers of Joy Summer Trifle is available from Tesco and also Heron Foods. Featuring berries, white chocolate dessert and cream - yum!

New Haribo alert! These Squidgelets are "a soft mix of squidge" and come in flavours like bubblegum and cola. Spotted in Poundland.

Not available everywhere, but I spotetd these mini tubs of Toblerone Ice Cream at Heron Foods.

Currently found in Home Bargains, Cadbury have only gone and created Oreo Cakes - pieces of chocolate cake coated in Cadbury chocolate. Yum!

Swizzels have brought their Drumstick sweets to cupcakes, which might be a sweetie overload! Spotted in Morrisons.

Plus there's a Swizzels Love Hearts cupcake kit, how sweet! Available in Morrisons.

If you need to slather extra sweetness onto those cupcakes, there's now this tangy fizzy flavour frosting from Swizzels Refreshers. Available at B&M Bargains.

If you want further sweets to add to your creations, B&M are also selling these new "One Pounders" bags of Fizzy Iron Brew bottles.

Back to Morrisons, they are now selling new Wagon Wheels Jammie Teacakes!

Plus their very own Homer Simpson inspired creative "Doughnut Sweetie Cake" for £4.

As well as Morrisons "Sweetshop" icecream, marshmallow flavour icecream topped with marshmallows.

Back to Tesco, they're stocking a new range from McVities called "Moments", made with Digestives biscuits. There's a Salted Caramel Billionaire variety...

Plus Honeycomb Crunch, as well as Rocky Road (not pictured) priced at £1.70 for a 4 pack.

Mr Kipling have brought out a new range of Roald Dahl themed cakes and pastries, available at Tesco. There's The Enormous Crocs Chocolate Mud Pies...

Plus James' Peaches and Cream Slices...

The BFG'S Strawberries & Cream Fancies...

Plus Mr Fox's Fantastic Forrest Fruit Slices.

Tesco are also doing a new Marshmallow Ice Cream - perfect for Summer days!

From Tesco to Asda now - they're selling these limited edition Skittles Orchards. Perhaps an odd choice for the Summer season, but it's always nice to have new varieties!

The latest Percy Pig limited edition from Marks and Spencer is "Percy's Parents". Because even our favourite fruit piggy had to come from somewhere...sorry folks it's just biology!

A new range from Walkers crisps has been launched called Poppables. Already available in other countries, these are "perfectly poppable crispy potato bites", presumably meaning you can pop more into your mouth? Available in BBQ Rib flavour, Cheddar Cheese and also Sweet Chilli. Spotted in Sainsbury's.

Milka Sensations Cookies...these are similar to the Cadbury filled cookies and are available in B&M stores. I don't know how they compare but if anyone has tried them please let me know!

The Naked Marshmallow Co Gin and Vodka! What a time to be alive...if you like the flavour of alcohol with marshmallow that is! Spotted in Fenwicks department store (probably available online too).

Since launching the Alpro Coconut Ice Cream and Hazelnut Chocolate Ice Cream, Alpro are back again with an Almond Salted Caramel variety. Made with almond milk, suitable for vegans and dairy free, these are available in Waitrose stores and online.

They've also launched a new flavour in their Alpro Caffe chilled coffee range, a Coffee and Coconut variety.

Maynards Bassetts Wine Gums Mocktails...because Summer wouldn't be complete without cocktail flavoured sweets! Available in WH Smiths.

Sainsbury's have brought out several new ice creams for Summer, including a Caramel Cappuccino as well as this Salted Caramel and Honeycomb ice cream. Yum!

Quite random, but Poundland were recently selling these unusual bars of Lindt Noir Excellence "Pamplemousse Rose", which is apparently Grapefruit flavour.

B&M are now selling these Fressers Unicorn Bites, which are unicorn shaped cookies with a chocolate cream filling. The unicorn trend will never end!

I don't know how widesly available these are, but I spotted Haribo Fruitmania Lemon sweets in Poundstretcher recently. Suitable for vegans!

Last but not least, B&M are selling these limited edition Cactus Jacks Schnapps varieties - Rhubarb and Custard and Fruit Salad. Can't get more retro sweet than that!

Well, that's all for this edition of Spotted In Shops, but do stay tuned for more as there was a lot I couldn't include this time. If you see any new things in shops do let me know in the comments or via my Twitter or Instagram feeds! Have a great Summery weekend everyone!

Munchy Seeds Salted Caramel Topper

July 1, 2018, 9:27 am

≫ Next: Charlene's Chocolate Factory Raspberry Dark Chocolate

≪ Previous: Maltesers Buttons, Oreo Cake Bars, Rolo Snack Bars & More!

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Seeds might seem a pretty boring thing to be reviewing, except today's review is not just ordinary seeds. They're flavoured with the ingredient of the moment which is salted caramel, so at least on paper they sounded pretty exciting. But do they taste it?

Coming in a 120g tub, you can buy Munchy Seeds Toppers from www.munchyseeds.co.uk or various supermarkets. The ingredients for these are simply sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, sugar, coconut and sea salt. They're approved by the Vegetarian and Vegan society and are gluten and wheat free.

The seeds looked pretty unassuming, you can see some specks of coconut and salt mixed in but other than that I wasn't sure what to expect.

They were actually very moreish, the sugar combining perfectly with the toasted flavour of the seeds - I loved them! The little bits of coconut add some extra toasty flavours, whilst the salt brings in a savoury element, but overall these taste mostly sweet. They're super addictive, although weirdly quite satisfying compared to other snacks. No doubt they'd be nice added as a topping on icecream or cereal, or even cupcakes!

Overall, these are super tasty snacks and it's a bonus really that they're gluten free and vegan. I reckon everyone would love them and find them super moreish. Plus, they're pretty healthy and contain natural vitamins, protein and fibre - double win!

Nutrition Information (per 100g): 541 Calories, 33g Fat, 41.1g Carbohydrates, 5.2g Fibre, 17.2g Protein. 

8.5 out of 10.

Charlene's Chocolate Factory Raspberry Dark Chocolate

July 2, 2018, 4:11 am

≫ Next: The Grown Up Chocolate Company Fruit & Nut Milk Chocolate

≪ Previous: Munchy Seeds Salted Caramel Topper

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Today's review is the last bar I was sent from the lovely Charlene's Chocolate Factory, whose bars I previously reviewed included Bubblebum Blonde chocolate, Mint Choc Chip, Beetroot Chocolate and Coffee Chocolate. Today's is somewhat more "normal" in comparison, but just as tasty as the other bars.

Based on the film Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, Charlene's Chocolate Factory make unique and colourful bars in a variety of flavours and varieties such as Gin and Tonic, Salt & Pepper Caramel, Cherry Bakewell and even...Rosemary! Yes, they certainly have something for everyone and you can check out their unique range here: https://www.charleneschocolatefactory.co.uk/ 

They do a lot of bars suitable for vegans; this one is part of the range and is a blend of dark chocolate with freeze dried raspberries. One side is portioned into blocks whilst the other is flatter and patterned. 

It tastes lovely; the dark chocolate is just the right level of richness and sweetness whilst the raspberries bring a nice welcome tanginess. There's plenty of them too; this bar doesn't skimp on the raspberries like some chocolates do. If you're a fan of the combination you'll love this! 

Overall, if you're dairy free, gluten free, vegan or otherwise you'll want to check out Charlene's Chocolate Factory - they have something for everyone in their range, from dark chocolate to milk and white, with plenty of fun vibrant colours thrown in. Highly recommended!

To check out the full range visit: https://www.charleneschocolatefactory.co.uk/shop-1

8 out of 10. 

The Grown Up Chocolate Company Fruit & Nut Milk Chocolate

July 3, 2018, 8:28 am

≫ Next: The Grown Up Chocolate Company Nuts! Oh Hazelnuts! Bar

≪ Previous: Charlene's Chocolate Factory Raspberry Dark Chocolate

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If you've never heard of the Grown Up Chocolate Company before allow me to introduce you. They produce a range of "grown up" chocolates that are aimed more at adults than children and have a variety of bars based on classics, but with an indulgent twist. For example they have their own versions of Bounty, Snickers and even Twix!

They've recently branched out into solid slabs with a variety of fillings, such as Dark Chocolate with Salted Caramel, Milk Chocolate with Hazelnuts and today's review which is Fruit and Nut in Milk Chocolate. How does this differ from regular fruit and nut chocolate bars? Well instead of just raisins and almonds it contains apricots and cranberries as well as almonds and hazelnuts, which is pretty unique for a fruit and nut bar!

Opening the foil wrapper the fruit and nuts were clearly visible on the underside of the bar and looked very plentiful.

This bar was certainly jam-packed with fruit and nuts, as you can see above the cranberries in particular are quite prominent.

It definitely tastes like a posher and better quality fruit and nut bar compared to Cadbury's Fruit & Nut! The cranberries bring a nice tartness which gives a more interesting flavour than just raisins, whilst the apricot bits add some nice juicy bursts in the mix. The hazelnuts and almonds taste nicely roasted and combine well with the fruit, whilst the milk chocolate coating it all is creamy and good quality. All in all, this is a very pleasing mix of fruity, nutty and creamy! Definitely a grown up Fruit and Nut and one I would much rather eat than a Cadbury's bar.

Overall, this is another success from The Grown Up Chocolate Company and one I would recommend investing in as a treat for yourself or a loved one. Just don't let the kiddies find it! For more info and to buy see:

http://www.thegrownupchocolatecompany.co.uk

8.5 out of 10.

The Grown Up Chocolate Company Nuts! Oh Hazelnuts! Bar

July 5, 2018, 9:09 am

≫ Next: Vita Coco Light Coconut Milk

≪ Previous: The Grown Up Chocolate Company Fruit & Nut Milk Chocolate

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Following my review of the Grown Up Fruit & Nut in milk chocolate, today's review is for their Nuts! Oh, Hazelnuts! A bar containing, you guessed it...nuts! This is essentially their version of a Cadbury's Wholenut, but one just for grown ups of course!

Opening the foil wrapper, the chocolate smelled very inviting, with the whole hazelnuts clearly visible embedded in the bar. They looked very plentiful indeed!

And what a delight they were! They tasted super fresh and go perfectly with the creamy, good quality milk chocolate which is a whopping 38% cocoa solids. It's creamy whilst being rich and satisfying, with the nuts being the icing on the cake quite literally.

Overall, this is another fantastic bar from The Grown Up Chocolate Company, although I have to say I did prefer the Fruit and Nut Bar just because of the variety of tastes and textures on offer there, but this is definitely one for the hazelnut lovers.

For more info and to buy check out The Grown Up Chocolate Company's website:
 https://thegrownupchocolatecompany.co.uk

8 out of 10.

Vita Coco Light Coconut Milk

July 6, 2018, 10:41 am

≫ Next: Snacks Box Competition! Including Twix Soft Centres, Oreo Coconut etc

≪ Previous: The Grown Up Chocolate Company Nuts! Oh Hazelnuts! Bar

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I reviewed Vita Coco Original Coconut Milk last year when they launched it, and am quite a big fan of it now. I buy it whenever it's on special offer and prefer it to most nut or rice based milks, as the taste is fresh and the consistency pretty similar to regular milk. However Vita Coco have brought out a new "Light" version, meaning it is lower in fat. It seems a bit unneccesary to me, but I know people are still concerned about fat even in natural products, so I can see there's a demand for it. I picked up this bottle for £2 on special offer in Waitrose recently.

There is half the fat in this version compared to the Original, so the consistency is of course thinner and the taste is not as creamy. I found it very refreshing, just like the original version, but I still much prefer the original. And there's not really much to say about it other than that...it's good for those watching their fat intake I suppose, although IMO I don't think there's a need for it.

Overall, this is a good product but it'd be nice to see a flavoured variety, perhaps with vanilla or raw cacao?

8 out of 10.

Suitable for vegans, gluten free and soya free.

Snacks Box Competition! Including Twix Soft Centres, Oreo Coconut etc

July 8, 2018, 1:00 pm

≫ Next: Munchy Seeds Choccy Ginger & Honey Seeds

≪ Previous: Vita Coco Light Coconut Milk

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Today's post is a first for Kev's Snack Reviews - I'm doing a joint competition on Instagram @kevssnackreviews with @InstaBics!

The prize will be a box of some of the latest and greatest snacks, including:

1. Kinder Bueno Mini Mix
2. Cadbury Freddo Faces Cakes
3. Nutella B-ready pack
4. Oreo Thins
5. Twix Soft Centres
6. McVities Moments Salted Caramel Billionaires 
7. Orange Smarties Limited Edition
8. Smarties Unicorn Edition
9. Cadbury Freddo Biscuits
10. Limited Edition Skittles
11. Kitkat Senses Mixed Box
12. Jaffa Cakes Lemon & Lime
13. McVities Digestives Chocfilled Thins Double Chocolate
14. Oreo Thins Coconut
15. Maltesers Buttons
16. McVities Hobnobs Nibbles Hazelnut
17. Galaxy Chocolate Rounds
18. Cadbury Dairy Milk Oreo Sandwich
19. Nestle Kitkat Ruby
20. McVities Digestives Thins Milk Chocolate
21. Mr Kipling Unicorn Slices
22. Galaxy Wafer Curls

Conditions of Entry - you MUST:
1. Like the Instagram post for the competition
2. Follow @kevssnackreviews and @InstaBics

EXTRA ENTRIES: 
1. Tag a friend in the comments
2. Share the Competition in your story (tag @instabics and @kevssnackreviews for it to count)

Terms & Conditions:
1. Competition is open for one week from 8th July-15th July 2018
2. Winner will be announced Sunday 15th July 2018 at 18.00 BST
3. Winner will be selected at random and must fulfill all entry requirements
4. This competition is in no way sponsored by Instagram

And that's it! Good luck everyone! :) 

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Munchy Seeds Choccy Ginger & Honey Seeds

July 9, 2018, 10:51 am

≫ Next: Booja Booja Hunky Punky Chocolate Ice Cream

≪ Previous: Snacks Box Competition! Including Twix Soft Centres, Oreo Coconut etc

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Following my review of the Munchy Seeds Salted Caramel Topper, today's review is for some of the smaller packs from the Munchy Seeds range. I was sent a variety to review but today I'll be focusing on the Honey, Salted Caramel and Choccy Ginger. The Salted Caramel Topper is the same thing as these smaller packs, so click the link above for that.

Moving onto the Honey Seeds, these have won a Great Taste Award and are coated in a mixture of sugar and honey. And they're pretty nommable! (is that a word? I'm pretty sure it is nowadays!) They taste crunchy, sweet and slightly savoury all at once with the delicate honey flavour giving them a lighter edge compared to the Salted Caramel. They taste just as good and I suppose you can even pretend they're healthier since honey is more natural than sugar ;) Regardless, it's pretty easy to get through the bag, although they are a lot more filling than similar products like Nakd bars.

8 out of 10. 

The Choccy Ginger variety is coated in dark chocolate, something you don't often see with seeds! The mix consists of crystallized ginger, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

Unfortunately they arrived in the post somewhat melted...they were practically all stuck together! I did my best to scoop them out of the pack with a spoon, and they were a nice mix of gingery, chocolatey flavours with a nice crunch from the seeds. Definitely very tasty, but a shame they were melted as I bet these are very moreish in their "unmelted" form. In fact I'd like to see a larger bag of them!

8.5 out of 10.

Overall, these snacks from Munchy Seeds get a big thumbs up from me, all were super tasty and moreish, yet still filling and healthy. I believe they're available from ocado.com as well as www.munchyseeds.co.uk, plus most supermarkets also sell them. Recommended if you want a healthier treat!

Booja Booja Hunky Punky Chocolate Ice Cream

July 11, 2018, 8:57 am

≫ Next: Donald Trump Novelty Items at Home Bargains

≪ Previous: Munchy Seeds Choccy Ginger & Honey Seeds

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Considering the heatwave we are experiencing lately I thought I'd review something appropriate for the weather - ice cream! Not just any ice cream but vegan, dairy free, gluten free and organic ice cream made by Booja Booja! I've reviewed their Caramel Pecan Praline Ice Cream before and really loved it, so how does this "Hunky Punky Chocolate" variety compare?

I found this reduced to £2 at a local market stall which is an absolute steal (it usually costs around £6 at Waitrose) so naturally I stocked up. It's made with a blend of reverse osmosis water (how fancy!), agave syrup (a type of cactus), cashew nuts and cocoa powder. Pretty simple ingredients and no weird fillers or stabilizers - can't get more natural than that!

I scooped some into a bowl. It had a nice chocolatey smell and I couldn't wait to get stuck in!

It tastes very good indeed, super creamy and chocolatey, with a light sweet edge from the agave syrup. It's certainly on par with regular "dairy" chocolate ice cream, and perhaps even nicer. Compared to the Caramel Pecan Praline variety I didn't find this as exciting simply because there's no other taste elements, not that that's a bad thing - but some added chocolate chips or something would've enhanced the experience even further. As it stands though this is still a rich and satisfying ice cream by itself, and would be great paired with a chocolate pudding for dessert,

Overall, a delicious ice cream from Booja Booja, which isn't a surprise since all their products are top quality. I do hope they bring out more flavours...a chocolate orange or mint might be nice! Now I need to seek out the Raspberry Ripple variety...

8 out of 10.

Donald Trump Novelty Items at Home Bargains

July 12, 2018, 12:56 am

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Since Donald Trump is making his controversial UK visit this week (and there will be the amazing Donald Trump Baby balloon, pictured above, flying over London to mark the occasion!) I thought I'd post something topical, not a review but a Spotted In Shops with these Donald Trump inspired novelties that can be found in Home Bargains stores. They're pretty genius items to poke fun at the man, and include...

Build That Wall Chocolate Bar:

This says it all really! Maybe Mr Trump would like a goody bag of British sweets with one of these in...

Make America Save Again Money Box:

In need of need a pot of dreams? Make America save again!

Donald Trump Rubber Duck:

Imagine having that thing in the bath with you...it's the stuff of nightmares! *shudder*

There were a few other Trump-themed items in Home Bargains although I didn't get pictures of them all...if anyone spots them, let me know in the comments!

Emily Veg Crisps Sweet Potato Sticks

July 17, 2018, 7:49 am

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Recently, Tesco Express stores have been selling a range of snacks from Emily Crisps, and one that caught my eye were these Sweet Potato Sticks. They cost £1.10 for a 35g bag.

The bag contains both purple and yellow sweet potato chips, sprinkled with sea salt and fried in sustainable palm oil.

I opened the bag, and was a little disappointed there didn't seem to be much in it - little more than a handful.

I wanted to like them, I really did but they were just somehow lacking. They tasted too greasy, and seemed like they had been overcooked, spoiling any natural flavour of sweet potato. I think they made a mistake in using palm oil rather than a lighter oil like sunflower, and it really shows in the taste.

Overall, these were a let down for me and not something I would buy again. I feel they're overpriced for what they are - the larger bags are over £2.50.

Have you tried Emily Veg Crisps? Are you a fan? Let me know in the comments!

5 out of 10.

Pana Cacao Orange & Mint Chocolate Review

July 18, 2018, 10:41 am

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I was recently sent a selection of chocolates from the UK importers of Pana Cacao, an Australian company that produces raw, vegan, organic and handmade chocolate bars without the use of dairy or sugar. Instead they use agave and coconut syrup, cacao butter and raw cacao. Today I'm reviewing the mint and orange bars, which are some of the simpler flavours in the range but very tasty ones indeed.

The bars come in recyclable boxes printed with vegetables ink, and each contains a 45g bar with a paper inner wrapper. The chunks have messages printed on, such as "Love your insides" on the orange variety...

And "Love the earth" on the mint one:

I've tried a few Pana bars previously, and was a big fan so I was super excited to try these flavours...

The Orange variety contains raw cacao, dark agave nectar, tangerine and orange oil and spices like cinnamon and carob. The first thing I noticed biting into it was just how fudgey and soft it was, it was more like eating fudge than chocolate and that's not a critisim - it's a lovely texture! Somehow the chocolate manages to be creamy and feel indulgent despite the lack of any dairy whatsoever. The orange flavour is spot on, it's zingy and tart and pairs well with the richer cocoa flavours, whilst the agave syrup brings the ideal level of sweetness. All in all, this was a delight to eat and I savoured every piece...it's just a shame the bar was small because I could have easily eaten more!

The Mint variety was perhaps my favorutie of these two, again it's super fudgey in texture and contains similar ingredients as well as peppermint oil. The peppermint gives it a soothing, comforting edge that leaves you feeling warm and cozy afterwards. This is definitely one I would buy again even though it's not cheap in price (to be fair though, it's organic and imported all the way from Australia so this is to be expected).

Overall, I have to say I'm a big fan of Pana Chocolates! If you're dairy free or vegan, these are a must try, and even if you're not I think you might just love them too. They're pretty unique chocolates; I've certainly never had anything like them before - I think it's that fudgey texture that gives them the edge. A definite win!

To buy these in the UK, do keep an eye out in your local health food store, plus they're also available online from this site as well as Amazon:

https://www.healthysupplies.co.uk/pana-chocolate.html

8.5 out of 10.