Review Of Degustabox September

I do enjoy a monthly surprise  from Degustabox this September was a right corker as the nights turn darker there is plenty with the box to keep the cool Autumn nights at bay. Each month Degustabox with send around 9-14 different products to you for £12.99 the price of this is much less than you would pay in the shops. It is a great way to try some new bespoke products in fact at this very moment I am baking a Gin and Marmalade cake which I hope will be ready by the time I have finished writing this blog post.

Jordans Simply Granola £2.69
Ideal for my husband he loves granola you can enjoy this not just with milk but why not try it with almond milk or yogurt. I topped mine last week with bananas and blueberries to make a really healthy start to my week, the size of the bag was good as well at 750g. My T though the granola could have been more clustered , he said a granola should be clustered!

La Viveja Fabrica £1.59

I SO enjoyed the marmalade and it wasn't the sort of marmalade that sets your teeth or edge either by being too bitter. I found the marmalade particularly scrumptious on toast and I am using the last of it as previously mentioned in a Gin and Marmalade cake, which still has about 10 minutes left to cook, though by the time you have read this I will have eaten it all ~sorry

Righteous recommended price 75p

There are 3 Righteous dressings: Lemon and Mustard Seed, Raspberry and Sweet Basil, & Mild English Blue Cheese & Cider - My husband took 2 of them with his salads , he like only the Lemon and Mustard seed and I was left with the raspberry and sweet basil which I didn't enjoy.

Elizabeth Shaw RRP £2.50

This is a brand new Dark chocolate mint thin from Elizabeth Shaw coupled with delicate layers of quality dark chocolate with mint, luxuriously decayed with crunchy mint sprinkles. Ideal to share with friends over a coffee ,this is what myself and Mr T did . This would ideal I think at Christmas and is a break form the norm from the bog standard mints you can get.

Burts RRP 69p a packet

Burts Lentil Waves are available from Waitrose in three tantalising flavours; Sour Cream & Chive, Thai Sweet Chilli and Lightly Salted. We all enjoyed these as a family and were gently surprised by their lightness.

Little Miracles RRP £1.39 per bottle

I was really looking forward to trying these energy drinks , I rarely drink energy drinks but these piqued my interest as they are sweetened with agave. They were a nice pick up on an hot day when Autumn was getting confused ! and I was sweltering in the heat. They are less than 90 calories and are free from colure,flavours and sweeteners.

Crabbies Zesty Lemon RRP £1.50

Well it was lemony not in such a way that your lips form an "O my goodness that is a tart lemon taste" , but more of a "O how refreshing". I would gladly buy these all year round * adds them to this weeks shopping.

Pick Me Up RRP £1.69

Who doesn't love a chocolate biscuits that is individually wrapped ~ not that these made it out of the house I have to tell you, they are a very luxurious biscuit which is fair on the price you pay for it.

Carnation Cook With It £1.65

We were unsure on this ~ it might have been down to the fact that I had a rare cooking fail and my fish pie looked liked prison slops. I am willing to give it another go and try it in another recipe with the remaining one I have left, the price seems a little on the high side in comparison to the milk you buy for your family.

If you want to find Degustabox then you can find them on Twitter 

You Got The Look ~ Indignant Cat

The look that says " you want to go upstairs you go past me "

For 2 weeks I've been trying to brush my silver tabby , it is like to trying to groom a hedgehog. Rollie is a medium to long hair cat, his fur is dense, he never stops fluffing.

Aloof and strong willed is Rollie , where ever he lays his paw he sleeps. A wise person will wear slippers in this household whilst vacuuming just in case there is a lurky beastie.

Fava Bean Soup

SERVES 4

INGREDIENTS

300 dried fava beans
1 can tin of chopped tomatoes
1 clove garlic, chopped

1 large small onion, chopped
Himalayan pink salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
¼ tsp. ground cumin

Method

1. Bring the fava beans and 4 cups water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and cook, covered and stirring, until tender, about 40 minutes. Do check . You might no need as long as 40 minutes.

2. Heat oil in another large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion till it is softened and add the can of tinned tomatoes stirring constantly, until it begins to thicken, about 5 minutes.

4. Add the softened onions and tinned tomatoes to the the fava beans add one close of crushed  and cumin. Heat through the stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes. Then use a hand blender to purée . Serve with crusty bread.

This was my first ever attempt at soup , my only other foray into soup was using a can opener. So another first accomplished in the kitchen !! one day master chef might beckon.

Please pop over to the Credit Crunch Munch pages on Helen’s  and Camilla’s sites.

Travelling places to visit before you die ~ assisting the grim reaper

There are lists that scream at you to travel here and there before you die , I'm not sure about you but I don't want to feel like I'm travelling with the grim reaper.

I would much rather compile a list of where I wish to travel in my lifetime.

And why when I'm finally left this mortal realm , can't my son and subsequent heirs travel in my memory, adding their own adventures as they go  . Life is all about adventure , and I'll never stop thinking about the next adventure.

And I do adore travelling so very much.

Of course you don't have to get on a plane to travel not all us can or want to, but I do. I am not showing of saying I have been here and there. Next year I am going to Washington DC I will be seeing the White House , also standing on the steps where Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream speech" Arlington cemetery you name it.

So many places and I don't want to think of it as so little time as I am now a single over 40.


Rome I will meet you one day.

Berlin you as well.

India your colours will take me on a novel throw back of Passage to India.

Jordan Petra.

Iceland.

The cherry trees of Japan.

Boston

New Orleans

New England , colour my world with your shimmering shades of Fall.

Kenya

New Zealand

Australia


Easter Island


WHO knows, who knows if I will achieve all of these but I jolly well tell you , I am going to live my life and not worry about my mortality. Now please excuse me whilst I pick up my leaflets that have fallen from my WI magazine offering me life insurance, and a rather fetching cover for my sofa and my goodness I need those fluffy sheepskins slippers.

I'll just miss

I'll just miss

I'll just miss the tooth paste round the bowl

I'll just miss fetching you your drink 

I'll just miss you

The door closing as you go to school

Fetching you your ice cream 

Buying that one brand of cereal 

I'll Miss

The leave the cat alone 

As you approach adulthood 

I Miss you