Category Archives: review

Something Sweet

25th January 2014
Way back before Christmas I had a package arrive from Pidy, a manufacturer of ready to fill pastry cases and veggie cups. I had the best of intentions to get a post up before the festive season ended but with one thing and another I failed.
Still, this didn’t work out so badly as one afternoon, craving something sweet yet light I pulled out the box of pastry spoonettes and got to work.
With January being the month of resolve I decided I wanted to make something on the lighter side. In the end I cooked up a punnet of fresh apricots in the microwave (using this recipe as a base) and let them cool. Once cool I placed a teaspoon of fruit in each case for a sweet but not naughty little snack plate. Of course if you wanted to make these more virtuous you could use a natural sweetener in place of sugar but I personally prefer the taste of the sugar. You could also add some greek or plain yoghurt to these for more texture and taste but I think they work perfectly as they are. I’ll be making these again, perhaps next time with plums or berries…or a selection of whatever is in the fruitbowl. Cooked fruits are a family favourite and although soft fruits work best, apple and pear are great as well as many of the dried fruits available (try prunes, I promise they’re good!)
Each pastry case contains only 16 calories so each spoon probably comes to less than 50 depending on what else you add. The contrast of the crispy pastry and the soft, sweet fruit works perfectly…a bit of a deconstructed jam tart perhaps? You can also warm the cases through in the oven but I decided to skip that step.
I am yet to come up with fillings for the rest of the range I was sent, which included a pack of Beetroot Veggie cups for which I am thinking houmus or something similar. At the moment the cases are available to order from Amazon but I expect it won’t be long before they roll out elsewhere.
What would you have filled them with? And what suggestions do you have for the Beetroot Cups?
Thanks to food PR agency CLIP Creative and PR for the samples

Posted in food, review

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Zagg- a guest post by my Dad

26th December 2013
Not so long ago I featured a Logitech iPad case that I was kindly sent to review. Shortly after that I was given the generous offer of another case, this time by Zagg and given that my Dad was eyeing up my Logitech wonder I decided to accept and let him review the case and keep it for his iPad.
The model we received was the iPad Profolio+ which boasted backlit keys, full body protection and an ultra thin design. It costs £109.00 in black- other colours may cost more.
Dad’s review (sent from his iPad of course) are below:

For those that want to use their iPad mainly as an E-reader the Zagg Keys Profolio+ is not for them. The rigid case makes it awkward but not impossible to use in portrait. The rest is all good news.

The case is slimline, rigid and protective. The magnetic lock when you close it is secure. Setting up couldn’t be easier. Once you power up and hit the pair button you just go to iPad settings,  enable Bluetooth and it pairs instantly.

The central groove holds the iPad securely whether using it on a hard surface or on your lap. There is a choice of 7 back light colours for the keyboard which are practical and look good as well.

I’m not the fastest typist but I found the keyboard responsive. The movement on the keys give reassurance that you have typed the character you want. I’m not sure how a faster typist would get on with it but it feels like a “normal” keyboard to me.

I found the shortcut keys useful (home, search, onscreen keyboard, volume, fast forward and rewind keys).

All in all I am very happy with this keyboard which enhances the experience of using my iPad.

Posted in review, tech

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Beauty Brilliance- Oriflame Eyebrow Kit

20th December 2013
Since I’ve been on sick leave I’ve really got back in to doing my makeup and trying new beauty products. I was recently sent this Eyebrow kit by one of my favourite beauty brands, Oriflame. I’m yet to find a product that’s dissapointed me so I had high hopes for this one!
The kit is dinky and discreet containing everything you need for perfectly groomed brows. You get two brow shadows and a setting wax as well as two dinky little brushes and a mirror, all for £7.95. Bargain.
I have quite full brows that have a tendency to be a bit unruly and sparse in places. I found the dinky brushes a bit awkward so used a bigger brow brush (I use one by Real Techniques) to fill in the gaps and create a more defined shape. I actually used my fingers to apply the wax which held the shape perfectly without smudging the added colour. The overall effect was subtle, which I loved. I just looked that bit more finished and groomed- an effect I always aspire to but never quite achieve. 

Yes, I do look awfully tired.
So in short, yet another winner from Oriflame. If you’re yet to check the brand out then I suggest you do so with haste.
What products do you swear by for that finished look?
xxx

Posted in beauty, oriflame, review

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Festive Drinking with Fruitbroo

10th December 2013
Fruitbroo had been causing a fair bit of intrigue in my little mind for a while after during the Autumn months I saw it popping up on twitter and instagram feeds everywhere. I did a little research and discovered WHAT it was…tasty fruity, spicy drinks that make a nice change to tea or coffee…add a tsp or two to hot water and away you go, but I was still intrigued, more so by the amazing sounding range of flavours.
I was contacted by Fruitbroo and offered some samples of a couple of the flavours which I willingly accepted.
As you can see I was sent the Rhubarb, Apple & Cinnamon Flavour as well as the Apple & Ginger Spice, both festively decked out with their little gift tags.
These gift tags play a part in the “12 days of Fruitbroo” which works as follows;

Every day for the 12 Days of Christmas, we will be giving one lucky FruitBroo customer
a gift when they purchase from shop.fruitbroo.com.
We have lots of goodies under our Christmas tree and we will be tweeting with the
#FruitBrooGaveToMe    each    day    to    let    you    know    what’s    up    for    grabs.
You will automatically be entered and be in with a chance of winning the gift of the
day by placing an order online at shop.fruitbroo.com.
Each bottle of FruitBroo sold during the promotional period between the 1st and 12th
of December will be gift tagged, so if you wish you can pop them into your families
stockings, works Secret Santa or your Bessies Christmas hamper.
I guess though, before you go placing orders you’re going to want to know how they taste!
Well, I passed the Apple & Ginger Spice on to my Grandad as he is more of a ginger fan than I am. He’s also rather fussy when it comes to drinks and so it’s a real tribute to how good fruitbroo is that his review was so glowing:
“It was a pleasant surprise to find a hot drink so easy to prepare. A little syrup in a cup, some hot water and a quick stir and it’s ready- no messy tea bags to dispose of. The taste was also a pleasing surprise with the predominant spice apple enlivened by a hint of ginger”.
Trust me, he’s never so complimentary about any drink I make him!
I sample the Rhubarb, Apple & Cinnamon flavour and was first struck with how much it smelt like Christmas. I’m a lover of herbal teas but often find them bland so this was a really good alternative and so convinient. It’ll be perfect to stop my coffee guzzling habits when I’m back at work! The flavours really come through and it really is so simple to make. I added 1tsp of syrup to my drink but you can add a second one for a stronger taste. It’s also a great alternative to sugary hot squashes (another work favourite) coming in at 15kcal a cup.
Both of these would be perfect to serve at Christmas gatherings as a non-alcoholic warming drink. They’d also make fantastic presents. I know I wouldn’t say no to a bottle or two under the tree.
I can’t wait to try some of the other flavours. Grandad has put in a request for the Elderflower & Lime and I have my eye on the Peach, Pear & Honey.
Have you tried Fruitbroo yet? Which flavours were your favourite if so…
I can’t express how much I love this brand, especially as they are based in Bristol too. If it comes from Bristol, I’m generally a fan (until it comes to football that is)
xxx

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Boomf

02nd December 2013
I’m a bit of a social media addict- facebook, twitter, pintrest and instagram…you name it and I’m there.
Last week I was contacted about something so crazy awesome that I couldn’t turn down an offer to try it out…you see, Boomf can turn your instagram pictures in to edible, sweet and squashy treats…yep…MARSHMALLOWS!

For purpose of review (and my constant indecision) I let the brains behind Boomf choose which photos to convert. To be fair, it didn’t really matter which images they chose, put anything on a Marshmallow and I’m gonna be happy! As it happens they chose some of my favourite pictures- the ones of Mae and the black and white one of Ben and I! I wouldn’t usually have my selfies printed in edible form, there’s something quite wrong about eating your own face, but then I probably wouldn’t be ordering a photo of myself to eat myself!
With Christmas just around the corner these would make an amazing gift for the sweet toothed social media junkie in your life. Get them printed with pets, special moments or just random pictures and watch the bafflement on the recipients face!
The process of ordering couldn’t be simpler- log in to instagram, choose your nine images and go!
They cost £12 (inc free delivery) for 9 marshmallows- steep for sugar but great for a gift! I seriously love this idea…and I bet a few of you bloggy folk will too! It’s such an off the wall idea I seriously went “whaaaaat?” when the e-mail landed in my inbox, followed swiftly by “AWESOME!”
Thanks for these Boomf, now which to melt in a hot chocolate first?
xxx

Posted in food, gifts, review

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