NEW KETTLE® BAKED CRISPS

I love crisps and when a brand decide to make them more healthy, I am dubious, a few of my favourites have just not retained the taste they had before.

So when Kettle asked me to try the new Baked Crisps, I did wonder if they would taste as fab as the Kettle Chips I love.

I have a couple of what I consider treat bags of crisps and Kettles are amongst them.

Eating lower fat and calorie snacks is always going to have a draw for me, the weight I have lost, is important to me to maintain not just for the 6 months so far, but for life. I still want a treat now and then, so I had high hopes.

So I set up my lunch and tried them, I love them, the crisps are thick, brilliantly crunchy, they taste as you want a crisp to taste. The seasoning is perfect, I particularly loved the Sea Salted flavour, I had a job not to add more to my lunch.
The crushed black pepper gave a lovely spicy touch to the other new recipe, great on their own.

So a Kettles have launched two great packets of crisps and they are healthy. Yay it will be a great summer snack for picnics without feeling naughty!

Why compromise on taste just because you want to consume less calories?  We are all used to settling for second best when it comes to low calorie food but now the makers of delicious KETTLE® Chips have launched KETTLE® Baked Crisps, which contain fewer than 90 calories and less than 10% fat per 20g serving. 

They are available in two varieties - ‘Sea Salted’ and ‘Sea Salt & Crushed Black Pepper’.  In keeping with the KETTLE® ethos, Baked Crisps are made simply by slicing select potatoes, then baking them for a lighter, crispier texture, before seasoning. They have absolutely no hidden nasties such as added MSG, artificial colours or flavours.

KETTLE® Chef, Chris Barnard comments “Watching what we eat is something we all do from time to time, but it shouldn’t be about punishment.  Baked not fried means our new Baked Crisps are the perfect new snack for anyone who wants to keep an eye on their waistline, but doesn’t want to compromise on taste”.

A healthier way to enjoy sharing crisps, KETTLE® Baked Crisps are perfect for a night in with a DVD, catching up with friends over a glass of wine, or as a snack just for you to enjoy any time of the day with less guilt. There’s no longer any need to compromise on taste when choosing the lower fat option.

The new KETTLE® Baked Crisps will be launched exclusively in Waitrose from 26th March 2012, priced £1.69 per 80g bag.

Bob Martin FleaClear Review

All new FleaClear - effective and affordable

....If I told you that cats and dogs catch fleas – you would not be surprised....
....If I told you that FleaClear uses Fipronil, the same active ingredient as Frontline, but costs a fraction of the price – you would be surprised....

I have no hesitation recommending Bob Martin products, I use the Spot On on Alfie and I have not seen a flea ever. I just add the date to the calendar and apply every eight weeks.

Its no fuss to do, and as Bob Martins have pointed out as effective as the dearer Frontline.

I cannot afford for Alfie to get fleas. Never mind the bites and irritation to him, I have a terrible reaction to a bite, in the past my last dog and I would suffer terribly. She would be off to the vet as she suffered an allergy to the nasty little critters and my legs would be swollen and look terrible.

An effective product that keeps Alfie and I happy and protected.

Here are five more surprising facts about FleaClear:

1. You don’t need to go to a vets or pharmacy to buy FleaClear
2. It is available at all major supermarkets and pet retailers
3. A single treatment costs as little as £4.50
4. Fleas will stay away for up to 5 weeks for cats and 8 weeks for dogs
5. If used regularly pets can remain FleaClear all year

Here are five surprising flea facts:

1. Two-thirds of pet owners have used a flea treatment in the past two years*
2. The flea most commonly found on cats and dogs is the Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea)
3. A flea will live for 2-4 weeks in adult stage when it is feeding (on pets)
4. Females lay approximately 40 eggs per day
5. 63 species of flea are found in the UK. About 10 of those could be found in homes

FleaClear, launched by pet healthcare specialist, Bob Martin, is as safe and effective as products available from Vets or Pharmacies and can be easily purchased as part of the weekly shop at major supermarkets and pet stores.

For more information or to view the full range of dog and cat products please visit www.bobmartin.co.uk.

CLOSED Bazooka #tweetforsweets

I am quite excited by this giveaway, one because its for Bazooka Candy and secondly because it will be a fast giveaway, you will need a twitter account. This will just be until 5pm on Friday evening, so miss it miss sweets. 

Plus you get a heads up on the usual #tweetforsweets that will be running as always tomorrow between 10am and 5pm.

Now I hand over to Bazooka Candy to dish up the goodies!!

It’s an exciting day for @bazookacandy as we’re linking up with the lovely Jo to give away a goody bag of our scrummy candy to one of her readers.. AKA you!

 "Every Friday over on @bazookacandy we run #tweetforsweets, giving away a bundle of treats – and this week we’re asking a few of our favourite bloggers to join in.

To win, just follow @bazookacandy and tweet your message being sure to hashtag #tweetforsweets via the rafflecopter below, and Jo will draw one of you to win. But don’t hang around, because the competition closes at 5pm... So we can let the winners know before the weekend and make sure it’s a Friday evening that’s sweeter than ever."

 I am going to make it very easy to tweet as the Rafflecopter has been fired up for the occasion.

 So all you need to do is  follow @Bazookacandy and tweet the  phrase in the form. All done for you by the rafflecopter.

Remember to say hi and leave your Twitter name in the comments below, thats just so I can see how its going here.

Winner announced here just after 5pm Friday

WINNER
@spanglisher
Congrats

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ends 5pm Friday 30th March.

CLOSED Jakemans Menthologist Q and A, plus a GIVEAWAY Ends April 11th

WIN THIS Sized Jar

At the risk of putting a dampener on your sunny days, I am going to be dealing with the cold, not cold weather  I hasten to add, before I get strung up

But the common cold, sniffles, coughing and genrally feeling under the weather. I have spoken to friends and twitter friends this week who are all suffering with a bug or the start of hayfever, feel so much worse in the sunshine I think.

Don't worry I have a little sweetener to entice you, this comes from the nice people at Jakemans who have offered my readers prizes, there see, knew that would make you linger longer hopefully than the sniffles!

 Jakemans have put together a lovely Q and A about why Menthol (the main ingredient in their sweets) works well to cure all these spring sniffles. Have a read then see below for the chance to win a jar of Jakemans Blackcurrant Menthol Sweets

Q&A with the Jakemans Mentholologist, Steve Pearce

Steve Pearce, BSc, CSci, CChem, FRSC, MIoD
The Jakemans Mentholologist

Steve Pearce is a Biochemist, a Chartered Scientist and former president of The British Society of Flavourists. He is an expert in flavours, aromas and fragrances.
Steve has been working with Jakemans traditional menthol confectionary to explore the science of Mentholology and menthol’s effect upon the senses, body and mind. Steve is known for recreating the smell of space, the smell of Cleopatra’s hair and features in the BBC 2 food science series ‘E numbers – An Edible Adventure.’

When was menthol first used?

The properties of peppermint oil and consequently menthol are believed to have been recognised for some time with reports of use in Japan about 2,000 years ago, although first recorded use in Europe only occurs around 1771.

How is menthol made?

Menthol can be produced naturally from mint but can also be synthetically produced, most commonly from citronella oil. When produced naturally fresh mint is air-dried to create mint oil which is filtered to remove any solid particles and impurities.

The mint oil then cooled to -40°c to cause the menthol in the oil to form flakes and separate from it. The solid flakes are then collected and heated to 50°c which creates a liquid solution of menthol which is then cooled to room temperature resulting in crystallisation.

Once crystallation is complete it is poured into decanting trays where the large clumps of crystals are broken down and form smaller crystals, fine needles and powder.

How much menthol is made?
The current annual world production is estimated to be in excess of 32,000 metric tons.

Why is Menthol so good at easing coughs and sore throats?

1. Menthol is unique for the cooling sensations it imparts to the skin, stuffy noses and sore throats. It works very cleverly to create a cooling sensation which numbs nerve sensations creating the soothing effect found in Jakemans menthol confectionary. The science that generates this effect is a result of the molecule interacting with specific receptor sites in cell membranes
2. Menthol helps ease runny noses and it stimulates bronchial opening making breathing easier
3. Menthol has powerful anti-bacterial properties so can naturally kill off micro-organisms that may lead to a throat infection

What else is menthol used for?

Menthol is included in many products for a variety of reasons. Here is a list of just a fraction of them:

• Lip balms
• Products to reduce itching
• Gels and creams that reduce minor aches and pains like muscle cramps, sprains and headaches
• In sunburn treatments
• In toothpastes and mouthwash products as well as chewing gum
• As a pesticide to protect bees against mites
• By perfumers to enhance floral notes like rose
• In treatments for indigestion
• In first aid products to produce a cooling affect in place of ice
• and of course menthol is a very important ingredient in Jakemans!

Jakemans range of traditional cough and throat sweets is available in six flavours, Throat & Chest, Honey & Lemon Menthol, Cherry Menthol, Menthol & Eucalyptus, Blueberry Menthol and the NEW Blackcurrant Menthol.

Jakemans are available from a number of retailers including major supermarkets (Sainsbury’s, ASDA, Tesco), key health retailers (Boots, Superdrug) the convenience sector and many independent stores.
For more information, please visit www.jakemans.com.

Now for the giveaway, Jakemans are giving away one jar of Blackcurrant Menthol Sweets (approx 2.75kg)  and a pack of Blackcurrant Menthol Sweets for two runners-up.

Just fill in the rafflecopter, if you don't see it try refreshing the page, more details below. Lots of bonus entries as usual.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CLICK THIS How Rafflecopter Works (short video)

If there is no form hit refresh and it should appear
Mandatory entries first (blog comment etc) then lots of bonus entries open up.
Rafflecopter will do most of the work for you. Tweet, like and follow, making it really simple to enter!

For information on how to find the url of your tweet look at Competition Grapevine click here

Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries via Twitter and Klout

Gordon Ramsay Health Infusion Grill Review

 

I have trialled a few  Gordon Ramsay's kitchen gadgets and so far been suitably impressed, what strikes me most is the size and sturdiness of them, rather like the man himself.

I find that having the time and labour saving slow cooker, jug blender, tagine, have actually made me swear less, I don't think this applies to Gordon just yet!

The latest trial is the Gordon Ramsay Health Infusion Grill, it again is a lovely big grill, I like the cooking space, it is enough for six people.

Gordon says: “I’ve a passion for grilling foods, so my Health Infusion Grill combines a unique set of features to guarantee food that is flavoursome, healthy and quick to prepare!”

It was a great chance to try steak and the great feature is the floating hinge so when I cooked large pork chops it was no problem. it has a variable control so I could sear the meat first then I was able to turn down the heat.

The drip tray is large enough for the oil, I did find I emptied it half way through each time, more for my own worries of hot fat and interested puppy as it probably would have coped.

When it comes to the infusion part of the grill, this makes the grill a bit more special, its a channel running across the centre of the bottom plate hard to spot on the photo. This is where you can experiment with flavours for your meat or veggies, suggestions in the book are garlic cloves and your favourite herbs in olive oil. Or just herb leaves which dry out and then infuse into the meat or vegetables.

I gave it a go with coriander and grilled peppers, maybe not an obvious choice, but as my favourite herb, I loved it.

A nice dish is  sweet chilli and coconut chicken marinated for afew hours and despite usually baking a sticky chicken in the oven, a grill is healthier. It cleaned up well after, just needed extra soapy water.

Another nice meal was soy sauce added to the infusion channel for pork chops, I just placed the meat over the channel and cooked.

It definitely added the soy sauce flavour to the food. I want to try coconut milk in the channel with maybe a Thai spice coated chicken.

There is a handy scraper supplied for use during cooking and I used it to scrape the plates. I would like the plates to be removable to wash but I found they were easy to clean with my non stick scourer.

I love this grill, it seems to remove much more fat than if I cooked steak in a frying pan, I am not alone in giving it a high rating.

Its just been placed Number 1 by the Independent 10 Best Grills

There are some great features to ensure great results every time, including: double curved grilling plates to allow fat to quickly drain away and collect in the drip tray – their shape also makes it easier to cook food like ribs.  The Health Infusion Grill also boasts a special quality non-stick Teflon coating to the grilling plates for better cooking, which are removable for easy cleaning.

Perfect for grilling an array of delicious family meals or dinner for friends, the new Gordon Ramsay Health Infusion Grill makes a great addition to any family kitchen and offers good value at £99.99.

http://sensiohome.com/gordon-ramsay-home/health-infusion-grill

Bazooka Candy brings you Mega Mouth. A new games site!

Bazooka Candy Brands have launched an exciting new digital project to tie in with their Mega Mouth Candy Spray product line.

They have built a fun and engaging website for kids aged 12+ and includes their parents too.

I had a look around the site and already can see its going to be a good place to while away the hours.

There are Flash games such as BMX Blast, Transformers, parents can play sudoku, when you play the Mega Mouth games you also earn credits.

The credit allows you to win exciting prizes. This month people can win a RipStik skateboard, Rawk helmet, Vans backpack, DC trainers and loads more amazing goodies. Winners are picked randomly from the top 10 in the leaderboard.

Plus there are downloadable activities to play offline. Wordsearches, Sudoku, masks to make, a reward chart for Mums and Dads to fill in  to gain more credits.

 http://www.megamouth.com/

(please note that prizes are only available to Ireland, England, Scotland and Wales) !

April New Covent Garden Soup Of The Month - Vintage Cheddar and Piccalilli

Can you bottle Britishness? This was the poser New Covent Garden set for the theme to this month’s Soup of the Month competition, quirky they  figured that somewhere out there was a recipe that said ‘here’s Britain, in all her glory. But in in soup form’.

Rose Garrish came up with the answer in her Vintage Cheddar and Piccalilli Soup, we got to try some before its release this April.

Now I have been repeating myself lots in these New Covent Garden features, but I happen to live just around the corner from the New Covent Garden company, I can smell the soups as  they are being made, early morning I can get quite hungry. Wonder if that's why I eat lots of soup?
Because of this closeness, I got the opportunity to trial April's soup before it goes onto the shelves as the lovely Sheryl brought it round to my door. Thanks NCG.

We waited until Saturday lunch to try it, it looked pretty good and we spent a bit of time in the garden to work up an appetite, despite  the sunny weather we still really fancied a bowl.

 Chris described it " If you close your eyes you are eating a cheese and piccalilli sandwich, but in a hot soup form. He is so right. The vegetables are just crunchy as in a great piccalilli too. The cauliflower is just cooked, each mouthful brings a selection of fresh vegetables. The cheese is good mature and a perfect accompaniment.

I think this does indeed capture whats good about Britain and its food.

Rose said 

"There's nothing nicer than popping into a warm cosy pub to enjoy a light bite. Cheese and a colourful pickle compliment each other so well. A lovely idea for a tasty British soup don't you think?"

If you can't wait until April to try Rosie's soup, then see the recipe below  and try it for yourself at home. While you are trying it maybe you have a fantastic recipe of your own to share.  New Covent Garden are giving members of the public  the opportunity to see their recipes on the supermarket shelves this year.

Vintage Cheddar and Piccalilli

Ingredients

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large white onion finely chop
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp turmeric
2 tsp English mustard
2 tbsp flour
900ml hot veg stock
140g cauliflower florets, cut into bite sized pieces
200g mixed equal quantities diced carrot, celery, red+green peppers
1 red chilli, with or without seeds depending how warm you'd like the soup
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp cider vinegar
250g strong cheddar cheese grated
good handful of chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Cooking instructions

Heat oil in a pan, add the onion and garlic, cook gently over a medium heat. Add the turmeric, mustard and cook for 2 minutes, Stir in the flour and cook 2 minutes stirring all the time. Add the hot stock. Add the vegetables,chilli, sugar, vinegar and cook until the vegetables are al dente. Finally stir in the grated cheese and allow to melt. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with plenty of parsley and plenty of crusty bread

http://www.newcoventgardensoup.com/

Spring Cleaning tips to spritz your home

Did you know the average family of four sheds up to 3lbs of skin per year? Or that your carpet can hold up to 2lbs of dirt per square foot? Surprisingly, despite these shocking facts over 80 per cent of homeowners have never washed their carpets!

As well as this, 45 per cent of homeowners don’t remove their shoes before walking on their carpets and worryingly, four out of ten people eat food which has been dropped on the floor.

With a rise in a hectic lifestyle and the onset of the economic downturn, the traditional Spring Clean is no longer a top priority which is why many of us rarely spend time or money deep cleaning our carpets.

Which is why Rug Doctor, the carpet cleaning experts have come up with some top tips for spring cleaning that won’t burden your finances or your time!

Take it one room at a time

Make sure you plan ahead and choose where to begin, make a list of the areas you want to target and tackle them one step at a time. Be sure to budget time for distractions too-unexpected visitors and phone calls are inevitable!

Declutter before your clean

Always declutter before a polish, make sure your area is good to go before you don your gloves and spray.

Deep clean those carpets

Nothing refreshes a room more than a clean carpet, and hiring a Rug Doctor can have your carpets looking, feeling and smelling as good as new in no time.

Make your vases blooming lovely

What better way to freshen up your home than with a bunch of sweet-smelling blooms. Handpick some flowers from your garden for a sweet smelling aroma.

Add a splash of vinegar to make those windows shine

A top tip for making those windows squeaky clean is to add some vinegar to water and spray onto the glass, then simply wipe clean with a dust free cloth.

Care for your curtains

Are your curtains looking drab? Well take them down, remove the hooks and give them a quick cycle in the dryer with a wet towel to rid the dust.

Revamp your wardrobe

Empty your wardrobe of all your clothes and give it a good scrub, you never know you might find a couple of items you’d forgotten about too.

Open the windows for fresh air

Winter is over so open up those windows and let the good fresh air billow through your home.

Start from the top and work your way down

With each room start at the ceiling and get rid of the cobwebs before working your way down walls and finishing with the floor.

10.  Get the kids to lend a hand

Share the workload with your loved ones, even the most unwilling helper can make a big difference in the work load.

For more information on Rug Doctor please go to http://www.rugdoctor.co.uk/

Rocky Fizzy Cola bars

A strange occurrence took place in our house when trying these new bars from Rocky. We all changed place on what we first thought they would be like. Paige and Conor love cola and Rocky have been a constant for pack ups and picnics, based on the fact there will always be one lurking in the fridge calling to me.

I am not a cola lover, I drink it on rare occasions when extremeley thirsty, it has to be ice cold and from a newly opened bottle so its at its fizziest. (I know fussy!) Chris never drinks it.

So I was kind of hoping the younger members would review these and I would have an obligatory nibble.

Paige wasn't keen, I was quite surprised to hear it, not sure why, she just said she did not like the taste.

With that weird compulsion to try something somebody says is not so good, I had to try one.

As I unwrapped it I could detect a cola fragrance, it was not unpleasant, so I took a bite.

I  can taste lime I'm sure, if I was not told what this bar was flavoured with, I would describe it as those delicious bright green chocolate limes, which happen to be a favourite, all things citrus, I'm there.

The chocolate is good and the cola flavour I can smell, but I detect lime. Chris tried one without knowing what they were and as he nibbled he was trying to describe what he tasted. After a bit, I said Chocolate Limes? (Sorry to Rocky bars) and he said "Yes, thats it, its gorgeous!" So then I said its cola really and he said "How strange I taste lime, but now you mention it I can smell cola!"

I will be buying them again. They are lovely.

Rocky is the biscuit for the ‘get up and go generation’, People who aim to push boundaries and fill their lives with as much enjoyment as they can. This year, thrill seeking biscuit fans everywhere will be able to experience Rocky on a whole new level, thanks to the brand new limited edition Rocky Fizzy Cola bar.

Forget classic combinations like strawberries and cream and rhubarb and custard, in 2012 there’s a new flavour combination in town – chocolate and cola! This new bar has all the punch and chocolate crunch of the Rocky that we all know and love, but with the additional treat of sweet, tongue-tingling Cola. Rocky Fizzy Cola is bound to be the ultimate biscuit for all the daredevils out there!

The new limited edition, individually wrapped bar is perfect for an exciting day out, a tasty snack on the go, or as an extra special surprise in a school lunchbox.

The launch of Rocky Fizzy Cola will mean that the world of biscuits never be the same again! Let the adventure begin by picking up your own Rocky Fizzy Cola at supermarkets nationwide for an RRP of £1.59.

CLOSED Win Cillit Bang All in One Dish and Surface Cleaner ends 15th April

You may have read my getting messy with Cillit bang posts and recipes,here if you want to have a look!

Carrot Fritters

Chicken Piggy Pot Pie

Cornish Ginger Fairing Biscuits

I had a great time making food that could be sticky, make pans greasy, all that and me as usual getting in mess anyway.

As I said in one of the posts, I only have to look at a bag of flour for it to explode all over, I always have to clean my cooker, even when making the simplest of dishes.

Cillit Bang All In One helped clean up and rather well. I was particularly impressed with the stove top results. I would normally have used a separate cleaning product from the one I washed the dishes in. It easily dealt with dried on mustard sauce, and grease spatters from sausages. Plus gave a good shine to the surface.

Cillit Bang have kindly offered five of you a chance to try it for yourself.

Just click on the handy Rafflecopter form and enter, lots of bonus entries too. See below the formif you are having problems. Refreshing the page is sometimes all thats needed.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CLICK THIS How Rafflecopter Works (short video)

If there is no form hit refresh and it should appear
Mandatory entries first (blog comment etc) then lots of bonus entries open up.
Rafflecopter will do most of the work for you. Tweet, like and follow, making it really simple to enter!

For information on how to find the url of your tweet look at Competition Grapevine click here

Really want to win the prize? Come back every day for bonus entries via Twitter and Klout