Walkers Pops Melted Cheese and Crispy Bacon review

There are an increasing number of the varieties of "popped" crisps available on the market. These Pops from Walkers contain 50% less fat than traditional crisps and being from a brand as popular as Walkers I had high hopes. I have previously reviewed these in the sour cream and onion variety which I really enjoyed and so I was eager to try the slightly more unusual sounding flavour of melted cheese and crispy bacon.

I am always hesitant to buy bacon flavoured crisps as they can often taste too "Smokey" with quite an artificial flavour. I opened the bag and the crispy bacon smell hit me like a brick in the face so I was instantly sure that I wasn't going to like these. I tasted the first bite and am happy to admit that I was wrong and the bacon flavour, although very strong and smokey wasn't too overwhelming. The melted cheese wasn't too obvious but was slightly noticeable in the aftertaste. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed the flavour of these crisps which had a meaty bacon flavour with a subtle cheesy background flavour. These Pops had the usual light yet crunchy flavour that all popped crisps have but I think that this worked particularly well with this flavour.

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed these crisps especially after my hesitation towards them once the strong bacon smell hit me. I was impressed with the amount of crisps in the bag which all had a slight orange dusting. Walkers have maintained their high standards in my opinion with these Pops and I would definitely buy them again as a healthier alternative to a sizzling meaty crisp.

ASDA Pistachio Eclairs review

Éclairs are something that I rarely buy but after enjoying Asda's caramel éclairs, these pistachio variety caught my eye. My love of pistachio got the better of me and I decided that I needed to try these when I read the description which stated that these were choux pastry topped with pistachio fondant, filled with pistachio mousse and topped with roasted pistachios. These are a new product and are a part of the Bakers selection so I expected them to be more of a luxury product.

The pistachio fondant was very runny and barely stayed on the pastry which was very soft and not like traditional crisp choux pastry. The fondant was very sweet but I cant say that it tasted particularly nutty. There was a generous amount of pistachio mousse which was also very mild in flavour but it was thick and light. There were a few roasted pistachios on top that added a nice crisp to the texture but overall there wasn't a lot of flavour to these eclairs. They were soft and chewy and if I'm honest I was pretty disappointed. These didn't taste unpleasant and they tasted okay, I was just expecting a lot more and if you are looking for an éclair with a pistachio flavour then I would avoid these.

Greggs Belgian Chocolate Salted Caramel Shortbread review

Caramel shortbread to me is the ultimate indulgent treat and salted caramel is also a weakness of mine. This is why I couldn't wait to try Greggs salted caramel shortbread. Greggs is  a brand that I am very rarely disappointed with and I always enjoy their products so my expectations were pretty high despite never having salted caramel in one of these bars before.

The bar came topped with small chewy pieces of salted caramel. The layers looked perfectly in proportion with a thick layer of Belgian chocolate, a clear layer salted caramel on a sturdy shortbread base. The bar had a distinctive smell of salted caramel rather than the usual sweetness that goes alongside caramel shortbread bars. I was pleased with this as I was initially concerned that this would just taste like generic caramel shortbread with a "salted caramel" label just so Greggs could jump on the salted caramel band waggon.

I needn't have worried. The bar was rich and delicious with a strong flavour of salted caramel that wasn't too bitter or overwhelming. Although not huge in size it was quite a generous portion and I think if it was any larger it would have been too heavy and rich to finish. The chocolate tasted of a good quality with a buttery shortbread base and clearly salted caramel. This is well worth a try for any salted caramel fans or for anyone looking for a slight change to a traditional caramel shortbread.

Muller Rice Apple review

With Muller rice being my ultimate go-to dessert, I have to admit I have only had the apple variety once and don't remember loving it which is why I haven't had it since. Due to the bright summer weather and my need to seek out new flavours I decided to give it another go.

There were a lot of quite large chunks of apple throughout and there wasn't quite as much apple sauce throughout. This is often not the case with apple rice puddings which contain a large amount of artificial sauce and hardly any chunks of apple. This made a refreshing change and let the pudding maintain its creaminess with a little extra sweetness from the sauce and sharpness from the apple pieces.

I enjoyed this apple Muller rice much more than the first time I had this and can't understand what took me so long to try this again. It was sweet and creamy with plenty of rice and apple throughout. I love that Muller rice is such a delicious dessert but that it also is low in fat and high in protein making it completely guilt free. This apple flavour Muller rice will be a regular addition to my shopping bag from now on.

Harvester Soya & Leek Sausages And Mash review

Despite not being a vegetarian, I often prefer vegetarian sausages to pork ones and so when I popped into Harvester and saw this option on their early bird menu I thought it would make a nice change to my typical choice of chicken. The meal came relatively quickly and was presented pretty well with 3 vegetarian sausages neatly placed on a generous portion of mash surrounded by a puddle of gravy.

I took my first bite of the sausages and was really impressed. Vegetarian sausages are generally very well seasoned which can often lead to the taste being a bit too strong and leaving an unpleasant after taste. Although these had more seasoning than traditional pork sausages, it was not overwhelming so the flavour didn't linger. They were cooked perfectly with just the right amount of crispiness to the outside and a soft slightly chewy centre. The gravy wasn't anything spectacular and was very thin and watery but I expected this sort of gravy granule type gravy but the taste was quite meaty and tasty so I didn't mind too much. The mash was smooth and buttery and sopped the gravy up well. It tasted creamy and so worked really well with the strong herby flavour of the sausages. Overall I really enjoyed this meal and would probably order it again, especially as it was part of the early bird menu meaning that it wasn't too expensive and I got an ice cream included!

Marks & Spencer's Count On Us Prawn Risotto review

I am not usually the type of person who buys ready meals, however I am happy to make an exception for M&S due to the quality of their products. Their count on us range is one of my favourites as it doesn't taste "healthy" yet all of the meals have a low calorie count including this prawn risotto which had only 378 calories. I have been eager to try this for weeks as seafood risotto is one of my favourite meals and my faith in M&S meals meant that I was sure that I would love this.

The packet describes this meal as a prawn risotto with tomato and white wine. This sounded delicious and I could see that the portion size was fairly generous so I didn't worry that I would be left feeling hungry. I could see plenty of prawns throughout the meal however they were all quite small. This meal could be microwaved but I chose to cook it in the oven.

When cooked I sat down with the meal but in all honesty I wasn't very impressed. The prawns were very small and slightly dry and I didn't enjoy the sauce. I could subtly detect the white whine but this just seemed to add a slight bitterness to a relatively bland tomato sauce. The texture of the rice was pretty good in fairness and I found it creamy with just the right amount of chewiness to it. There is no one more surprised than me that I didn't enjoy this meal and I highly doubt that I ill try it again. I found it quite bland yet somehow slightly sharp and I just didn't think that this was up to the usual quality of M&S.

Smiths Spicy Tomato Flavour Snaps review

These spicy tomato snaps from smiths are crisps that I have passed numerous times in small corner shops but I am not sure if I have ever actually tried. When I was looking for an alternative to my typical favourite crisps I decided to try these spicy tomato potato snacks.

I opened the bag and saw the slightly red square shaped snacks. They were all slightly curved and although there weren't that many inside each snack was a fair size. I tasted the first snap and the name of the snacks was spot on as they did indeed "snap". These weren't so crunchy that they hurt my teeth but just enough that they required a decent bite yet they still managed to maintain a light crispiness as promised on the packet. Taste wise, these were also true to the description. I wouldn't describe these as hot but there was certainly a subtle spice to the main tomato base flavour.

These snaps made a nice alternative to my traditional crisps and I really did enjoy them. They weren't anything earth shatteringly spectacular but I would happily pick them up again. These had a nice flavour and just the right amount of crunchiness. If you fancy a snack with a mild spicy tomato taste then I would recommend giving these snaps a try.

Starbucks UK Matcha and Pistachio Slice review

I have had my eye on this matcha and pistachio slice from Starbucks for a couple of weeks now and finally gave in and decided I had to try it. It is described as having a spiced shortbread base, a layer of pistachio, almond and matcha frangipane with cranberries, flaked almonds and a pistachio crumble. I have to admit that I have never actually heard of matcha so I had to look it up and discovered that it is a ground powder made from green tea. Seeing as I don't like green tea this may have put me off but the promise of almond and pistachio frangipane and spicy shortbread as too tempting.

I sat down with the slice and although it was quite small I was still excited to try it. I cut through it with the knife which was quite difficult as it kind of just crumbled. I took a bite and in all honesty  I was left feeling a little flat. The texture was very dry which is quite common with shortbread but the flavour didn't really make up for it. The shortbread as spiced but so mildly it wasn't very noticeable. The frangipane layer was where most of the flavour came from but in all honesty even this had quite a subtle flavour. The addition of the cranberries added a chewiness to the texture and a sharp sweetness that I did quite like although the pistachio crumble and flaked almonds just made this seem even more dry. The matcha aspect of this slice was something that I didn't even notice in all honesty which I wont actually complain about seeing as I'm not a lover of green tea, however if this is something that appeals to you then you may be disappointed. I had such high hopes for this slice but ended up being really disappointed. It wasn't awful but it wasn't worth the money that I paid for it as it was just a rather bland dry tray bake.

Haagen-Dahz Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream review

Haagen-Dahz is one of the top quality ice creams available from supermarkets. It is probably the main rival to Ben and Jerrys however the more sophisticated flavours of Haagen-Dahz is mainly what differentiates between the to brands. Haagen-Dahz flavours are generally much simpler however this means that the quality of the ice cream has to be good. Described as a dense New York style cheesecake with strawberry sauce swirls and crunchy biscuit pieces, this strawberry cheesecake ice cream sounded right up my street. I found a pack of 4 100ml pots to try and prevent myself from demolishing a hole pot.

I opened the lid and saw that the pot contained a small plastic spoon for convenience. The ice cream smelt quite sweet but I couldn't see a strawberry swirl or biscuit pieces throughout. I tasted the vanilla ice cream and it was probably one of the creamiest ice creams I have ever had. As I continued to get further into the pot the strawberry swirl was revealed which was very sweet but worked really well against the richness of the vanilla. The biscuit pieces were quite large and soft. There were plenty throughout which I was incredibly glad about as these were probably my favourite part.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this ice cream, especially in this convenient 100ml sized pot. The ice cream tasted very luxurious and although its pretty pricey compared to supermarket alternatives, I can justify the price due to the rich and creamy taste. This variety with the strawberry swirl and biscuit pieces added a sweetness and an extra bite to the texture which made this ice cream even better. If your willing to fork out and treat yourself to a sweet and indulgent ice cream, then this version of Haagen-Dahz is definitely worth a try.

Asda Peanut Butter Cheesecakes review

A peanut butter cheesecake from Asda's extra special range sounded like utter perfection when I was in need of a sweet evening treat. These came as a pack of two in clear square shaped plastic containers. These consist of a shortbread base and a peanut butter flavoured mousse filling topped with a thick chocolate ganache.

The initial flavour that was noticeable as definitely the chocolate ganache. This had a strong, rich chocolate taste which was delicious however it dominated the dessert. The peanut butter flavour was barely detectable and I ended up feeling a bit let down as I am a massive peanut butter lover. The shortbread base as incredibly crumbly and I couldn't really get it on the spoon. It was also ay too thick and made the overall dessert very dry.

Overall this dessert was alright but in all honesty I wasn't very impressed. The star of this cheesecake should have been the peanut butter filling however I barely noticed this layer. The overwhelming flavour of this cheesecake was the chocolate ganche which although enjoyable, wasn't the reason i bought this dessert. The base was dry, crumbly and way to thick for the other layers. My expectations for these cheesecakes probably were a bit too high, however this doesn't change the fact they weren't up to a partivularly good standard, especially as they are supposed to be part of an "extra special" range. I think next time I will seek an alternative dessert!

Costa Chicken and Chorizo Panini review

Having already tried most of the panini range at Costa, I was excited to see this chicken and chorizo addition. This panini contained spinach, chicken and chorizo in a tomato sauce. Seeing as most paninis contain some form of cheese, I was slightly worried that I would miss this aspect of the sandwich but figured it couldn't hurt to give it a try.

The panini came and there was a warming slightly spicy smell from the chorizo The panini itself looked quite flat and as though it didn't contain a lot of filling. There was only a small amount of spinach and in all honesty only a few tiny pieces of chicken. There was however a generous amount of chorizo that had quite a strong flavour and this did make up for the lack of other ingredients. The tomato sauce was also scarce and not really noticeable but it did prevent the panini from being dry and did add a little more flavour. Overall I did think that this was a pretty tasty panini and I would probably have it again. I do have to admit though that it could have done with more filling to justify the price so anyone looking to get a lot for their money might be slightly disappointed.

Hula Hoops Puft Beef review

Beef Hula Hoops are my favourite flavour so when I saw that they had been released in this puft version I couldn't wait to try them. I have previously tried other varieties of these snacks which are made from 100% sunflower oil and enjoyed them so I was pretty sure that these were going to make for a tasty treat.

I opened the 15g bag and saw that there was a fair sized portion inside. The strong beef smell hit me instantly and they were the usual ring shape but a much thicker and "puffier" version. They had a light brown dusting and were very light in weight. The lightness of these snacks was also represented when I bit through as there was a crispy and airy texture.

The flavour of these snacks was really tasty. They were very beefy and the taste was almost identical to the original beef hula hoops. I think that these maybe my favourite of the puft range however if I had the choice between the original crisps and these I think I would choose the original. However considering that these are only 72 calories a bag and are a lot healthier than the original I may well be tempted to pick these up again as I really was impressed by them.

Frankie & Benny's Chilli Calamari Spaghetti review

Described as pan fried calamari with salsa verde, red and green chillies, capers, garlic, red onion in a Neapolitan sauce, this spaghetti dish sounded right up my street and I was especially impressed that the menu stated that it contained under 600 calories. I was a little concerned about the heat of this dish as it contained 2 types of chilli's but my love of calamari was too strong not to try this spaghetti.

The dish came topped with basil and based on the incredibly generous portion size, I highly doubt that it contained under 600 calories but that didn't really bother me. Taste-wise, this as delicious! There as a heat to the sauce from the chilli's but it definitely wasn't so strong that it made this too spicy. There was plenty of perfectly cooked calamari throughout the spaghetti which was also nicely seasoned with a subtle hit of spice. The Neapolitan sauce as thick and the addition of the onion added to the texture. The salsa verde also added to the flavour and I would highly recommend this dish to anyone out there who is a fan of calamari and doesn't mind a bit of heat.

Marks & Spencer's Banana & Dulce De Leche Slices review

Okay, so the name of these desserts is a bit of a mouthful but the product description was too tempting to resist. Described as a brown sugar cookie dough topped with dulce de leche with banana and vanilla mousses these slices sounded as if they had it all! These are a part of M&S spirit of summer range and once the packet was opened, I saw that the slices also had a liqueur flavoured chocolate sponge.

The top layer of mousse didn't have a lot of flavour but this made sense once I got a taste of the liqueur soaked chocolate cake layer which had a much heavier flavour, although the alcohol tasted incredibly subtle. The banana mousse and dulce de leche layer was delicious. The mousse as creamy with a mild yet noticeable banana flavour with the dulce de leche adding a level of sweetness with a thick and gooey texture. The biscuit base was nicely spiced with cinnamon being the main flavour and although it was slightly softer than expected I still enjoyed it.

I cant say that this is the best dessert that I have ever had but I still thought it was really tasty. The combination of flavours in these slices was something a bit different and aspects of these slices were really impressive. The overall flavour was sweet yet spicy with a lovely creamy texture and although I wouldn't rush to buy these again, I happily demolished both slices in the pack.

Rude Health The Pumpkin review

Pumpkin flavoured products are normally only something that I see around Autumn time but I always really enjoy them. I was therefore surprised to see this Pumpkin bar from Rude Health in stores. It is a company that I have never heard of before but the wrapper states that it is a fudgy type bar filled with fruit, veg, nuts and seeds. The bar is also gluten free, high in fibre and contains no refined sugar. This all sounded a bit too good to be true and incredibly healthy so I anted to try it for the novelty but was doubtful as to how good it would taste.

The bar itself looked like a typical "raw" food bar so not the most attractive. However there was a spicy pumpkin smell that made this appear slightly different to other products similar to this that I have tried from more well known brands such as Nakd. I could also see small pieces of nuts and seeds throughout and it had a firm yet chewy texture.

I bit into this and in all honesty it was the best raw food bar that I have ever had! This was purely down to spicy pumpkin flavour which I absolutely loved. Although it felt slightly strange having a pumpkin flavour product this time of year it made a lovely change. The bar itself wasn't very big however due to the heavy and chewy texture it was surprisingly filling. I rarely buy raw food products but this may have converted me as I would happily pick this bar up again.