Tesco Finest Millionaires Desserts review

Millionaire desserts when done well are without a doubt my ultimate indulgence. I saw that Tesco had their version of these desserts as a part of their finest range. Described as having caramel mousse and sauce, with a shortbread crumb, Belgian chocolate ganache and a chocolate triangle to decorate, these sounded very similar to M&S's version which is utterly delicious and very hard to top. Considering that I enjoyed the strawberry and prosecco variety if these desserts so much I thought that it be worth at least trying these desserts to see how they compared.

The shortbread crumb was very similar to their other variety. It was very crumbly, light and not too thick. The caramel mousse was also very light and sweet which is maybe why the caramel sauce didn't seem to have a lot of flavour. This could however also be because the layer of sauce was quite thin. The Belgian chocolate ganache on the other hand was much thicker than I expected which a rich chocolate flavour. It wasn't the most intense chocolate flavour ganache that I have tasted but was a slightly lighter and sweeter version than many other brands.

The chocolate triangle on top made for a pretty decoration and the overall result of the dessert was sweet and tasty. If I'm completely honest this has nothing on the M&S millionaires dessert and I actually preferred the strawberry and prosecco version that Tesco produced. Despite this, it was still  very nice dessert than any millionaire's fan will happily chow down I'm sure!

Weight Watchers Limited Edition Spicy Nacho Chicken Bake review

I have tried a few of the weight watchers ready meals and have found them a bit hit or miss. I don't think I have ever seen a "healthier" version of a nacho ready meal before however and so I was curious to see what these would be like. The fact that this is a limited edition meal only made it seem more appetising to me since I am always afraid of missing out! This meal is low in sugar with only 308 calories per pack and is topped with jalapenos and cheese. It takes 20 minutes in the oven and I couldn't wait to get stick in!

I have never tasted jalapenos before so was slightly nervous that they would ruin this meal for me, however I quite enjoyed them. They certainly added a fair hit of heat but I don't mind a bit of spice, especially considering there were only a few. There wasn't a lot of cheese but then again I wasn't really expecting too much considering the calorie count. I was really impressed with the amount of chicken however as there were plenty of large chunks right through the meal. The top layer of nachos were crisp and crunchy, however the bottom layers were very soft and wet due to the tomato sauce that coated the chicken which also contained some tomatoes and peppers. I cant say that this particularly surprised me considering the nachos were baked in the sauce which had a lovely thick and chunky consistency.

Overall I did actually enjoy this meal and probably would buy it again. Although about half of the nachos were soft, they still taste pretty good and I don't think that this was avoidable considering they were cooked in the sauce. The chicken was pretty moist and the sauce was tasty with a good amount of spice. The portion size itself was also quite generous and I felt full afterwards. If you are going to be put off by the slightly soggy bottom layer of nachos then you may want to avoid these, however I still enjoyed them and considering the low calorie count of the meal I think that weight watchers have done a really good job. For anyone who likes nachos and is trying to eat a bit smarter then this meal is well worth trying whilst it is around.

Morrisons The Best Raspberry & White Chocolate Cookies review

Raspberry and white chocolate cookies are one of my absolute favourite treats. I don't often shop in Morrisons and so when I saw these in passing I decided I would see what they were like. These cookies are a part of Morrisons "The Best" range and so my expectations were pretty high. There were four cookies in the pack which also stated that these had been baked in store.

The cookies themselves were quite large and very thick with plenty of white chocolate chunks and specks of raspberry throughout. They were quite pale and I think they could have done with another couple of minutes in the oven but they were definitely cooked just with a slightly soft texture. The flavour was sweet but not as sweet as most raspberry and white chocolate cookies I have tried. The sharp raspberry flavour and white chocolate chunks complimented each other as well ever and these made for a tasty treat.

These were not the best cookies that I have ever had but I can't really complain about them. They had a nice sweet flavour that is much less sickly than a lot of raspberry and white chocolate cookies.
There was a generous amount of ingredients and the cookies were a fair size, however I do think I would have preferred them if they were slightly darker in colour. The texture was soft and chewy though I think the outside should have had a little more crunch to it. Overall these were tasty and I enjoyed them but I wouldn't go out of my way to have them again.

Marks & Spencer's Goats Cheese Lattice En Croute's review

In my experience, Marks and Spencer's gastro range provides the absolute best supermarket ready meals available. Over Valentines day, there were a lot of special offers available and I couldn't resist trying these goats cheese and caramelised onion lattice en croutes. These were a limited edition product and so being a huge lover of goats cheese I had high hopes. These came in a pack for 2 and were topped with a pumpkin seed crumb.

These en croute's took approximately 25 minutes in the oven and came out a golden brown colour. The pastry was crispy and the pumpkin seeds on top added a lovely crunch to the delicious, flaky texture. I cut into the pastry revealing the caramelised onion chutney which contained larger slices of onion than I was expecting in a deep purple coating. It was sweet and tangy just as you would imagine it would be. The goats cheese was all in the centre of the pastry so that it oozed out when cut right through. There was a large portion of creamy goats cheese that complimented the caramelised onion chutney perfectly.

These en croute's were very true to their description and I really enjoyed them. They had a very rich flavour and although I would recommend them to anyone who loves caramelised onion and goats cheese, I don't think that these would be a regular buy of mine so I'm not too upset that these are not a permanent product. I think it's great that M&S offer some exciting products for vegetarians (which I am not) but once I had finished them, I just felt like I was expecting something more. Don't get me wrong these really were tasty and I could tell they were of a very high quality. I think that the problem I had is that my expectations were just so high that these were never going to fully live up to them so please don't let me put you off because these really were pretty good.

Costa UK Halloumi and Roasted Pepper Focaccia review

Having already tasted most of the paninis and toasted products at Costa, I decided that it was finally time to try this halloumi and roasted pepper focaccia. This focaccia not only contains halloumi and roasted peppers as I expected but on closer inspection of the packaging, it also contains rocket, pesto and is topped with rosemary. I often find rocket to be an overpowering flavour so I was hesitant to buy it but feeling the need to try something new and being a lover of halloumi and pesto I decided to risk it.

The focaccia itself was rather small so I don't think I would buy it if I was feeling particularly hungry. I could instantly see that there was quite a lot of rocket inside but for some reason it didn't have a overwhelming taste that dominated the sandwich and I actually quite enjoyed it. There didn't look as though there was a lot of pesto inside the focaccia so I was pleasantly surprised at how strong the pesto flavour actually tasted. There was a decent layer of halloumi and although I was disappointed with the amount of roasted peppers, the creaminess of the halloumi complimented the slight heat from the peppers really well. I am glad that I tried this focaccia as I did enjoy the flavour of the halloumi, pesto, roasted peppers and even the rocket! In all honesty the amount of filling was very disappointing and it could have been a lot larger but I probably would buy it again purely based on my love of the ingredients.

The Collective Russian Fudge Yoghurt review

I have never tasted any of The Collective product range before even though the flavours of thee yogurts often sound delicious. I decided that Russian fudge would be the perfect flavour to try first for a fudge lover like myself. These yogurts are made from west country milk, are gluten free and suitable for vegetarians as well as being free from artificial colours, flavours or preservatives. I could tell just by looking at the yogurt that it was incredibly thick and the addition of the fudge sauce made this look really inviting.

I lifted the lid and saw that the proportion of fudge was pretty generous and spot on when I compared it to the amount of yogurt. I took a spoonful and it was just as thick as I expected. This tasted as creamy as it looked and was very filling. It was not however as sweet as I had expected and I cant say that I found the fudge flavour particularly strong. Although it was tasty I felt like it had more of a honey flavour which is not a bad thing, its just that I was expecting fudge. Despite this, the yogurt had a very luxurious feel and made a nice change to my typical desserts.

This is probably the most thick and creamy yogurt that I have ever tasted and it tasted very indulgent. I did enjoy this Russian fudge flavour but I'm not sure that it was quite sweet enough for my personal taste. Although this flavour reminded me more of honey than fudge and I am not sure if I would buy it again, I can certainly see why people rave so much about this brand as I was very impressed with the quality. If you're looking for something slightly different for your after dinner treat then these are probably worth trying if you don't have too much of a sweet tooth and are looking for something rich and creamy.

Kettle Bites Sea Salt & Mixed Peppercorns Wholegrain Waves review

I have enjoyed every product from the kettle bites range that I have tried and so I was interested to see what these new sea salt and mixed peppercorn wholegrain waves would be like. At only 95 calories these baked snacks are pretty good for the waistline as well as being high in fibre and containing 50% less fat than standard crisps and can also vegan friendly.

Like the other varieties of wholegrain waves from this range, these snacks were quite large in size with a crunchy texture. Although there were not a huge amount of waves in the packet, I think that this is due to their size as my hunger was satisfied by the end of the 22g bag. The dominant flavour of these snacks was the peppercorn and there was actually a lot more heat than I expected. I can't say that the sea salt was particularly noticeable but it was more of a subtle background flavour.

These wholegrain waves make a nice addition to the kettle bites range and do have a distinctive peppercorn flavour. They are a crunchy and relatively healthy savoury snack and I like that this is more of an unusual flavour that I think a lot of people will enjoy. For only 95 calories you can't really go wrong giving these a try and if you don't mind the taste of peppercorns then I don't think you will be disappointed.

Muller Rice New Chocolate & Hazelnut review

On the rare occasion I see a flavour of Muller rice that I have not yet tried, I instantly feel the need to immediately try it. Despite the smooth chocolate variety being my least favourite due to the lack of sweetness, this new chocolate and hazelnut version made me think "Nutella" and so I decided that it was at least worth trying.

I lifted the lid and as I expected there was a thick chocolatey sauce at the bottom which I mixed in with the rice. Admittedly, it didn't look like the most appetising dessert but being a Muller rice addict I know better than to let this put me off. I tasted the rice and wow! This is one of the best tasting Muller rice's I have tried in a while. The chocolate - hazelnut sauce did indeed taste exactly like Nutella leading to an overall rich and indulgent flavour. The hazelnut element certainly made up for the slightly bland and unsweet flavour that the plain chocolate variety possesses and it is hard to believe that this dessert is low fat!

I have already stocked the fridge full of these desserts since I loved it so much! Even if Muller rice wouldn't normally be your dessert of choice I would recommend picking one of these up if you enjoy the smooth and delicious taste of Nutella. I never thought that it would be possible to have a low fat dessert that has the oh so naughty flavour of Nutella even though it is only labelled as chocolate & Hazelnut. I am not sure if this flavour is a permanent fixture to the Muller rice range and so please take my advice and try them while you know that you can.

Marks & Spencer's Count on Us Chicken Tikka Masala review

I am a big fan of both Marks and Spencer's Count on us range and Indian food so I was eager to try this chicken tikka masala. This meal has only 388 calories and is low in fat so even though I am often disappointed in ready meals, I popped this in the microwave with an optimistic attitude.

I combined the rice and the curry on a plate and the smell was quite appealing. There were a fair amount of chicken pieces throughout, as well as a generous amount of sauce and basmati rice. The chicken tasted of a pretty decent quality considering it had been microwaved and the sauce had an impressive amount of heat. The sauce however was too runny in my opinion and I think this is where the calories had been cut because it wasn't particularly creamy.

This wasn't my favourite from Marks and Spencer's count on us range but I think that this is because if I am going to have a curry I would rather go all out and sod the calories. Saying that, this is a pretty decent meal considering it is low in fat and a healthier alternative. There is plenty of chicken, rice and sauce meaning that I wasn't left hungry. The meal had a good amount of spice and I did happily finish it off, I just don't know if I would go out of my way to have it again. I will take my hat off to M&S however for this attempt at a healthier curry ready meal.

Tesco Finest Strawberry and Prosecco Desserts review

With valentines day approaching, a lot of people are looking for a slightly special after dinner treat. With more and more people choosing to dine in rather than pay ridiculously expensive restaurant prices, these strawberry prosecco desserts appear to be ideal since they are part of Tesco's £10 meal deal. I however just bought them for myself since I thought they sounded delicious! Described as a white chocolate biscuit base, strawberry compote, prosecco mousse and white chocolate ganache, these are slightly more unusual and sophisticated than your typical supermarket dessert.

I was most interested to try the prosecco mousse since I have never tasted anything like this. The prosecco flavour was actually very mild and if I hadn't known it was there, I'm not actually sure I would have identified the flavour. The texture however was light and smooth and I understood why the flavour was so mild and creamy when I tried it against the thick layer of strawberry compote which somehow tasted both sweet yet sharp. The white chocolate ganache was my absolute favourite part of the desserts as it was incredibly rich, creamy and sweet, complimenting the mousse and compote perfectly. The biscuit base was just the right thickness and very crumbly and I really enjoyed the white chocolate chips throughout.

This was a truly delicious dessert and would be ideal for any special occasion or just for a well deserved treat. It tasted indulgent, sweet and rich and I thoroughly enjoyed every mouthful. This is a very unique dessert and one that I would highly recommend. I could tell that these were a part of Tesco's finest range and was very impressed with the quality and taste of these desserts. Every layer was perfectly proportioned with well balanced flavours and I personally loved them.

Starbucks UK Vietnamese Chicken Wrap review

I rarely buy any type of chicken wrap or sandwich. This is mainly because I find that they are usually a bit boring or come smothered in mayonnaise and with lettuce neither of which I particularly like. I decided to go out on a wimb (mainly because I was starving) on my recent trip to Starbucks and I picked up this new Vietnamese chicken wrap. This contains roasted chicken in a multigrain tortilla with a Vietnamese chutney, rice noodles, spinach, carrot, peppers, coriander and mooli. I admit that I had to google what mooli was and turns out it is a mild flavoured radish popular in Asia.

The wrap was fairly well packed with filling and I was impressed with the amount of chicken inside. The Vietnamese chutney was the dominant flavour and the flavour of this is quite hard to describe but it basically tasted like a typical Thai dressing with a slight cocoanut like ginger-y taste. The flavour of the chutney went really well with the chicken which was also very tender. The wrap itself was soft yet thick and firm enough to hold everything together well. It was slightly bland but then again this wasn't an issue since the filling was very flavoursome and slightly spicy. The spinach was fresh and crisp and I was really pleased to see a chicken wrap with spinach rather than lettuce. The peppers added a slight heat to the flavour, unlike the carrot, rice noodles and mooli. Although these ingredients didn't add a lot to the overall flavour of the wrap they all added to the texture resulting in a multi-textured and filling wrap. This isn't the best wrap that I have ever had but it was tasty and I appreciated that it was slightly more unusual than most chicken wraps available. I would probably pick this up again if I was peckish and browsing Starbucks shelves however I don't think I would go out of my way to get it again. This is more due to my personal taste than the quality of this wrap itself though, so if Thai chicken is up your street then this is well worth a try.

Costa UK Banana Bread Loaf Cake review

As I have previously mentioned banana flavoured products seem to be appearing everywhere at the moment. After trying Costa's new coffee, oat and banana smoothie, I decided to continue to jump on the banana band wagon and try the new banana bread loaf cake. This was quite thick in size and incredibly moist to touch.

I bit into the loaf cake and wasn't disappointed. The flavour was full on banana and tasted delicious. The flavour wasn't artificial in the slightest which can be the case with banana flavoured products. It was just as soft and crumbly as I had hoped whilst having a slightly dense texture which I think is probably due to the banana itself. Banana lovers rejoice as this is a really tasty little cake. I cant wait to have this again whilst it is available as the sweet banana flavour makes for a lovely little treat that is different to your usual coffee shop offerings.