Marks and Spencer Vegan Meal Deal - Cold Pressed Carrot and Turmeric Juice

As part of the recent vegan M&S meal deal I picked up, I went for this carrot and turmeric juice. As I've said, I hate standard meal deals where your choices are limited to basically fizzy drinks full of sugar, diet drinks full of artificial sweetener or boring old water so this is a much more exciting (and nourishing) option.

Cold pressed juices are very on trend at the moment. As they're not heat treated, they retain nutrients more and it's great to see a raw juice in a popular store like M&S. There is no fruit in this just 99% carrot and 1% turmeric so a great lower sugar juice option. The serving at a mere 150ml also means you're getting a good shot of the good stuff but without drinking much too juice. Although a vegetable, carrot juice is slightly sweeter and less earthy than a lot of vegetable juices so I found it very palatable to drink.

It's a lovely golden orange colour, bright and vivid suggesting it'll bring lots of goodness with it. Turmeric is another on trend health ingredient and something I often now add to smoothies and I enjoy a dairy free turmeric latte too. The turmeric here is done well for a mainstream product, it's not overly noticeable but adds a mild warmth to the carrot without making it too savoury or odd tasting.

The consistency is a little thin but then it is a juice not a smoothie and for a healthy choice ticks all the boxes as it's one of your five a day and you're getting a lot of vitamins and natural antioxidants in a nice convenient bottle for the on the go.

Bought at: Marks and Spencer
Nutrition per bottle: 53 calories

Pret Vegan Christmas Baguette - Very Merry Christmas Lunch

  

This baguette from Pret maybe isn’t the most Christmassy sandwich on the market but It’s nice to see somewhere offer a fully vegan lunchtime choice and to offer a special Christmas sandwich for vegans as well. Since opening their pop up veggie only Pret in summer, it’s been a runaway success and is still open now despite being launched as a temporary, one month pop up. Pret do really delicious veggie options – combinations I wouldn’t necessarily think of doing myself but that really work.

Here you have slices of roasted carrots, along with parsnip puree,  crispy onions and then topped with festive chutney , watercress and a good sprinkling of pistachios for crunch and a bit of apple sauce for sweetness. All of this is encased in a good old Pret baguette – pappy, mass produced bread this certainly isn’t. It’s crunchy, nutty and wholesome tasting with bits of grain for a nice mix of textures and providing a malty flavour.

This combo just really works and was absolutely delicious. Each ingredient probably isn’t that interesting on its own but together it’s a fantastic mix of flavours and textures. Nice firm carrots that are crunchy but also soft and let in the mouth, the parsnip puree adds richness and creaminess and this is all complemented by the sweetness of the apples in harmony with the natural veg sweetness. The festive chutney adds delicate spicing and tang and the watercress keeps if fresh and light.

I just wish such delicious things were more widely available. When something tastes as good as this, it hands down beats any meat based sandwich out there. Christmas food is traditionally seen as stodgy, fattening and unhealthy so how great to have something slightly festive that is so good for you and so nourishing. Definitely one worth checking out before it disappears off the shelves.

Price: £3.75

Bought at: Pret

Score: 8.5/10

Marks and Spencer Scorched Squash with Beetroot and Pomegranate Relish Christmas Wrap

I'm definitely sold on veggie wraps and sandwiches nowadays. You can get some very bland ones if people don't know what they're doing and aren't that interested in plant based options but when done well the flavour combinations and textures are so much more interesting than meat ones and this festive veggie wrap from M&S sounded really interesting.

M&S always do pretty good wraps and they're veggie sandwiches are definitely more interesting than the bog standard cheese/egg/ falafel and homous you're limited to in so many places and for Christmas they've really upped the stakes. Scored squash sounded fantastic and along with the butternut squash, it contains spinach, carrot and a Christmassy beetroot and pomegranate relish which offers a nice seasonal variation on cranberry sauce. It also contains parsnip mayo which sounded yummy and comes in a thyme and sage wrap.

This is such a fantastic sandwich and beats anything a meat sandwich come offer. There's so many different rextures, tastes and mouthfeels going on and they work together perfectly. Although the base, the wrap is actually really tasty and you definitely get the sage and thyme coming through. It's very Christmass and actually reminds me of turkey in many aspects!

The butternut squash is roasted to bring out its flavour and its  soft flesh offers a creamy partner to the delicious parsnip mayo and their softness and creaminess works well with the cool crisps of spinach and carrot. The relish adds a nice sweet finish and rounds off the whole thing nicely.

This is a fantastic wrap and one I'm going to overdose on until the big day itself. As an added bonus a portion of the proceeds go to Shelter as well. Win for charity and a win for tastebuds.

Pret Protein Packed Superbowl

Expensive as it is, I do like to treat myself to a Pret now and then and like the fact they are first with new trends and offer genuinely healthy lunches on the go. The new protein packed superbowl caught my eye today as I was in need of a less carby lunch following a carb heavy breakfast and this ticked the box nicely.

It's all simple real food. Chargrilled chicken and egg form the protein basis and it's on a bed of lentils and quinoa - both pulses known for being good vegetarian protein as well as low GI. Chuck in some healthy fats from avocado, superfood spinach and then parsley, peas and lemon juice for flavour and a seed mix for crunch and extra protein and you've got a rock solid nutritional lunch right there.

Is it the most exciting taste ever? No, it is as you expect simple wholefoods but they do all taste great and complement each other nicely if not setting your taste buds nicely. What I like about Pret is that it tastes fresh. The avocado is firm but ripe and very creamy rather than mushy, the leaves aren't wilted but perky and crisp and the chicken in particular is very flavoursome and tender rather than the nasty stuff you get in cheap pre-packed salads.

It's just a good tasting healthy lunch and it really kept me going. I also bought a bag of kale crisps from there and this tided me over until dinner time with no need to snack. I can't afford to spend £5 on a salad every day but it was a good fit for me today.

Price: £4.99

Bought at: Pret A Manger

Nutrition per bowl: 411 calories, 16.9g fat, 3.9g sat fat, 3.6g sugars, 32.7g protein, 1.3g salt

Score: 7.3

Tesco Smoked Ham Egg Omlette Wrap

So if you follow any diet trends, bread and carbs are very much out and protein is in. Everyone seems to be adding more protein to their products from cereals to yogurts but Tesco have comepletely written the rules on sandwiches and wraps by ditching all the bread completely and instead making an omlette wrap. It's certainly different and caught my eye when looking for something that would fill me up and sustain me.

Inside of a standard wrap, the filling is held together by an egg crepe.Eggs obviously mean protein and to up it even a more the filling is protein based with smoked ham and yet more egg! There's also a bit of carrot, spinach and tomato chucked in there to try and add some veg into quite an egg and animal based product and then some full fat cream cheese to add some much needed moistness and again to make it even more filling. What this adds up to is a product that is 13% protein and only 3.8% carbs. Per pack that works out at as a total of 6.3g carbs and a whopping 21g protein for 226 calories.

I wasn't sure what to expect. The first doubt I had is whether an omlette wrap would even hold together and keep the filling inside. Actually it works pretty well, it didn't rip at all, the filling stayed in and it holds together nicely although it is slightly strange holding an omelette as the vehicle to get it to your mouth.

On a taste perspective, it's not bad. I wouldn't go as far as to say delicious and if you're after something tasty, you'd be better off with a normal sandwich but if you pick this you're probably after protein and nutrition not taste. It's maybe a little dry. When you get a good blob of cream cheese it really helps so a bit more of this wouldn't go amiss. However, it tastes nice enough and I guess the best way of putting it is that it tastes of a cold omlette - make of that what you will. I certainly think it's quite original and it's great Tesco are responding to what people are looking for.

Price: £2.35
Bought at:Tesco
Nutrition per pack: 226 calories, 12.4g fat, 5.3g sat fat, 6.3g carbs, 2.5g sugar, 21.6g protein, 1.1g salt

Score: 7/10

Pret Super Greens and Reds Review

I adore Pret but don't go there that often as I cannot justify spending that much on lunch every day but every now and then I feel I deserve a treat. I also love how they have such a fantastic range of vegetarian and vegan options and not just your run of the mill combos but really interesting and innovative ones. Made fresh every day it's also nice buying something made from real ingredients using tasty, fresh produce.

This super green and red sandwich was fairly reasonable at £2.99 and offered a nice vegan sandwich with lots of frsh veggie goodness. It's avocado slices, covered in a tapenade made from red peppers and tomatoes with more red pepper slices, lots of fresh kale, toasted almond flakes and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Even before opening it looked great - just look at all the vibrant fresh colours - certainly plenty of green here! It's also clearly filled with filling as well rather than skimping on the good stuff and being padded out with bread.

Biting in, it's a nice mix of textures and flavours. The avocado was perfectly ripe, creamy and soft that contrasted nicely against the crunch of kale and crunchy bites of almonds. It was perhaps a little lacking in flavour overall as most the veg is quite neutral tasting. The tapenade is delicious but not quite enough for my liking as I would have liked it in every bite as it complements the veg well adding deep roasted pepper flavours and acting as a lubriant.

Overall it's great to have such healthy options out and about and every one should be doing more of this kind of stuff. It's not perfect as it needs something to add a bit more wow but it was tasty and nourishing and also filling, which is everything I want from lunch

Price: £2.99
Bought at: Pret A Manger

Score: 7.5/10

Moma Plain Porridge Review

I always prefer making my own porridge from pure unrefined oats but somehow ended up with this Moma Plain Porridge instant pot. It’s your typical porridge pot for those who can’t be bothered to make their own. One thing that makes it slightly better than the likes of most marketed porridge pots is that it’s a decent serving size and when made gives over 200 calories rather than those skimpy 100 calorie ones which are not in any way an adequate start to the day. You can’t knock the cleaner ingredients vs other brands as well – this is just oats, skimmed milk powder and sugar. I was disappointed to see sugar in this especially as it’s caused plain and I never add sugar to any cereal or porridge.

The pot feels nice to hold and is certainly convenient for taking out and about. Opening it up I could see the oats were chunkier and more whole than the likes of Quaker which was appealing. I followed the instructions and added boiling water, stirred, put the lid on and left it.

When I came back it was done to a decent consistency, fairly thick and creamy but not solid. I do prefer porridge very thick but this was perfectly acceptable and I could have easily have left it a bit longer or put less water in. 

The porridge was very creamy, milky and comforting but I did just find it a little too sweet. Certainly it’s much less sweet than every other porridge pot I’ve tried and definitely the best one I’ve ever had. However, I just don’t see the need for sugar in this kind of product and the sweetness was too noticeable for me. Fairplay though it’s gluten free and uses British oats so has a lot more going for it than the likes of Quaker

If you buy porridge pots, I would recommend it – it’s a more premium and less adulterated version. However, why not just buy a bag of plain oats and make your own just the way you like it

Price: £1.49

Bought at: Waitrose

Nutrition per pot: 257 calories, 4.2g fat, 0.7g sat fat, 14.3g sugars, 10.9g protein, 5.3g fibre, 0.1g salt

Score: 6.5/10

 

Fuel 10k Protioats Forest Fruits Review

Porridge is actually one of my favourite foods - not just breakfast food but in all foods. Thick, creamy, warming and good for you as well. It's just comforting. I guess it's why I like rice pudding too. It just feels like it's insulating you from the inside out.

However, i tend to buy pure unadultered porridge oats rather than things like the Quaker satchets as I want a healthy, unprocessed and unsweetened product. So I wouldn't usually buy something like this instant porridge pot from Fuel but I got a free sample. Fuel 10k are a breakfast brand that add protein to their products. Porridge is filling anyway but at the moment protein is key trend.

Like all porridge pots, it was a simple fill to the line with boiling water, stir, lid on and leave for a few minutes job. Forest fruit is a unusual flavour in most things nowadays, yet alone porridge so this was of interest to me. Opening the lid after following the instructions, it didn't smell particularly like forest fruits but did look quite appetising and I could see some bits of fruit dotted throughout.

Consistency wise it was runnier than I make my porridge but perfectly edible and tasted quite creamy. I thought it was fairly sweet, not overly so and it was tasty but as someone who doesn't sweeten my porridge it tasted much more processed. Whilst the forest fruit didn't particulalry come though as being obviously forest fruit, the porridge was very tasty. It was also suitably filling and I made it to lunch with no snacking - and this was after a gym session as well.

This made a nice treat but not something I would buy very often as the added sugar is just unncessary for me and I prefer to make my own from unprocessed oats so I can control the ingredients and consistency and texture. However, it was nice tasting and if you like this sort of thing, might be worth a try.

Price: £1.09
Nutrition per 60g pot: 221 calories, 2.6 fat, 0.5g sat fat, 16.5 sugars, 11.5g protein, 0.11g salt

Score: 6.5/10

Up & Go Mixed Berries Breakfast Drink Review

I love breakfast. And that is an understatement - if there is one meal I'm obsessive about it's the first meal of the day and I am absolute cereal, muesli, porridge addict. I always make time for breakfast and love topping my cereals with fresh fruit, nuts and seeds to customise it and create something new each day.

So initially I thought this Up and Go - which markets itself as a breakfast replacement - wouldn't be for me. I wouldn't ever skip breakfast and don't eat cereal bars as a replacement yet alone have a drink instead. I just can't imagine a drink will ever be as satisfying or filling or nutritious as a simple bowl of porridge with some fruit on top. However, I can see why they might be useful for those on long commutes and always late but I would always prefer real food.

Up and Go claims it is just as good as a normal breakfast with all the fibre, protein and calcium of a bowl of bran flakes with semi skimmed milk and is fortified with vitamins. Apparently it is also Australia's no 1 breakfast - do Australians really not make time for a decent breakfast in the morning?

As I said I would never replace breakfast with a drink so my Mixed berry Up & Go never replaced my beloved bowl of cereal. However with its protein claims I thought it would be a good post gym drink - quick and easy to digest with the fibre to fill me up and counter that hungry pang I get post gym and some protein to refuel my body with.

Sticking the straw in and taking a slurp, I was really impressed by the texture, it tasted thick and oaty and felt satisfying and refreshing - a kind of a cross between a drink and food. The 250ml carton is just the right size and it's perfect for carrying around and taking to the gym (or sticking in your bag for breakfast if you take it for it's original purpose).

The mixed berry flavour was pretty tasty, maybe a little overly sweet and perhaps a little artificial but not overly so and I did quite enjoy the overall experience. With around 9g of protein it felt right after a work out and it's also nice to get a hit of calcium, vitamins and minerals too.

Would I have one again - I'm not sure - taste wise it was nice but the sugar content (around 18g per carton) felt a bit unnecessary. I know milk will have natural sugars in but I would rather have it without added sugars and the fructose as well. There's also a little too many stabilisers and e numbers for my liking.

I think on reflection I would probably try other flavours in the range but wouldn't want to consume them too regularly as they're not really very healthy. Fine, after a gym session when you've at least burnt off some calories but definitely not a breakfast replacement as it's quite a hit of sugar that wouldn't keep you going all morning.

Price: £1.39
Bought at: Waitrose
Nutrition per 100ml - 69 calories, 1g fat, 0.1g sat fat, 7.4g sugars, Protein 3.8g

Score: 6.5/10