Marks and Spencer Taste Japan Mushroom Onigiri

Along with all kinds of new goodies, M&S are going big on their Taste range - an exotic collection of tastes from the East with a focus on Japan and Thailand. It's all 20% off at the moment so a good time to try some new things. Some of it is a return of products from last year but there's lots of new things as well. I went for these Mushroom Onigiri from Japan.

Onigiri are filled rice balls with a crispy panko crumb - in this case filled with shiitake and oyster mushroom (along with some straw and black cup mushroms). The product looks pretty authentic with sake, soy sauce, spring onions, ginger and yellow miso part of the Japanese inspired ingredients.

It's a well designed tray that protects each ball and keeps them seperate They cook in 12 mins in the oven and smelt good as they came out. The first nice surprise was that the outing was actually crispy. It was crumbly with a thick panko crunch and you could feel its fried texture even by cutting in.

Inside is a nice creamy, soft mushroom filling that is slightly gooey and pairs well with the soft rice and there's a nice crunch from chesnuts for a contrast in textures.

It's a pretty nice little nibble and would be good as part of a sharing table along with some other nibbles and some sauces to dip into. It has a nice rich umami flavour that isn't overly salty and the contrast between crisp crumb and gooeyish filling makes for a pleasant eat.

Price: £2.00 (£1.60 with current 20% off offer)
Bought at: Marks and Spencer
Nutrition per 100g: 199 calories, 6.4g fat, 1.1g sat fat, 2g sugars, 0.88g salt

Score: 7/10

Marks and Spencer Hot Chilli Con Carne Sauce

I really don't like cooking. Assembling meals is fine and I'm happy to put the time in prepping a salad or noodle bowl or stir fry but making sauces and anything involving a lot of spices....not for me so I tend to stick to classic fish or meat done in the oven with some carbs and some steamed veg. I do make chilli today but today I had a hankering for it but also wasn't in the mood to do it from scratch.

This all sounds terribly lazy and I bet most people are crying out that chilli is one of the easiest things to make. That's true but I was in the M&S food hall and they had a stand with Mexican stuff on that looked so attractive I ended up buying a ready made chilli sauce. What's more it cost me £2. I'm sure I'm pretty the type of person you get on Eat Well For Less who needlessly wastes money on the grocery shop. But time is also pretty important and this is a real doddle. Literally all you need to do is fry your beef in a pan and then add the sauce, bring to the boil and cook. That's it. I did go one step further and fried some diced red onion before adding the meat to at least feel I was doing something!

At least with an M&S product, the ingredients list is pretty safe and you can see by the order of ingredients that it's fairly generous with the kidney beans, onion and peppers and as well as the usual spices it's got ancho chilli and cocoa for depth. It's a very thick sauce and not in the least bit watery.

Now I purposefully picked this hot one over the mild one and I can safely safe this is not hot in any way. That's not to say it's not tasty. The balance of flavours is really good, not one spice is overpowering and it all syncs wonderfully creating a rich, deep, comforting chilli. It actually tastes fairly similar to the M&S chilli ready meal, which I really like.

Whilst tasty, it's not radically interesting or different and I guess it's pretty pricey for what it is. But it did the job in providing a quick and tasty meal on a summer evening when I'd rather be doing other things.

Price: £2
Bought at: Marks and Spencer
Nutrition per half jar: 117 calories

Score: 6.5/10

Marks and Spencer ActiveHealth Italian Garlic Chicken Tomato and Bean Bake Review

M+S launched this new range under their activehealth brand a couple of months ago in support of Heart UK. It's a range of ready meals with added fibre and cholesterol lowering benefits that is also appproved by Heart UK as seen by the stamp on the packaging. To be honest I don't see why ready meals get such a bad press because there are some good options out there. I read through all the ingredients on this and they are all normal ingredients I recognise and nutritionally it's really good. There's 31g protein per pack, it's 2.6% sugars (all natural from veg etc) and the fat and salt are reasonable.

In addition there's 1.3g of beta glucan in the product, which are shown to lower cholesterol. The pack also has a whopping 12.5g of fibre so brilliant for your gut health and digestion. And if that wasn't enough it's 2 of your 5 a day. I really fail to see how this cannot be called a genuinely healthy choice.

The meals consists of a base tomato, red wine, bean and orzo pasta sauce with lots of garlic chicken breast chunks. There's kale and butternut squash spread throughout it and then it's topped with a oat and parmesan cheese crust. Sounds pretty good.

I ovenbaked it for 30 mins (this cannot be microwaved as you need the crust to crisp up and the chicken is raw) and the smell as I pulled it out the oven was really delicious. It smelt heartwarming, comforting with a rich red wine and garlic smell with hints of rosemary.

It was slightly different to get out of the pack onto a plate in an attractive manner as it's essentially a stew with a crispy topping but I managed (kind of). Regardless of whether this was a healthy meal or not , I thought it was delicious. The chicken breast was tender with a very mild marinaed garlic hint and the sauce was rich,thick and satisfying.

There was lots of veg and the mix of textures coming from borlotti beans, tender squash chunks and kale which I love. The parmesan and oat crust also added a nice contrast -it went crisp and crunchy against the mellow stew and the savoury cheesy hit was really nice.

It was also a pretty satisfying meal once served with new potates and veg (hey why not have more!) and made a really delicious dinner, which I would happily eat again were they not so expensive. I can't remember the price but it was above the £4 mark so not a reasonable expense for dinner everyday.

Bought at: Marks and Spencer
Nutrition per pack: 361 calories,8g fat, 1.5g sat fat, 9.9 sugars, 12.5g fibre, 31.2g protein, 1.63g salt

Score: 8/10

Marks and Spencer Gluten Free Chicken and Mushroom Crispbakes Review (Made without wheat)

As I mentioned when I tried the new M&S soya yogurts, M&S has recently focused a lot more on free from and in my store had a whole chilled area just for free from products with everything from the dairy free yogurts I tried to crumbles and ready meals without meat. At the same I also bought these wheat free and gluten free crispbakes.

I've always preferred M&S crispbakes to other supermarkets as you get a lot more high quality filling in them and less cheaper stuff to bulk it out. Chicken and mushroom is always a classic combo so this sounded promising.

The pack was easy to open and after simply baking in an oven for 20 minutes out came a rather delicious looking bake with an inviting golden crust. Certainly from appearance you wouldn't know it was wheat and gluten free. This was also true when cutting it, it was nice and crunchy without being brittle and the whole thing didn't disintegrate or fall apart. I simply served it with couscous and (rather a lot) of veg.

Trying just a bit of the crunchy outside area, I can resolutely say no one would be able to tell it was wheat and gluten free. It was savoury, moreish and satisfying in both texture and taste. However, the real star of this is the filling. There were huge chunks or chicken in here! Not just little bits dotted here and then but great big pieces that were moist and utterly delicious. Seriously there's more chicken in this than any other ready meal I've tried. It was so generous with the filling and the mushrooms complemented it perfectly for a really delicious dinner. The filling isn't wet as there is no sauce but it is tender and by no means dry.

I would 100% buy these again. They were quick, easy and delicious dinner. And whilst it's it doesn't taste like a free from product, the biggest selling point is the sheer quality and quantity of the filling. Everyone can enjoy this.

Price: £1.70
Bought at: Marks and Spencer
Nutrition per crispbake: 213 calories, 10.4g fat, 1.2g sat fat, 0.9g sugar, 1.2g salt

Score: 8/10

Marks and Spencer Taste Thailand Chicken Satay with Peanut and Chilli Dip

I'm still exploring the new Taste collection at M&S. I love all the new products. Lots of lovely, exciting flavour combinations from around the world that just sound so fresh and tantalizing. After my foray into Mexican last time, this time I decided to transport myself to Thailand.

Chicken Satay isn't by any means new or innovative but it looked appetizing with its little wooden skewers and individual pot of dip. In theory it's a starter for two but I had it for myself as a main.

I simply served it with some jasmine and coriander rice I made and some stir fried vegetables I cooked in a lemongrass and coconut sauce. All together, I thought it looked visually very appealing and it smelt fragrant and exotic.

One thing I was realky impressed by was the amount and quality of chicken. The four little skewers were very filling and the meat was so succulent and tender. Coated in coconut, galangal and lemongrass, it was mildly spicy but just so fresh and aromatic. The peanut and chilli sauce was thick, sticky and deliciously sweet, spicy and salty at the same time. It completed the meal and even went well with the vegetables I did.

Marks and Spencer Taste Mexico Steak Chilli and Coriander Rice

There's so many new and exciting ranges in M&S at the moment that I'm overwhelmed by all the lovely food and don't know how I'll ever get around to trying them all. But starting up from the Taste range is this steak chilli and coriander rice. The Taste collection is all about transporting you around the world and tantalising your tastebuds with exotic ingredients and fresh flavour combinations.

I started off my culinary exploration with an interesting take on chilli. This one uses steak mince for a really luxurious twist but also includes pork and chorizo for a powerful meaty trio that is delicously savoury with a real smokiness. Pinto beans meanwhile make an interesting swap for the standard kidney beans you get in a chilli and the inclusion of coriander rice uplifts your usual longgrain rice for a fresher and more fragrance dish.

It was a pretty pricey ready meal but the Taste collection is currently 25% off so now was as good a time as any to try it. Serving it out onto a dish, I wasn't disappointed. It looked very presentable with delicious chilli and coriander aromas lingering in the air. The pork, braised beef and chorizo gave it a really meaty taste and thick texture that felt positively luxurious. The coriander rice meanwhile was so uplifting, I could have happily eaten it plain.

Inclusions of ancho chilli gave the sauce an interesting mild spiciness although I would have preferred something a bit hotter. However, I am a bit of a chilli fiend and the combination of paprika, ancho chilli, garlic, coriander and several other spices gave this a flavour combination that was delicious. This was absolutely perfect on an Autumn night - taking me somewhere much hotter than the wet UK. I'm looking forward to giving the Vietnam, Thai and Japanese Taste dishes a go.

Kirsty's Moroccan Vegetables with Quinoa

I don't usually buy ready meals. All the scare stories, the high salt, the added sugars, their processed nature and  the weird ingredients that sound like chemicals all put me off. However, I have to say these Kirsty's ready meals break the mould and really pleasantly surprised me.

I think the original concept behind these is that they are suitable for the 5:2 diet. This pack was a mere 276 calories for the whole contents so is great for anyone looking to cut calories. But this isn't one of those low calorie products that is then compensated for by bulking up with artificial ingredients or loads of sugar.

It's actually low in sugar with sweetness coming from apricots and sweet potato. With peppers and pinto and aduki beans in as well, it also counts as 2 of your 5 day. The rice portion of the dish is brown rice and is studded with quinoa and puy lentils for wholegrain and fibre. With bits of courgette, carrot, onion, chickpeas and raisins as well, there's lots of good stuff going on.

So it certainly ticks all the health credentials. It's also wheat, dairy and gluten free so suitable for those with food allergies. But it actually tastes really good too. The Moroccan sauce is delicately flavoured with a lot going on. There's ginger, cumin, harissa paste, chilli powder, paprika, garlic, coriander and cinnamon in it so it's anything but bland. It's sweet, rich and warming. And with all this flavour, it doesn't need as much salt as other ready meals.

My only concern was whether it would be filling. I'm not on a diet - I just picked it up as a convenient lunch for work that was fast, easy and healthy. Because of the high protein in the quinoa, this, along with a side salad, actually left me quite satisfied.

I guess this shows that ready meals need not be nutritional nightmares. I was really impressed by it and will probably try other meals in the Kirsty's range in the future.

Score: 8.5/10

Sainsbury's Coloured Dim Sum with Ginger Soy Sauce

This was a really cool and eye catching product I found in Sainsbury's recently. Dim sum is a big trend on the dining out and restaurant scene but this is the first foray into it from a supermarket I've seen. Packaging and product wise, I thought it was visually stunning and it really did leap off the shelf. The dim sum are brightly coloured and so ornate and the box is very sleek and modern too.

With prawn beetroot shumai (the flower shaped dim sum), the prawn turmeric huaco (the yellow shell) and the oriential vegetable chive gyoza (the long green piece), it's a really interesting mix. It certainly looks impressive, almost like a beautiful box of treasure. All the pieces were really delicate, exquisitely shaped and so elegant.

These only needed a couple of minutes in the microwave and, actually considering they were cooked in this manner, came out really well. The pieces were warm and inviting and smelt so aromatic and tempting. As dim sum, they're supposed to have a steamed texture rather than crispy and this met that criteria very well. Very soft, plump and bursting with filling yet they hold their shape and don't fall apart when you pick them up or even when bitten in half. Often party food or small pieces like this can make a mess but these stay perfectly intact.

I absolutely loved each of the three varities. The shumai was slightly sweet and tasted very fresh and the gyoza felt very meaty and substantial for a vegetable dim sum and had a great mix of textures and tastes with a deliciously savoury flavour. The star of the show for me was the prawn turmeric huaco. With a slight sweet and hot edge, it really sets off every taste bud and gets you take to notice.

The ginger soy dip complemented all of the pieces beautifully and, again, added to the visually impressive look of the product. It wasn't overly salty but had real depth of flavour that balanced with the dim sum.

These could probably be used for starters, sharing or snacking but I actually ate the entire tray on my own for a lunch. At around 30 calories a piece, the whole packet was only about 300 calories so certainly not too calorific. And yet I felt satisfied due to the complex taste and the fact I feel I had quite a bit to choose from.

I was very impressed by this selection. It's light and delicious and very different to a lot of other ready meal type offerings.

Price: £3
Available: Sainsburys

Pros: Light, flavoursome, interesting, visually impressive, well balanced and a good mix
Cons: Probably not very economical for feeding lots of people

Score: 8.5/10

Sainsbury's Chapati

I quite often have a chapati instead of a naan as a side to Indian meals. They're a lot lighter, less bready and not as filling. Admittedly, I would probably prefer a naan in most cases but if you want a lighter curry experience, they're a good choice. So it was nice to see Sainsbury's now do their own version in the fresh ready meals chiller sections.

You get two in a packet, which seems right to me. I don't want the masses of naans or breads you get in other supermarkets or particularly the ones you find in the ambient aisles. I just wanted a little something extra to go with a homemade curry I was making that wasn't as calorie heavy as a naan since I was going to have rice with it as well.

Visually, they look very good. Very thin and flat with a lovely colour and lots of grooves, air pockets and texture for an authentic feel. They're super quick to cook - you can either heat in the oven for 2-3 minutes or dry fry them in a pan for a minute each side, which is what I did.

And either I was very lucky or the cooking instructions are spot on because this really did cook to absolute perfection. It had a lovely crisp texture that when you tore a bit off sent lots of lovely little shards and crispy bits scattering over the plate - just like when I have one at an Indian restaurant. It definitely mimicked the unleavened flatbread well.

That's not to say it's dry or crunchy - it is still a soft, doughy bread at heart for mopping up sauce but due to its thiness it has a little crispiness and interesting flavour from all the air pockets.

If I'm honest it did taste a bit like naan rather than the more dense texture of a chapati from my local but it was lovely nonetheless and a lot tastier than most other supermarket naans. It may not be fully authentic but it's a good choice for a homemade curry. And then when I eat out I will go back to a proper, high calorie naan!

Price: 80p but currently 25% off at 60p
Available: Sainsbury's

Pros: Good value for a little extra, less calories than naan, visually appealing, cooks well, lovely taste, texture and feel
Cons: Not as good as an authentic Indian restaurant version (but then again supermarket stuff never is)

Score: 8/10