Still working on my cookbook that I am writing. It is down to the crunch time now, with not a lot of time left for me to finish it all up. I have it under control I am happy to say, and have been revisiting a few of my older recipes and re-cooking/re-doiong photography of them. Dishes such as this fabulously tasty Bean & Sausage Hot Pot! This recipe also happened to tie in with some of the contents of this month's Degustabox!
Degustabox is a monthly foodie subscription service that sends out a range of specially selected foodie products. There's always a great mix of new products that I haven't tried before, as well as plenty of treats from more established brands. Each Degustabox costs £12.99, delivery costs are included in the price, and there is no fixed contract involved - you can cancel at any time. I love getting these boxes. Its a little bit like Christmas for me when the box arrives every month. Here is a little bit about the February box I received.
KOKO Dairy Free Originial 1 X £1.50
Koko Dairy Free Original is a fresh tasting and versatile milk alternative made from freshly pressed coconut milk. It tastes great in tea or coffee, on breakfast cereals, in smoothies, as a refreshing cold drink, or in cooking. Plus, with only 27 calories per 100ml, it is lighter than skimmed milk.
Double Dutch Drinks x 1
Double Dutch is a new range of premium, low calorie soft drinks created by Dutch Twins, Raissa and Joyce de Haas. Combining unusual flavours, these drinks have been specifically designed to enhance the taste of higher-quality spirits. While offering a playful alternative to boring mixers, the innovative range of flavours are also delicious enjoyed on their own. I received a Pomegranate and Basil. Yum!
KABUTO NOODLES 1 X £1.99
Vegetable Laksa
This new gluten-free rice noodle dish is inspired by the warm coconut Laksa dishes of Malaysia. It's also completely vegetarian and bursting with sweetcorn and peppers.
Like all of our noodles, it is made using quality ingredients and no additives or preservatives. There's no need to refrigerate, so you can enjoy restaurant flavours wherever you are (as long as you're near a kettle). Perfect for work, home, tents, camper vans and the big outdoors, Kabuto Noodles make a filling meal that's fit for a warrior.
I love Kabuto Noodles. They make a great quick lunch, and these were delicious.
BLOSSOM HILL Fruitbloom 1 X £4.99
A fresh and fruity twist on wine! With light bubbles and natural fruit flavours, Blossom Hill Fruit Bloom is the ultimate refreshment. Best served with close friends and sizzling conversation!
I received the Summer Fruits. It also comes in Elderflower.
MAUI AND SONS Dark Chocolate Covered Banana Chips 1 X £1.00
Maui and Sons' Banana Chips are made from one of the most delicious tropical fruits... Bananas! This tasty superfood is naturally packed full of potassium, vitamin A and iron.
We cook our chips to perfection then lightly coat with dark chocolate giving every chip a satisfying crunch, making them a healthy gluten-free snack and delicious treat when you're on the go, and perfect for school, work, play and as a topping on desserts.
With a dash of cocoa and a pinch of sugar these chips are choco-licious, and with no animal products involved in production, they're completely vegan; once you take a bite, you'll literally go BANANAS for more!
I think this was my favorite thing in the whole box! They are gorgeously delicious!
Willy Chase FITCORN £1.99 - £2.19
From the same Single-Estate Farm as his world-renowned distillery in Hereford, Willy Chase has developed an array of good-for-you foods with real pedigree and grown-up flavours. Let us introduce you to FITCORN and Willy's Apple Cider Vinegar with The Mother.
FITCORN is our very own popcorn, air-popped to perfection, forming the finest clouds of butterfly corn with a light and crunchy bite. Available in the following flavours: Apple Cider Vinegar, Salted Honey, Smoky Bloody Mary, Nearly Naked and Goats Cheese, Red Onion and Thyme. Free from GM. Free from Gluten. Free from Guilt!
Willy's Apple Cider Vinegar with the Mother, a beautifully crafted vinegar from untouched 300 year old apple orchards.
JUST BEE Honey Water X 1
Just Bee Honey Water is a light and refreshing spring water drink, deliciously infused with fruits and the natural sweetness from a drop of honey.
No refined sugar, nothing artificial and less than 50 calories per carton!
Created by a family of British beekeepers, 10% of profits are donated to help Save the Bees!
Just Bee is available from Boots, Waitrose and Holland & Barrett.
PEPPERSMITH Dental Gum and Dental Mints 2 X £1.50
Did you know that it takes more than brushing to look after your teeth? Protect your smile in between brushing with Peppersmith mints and chewing gum.
Most damage to teeth happens during the day when sugars feed bacteria that form plaque and produce acids. Peppersmith is sweetened with 100% xylitol which reduces this bacteria and protects teeth from damage throughout the day. With natural flavours including Peppermint, Lemon and Strawberry, our mints, chewing gum and pastilles taste great whilst getting to work keeping your teeth healthy. All Peppersmith products are accredited by the Oral Health Foundation, are sugar-free and contain no aspartame.
BEBETO Cheese Cake Jelly gums and Candy Crush 2 X £1.69
Tasty.
NEW YORK DELHI'S AMERICANOS 1 X £1
Introducing our delicious roasted coffee beans coated in sumptuous dark chocolate. Our delicious Americanos are top quality Guatemalan coffee beans coated in the most delicious dark chocolate for a taste that is incredible, rich and intense. A wonderful pick-me-up both in the office or at the gym.
As these are so popular we provide in many formats - grab and go, gifting tins and filled bar jars as well as 1kg catering packs. Even people who don't like coffee love these and very popular with marathon runners who need an extra caffeine kick. Please visit our website for all the other wonderful innovative products we do.
I have to confess I did not like these at all, nor did Todd, but then we are not coffee drinkers, although we both normally enjoy coffee flavoured candies and cakes. These were not our cup of tea however..
DIABLO No Added Sugar Cream Filled Milk Chocolate Wafer 1 X £0.95
Everyone should be allowed to treat themselves once in a while, don't you think? :Diablo goodies have all the flavour, without any of the naughty added sugar, so there's no need to feel so bad about the little devil on your shoulder with a sweet-tooth.
Ad a Diabetic, I really enjoyed this.
COLDPRESS 1 X £2.79
Because Coldpress® juices are cold pressed, not heated, they naturally cram in more taste, more vitamins and more nutrients than conventional pasteurised juices. Coldpress® 100% fruit and vegetable juices are packed with vitamins and lower in naturally occurring sugars.
Berry Beets is an earthy, yet fruity, mix of apples, beetroots, raspberries pears and lemon juice.
Fruity Greens is a tasty blend of apples, celery, kiwis, bananas, kale, spinach and lime.
I received the Fruity Greens and it tasted really good.
HEINZ 2 X £0.65
NEW Heinz No Added Sugar Beanz.
Great Heinz taste with no artificial sweeteners, flavours or preservatives maintaining the natural goodness of Beanz!
And this was the product I chose to highlight with a recipe. We are already fans of Heinz Beanz. They have always been our tinned baked beans of choice. It is nice to see that they are now leaving out the sugar.
Which is why I didn't feel too guilty about this recipe. You do add some brown sugar to it, so to know that there is no sugar in the beans was quite a good thing for me.
In this recipe, leftover cooked potatoes line a baking dish, topped with some herbed garlic and onions . . .
A layer of sliced smoked sausage goes on top of the onions and potatoes. You could actually use leftover baked ham, or tinned corned beef as well, or even spam. You could also use leftover cooked breakfast or dinner sausage. All would work well.
The next layer is a mix of baked beans, brown sugar and BBQ sauce, which gets slathered over the sausage. Cover with foil and bake . . .
Then un-cover, throw on some cheese and return the dish to the oven to melt the cheese. Altogether this is quite delicious as well as being economical. You can't lose! I like to serve it with some coleslaw and sliced bread.
*Bean and Sausage Hot Pot*
Serves 4Printable Recipe
A little tasty something I made up to help use up leftover cooked sausage or ham and potatoes. Delicious.
2 TBS olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 large onion, peeled and chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
4 medium potatoes, cooked, peeled and cubed
1/2 pound of leftover spicy cooked sausage, smoked or otherwise and crumbled or sliced
(Can also use an equivalent amount of leftover cooked smoked ham, cubed)
1 tin of baked beans, undrained (2 cups)
100g soft light brown sugar (1/2 cup)
60g barbeque sauce (1/4 cup)
120g of grated strong cheddar (1 cup)
Preheat the oven to 180*C/350*F/ gas mark 4.
Heat half of the oil in a medium skillet. Add the onions and garlic. Cook and stir until the onions begin to wilt. Stir in the herbs, salt and pepper. Toss in the potatoes and mix well together. Remove from heat.
Use the remaining oil to butter an 8 inch square baking dish. Spread the potato mixture over top. Sprinkle with the cooked sausage or ham. Stir together the beans, brown sugar and barbeque sauce. Pour this mixture evenly over top of the sausage. Cover the casserole dish tightly with foil. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes. Uncover. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer. Serve hot.
Many thanks to Degustabox UK for sending me this box. I have to say I really look forward to getting my box each month. There are always lots of things in it to enjoy and new products to try out. I highly recommend. You can also tailor the boxes to your own likes and dislikes by filling in your own Taste Profile. If you like the sound of the February 2017 box, you can obtain yours now here . Do check out the Degustabox web page for more information and details. I can also offer you a discount code this month. Just use OWCFI and get your first box at a reduced price!
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I also wanted to add that the box which arrived this month was damaged, with the popcorn being opened and all over the contents of the box and the apple cider vinegar also being open and having spilt over the contents. A quick e-mail and a brand new box was sent out to me within the next few days! Thanks Degustabox for such good service!
Bon Appetit!
