I liked being able to choose my meals in advance, and for this box I chose Sticky Hoisin Pork, Cheaty Chicken Kieve and Meera's Chicken Curry. Everything is delivered in an insulated box to keep your food fresh. 
The first dish I tried this week was the Sticky Hoisin Pork. We both found this dish very tasty and different to what we would normally cook. Although we do enjoy Chinese food I never make it from scratch so this was nice to try.

The recipe was easy to follow in all. One tip, after you add the pork to the frying pan, do not leave it unattended like I did - whoops! As it is in a marinade, it is easy to burn. I just managed to rescue it, luckily. My husband is a very fussy eater, and I wasn't sure he would eat the pork as he doesn't as as rule but the flavour of the marinade was delicious and he ate it all up in no time. The wedges were tasty too and I would say don't worry about adding a whole chili to the cucumber relish. As long as you remove the seeds the dish won't be too hot. My only criticism of this dish is the fact that the pork used was neck of pork which was a little fatty. I would use fillet of pork if I was making this dish myself from scratch.

The next dish I made was the Cheaty Chicken Kiev. The chicken for this needs to be cut in half and then dipped in seasoned flour, egg and then breadcrumbs. A tip for you if you are breading chicken like this is to put a food bag over your hand to stop it getting messy when handling the chicken. I then put the chicken in the fridge to firm up. This was a good idea as the breadcrumbs set on the chicken making it easier to handle when cooked. 

The accompaniment for the chicken was potato and broccoli mash. I have to admit I am not a fan of mash at all, as I don't like the smooth texture. What I did when making the mash was to roughly mash it with a fork so it had a rough texture. I seasoned it well with salt and pepper and added a knob of Flora buttery.

Served over the chicken is a garlic butter, which was easy to make. I peeled and then chopped the garlic roughly and used the side of a cook's knife to squash the garlic with a little salt. I then melted some Flora buttery (you can use butter) in the microwave and added the garlic to make a garlic butter.

We both felt this dish was like proper comfort food, really satisfying and tasty. I kept it slightly healthier by using Flora buttery instead of butter but this is up to you. I think this dish would appeal to children too, after all, I don't know any children that doesn't like breaded chicken and this is so much nicer than the chicken nuggets you can buy. 



The last dish we tried was Meera's Chicken Curry. This is where Gousto comes into it's own. I would personally never buy spices myself to make a curry from scratch due to past experience where they just get left in the back of the cupboard, and lose the flavour with age. All the spices with Gousto were perfectly proportioned and weighed out in little packets - no waste here.

The chicken curry was really flavourful without being too hot. You could really pick out the spices such as the cinnamon, and coriander. The coconut milk added to the smooth luxurious flavour of the sauce and the portion size was just right. There is something ultimately satisfying about cooking a curry from scratch and I really enjoyed cooking this dish, and obviously eating it too!

All the dishes I tried were on the table in not much more than 45 minutes and they were suitable for those with little to moderate cooking experience. Portion sizes are generous too. With free nationwide delivery and farm fresh ingredients, get out of your cooking rut and try something new - home cooking made easy from Gousto.

It's time for another Degustabox delivery! The monthly subscription food box is full of new products, perfect for those of us that like a bit of adventure with their food. Every month you get between 9-14 items, and with boxes only £12.99 inclusive of postage you are guaranteed to get much more than that in value.

This month we get all this lovely food.


Schwartz Grill Mates Marinade In A Bag £2.19

This is a no mess way of getting fabulously tasty meat, fish or veg. Pop the food in the bag in the fragrant marinade, leave for 30 minutes and then simply cook. Simples. Available in 6 delicious flavours when you want something different to boring chicken, beef, fish or veg.

Maggi Noodles 2 x £1.49

These noodles with a spice sachet are great to keep in your cupboard. Just add vegetables and some cooked chicken or pork for example for a tasty, super quick and nutritious meal. Great for those that don't like cooking much, from kettle to table in next to no time.

9 Bar £2.00

These bars are packed full of seeds including pumpkin, sun flower and sesame as well as dried apricots and dates and are topped with carob. A great nutritious snack that will full you up and give you energy. When you are craving chocolate but want something healthier.

Slim Pasta £2.49

My food delivery of Degustabox is here again. The monthly subscription food delivery box is perfect when you love to try new things. Every month as you get between 9-14 items, most new to the market and many utterly delicious. Boxes are £12.99 inclusive of postage and you are guaranteed to get much more than that in value.

The box this month had an International theme, with items with an Indian, Mexican, Italian and American influence. It comes in two versions with alcohol and without and they send reviewers both to try.

Wonjo Hibiscus Drink

My food delivery of Degustabox is here again. The monthly food delivery box is perfect when you love trying new things as you get between 9-14 items every month, most new to the market and many utterly delicious.

So lets see what we have in the box this month.

Kabuto Noodles £2.00
I loved these tasty noodles so much. Just add boiling water, stir and cover for three minutes, stir again and wait for a minute and they are ready to eat. Lots of authentic Asian ingredients such as ginger, chilli and coriander pack a flavour punch you can't ignore. Delicious.

This month's Degustabox was an eclectic mix of foodstuffs as always, with lots of new products. The monthly box scheme, always guarantees to provide value for money, with a number of surprise products every month. The value of the items received this month was just under £25. When you consider the box is only £12.99 to buy it is a great surprise for foodies.

This is what I received this month.



If you would like to subscribe a Degustabox subscription costs £12.99 per month, inclusive of delivery. The value of the items is usually a lot higher. If you would like a discount of £3 enter code SRV6J into checkout when registering. 

A little while ago I reviewed Gousto food boxes. Gousto food boxes are a home delivered food box full of organic food. The unique selling point is that each box contains carefully measured ingredients in the right proportions to cook the delicious recipes on the cards they supply. There's no waste here. You get to choose the food online and each week the selection is updated. The boxes are delivered right to your doorstep each week.




What I love is that that the recipes are: - 
Easy to make, they don't need any complicated cooking skills, you won't have to stuff a mushroom here.
Quick to make, all have preparation and cooking time clearly stated and most if not all are rustled up in well under an hour.
Most ingredients are locally sourced, wherever possible.
All meat carries the Red Tractor stamp of assurance to guarantee animals are reared in Britain in accordance to animal welfare guidelines.
Fruit, vegetables and herbs are from certified organic suppliers.
All the herbs and spices are carefully measured too, so no having to buy a whole packet of paprika or chili flakes when you are not sure when you will use it again.
Meals are nutritionally balanced and healthy whilst still being filling.
Oh and each dish is incredibly tasty!

I was sent a box of food to review as Gousto have recently revamped their website, making it mobile phone friendly and lowered their prices whilst still maintaining the great quality of their food.

The recipe cards are simple to follow and give nutritional advice such as calories, fat and protein per portion, prep time, how many of your five a day contribution as well as cooking time. 

This month's Degustabox was an eclectic mix of new foodstuffs as always. Degustabox - the monthly box scheme, always guarantees to provide value for money, with 9 to 14 surprise products every month.

This is what I received this month.





Mexican Dave's Lightly Salted Tortilla Chips - We are a big fan of tortilla chips as a family. Great for snacking on, these lightly salted tortilla chips have a light toasted flavour without any strong flavours, which is perfect for serving with salsa, guacamole and sour cream. I used them as an accompaniment to my slow cooker Campfire Stew.

Berry White Goji Berries with Peaches, White Tea and Echinacea Organic Drink - This fruity drink with slightly unusual ingredients is light and fruity and refreshing. It has no added sugar and 10% of their profits go to charity. Added to this that the drink is Organic made with superfruits and healthy extracts and you are onto a winner. Available from Waitrose and Ocado.


Caribbean Twist Strawberry Daiquiri Cocktail - This delicious fruity cocktail reminded me of sunny days by the beach. For lovers of sweet and fruity drinks, serve chilled on ice with a couple of sliced strawberries and some mint for an authentic cocktail experience. Available from Asda, Tescos, Sainburys and all good supermarkets.

Fever Tree Ginger Beer and Tonic Water - The ginger beer was a pleasant drink, with a touch of heat. I don't really drink tonic water, so I didn't know what to expect. The slightly bitter taste was balanced with a touch of sweetness, it would be the perfect choice for gin lovers everywhere.

Lindt Hello Chocolate Hearts - These sweet little chocolates were creamy and delightful. My son and I were hugely impressed! The tin is really cute too so a great gift as a token of love or just a little treat for yourself.

Cawston Press Apple & Pear Kids Blend - This drink was really lovely, not too sweet at all. It is made with pressed juice and a blend of water with no added sugar or anything artificial. A great drink for your kid's lunchbox or even your other half!

Brioche Pasquier Croissants and Pains Au Lait - We all really enjoyed these products. The chocolate croissants were fabulous when warmed up, the oozing chocolate made these incredibly delicious. Individually wrapped these kept for ages too. The pains au lait were like a sweet bread. I ate these with a little butter and jam. Again a tasty product, they made a perfect treat at breakfast time and are a super store cupboard staple.

Dr Oetker Edible Wafer Cupcake Cases - What a great idea! I am certainly going to make up some cupcakes on the weekend to try these edible cupcake cases. A brilliant idea for kids parties too I think you will agree.

Schwartz Flavour Shots Mexican Fajitas and Spanish Smoked Paprika Chicken - These little taste sensations add delicious flavours to your dishes and are brilliant to jazz up your food when you don't know what to cook. The mixes contain oil, herbs and spices and pack a flavourful punch. Perfect to have in your cupboard to spice up chicken dishes, dinner will never be boring again.

As an added bonus Degustabox are trying out a new scheme called "Degustabox fridge" which will include a voucher in each new box for a chiller or freezer item. In this box they have included a voucher for a MOMA bircher muesli pot to be redeemed in Waitrose or Sainsburys. I don't have either in my small town but will pick it up when I go to Bridgend next week. The MOMA muesli pot is a mix of muesli and yogurt so it definitely appeals to me and I look forward to trying it soon.