September 2017 Treatbox Reveal

Posted on September 3, 2017 by Sabrina

Hello and Welcome to the September 2017 Treatbox Reveal with me,
Sabrina of Severn Wishes.

Happy Treat Box Day Everyone!

It’s that time again, a new month already, where are these weeks going? I think I say this every time, but August has gone particularly fast for me compared to the other months so far. Before we know it, it will be a certain time of year beginning with ‘C’!

It’s September 2nd today as I am photographing this wonderful Treatbox for you all to see, and I hope to upload this post on the 3rd…

This month the box theme is… Unicorns!!!

The tissue paper is a gorgeous shade of light blue. And the smell! Oh the whole box smells divine! A mix of sweet fruit and coconut I think…

“You’re Pretty Magical” the little Unicorn says…

As I open up the calendar print on top and begin to read about the contents of this box I realise there are several of the items that I will enjoy photographing and also enjoy using! Though not a crazy unicorn fan I do like them, I loved riding horses as a child. Does anyone remember the film “The Last Unicorn?” it was a great movie but also incredibly sad!

So without further ado! Here is my photo Reveal of the contents of the September 2017 Treatbox.

Here is the full list of items available for this month. Remember there are sometimes variations in colours and quotes usually! This month we have received 8 things but some of them we have more than one. So we really have around 12 items.

Calendar Print for September
White Chocolate Disks x 4 or 5
Blank Blue Notebooks with Unicorns and Dreams and Wishes x 2
Unicorn Horn Large Print
“Do What You Love Every Day” Plaque
Hand Made in Bali Dream Catcher
Unicorn Pin
Bath Bomb

Here is a selection of my photographs of this month’s box, I hope you enjoy seeing the items up close and if you have any questions about anything please leave me a comment.

My Favourites

My favourite items from this month’s box are the pin, because it is of great quality. I also love the Dream Catcher, it is so well made. The notebooks are lovely and unique looking, useful as usual too, thanks to Zoe!

I like that I have gotten the “Do What You Love Every Day” Plaque, because a few treat boxes ago I received the Coaster version of this quote! Check out this photo below showing both the old and new items together. Isn’t that cool?!

My Overall Opinion

There are some really nice items in this box including ones that are homemade and or unique. I like that we are supporting an ethically sourced item this month and supporting a community in Bali who make them. The sales of Treatbox go to helping make sure these people earn money for their work as we know the products are handmade but source and sold ethically.

I like that it is an unusually filled box this month, with loads of people being into the fantasy trend and unicorns seem very in at the moment too. I’m not unicorn crazy but I’m also not against it, so it’s nice to receive items that I will use without being embarrassed by them being too childish for example.

Are you thinking of ordering a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone?
Then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build your own box at their website https://treatboxuk.com/

If you aren’t sure on whether to try a TreatBox for yourself or not I would say order a one off box, and then if you’re happy with it you can always subscribe afterwards. Check out my previous posts on the Treat Boxes I have received so far, in this unique category of my website called ‘Treatbox’ especially for these box reviews and reveals – Severn Wishes – TREATBOX

Thanks for reading this months box reveal today, if you have any of your own thoughts you would like to share with me or if you have purchased a box after reading one of my reviews then I would love to hear your from you, so why not leave me a comment below.

Also if you have any questions about any of the items contained in this month’s Treatbox then please get in touch I am more than happy to answer them for you, if I can.

If you want to watch my video reveal you can check it out on my channel here.

Until next time then Severn Wishes followers, I thank you for joining me for this reveal today, and I hope you have all enjoyed it.

✩ Sabrina ✩

August 2017 Treatbox Reveal

Posted on August 2, 2017 by Sabrina

Hello and Welcome to the August 2017 Treatbox Reveal with me, Sabrina.

Happy Treat Box Day and a very Happy August to you all too! August is a happy month for me, I got married in August and it’s also my mothers birthday, so plenty to look forward to after Treatbox day!

The August Treatbox is a Theme of Tea and Cake, with Peach coloured wrapping paper this month and a sticker that says ‘it’s the little things’. We have a delightful Calendar Print which is covered in Biscuits, with a Pot of Tea at the bottom and out of the steam it reads ‘take a break’.

I don’t know anyone who doesn’t enjoy the very British past time of taking a break with a biscuit in hand! Although we may all love different kinds of them, we all take our breaks the same!

I’m excited to see what we have inside the box, as I eagerly open the Calendar print pages to find out!

If you would prefer to watch my Treatbox Reveal Video for this month then you can of course find it here on my channel SevernSabrina

Here is the full list of items available this month, and remember there are always slightly different variations in the types and the colours, everyone may get a different combination inside their box…

There are 9 main items in this Treatbox but of course we have been given 4 magnets, plus 2 tea’s so that means we actually have 13 items to enjoy this month…

Calendar Print for August 2017 – Take A Break – Tea and Biscuits
Recipe Card – Carrot Cake
Vanilla Shortbread Cookie – Tea Cup Shape (Pink)
2 Bags of Clipper Tea – Big and Bright Blend
4 Animal Magnets – 4 Colours – Cat, Rabbit, Bird and Elephant
Weekly Planner – Coffee and Tea and Refreshments Design
Print – ‘You Can’t Start An Adventure Without A Cup Of Tea First’
Biscuit Shape and Designed Coaster
100% Cotton Tea Towel (70cm x 50cm) Turquoise and White ‘Everything Stops For Tea and Cake’

My Treatbox Photographs

Here is a selection of my photographs showcasing the contents of this month’s box, I hope you enjoy seeing the items up close and if you have any questions about any of them then please leave me a comment.

My Favourites

My favourite items from this month’s box are the Magnets, The Planner and The Tea Towel. I thought the theme ran well throughout the items, so they were all good as an ensemble, however these more unusual items have won me over this month. The quality of the pieces in this box is excellent.

My Overall Opinion

This August box is a very good box, in fact I would go so far as to say that it is one of the best so far this year! I thought the theme was very well thought out, and I’m also very glad that we have some brand new items this time around. I’m really happy that Zoe has branched out into other types of items. In my time of receiving Treat Boxes I haven’t been given a Tea Towel, so this was one item I was very happy about. Another was the Recipe Card, a great idea and something that we can continue to use in times to come. Finally the Magnets were a wonderful addition, I hope that the next Treatbox is as well thought out as this one.

Are you thinking of ordering a TreatBox for yourself or for a gift for someone?
Then you can find Treatbox subscriptions and build your own box at their website https://treatboxuk.com/

Also if you have any questions about any of the items contained in this months treatbox then please get in touch I am more than happy to answer them for you, if I can.

Until next time then Severn Wishes followers, I thank you for joining me for this reveal today, and I hope you have all enjoyed it too.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Gift Company Wine Bottle Holder Cannon Shape Review

Posted on May 14, 2017 by Sabrina

Gift Company sell a range of Wine Bottle Holders, which (until very recently) included this Cannon one. I purchased this for my Father for his birthday, and this is my review of the product, including a quote from my Father about what he thought. Here is the item that I received, the wine of course was not included, this is just to show the scale.

The current range of holders that are available can be found here Gift Company

The item is considerably larger than I would have thought, but when you consider the diameter of a standard sized bottle of wine it does make sense. The wine goes into the holder at an angle, so the Cannon sits as it would do if it was real. I loved the reality of this item, more than other ones available, it had a natural historic charm to it.

My father is a historical author, he loves anything to do with history and I knew this would be the most perfect gift for him. What he said about the product was this; “The Cannon is a lovely gift for anyone who likes history, it has excellent scale and a good shape to it. My only criticism is that it is quite sharp in areas so people must be careful when moving the object around”.

My opinion on the item is that the quirkiness and complexity of such an object makes a unique gift for any history lover or admirer of historic weapons. When it is not being used as a wine holder you could use it to house any manner of decorative items, such as false flowers or stationary.

Here are some more photographs of the item so you can look at the scale and details.

Finally I must add that the service that I received from one of the Gift Company team regarding this order was nothing less than exceptional. Not only did she have to find this item for me, sourcing it from one of the stores, she even had it delivered to me on a day that suited my needs. I really wanted this item and was so pleased that this could be made a reality for me to purchase. For that reason I would like to thank Becki, for her excellent customer service.

I recommend the Gift Company website to many people personally, as well as on my blog, so thank you very much for everything that you did in order to get me this wonderful present for my Father.

My Review Scores
Appearance 5/5
Quality 4/5
Value for Money 4/5
Delivery 5/5

Thank you for reading this review today, I hope that you’ll be able to visit a Gift Company store near you or perhaps the website to find your perfect wine bottle holder, I cannot recommend them enough.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Gift Company Website

Sabrina’s Easy To Make Pasta Dishes In Minutes

Posted on April 27, 2017 by Sabrina

Sabrina’s Easy To Make Pasta Dishes You Can Make In Minutes

As some of you will know by following me over on my Instagram, I love food! No, I don’t just love it, I love making it, experimenting with it, but most of all I love eating it.

Lots of you seem to like my food related images, so I figured why not write a blog post about what I cook. And not only am I sharing photo’s of finished dishes, but I will give you some of my secret homemade recipes that I love to cook with too.

I am starting off this series of posts with Pasta, I adore it, it’s so versatile, quick to cook and simple to accompany as well.

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Pasta Dish One – Homemade Sweet Chilli Beef Meatballs in a Tomato and Onion Sauce

This is one of my favourite dishes to make because meatballs are easy when you know how, and they can be so versatile in their use too. If you don’t like sweet chilli don’t put it in this recipe, instead why not try rolling the meatball around a small lump of cheese for a delicious centre inside when you cut into it. If you have difficulty with the binding of the meatballs you can use one small egg in the mixture.
The possibilities are endless, happy experimenting!

The Meatballs Ingredients to Serve 4 people (Approximately 16 Meatballs);
Beef Mince (you can use any kind of mince meat though such as Turkey) you will need around 500 grams.
Pinch of Salt and Pepper
Mixed Italian Herbs (two teaspoons)
Sweet Chilli Sauce (supermarket bought and you will need around two teaspoons of it – adjust to your own taste, more if you love chilli).

The Sauce Ingredients;
One Tin of Chopped Tomatoes 400 grams
Diced Onions (Fried) 150 grams
Salt and Pepper (To Taste)
Tomato Puree 30 grams
Garlic (To Your Taste)

Method
Mix the ingredients from above in a bowl with a wooden spoon. Then using your hands collect ping pong ball sized amounts of the mixture. Using your palms roll into a tight ball. Make as many as you can with the amount you have.

Once you have made your own meatballs, place them into a frying pan on a medium heat with a tiny layer of oil to avoid sticking. Always use tongs to lift the meatballs one at a time, and rotate them making sure all of the sides have around a minute of cooking against the pans surface. This seals the meat and adds flavour.

Now for the sauce, in a deep saucepan you add all of the ingredients as listed above, and simmer on a low heat for around twenty minutes. Once your meatballs are sealed you place them into the sauce, add a lid on top of the pan, and cook for a further ten minutes. The sauce should thicken and the meatballs should be cooked through.

Serve in a large bowl, with spaghetti or any shaped pasta underneath. Add Cheddar or Parmesan Cheese on top of the sauce for extra flavour.

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Pasta Dish Two – Homemade Italian Style Peppers and Beans Pasta with Bacon*

This dish is a bit of a wild one. I made it up while using up ingredients in my fridge, like open meats and leftover vegetables. It was such a success I have decided to share it. If you are a vegetarian you can substitute the meat I used for more beans or perhaps courgettes or tomatoes. All of these choices goes well with my other ingredients.

Ingredients
Bacon* Lardons (You Can Use Any Meat, Ham, Bacon, Chicken etc OR add another Vegetable). 100 grams serves 2 people.
One or Two Chopped Peppers
Green Beans (Half a Cup Chopped)
Three Teaspoons of Mixed Italian Herbs
Tomato Puree 50 grams
Garlic / Salt / Pepper (To Your Taste)

Method
In a Saucepan fry the Meat, and once cooked add the Peppers and Garlic, fry until soft. Add the Tomato Puree, Herbs and Seasonings. Finally add the Green Beans and let them cook in the sauce for around five minutes with the lid on, Simmer on Low.

Once you have cooked your chosen Pasta in a separate saucepan then add it to the sauce one and stir thoroughly coating all of the pieces.
Serve in a warm bowl just as it is.

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Pasta Dish Three – Homemade Rich Tomato and Beef* Sauce

My take on this Classic style Pasta Sauce is a family favourite in my house, and it goes well with all sorts of Pasta shapes. Great with Garlic Bread or Homemade Garlic Dough Balls to accompany it as well.
Once again if you’re a vegetarian you can swap the beef for a protein such as Quorn Mince for example, and stick to the other sauce ingredients when possible.

Ingredients
Minced Beef* or Vegetarian Protein 500 grams
One Tin of Chopped Tomatoes 400 grams
Diced Onions (Fried) 150 grams
Tomato Puree 30 grams
Salt and Pepper (To Taste)
Garlic (To Your Taste)
One Beef Stock Cube (Or the adventurous among you can use Marmite or Vegemite to enhance the flavour too. You would need around two tea spoons but be aware of saltiness and always taste after final seasoning).
Two Teaspoons of Italian Seasoning, usually Basil and Oregano based mixes.

Method
Firstly fry off the meat and onion until browned and soft. Transfer to a deep Saucepan where you will add the tomatoes and puree, mix until coated before adding the stock or sauce enhancers. Finally season with garlic, salt and pepper. Add in the Italian Herbs last and simmer on a low heat for around twenty minutes allowing the sauce to thicken up.

Serve in a bowl once again on a bed of Pasta, Shells, Fusilli or Spaghetti all work well I think.

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And that my friends is it! Thank you for joining me for this post, I have enjoyed sharing my secret recipes with you (not so secret now) and I hope you have enjoyed this lifestyle and cookery post.

If you liked the food images and recipes or you decided to try one of my recipes yourself, then please leave me a comment below, I would love to know your thoughts and if you cooked please tag me in any photo’s on social media! Any questions leave me a comment!

Have a great rest of your day and if you did like this then look out for more of my cooking posts in the future 🙂

✩ Sabrina ✩

Severn Wishes One Year of Blogging and Big Giveaway

Posted on April 22, 2017 by Sabrina

♡ One Year of Blogging, Over 100 Posts Celebration and A Giveaway ♡

When I realised I was getting close to a year of blogging I knew that I wanted to hold a giveaway to thank everyone who has been supporting me this far. Whether you follow me on a social media or you just read my blog regularly, it’s you who have helped me to be a better writer and photographer. I have been collecting items for this for quite some time, so I hope you’ll like the selection that I’ve gathered…

I have been so lucky in my first year, I have worked with many companies including Spectrum Brushes, Gift Company and many more. Not only that but I already have so much lined up for the Spring and Summer of 2017 to share with you all as well.

During the past thirteen months of Severn Wishes being live, I have posted more than 105 articles, most have been reviews and reveals, but other posts have been about my Lifestyle and Travel experiences.

During the next year I hope to continue writing in my honest fashion and to bring you even better photography as my knowledge and learning increases.

What can you expect over the Summer months from Severn Wishes?
Jewellery, Makeup, Homeware, Games, Fashion, Cooking and Craft posts, and so much more besides.
I am already speaking to some companies who want to collaborate with me, and I cannot wait to bring all of this excitement to my blog for you all to enjoy!

So from the bottom of my heart, thank you for supporting me and my blog.
♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡ ♡

✩♡✩♡✩ Giveaway ✩♡✩♡✩

Without further ado I am going to tell you exactly what you can win in this new and latest Severn Wishes giveaway!
If you saw some of my recent posts you will have read the clues that I left revealing some of the items you could win!
Featuring Soap and Glory, Primark, Nivea AND Makeup Revolution!
I give you my One Year Giveaway bundle!!!!

✩♡✩♡✩ What You Can Win ✩♡✩♡✩

✩ Marble Soft Cover Bag ✩
✩ Nivea Lip Butter – Vanilla and Macadamia ✩
✩ Soap and Glory – Super Tonic ✩
✩ Makeup Revolution I ♡ Unicorns Unite Mini Gem Brushes ✩
✩ ‘Flawless’ Makeup Mirror and Keyring ✩
✩ Heart and Stars Hair Bands Selection ✩
✩ Marble and Rose Gold Stationary ✩
✩ Wooden Craft Flowers – Be Creative ✩
✩ Lots of Sweet Treats – Yum! ✩

If you don’t know the drill by now click the link below to enter on rafflecopter, and all of the terms and conditions can be found at the end of my post!

♡ Good Luck! ♡

Severn Wishes One Year Blogging Celebratory Giveaway!

✩♡✩♡✩ Enter Here ✩♡✩♡✩

✩ Sabrina ✩

Terms and Conditions
This competition is running from April 23rd until May 31st 2017.
The winner will receive their prizes in June 2017.
This giveaway is only open to entrants from the UK.
Severn Wishes reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice.
No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for whatever reason, and all entries subject to verification.

Made on the Isle of Wight – My Time Away and these Wonderful Products

Posted on February 26, 2017 by Sabrina

My Time Away on the Isle of Wight and Reviewing A Range of Isle of Wight Products

(Shanklin Coast)

I recently took a short holiday to the Isle of Wight in Southern England. I have family who live permanently on the island so it’s a place filled with many fond memories for me. For such a small place, roughly 150 sq miles the island has such a lot to offer. If you haven’t been I will go into a little background for you before I continue with my review.

(Sandown Pier)

The Coloured Sands are probably what the island is most famous for, as well as the Yacht races and the incredible looking Needles of course. But the Isle of Wight is also home to Carisbrooke Castle, the Isle of Wight Steam Railway and of course the Roman Villa at Brading. If you’re planning on taking a trip to the island there are more than enough things to see and do, more so in the warmer months of the year. If you like animals I can recommend both the Isle of Wight Zoo and Amazon World Zoo, as well as the Monkey Haven which has primates and owls.

Now I’m going to discuss with you my thoughts on two of the islands products, both made and distributed from the Isle of Wight itself. These are, The Isle of Wight Biscuit Company and Wight Crystal.

Based on the island in the heart of the countryside, using dairy from it’s own herd, The Isle of Wight Biscuit Company pride themselves on making delicious handmade treats using local ingredients wherever possible.

Some of their range includes the original and rustic Farmhouse Cookie which is their oldest recipe, as well as a variety of melt in the mouth Shortbread’s, a Butter Crunch which comes in three varieties. And they have recently branched out into various flavours of Cookies, Shortbread Biscuits, Farmhouse Ryes and other savoury items such as Crackers, as well as novelty shaped biscuits.

And their latest creation is the Lemon Crumbles which you’ll find the review for later on in the post. Believe me it’s worth the wait! (I am salivating just recalling the experience)!

I also had the joy of sampling the water from Wight Crystal. This wonderful company was founded in 1988 when a new charity for the Island was created called Osel Enterprises. In the late 80’s there was little opportunity for anyone with a disability to find work on the island. Wight Crystal built a workforce of those who had been previously excluded from a job due to their physical or mental conditions, and set about harvesting a natural Isle of Wight resource to produce their first bottled water.

The water source is at Knighton and lies at the foot of chalk downland which is at the very heart of the Island. The Spring Water was first exploited in the 1800’s. Since Wight Crystal began it has grown to adding carbonated, flavoured and water coolers to its range.

At present Osel, via its Wayforward Programme, provides support services to more than 300 Island people living with a disability. Income from Wight Crystal sales supports The Wayforward Programme which provides 24/7 care support services for people with a learning disability across the Island. Money from every bottle of water sold helps to support and expand the care services to those in the Isle of Wight community who need help.

Isle of Wight Crystal can be found all over the island to purchase, including on the Ferries to and from the island.

So how did I come about reviewing these items, well I met all the ladies responsible for both businesses on my ferry crossing. The Wightlink Ferry St Clare was embarking on a special products testing and introduction because of their new shop opening on board. It would be stocking Isle of Wight products including a variety of companies who are established on the island. As I mingled around the deck trying a array of drink and cake and snacks, I was drawn to two tables in particular.
We got talking and I told them I was a blogger who loved to review UK based companies more than anything. Both of them were more than happy for me to review their products for them. My family were also keen to help review the biscuits (as you can probably imagine). So loaded up with a bag of ‘Made on the Isle of Wight’ items, we then set off to enjoy our holiday.

Upon returning to my part of England the following week I quickly began taking photographs of the remaining items I had left. I couldn’t possibly do a review with no pictures! I had to stop myself from eating the lot until I arrived home. My family members had began giving me and sending me their opinions on whichever Biscuit or Cookie or Rye they had tried, and so begins the review part of this experience and images of some of the tasty items too.

The Isle of Wight Crystal water is refreshing and delicious, I believe in everything that they are achieving in order to support people on the Isle of Wight living with a disability. The work they do is wonderful, and I can recommend you purchasing their products, knowing that your money will go to help someone.

The Isle of Wight Biscuit Company gave me a variety of items to try and taste to review. I did get the help of my Mother and her partner, and also my Husband, to devour and provide their opinions. I have then compiled our views to give each style of biscuit that we had an overall score.

Farmhouse Cookies Ingredients 30g
Chocolate Chip with Dairy Cream contains Wheat Flour, Rolled Oats, Vegetable Oils (Palm and Rapeseed Oil), Brown Sugar, Golden Syrup, Chocolate Chips 5.4% (cocoa mass, soya-lecithin, sugar), Dairy Cream 3.9% (Milk), Salt, Sodium Bicarbonate

Farmhouse Cookies

Taste 4/5

Texture 5/5

A Crumbly and Crunchy texture, but this Cookie melts in the mouth, the Chocolate Chips are sweet and it has a creamy aftertaste, it’s delicious.

Original Shortbread Ingredients 30g
Wheat Flour, Salted Butter (milk) 29.5%, Rice Flour and Caster Sugar.

Original Shortbread

Taste 5/5

Texture 4/5

Great texture, buttery and sweet with a lovely crumble to it. The delicious aftertaste of butter compliments the sweet sugar sprinkled on top. Some of the nicest shortbread I have had in a long time.

Lemon Crumbles Ingredients 30g
Vegetable Oils (Palm and Rapeseed), Sugar, Wheat Flour, Rice Flour, Lemon Juice 3.3%, Lemon Extract (Ethanol, Natural Oil of Lemon) 0.8%, Bicarbonate of Soda, Salt.

Lemon Crumbles
Taste 5/5

Texture 5/5

A delicious biscuit that not only crumbles but melts in the mouth, with a sweet and lemony initial kick, that has an aftertaste of biscuit perfection. You get salty crumble, sweet sugar and then sour lemon all in one mouthful sending your tongue into a taste frenzy. A unique biscuit that I thoroughly enjoyed eating, I did share it with my husband who agreed they would go beautifully with an Earl Grey Tea in an afternoon.

Farmhouse Rye’s

Poppy Seed; Delicious and Crunchy, perfect with soft cheese

Taste 3/5

Texture 5/5

Celery; An Unusual but Excellent tasting Rye,

eaten with soft cheese, there is a nice aftertaste of celery after the initial crunch.

Taste 4/5

Texture 5/5

Here are links to both the wonderful companies websites, and do search for them on social media such as Twitter to stay up to date on the latest products too! And if you visit the Isle of Wight this year don’t forget to buy your own to try!

Wight Crystal http://wightcrystal.org.uk/

Isle of Wight Biscuit Company http://www.islandbiscuits.co.uk/

Thank you for reading my review and lifestyle post today, I have thoroughly enjoyed writing and of course the tasting! I hope I will see you again soon for the next one.

Thank you for the samples from Isle of Wight Biscuit Company and from Wight Crystal.

✩ Sabrina ✩

Juice Burst Review

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Sabrina

JuiceBurst4 I have always been a fan of juices and smoothies, and any simple way that I can get nutrients into my body quickly. When I heard about Juice Burst drinks I wanted to try them and give a short review for those who may not have discovered them yet.

Based in Wednesbury in the Midlands, Juice Burst is a company who specialise in bringing healthy, less sugar fruit juice drinks to the people of Britain. They first became established back in 2001, and have since grown to become one of the leading brands of bottled fruit juices.

So what makes them so great? Well their modern way of manufacturing and filling means that Juice Burst contains no preservatives, only 100% pasteurised fruit juice, and all bottles are sealed to keep in the freshness.

JuiceBurst1 Every one of the products counts as one of your five a day, and they are all smooth to drink and delicious too. Juice Burst have core flavours, and a new range of skinny drinks as well. These core juice drinks contain a lot of fruit juice and range from paired fruit perfections such as Orange and Passion Fruit, and the more unusual such as Blood Orange. As for the skinny options these have no added sugar and still contain enough fruit juice to be classed as one of your five a day.

JuiceBurst2 I have been lucky enough to try some of these drinks, and I’m going to review some of them individually for you, outlining the nutritional information as well as what I thought of the flavours.

JuiceBurst3

Blood Orange: This flavour surprised me, because I have previously drank very tangy and sometimes sharp flavours in a blood orange beverage. Instead I found that this Juice Burst version was smooth, full of a tangy citrus and orange taste. There are no bits what so ever in these drinks, and you end up enjoying them so much that they are gone soon after opening them.
This bottle mainly contains fruit juice from blood oranges. It contains 8.2g sugar if consumed in one go (500ml).

Peach & Passion Fruit: One of the skinny varieties from Juice Burst, this to me is a match made in fruity heaven! I cannot think of any flavours better suited to one another. This drink doesn’t disappoint with the right level of sweetness and citrus and tropical notes.
This bottle contains juices from apples, peaches, oranges and passion fruit, with some peach puree added in as well, this should be a good source of Vitamins A & C which are essential to the human body. It contains just 4.0g of sugar if the whole bottle is consumed (400ml).

JuiceBurst5

Pomegranate & Blueberry: This skinny flavour from Juice Burst was deliciously sweet for such a low calorie drink, and the taste was tangy and crisp. I really enjoyed drinking it and I didn’t feel like it was in any way containing less sugar than the core beverages. This could be because Juice Burst add stevia, a naturally occurring sweet plant extract to it.
This bottle contains the fruit juice of white grapes, pomegranate, aronia, apples and blueberries. It is only 99cal per drink and contains 5.1g sugar if consumed in one go (400ml).

Overall these drinks are truly delicious and I would happily choose them as a fruit juice option for myself in the future. I hope you have enjoyed this review,, I know I have thoroughly enjoyed drinking them!

Should you want to find and taste a Juice Burst for yourself then look in your local WHSmith stores, Superdrug stores and also Costcutter shops to name but a few places they are available.

You can find out more about Juice Burst on their website and social media’s, including where you can purchase the drinks, information on flavours, and also where they get their fruit from, but trust me, it’s global and it tastes amazing!
www.juiceburst.com/

Book Review of ‘Cook Yourself Young’ by E Peyton-Jones including Recipe Review

Posted on April 17, 2016 by Sabrina

CookYourselfYoung Back in February of this year I was lucky enough to win a competition through Intu shopping centres to win this wonderful book by Elizabeth Peyton-Jones. As it says on the cover the author has cleverly created recipes that allow us to harness the power of food so that we may live healthier lives. There are lots of aspects of food that can provide the health benefits our bodies need. Making the most of things such as antioxidants and vitamins that foods such as tomatoes naturally provide.

The author of ‘Cook Yourself Young’ is a food and health expert as well as a naturopath. Elizabeth Peyton-Jones is helping people to make the necessary changes to their lifestyle and diet in order to increase their wellbeing and health. The title of the book stems from her belief in slowing the process of ageing by restoring balance within the human body. She promotes simple ways of eating good food that can allow for higher energy levels, encouragement of sleep and reducing body fat, to name but a few. Through the recipes and advice in her book Peyton-Jones hopes that people will feel the benefits of her expertise, allowing them to feel good about their bodies and look and feel more youthful.

The book not only has wonderful easy-to-cook recipes but also advice about what foods are natural medicines for your body. I found these facts fascinating to read about, my favourites include foods for tackling problems such as fatigue, digestive problems and also ingredients for boosting the immune system.

So having read through the book there was a recipe in particular that I kept coming back to, so that is the one I decided to try. Peyton-Jones’ ‘Cheesy’ Stuffed Tomatoes recipe didn’t just sound delicious it looks great on the authors photograph too. So I managed to get the ingredients that I needed and waited for a free afternoon where I could take my time and cook this recipe right.

Recipe This recipe was easy to follow and the instructions were very clear. I have always loved to cook so it was nice to try something different. The only thing I did change however was one ingredient, which was relating to nuts. My husband is very allergic so it’s not something that we even have in the house. ‘Cook Yourself Young’ contains many recipes which have nuts in, and although I won’t be able to include nuts in the ones I do try out, I either substitute them or leave the ingredient out completely.

So I readied the items for the meal and prepared them appropriately to E Peyton-Jones’ instructions. While my oven preheated I took some photographs, and once they were cooked I took some more. The smells of the sweet tomato mixing with the garlic, shallots and basil filled my kitchen and I couldn’t wait to try them.

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The final result was a truly delicious tomato dish that I would most definitely make again. Great on their own or they go wonderfully as a side dish with a variety of different meals. We actually ate them on this occasion as a side dish with a chicken breast. The delicious sweetness of the tomato accompanied with strong garlic and basil was wonderful. The tomatoes keep their shape even after the stuffing and the cooking, they are soft and easy to eat, and this makes them all the more inviting. The sweetness and the strong taste of garlic and basil together are divine, and I enjoyed the smells that filled my kitchen all throughout the preparation and the cooking. The final look of the recipe was also very inviting. I always believe that you first get hungry from what you see with your eyes and if something looks delicious it usually is. The colours that are present in this tasty dish make it rather appetising.

Recipe Result So overall this is a wonderful and unique book filled with recipes and facts that will keep you entertained for months as you create these interesting and healthy dishes. Even if you have to substitute ingredients like I have done, the recipes are still fantastic and it’s well worth it for all the facts about your body and the way it reacts to food.
Through ‘Cook Yourself Young’ I have learned about the foods that can give me more strength, and the foods that can make my healthier, one dish at a time. If you suffer from an ailment sometimes foods can benefit you in other ways, and it was fascinating to read about the ways in which even some spices can make a difference in your life.
I can recommend this book if you enjoy cooking and learning about how what you can eat, can benefit you in lots of varied ways.

Cadbury Dairy Milk Medley Review

Posted on April 11, 2016 by Sabrina

I have always enjoyed eating chocolate, all kinds really. So when I saw that Cadbury had released a new ‘Medley’ chocolate bar I thought I should give it a try.

Since Cadbury are now owned by Kraft I always worry that recipes will start to change, and luckily the original Dairy Milk still tastes wonderful to me.

The bar I’m reviewing today is the flavour of dark chocolate chips, caramelised hazelnuts and raspberry pieces. I love the idea of this combination, and it contains fruit so it’s one of my 5 a day right? I wish! Ha ha!

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So how does it taste? I know you’re all desperate to find out… It’s the delicious creamy taste of Dairy Milk with delightful crunch of hazelnuts, the bitter taste of the dark chocolate, all accompanied by the tangy sweet raspberry pieces.

What I liked the most about it was the delicious creamy taste of the dairy milk among all the textures inside on top of the chocolate itself. Crunchy Nuts, Melt in the Mouth Raspberry Pieces and Soft Dark Chocolate drops. I won’t lie it was rather moreish!

Cadbury1 Cadbury2 As you can see in my photographs the majority of the ingredients are scattered on top of the dairy milk chocolate. There is a lovely texture as you bite through because of the contrast between the caramelised hazelnuts and the freeze-fried raspberries. The dark chocolate and nuts must be added while the milk chocolate is still drying during production because many are integrated in the pieces, but the raspberry is all on the top.

I personally think this bar is a keeper, if you like Cadbury Wholenut and enjoy the taste of Raspberries then I recommend you give this one a try.

This final images give you any nutritional information you might be interested in, and to finish the review, a macro shot of the chocolate itself. I have already eaten this bar now and just writing this review makes me want to get more.

Medley Cadbury3 So where can you buy this chocolate bar? I looked in a few supermarkets and eventually found it in Sainsbury’s, but It’s also in larger Tesco stores and I’m sure within a few weeks it will be available in most places.

The Importance of Water

Posted on April 7, 2016 by Sabrina

I have always been a supporter of drinking lots of water. I have never had any problem in drinking pints of the stuff every day. Sometimes I drink it plain, sometimes it’s flavoured and occasionally with a dash of squash thrown in. But the most important thing about water is just getting it into your body in the first place.

For anyone who does struggle with drinking water, here are a few of my tips to getting more into your every day routine. The first is to buy a sports cap bottle. It might sound a little odd, but not having to unscrew a lid, and just flicking up a cap and drinking out of it, saves time and is more convenient if you’re someone who is always on the go. You can also drink more this way than you would do if you were sipping from the top of an open bottle.

Something else that I always do, is to have a small glass of water half an hour before every meal. By doing this it kick starts your digestive system and gets it ready to receive the food you’re about to devour, this also helps to control appetite as well.

Most people will insist that the recommended daily amount of water you need to consume is eight glasses. But this doesn’t take into consideration warm weather, sweating if you exercise and other daily situations such as health and lifestyle. The actual amount of water you need to drink as an adult varies from eight to sixteen glasses a day. Some people struggle with this amount and many adults substitute water for things like tea and energy drinks. Although these hydrate you they don’t have the benefits that plain water does. My tip for you is to always keep water to hand, either in a bottle or a glass. If you’re on the go a lot always carry a bottle with you. Another tip is to drink one glass of water when you wake up in the morning that is before you eat anything or go about your daily routine. This helps to kick start the digestive system and can lower blood pressure too.

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The benefits of drinking more water can be noticed within a couple of days. Your body is made of approximately 60% water, this helps transport nutrients in the body and regulate body temperature among other things. When you are made of so much liquid this means that dehydration is never far away if you don’t look after yourself. Being dehydrated can cause your skin to dry up and for your kidney function to decline in efficiency. These are just some of the reasons why you need to keep up those fluids. Your skin will look healthier and you’ll notice the difference in your concentration levels as well as your muscles. Drinking more water can help with muscle tiredness and it flushes out the toxins that cause illness and skin breakouts.

Robinson’s have been running promotions on both Twitter and Facebook to win their very cute glasses, I call mine my happy glass. Why is he happy? Because you’re drinking more water of course! Thank you again to Robinson’s for my wonderful glass.

RobinsonsFreebieSW I hope that you have enjoyed this blog post and I hope that perhaps I have inspired you (with the facts) to drink more water.