Wednesday 25 March 2015

TAKING THE PEA (PRODUCT REVIEW)

Taking the Pea is brand new to the snack food market and I had the honour of trying out three of their vegan-friendly crunchy pea snack flavours - Smoked Ham, Wacky Wasabi and Sweet Chilli Salsa. *The last flavour in the range, Cheesy Peasy and Onion, is not vegan so that's been left out.

As you can probably tell, the main ingredient is the humble pea! Packed full of wonderful protein and fibre, the crunchy marrowfat peas are coated with bold flavours that really pack a punch.


I started with the smoked ham flavour (all vegan, don't worry!) because I was curious about the taste. It is absolutely delicious and reminds me of bbq flavoured crisps. Then I moved on to the sweet chilli salsa which was addictive but not as spicy as I thought it would be. Nothing could prepare me for the wacky wasabi flavour - talk about heat! Hands down my favourite of the bunch. It probably isn't for everyone and the first time you try it, you'll probably think your ears are about to blow off hot steam - looney tunes style - but it passes quickly and if you're anything like me, you'll want the next hit straight away.

Speaking of looney tunes, I really like the bright packaging and the fact that each flavour comes with its own pea cartoon character. It adds a touch of fun to the brand (as if the punny brand name wasn't already a give away) and I hear each character even has its own hilarious twitter page! 

Each 40g pack contains between 140-145 calories and has less fat than peanuts and more fibre than traditional potato crisps... a healthy alternative to most other greasy snacks out there and nifty enough so you can have it on-the-go. Can't ask for more than that.

If you'd like to try these yummy peas (and see if you can handle the wasabi heat!) then you can purchase them on their official website here.

You can also follow Taking the Pea on Twitter and like their page on Facebook.


Thursday 12 March 2015

CAULIFLOWER RICE

I've been away for a few days, experiencing what California has to offer in the way of vegan food and dining. Before I share that experience, here's a recipe that's been long overdue to appear on the blog...

Cauliflower rice has been on my to-do list for the longest time so I'm incredibly excited to share this easy, delicious, no-fuss recipe. If you're after a lighter alternative to regular brown, white or basmati rice, then this is a must-try for you. Spice it up on its own, or serve it with a tasty veggie stew - the choice is yours. I had mine with a red pepper stew made with bite-size chunks of jerusalem artichokes. 


Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower
- 1 tsp olive oil
- fresh thyme

                                
Method
Cut the cauliflower into small florets, discard the outer leaves.



Place the florets in a food processor.


Pulse until you are left with a grainy rice-like consistency. Be careful not to blend it excessively. Take out any large lumps that escaped the blade.


Heat a teaspoon of olive oil in a large pan and add the cauliflower rice. Stir and cover. Leave to cook on low heat for 5-7 minutes until the cauliflower is slightly more tender and warmed all the way through. Alternatively, you can skip this step and have it raw. I wanted mine slightly warm and soft.


Serve with a generous sprinkling of fresh thyme. Eat on its own or with your favourite vegetable stew/sauce.