We were sent five "ready meals" by Stewed! from their Nourish Your Soul range to trial. These were not "ready meals" as we all know them.....
Each are crammed full of delicious ingredients and boast credentials like no artificial flavourings or preservatives, Gluten free and use British meats. These are just some of the amazing things that make their home-cooked style meals so awesome! They are so simple and quick: ready in just 3 minutes from chilled or 5 1/2 minutes from frozen, they are absolutely perfect as a quick lunchtime snack or as an on-the-go meal. Here's what we thought.....
Chickpea, Sweet Potato & Feta Stew
Being vegetarian this was the only one that Lexi's Mummy could actually eat but Stewed! have informed me that they are working on more yummy vegetarian recipes for their range soon which I am very excited about! I absolutely loved this chickpea stew. It was crammed full of delicious chunks of vegetables which were cooked to perfection. The stew was so flavoursome and filling - perfect for lunch. I ate it on it's own but it would be great with some bread dipped into the sauce if you are hungry! There is a slight hint of spice but not too overpowering that it took over the flavour. Absolutely delicious!! And as a bonus (like it needs one) each serving is only 234 calories AND is 2 of your five a day!
Hungarian Goulash
Lexi's Daddy ate this one as it contains beef. His verdict was that it was absolutely gorgeous! Definitely his favourite of the three he tried. He said it was really meaty and flavoursome with big chunks of beef which was so tender and melted in the mouth. He loved it and said it would be amazing on a cold, rainy day as a warming lunch to ready you for the rest of a dreary day! It had lots of lovely tender beef, soft juicy vegetables and some bite from the kidney beans. A great thick sauce which was really filling and mouthwatering. All in all; absolutely moorish and delicious!! Also low in calorie at only 234 calories and being 1 of your 5 a day means that there is no guilt from feeling full and nourished!
Chorizo, Chickpea & Pork Stew
Lexi's Daddy took this one to work for his lunch to make a change from Ryvita or sandwiches and thought it was great! He was a little disappointed as he had loved the Goulash so much and this one had only a few very large chunks of pork as oppose to smaller, bite sized pieces but he said the pork was cooked to perfection, really tender and juicy as were the vegetables. A little more watery - more of a broth than a stew but the chorizo was gorgeous and the 'stew' was very warming, filling, wholesome and tasty! Again, no guilt with it being only 338 calories and providing 2 of your 5 a day. A great, quick and easy working lunch!
Thai Green Chicken
Lexi's Daddy had this one as a main meal with rice. Again, he didn't love it as much as the Goulash but did thoroughly enjoy it. The chicken was very tender and juicy, the baby sweetcorn, shitake mushrooms and sweet potato were scrumptious. The sauce was a little thin and watery but full of flavour. I have always found Thai food to be a little watery anyway so I think it goes with the territory. He did really enjoy it though. The blend of aromatic spices meant it smelled gorgeous and was again very moorish. Not quite as filling as the ones containing red meat but definitely satisfied his rumbling tummy. Only 328 calories and providing 1 of your 5 a day it's a perfect meal in a hurry (or if you can't cook like Lexi's Daddy!!).
Bob's British Beef in Ale Stew
Lexi's Grandad is what I'd call a fussy eater, he won't allow anything "foreign or spicy" to pass his lips and is a vehement meat and two veg man, eating only the finest cuts of beef and the best quality vegetables and ingredients; so when he offered to try this one I was delighted yet sceptical of his thoughts... I couldn't have been happier when he said that he really enjoyed it! He had his as a main meal with some mash and calabrese: He thought the portion was very generous and had lots of delicious, very tender and well cooked, good quality beef in it. He wasn't overly enamoured by the potatoes as he felt they were slightly undercooked and would have preferred them slightly softer but I would say this may be personal preference. He also enjoyed the carrots but would've preferred slightly less of them as he was feeling very full after eating it all. All in all a thumbs up from the world's most difficult to please dinner guest so thank you very much Stewed! I will definitely be keeping some of these in the freezer for when Lexi's Grandad comes over for dinner!!
That's three very happy diners thanks to Stewed! I would highly recommend keeping some of these delicious, nutritious meals in the fridge or freezer for either lunch on the go or dinner in a hurry! I will definitely be stocking up on some for next week when I am away with Lexi and Daddy is left to fend for himself!
For more information about the full range of Stewed!'s Nourish Your Soul range, visit: www.steweduk.co.uk
There are also some fantastic recipes for meals you can make yourself which I shall definitely be investigating further and having a go at aswell as recipe books available to purchase! The pots are available to buy online at: www.ocado.com/webshop/ priced between £3.49 and £3.79 each which I think is a very competitive price.
Stewed! are also on Facebook. Why not pop over and say hi at: www.facebook.com/Stewedpots?sk=wall
Thank you Stewed! Your meals are definitely Loved by Lexi's Mummy, Daddy & Grandad! :)
All names were put into a random name picker and the randomly chosen winner is......
Nikki Moore
Congratulations Nikki!
Thank you to everyone who entered. Don't be disheartened if you didn't win as we have lots of new reviews and competitions coming up very soon so watch this space! :)
Please bear with me as I usually leave this review lark to Lexi’s Mummy but as this two disc CD is designed for Dads, it needed to be reviewed by a Dad so here’s my thoughts;
When I saw the track list for the double disc CD I was in heaven! Literally!! I was amazed that someone had managed to get so many amazing tunes onto one CD.
With an eclectic collection of songs for all tastes, I really enjoyed listening to it. There are songs from the 70s which are well-known classics like Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve) to which I was ever so tempted to crack out the air guitar and blast out a solo (but I would never admit that!!), some great tracks from the 80s such as The Jam - Town Called Malice which took me back to my childhood; then my favourites which were the tunes from the 90s instantly transporting me to my late teens/early twenties when life was care-free and easy. Anthems like EMF - Unbelievable, The Stone Roses - Fool’s Gold and The Fun Lovin’ Criminals - Scooby Snacks had me cranking up the volume of the stereo and unable to resist pounding out the beats on the steering wheel of the car (yes, that’s about the only place Daddy gets to listen to his own music without Mummy moaning!). It doesn’t stop with the 90s as it includes some great songs from the 00s and beyond including Coldplay - Viva La Vida, The Killers - Human, Razorlight - America and Kasabian - Fire all of which are absolutely awesome tunes. I would never confess to singing along as apparently I sound like drowning cats, but between you and me a few notes may have inadvertently escaped my mouth as I listened and became enraptured in this fantastic collection of songs.
Perhaps a slight throwback or just my personal taste, but I was slightly bemused by the choice of Tinie Tempah feat. Ellie Goulding - Wonderman as it didn’t seem to fit with the style and genres of the other songs on the CDs. Others may enjoy it, I just didn’t feel it was well placed with the other tracks.
I would’ve been delighted if I had received this as a Father’s Day gift, birthday or Christmas present as I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. It will definitely stay in the car stereo for a long time to come. Although I didn’t instantly recognise all the song titles, the moment the first beats came from the speakers I knew instantly what they were. A real selection of feel good classics for everyone but especially Dad’s like me who are approaching their mid-thirties. She wouldn’t admit to it openly, but Mummy was even caught singing along to The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You and The Kooks - She Moves In Her Own Way (but don’t tell her I told you!).
All in all, a fantastic CD which I would highly recommend! Thank you Mummy News for giving me to opportunity to review such a fantastic CD.
Violent Veg’s 40 Favourite Songs for Dad is definitely Loved by Lexi’s Daddy!
Track List:-
CD One
Coldplay - Viva La Vida
The Killers - Human
Razorlight - America
The Script - For The First Time
Scouting For Girls - This Ain’t A Love Song
Fun Lovin’ Criminals - Scooby Snacks
Mansun - Wide Open Space
Supergrass - Alright
Terrorvision - Tequila
The Jam - Town Called Malice
Doves - Black And White Town
EMF - Unbelieveable
The Stone Roses - Fool’s Gold
The Farm - Altogether Now
Space - Female Of The Species
Gomez - Whippin’ Picadilly
The Thrills - Big Sur
Radiohead - Street Spirit (Fade Out)
Babylon Zoo - Spaceman
White Town - Your Woman
CD Two
Tinie Tempah feat. Ellie Goulding - Wonderman
Professor Green feat. Ed Drewett - I Need You Tonight
Billy Idol - Rebel Yell
Iggy Pop - Lust For Life
Buzzcocks - Ever Fallen In Love (With Someone You Shouldn’t’ve)?
The Stranglers - Peaches
Talking Heads - And She Was
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - Spread Your Love
Fountains of Wayne - Stacy’s Mom
Inspiral Carpets - Saturn 5
The Dandy Warhols - Bohemian Like You
The Kooks - She Moves In Her Own Way
Depeche Mode - Enjoy The Silence
Starsailor - Silence Is Easy
Empire Of The Sun - We Are The People
The Magic Numbers - Love Me Like You
Morrissey - Suedehead
Athlete - Wires
Kasabian - Fire
Moby - Extreme Ways
COMPETITION
Loved By Lexi have kindly been sent another copy of the Violent Veg: 40 Favourite Songs for Dad double disc CD to give away to one lucky blog reader! To be entered into the draw just complete these three easy steps and you'll be entered into our random prize draw to win it in time for Father's Day on Sunday!
1. Like Loved By Lexi on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Loved-By-Lexi/199440906759932
2: Like Mummy News on Facebook saying "Sent by Loved By Lexi": http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mummy-News/175234829155198
3: Comment below including your name as ONLY people who have commented below will have their name put into the random name generator and therefore be in with a chance of being the lucky winner!
Apologies but open to UK only.
Good luck to everyone! Competition Closes at 10pm on Wednesday 15th June 2011 so get commenting to be in with a chance of being the lucky winner!
All names were input into a random name picker and the winner of the Naturebotts giveaway is....
SONIA HOCKING!
Congratulations Sonia! Naturebotts will send you out your goodies direct! Enjoy!
Thank you to everybody who took part! Don't be disheartened as I will be announcing another fabulous competition very soon. So watch this space for another chance to win something amazing!
And thank you Naturebotts for very generously offering these fantastic prizes to our worthy winner! And again, Congratulations to the Sonia! :)
If you'd like to take a look at Naturebotts' fantastic range of products, they are available online at: www.naturebotts.co.uk
No sooner has one competition ended, another one begins....
Fantastic competition! Very simple too..
One lucky winner will win ALL of the following prizes:-
Eco-Tronic Eco Mic
http://www.naturebotts.co.uk/departments/products/et_eco_toys/index.htm
“For budding superstars, the Eco Mic has a dynamo wind up action for flashing lights, percussion sounds, music and realistic amplifier!"
This is a fantastic microphone which doesn't need batteries - you just wind it up and off you go! RRP £11.22. Recommended for ages 3+
Aswell as the Eco-Tronic Eco Mic, the lucky winner will also receive 1 pack of Naturebotts 100% biodegradable baby wipes RRP £2.95 and 1 pack of Naturebotts 100% biodegradable travel baby wipes RRP £1.35.
PLUS 1 pack of Naturebotts 100% biodegradable eco-friendly nappy sacks RRP £1.48
Meaning a total prize fund worth £17!
To be in with a chance to win, simply follow these three simple steps:
1: "Like" Loved By Lexi on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Loved-By-Lexi/199440906759932
2: "Like" Naturebotts on Facebook saying "Sent by Loved By Lexi": http://www.facebook.com/pages/Naturebotts/112214965501772
3: Comment below with your name saying you have completed all the steps.
Once Naturebotts hits 275 Facebook likes, everyone who has commented will be put into a random name generator and ONE lucky winner will receive the entire prize bundle!
Please include your name in your comment as if you are a lucky winner, I will email asking for your address so your prize can be sent out direct from Naturebotts.
www.naturebotts.co.uk
Good luck everybody! Lets help Naturebotts boost their Facebook likes whilst having the possibility of one of you being a very lucky winner of some great prizes!!
Well done ladies!! You have each won an amazing HiPP Organic Weaning Starter Pack
I have emailed each of you for your addresses. Once I have received them, I will pass them on to HiPP who will send your prizes out direct.
Thank you to everybody who took part! Don't be disheartened as in a few hours time I will be announcing another fabulous competition. So watch this space for another chance to win something amazing!
And thank you HiPP for very generously offering these three fantastic prizes to our worthy winners! And again, Congratulations to the winners! :)
I can't believe that in one short month the Loved By Lexi Facebook page has almost 500 likers!
Please spread the word as once we hit the magic 500, Loved By Lexi have THREE Hipp Organic Weaning Starter Packs to give away to three lucky winners!
To be in with a chance to win, simply follow these three simple steps:
1: "Like" Loved By Lexi on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Loved-By-Lexi/199440906759932
2: "Like" HiPP UK - Official Page on Facebook saying "Sent by Loved By Lexi": http://www.facebook.com/hippuk
3: Comment below with your name saying you have completed all the steps.
Once Loved By Lexi hits 500 likes, everyone who has commented will be put into a random name generator and THREE lucky winners will each receive a HiPP Organic Weaning Starter Pack! Please include your name in your comment as if you are a lucky winner, I will email asking for your address so your prize can be sent out direct from HiPP.
Good luck everybody and thank you for all your support in Loved By Lexi's first month online!
As I've said before, Lexi isn't the easiest toddler to feed healthy foods to; with her much preferring cheese, crisps, milk and sandwiches. So when I was sent a large box of delicious looking foods and drinks by HiPP I was ever hopeful that Lexi would continue on the great path of healthy eating that she started with the Organix foods. And HiPP certainly didn't let me down! She couldn't get enough of them!!
HiPP Organic Growing Up Meals
I cannot sing the praises of the tray meals enough! The packaging is vibrant and eye catching showing pictures of all the delicious looking ingredients, the heart shape tray is different and makes mealtime more exciting, the contents are easily identifiable, nutritional information is easy to understand, heating the meal couldn't be simpler - pierce film lid, pop into microwave for 1 minute, stir, hey presto Delicious or alternatively heat on the hob in hot water for 6-8 minutes! All their tray meals are organic, contain no GM ingredients and as they state; really are perfect for growing toddlers as they are suitable from 12 months old.
Squiggly spaghetti with tasty tomato & mozzarella sauce
This one was suitable for vegetarians so Mummy had a taste too! It was lovely! Not too strong tomato flavour, small chunks of vegetables and a substantial amount of spaghetti but not too much. Lexi absolutely loved it!
Potato, pumpkin & chicken scrumble
Again, this one looked delicious (although with the chicken in it Mummy didn't taste it but Daddy did!). It smelled like stew and Daddy said it tasted a little like stew too. Very wholesome and filling with good size chunks of vegetables and meat. Lexi gobbled it down rather hastily!
Scumptious lasagne
This was far and above Lexi's absolute favourite! Lots of pasta, nice thick sauce, lots of pieces of vegetables and plenty of meat. Very flavoursome, lovely smooth texture of the sauce and the pasta was great, not too soft that it was mush but not too dense that it was chewy! Lexi absolutely adored the lasagne!
Shell pasta with juicy tomatoes & courgettes
Again, this sauce wasn't too strong taste of tomato but was still flavoursome and succulent. The pasta was very soft but Lexi seemed to enjoy it! Mummy thought it tasted a little like baby food but Lexi didn't seem to mind at all and gobbled this one down too!
Wholesome vegetable & chicken risotto
Having rice made a nice change as I have never before been able to get Lexi to eat rice in any form whatsoever... HiPP changed that! She munched her way through half of it without pause. The rice was cooked well but without being too squishy and mushy. The pieces of chicken and vegetable were soft and a nice size for her not to notice them too much and therefore spit them out! Perhaps her least favourite but that is only because she enjoyed the others SO much. But she definitely enjoyed it a lot! Definitely a pasta girl our Lexi though!
HiPP Organic Fruit Juice Drinks
These ready to drink delicious fruit and water drinks were fantastic! The bottles are sturdy, large cap so not as much of a choking risk if by some minute chance Lexi had got hold of it, the pictures on the label look very appetising and the credentials boast being certified organic, gluten free, no added sugar, no GM or preservatives and suitable for vegetarians. All are suitable from 4 months old so are perfect for taking out and about or just decanting into a beaker or cup for your toddler to drink from.
We were sent mixed fruit with mineral water, apple & blackcurrant juice with mineral water, apple juice with mineral water and pear & peach juice with mineral water. ALL of which Lexi LOVED!! She was so proud being a 'big girl' drinking grown-up juice from a cup and beaker. She has never really been interested or wanted to drink juice before so I was absolutely ecstatic when she took to these so quickly. They were all thirst quenching and very juicy but the apple was definitely Lexi's favourite!
For more information visit: http://www.hipp.co.uk/products
HiPP HiPP HooRay for HiPP's delicious and nutritious Organic meals and their deliciously juicy juice and water drinks. Every single one of them was Loved by Lexi.
