A warning...this is going to be a long post:
When I got back into the flat from the airport, there was a note for a parcel. I was wracking my brains trying to think what it could be as I could not remember for the life of me ordering anything. So this morning I got up bright and walked down to the post office to see what it was.
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I always send away for freebies on line and look up coupons and discount codes...I swear, if I lived in America (or when I do!) I would be an extreme couponer. Anyway, it should have been no surprise that the thing in the post was something I had sent away for: a free sample of Grasshopper Tomato and Basil Soup. I can't remember how I found out about them but Grasshopper are a healthy eating company that provide 'on the go foods', primarily soup and porridge. I haven't tried the soup yet but I'll let you know in the comments what it's like when I do!
This got me to thinking about all of my favourite food products so I have decided to do a post about this after my big food shop yesterday!
My number one favourite product that I could live on is 0% Total/ Fage Greek Yogurt. This yogurt is produced in Cyprus and has a great texture and flavour as well as being so good for you! It has no artificial flavours and contains 10g of protein, 0g of fat and only 4g of naturally occurring sugar per 100g (unlike other yogurts)! I eat this with practically every meal but my favourite way to eat it is with apple slices.
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Next up on the list is my fruit tea and coffee. I have decided to try and drink less caffeinated coffee this year (wonder how long that will last...) so bought this Kenco Millicano Wholebean Instant Caffeine Free Coffee for a change. It was on offer for £2 and I seriously cannot taste the difference between this and regular, caffeinated coffee. It also doesn't make me tired straight after drinking like normal coffee does!
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Snack-wise, another few of my favourite products are:
Nakd Oatie Bars; my favourite flavours are the banana bread and apple pie. These bars contain only natural ingredients with no added sugar: dates, oats, raisings, apples, peanuts, apple juice, almonds and walnuts. I used to always take cereal bars to university but I tried one of these at my brothers house once and went on to their website and was shocked by the vast amount of ingredients in regular cereal bars compared to these! The only problem with them is their price... quite a few times I have made my own versions using the recipe on Chocolate Covered Katie's blog, and they taste exactly the same!
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Ryvita Crispbread: I love these with soup or yogurt or anything actually! Like the advert says, they go with everything.
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Morrisons NuMe Range: I have tried quite a few products out of this range and I have to say that I have liked them all so far. They do snack-size bags of nuts, dried fruit, wasabi peas, crackers and fruit and vegetable crisps (apple, carrots and beetroot) which are great to take to university/ school/ work.
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I love chocolate but I have to say my favourite that I always have in my flat (when my parents send me it) is Lidl's 60 or 70% Amazonas Dark Chocolate. It has been said that a square or two of dark chocolate a day is good for you as it contains lots of antioxidants...well that's my excuse anyway! ;)
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For convenience meals when I get in really late from university or have to take lunch or dinner somewhere with me, some of my favourite products are:
John West Tuna Light Lunch: I don't really eat these much anymore but they are really handy to have in your cupboard as the expiry date is so long! These Lunch pots contain fish (either tuna or salmon), vegetables, beans and pulses (either pasta, rice or bulgar wheat). They are high in protein and low in fat and are good to take with you to work or university as you don't have to eat them straight away. My favourite flavours are the Morrocon Salmon and Tomato Salsa Tuna.
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Another handy product to take with you is the Food Doctor's Bulgar Wheat & Quinoa Wholesome Pot...just add boiling water!
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For cooking, my favourite products are:
Basil, Organo and Cinnamon: I add basil and oregano to practically everything! They are great to add to soup and tomato dishes. I use cinammon a lot too...it is great in porridge or mixed in with greek yogurt as a dip for apples. I brought a bulk load of these back from Cyprus as you get big bags of them there!
I love Green Lentils. In Cyprus they do a dish with them called Fakes (pronounces fa-he) so I try and cook this once a week to remind me of home! I will do a post with the recipe of this tomorrow! Chickpeas are another thing common in Cypriot foods...they are great mixed in with salad or chicken dishes or blended into hummus or healthy falafels. Flax-seeds are great for mixing in when baking and pickled peppers are so handy to have in your cupboard (I forgot to buy them yesterday, hence the empty jar); I like to slice them up and mix them in with salad. Tomato Puree is another thing which I add to almost everything. It is also great mixed in with greek yogurt and sweet chilli sauce (below) to make a dip for vegetable sticks...a great and healthy snack!
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Last but not least, Nori, Sushi Rice and Rice Vinegar for making your own sushi! The nori seaweed is also good for making healthy wraps in place of bread or tortillas.
So there you have a few of my favourite products...I have plenty more but this post is already very long and probably boring! haha
Do you like any of the products above? If not, what are some of your favourites?
