August Degustabox Review

So here we are again. It is a new month and with that came my Degustabox.  For those of you who are not familiar with Degustabox, it is a subscription service that once a month sends a surprise box of unique treats.  Some you might be familiar with, some you may have forgotten about, and others are brand new, not even on the market yet.  It is a fun day every month when it arrives.  No matter what I always have to shake it first like a holiday present just to try and guess what might be inside. 

So here are the contents of the August 2016 Degustabox.

ALO Allure Pulp Free - I was hesitant to try another aloe based drink since all the other aloe drinks I have tasted in the past were, lets say, less then appealing to my palate.  This product however is different, with the pulp removed, the texture (yes I said texture) of the drink is much better.  A hint of mango provides the tropical sweetness and it turned out to be very good and refreshing, not medicinal like most other aloe drinks.

Sir Kensington's Chipolte Mayonnaise - So you take a kitchen staple like mayonnaise and blend in some chipotle, garlic, and tomato next thing you know the standard club sandwich really gets kicked up a few notches. I am not a huge mayonnaise fan, but this one provided the smokey heat my husband loved and he enjoyed it very much. 

 PopChips - So we are all familiar with the Popchip. They have only been around for a few years, but Popchips have taken the snacking world by storm.  The latest creation of ridges really adds some extra crunch which will satisfy any snacker.  I love how popchips got their name. As the story I heard goes, Popchips are cooked under intense pressure without any oil just hot air.  When the pressure is released the sliced potatoes suddenly expand and trap air inside.  This sudden expansion creates a popping sound. 

Post Honey Bunches Of Oats with Strawberries - I do love my Post cereals. And Honey Bunches of Oats is one of my favorites.  Just the name Post reminds me of my favorite kid's cereals.  With Honey Bunches of Oats the cereal has grown up.  I love the oat bunches, probably the best granola out there.  The strawberries are very good.  This will be a go to breakfast when I need something quick.

White Lily - White Grape and Wheat Flour- So here is the thing about me, I am not the biggest baker out there.  Every now and then a recipe may pop up that I do want to try.  After reading about how every bag of White Lily flower can be traced to the farmer who grew the wheat I have to say I am impressed. I will look for a holiday recipe for this product.

Oregon Chai Powdered Tea - This one is very good.  The spices are perfect and as for convenience you just can't go wrong with a powdered mix.  Usually a powdered mix does not create a smooth creamy drink, but this one did. 

Vermont Smoke and Cure Mini Meat Sticks - There were two kinds of meat sticks in my Degustabox.  What I love about Vermont Smoke and Cure meat sticks is they are healthy.  Animals are raised without hormones, antibiotics, and fed a natural vegetarian diet. This provides a very lean protein packed treat.  The seasoning was great.  Just the right amount of spice.  Both the peperoni and the cracked pepper flavors are excellent.  So much better then any other meat sticks on the market.

Goya Marie Cookies -  Here is a great treat I had forgotten about.  I have not had one of these biscuits (yes they are called biscuits in England, who created them) in years. They are sweet with a great crunch.Super yummy!

 

So here is my recipe for one of the best Ice Cream Sandwiches ever.  Just take two Goya Marie Cookies and a generous scoop of your favorite ice cream.  Spread some sprinkles (rainbow or chocolate) on a plate.  For a bit more fun freeze your favorite candy bar, place it in a plastic baggy, and smash it with a frying pan, yep just give it a whack. It will shatter.  Sprinkle the broken up candy bar on a plate and roll the sides of the ice cream sandwich in it.  Done.  Enjoy right then or keep in the freezer for later. 

Loacker - Rose of the Dolomite - These have to be one of the prettiest candies out there. The rose shape hides a delicious hazelnut butter with hazelnut bits.  This is a very delicate and rich candy. I found it to be very yummy!

                                                   
Goetze's Cow Tales - OK, so not everything in a surprise box can be a winner.  I have never tried a Cow Tale before so I was intrigued. What we have here is a hollow tube of caramel filled with some kind of white cream center.  I am sure there is a devoted following for this candy, but I am not one of them.

I hope you have enjoyed my review of the August Degustabox. Thank you for reading my blog!

Degustabox Welcome Box Review

I was recently selected to receive a monthly Degustabox. I have always been somewhat weary of monthly packages as once the thrill and excitement of opening the box wears off you left wondering what this stuff is and do I really like it. Well that was not my problem with this introduction to Degustabox. 

 As you can see this is a full box filled with many spectacular treats, and some fun stuff to play with. So let's just jump right into some of the obvious favorites.

Haribo Sour Golden Bears - These are always a favorite treat.  Gummie bears have been a favorite candy of mine.  I've never tried the sour ones until now.  They are awesome! I'm going to take the rest of bag to the movies.  

           

              Wise Popcorn - The beauty of this product "Air Popped" No added 

               fats. Makes for a light and crunchy popcorn.  They sent two

               flavors: Sea Salt a standard salted popcorn, but everything is
               better with sea salt.
               The Cinnabon was very good. Made me wish my mall still had the
               store.

               

Briannas -  Vinaigrette salad dressing was definitely a fave.
I added it to a simple summer salad of spinach, feta cheese, and some walnuts.  It added the perfect zest.  Favorite part - Briannas has some Romano cheese in it, made it a standout dish.

 

Topo Chico - For those of you who have never had this bottled water from Mexico, you are surely missing out.  It has the most bubbles I have ever experienced in a drink and the flavor was very refreshing! Not what I was expecting, but now I am hooked.  I also made this little cocktail I had heard about before.
Simple directions:
One shot of clear Tequila, lots of ice, fill with Topo Chico, squeeze in some lime, and drop in a fresh slice of jalapeno (optional).

Soy Vay - Ok so with Soy Vay I first tried it as sauce to put on some grilled chicken and it was not what I hoped for.  However, I then used it as a marinade and found it's place my grilling specialties.  Very simple just marinade skewers of beef or chicken for at least an hour then grill them.  The heat makes the teriyaki into something incredible, loved it!

        Vita Coco - cold pressed and unrefined coconut oil is just simply  
        incredible.  I spread some to a piece of toast and it was great.  A
        bit sweet with just the right hint coconut.  Also put some on my
        hands to use as a moisturizer.  It worked great and my husband
        loved it, said it smelled like he was on tropical vacation.

                                                                      

 Orchard Valley Harvest - These are fab!  No GMO's and still fresh.

 The crunch was there with the nuts and the cranberries had just the

 right amount of chewiness. Love the fact something this healthy

 and simple is so convenient in single serving packs.    

             

               Jiff Peanut Butter with Cinnamon - WOW I got a bottle of Jiff!

               This one really brought back some memories of being a kid. I 

               have been so caught up in all the go for simpler foods that I totally

               forgot about Jiff. There is just some comfort and satisfaction in the

               rich smoothness of this peanut butter. The added cinnamon really 

               made it delicious. The hubs actually put some on a sliced apple

               for breakfast. Quick, easy, plenty of protein and tasty, what more 

               could I ask for. 

  

                        Elmhurst Harvest Real Almond Chocolate Milk - So on this one I
                        was a bit more skeptical. I have tried other nut milks and found   
                        them to have a peculiar thickness I did not enjoy. Elmhurst got it
                        right.  Without adding all the thickening agents (carregeenan)
                        Elmhurst found a way to make the almond milk creamy, yet still
                        lite, of course the chocolate made it so good. 

                       





 

 
        Honees Cough Drops - So here is the deal with this product. The
        Hubs loves the candy made by this company. It is simple honey
        filled hard candies from Italy. Now he finds they make a cough
        drop. He does not have a cough, but tried one with a lot of
        enthusiasm.  The menthol was not to strong but it will do the
        job for a cold.  With some peppermint, lemon, and eucalyptus
        a sore throat will be soothed.  Of course who needs a cough to
        he sweet honey in the center.  Never heard of anyone wishing they
        had a cough before.
        
      

I was so thrilled with everything in this box. It came packaged very nicely. All the glass bottles were wrapped in bubble wrap and tons of padding for the food. The Degustabox was filled with many goodies and was a super treat! I definitely recommend it to anyone that loves to try yummy new food. Here is a link to try this awesome goody box out, click here.

Thank you so much for my first Degustabox.  I look forward to receiving my next one.