New Food Finds | Part 7

Ad | Contains affiliate links Last week I published part one of the September foodie finds featuring Barebells, Bioglan Superfoods a...

Ad | Contains affiliate links

Last week I published part one of the September foodie finds featuring Barebells, Bioglan Superfoods and Love Yourself Veto Diet. Today, it's part two featuring three other fantastic finds - Spice Pots, Tobia Teff and Vacay's canned craft cocktails. Take a look.

Spice Pots

Melanie Auld's love for home-cooked curries led to the founding of Spice Pots in 2014. The brand has gained a lot of popularity since then but their goal remains the same - to provide 100% natural, perfectly balanced spice blends to create quick and simple but delicious Indian curries.

Their product range includes Spice Pots, Gift Sets and Cookbooks. We tried out their Vegan Curry Kit which is a beautifully packaged vegan spice gift set containing four spice pots - Bhuna, Korma, Goan and Tandoori Masala. Also included in the kit is a little booklet featuring eight easy vegan recipes.

I loved all the four spice blends - they are aromatic with a great flavour profile. Plus they do not have any fillers, preservatives or sugar and salt making them a healthier option. I have used the Spice Pots to make Chana Masala, Kadai Paneer, Vegetable Bhuna, Vegetable Goan Curry and all of them turned out very flavoursome. A fantastic find this has been!

The Vegan Curry Kit is priced at £14.95 and can be ordered online from Spice Pots' website www.spicepots.com as well as from Amazon.

Tobia Teff

Next on the list is a super-grain from Ethiopia called 'teff'. About the size of a poppy seed, teff is naturally gluten-free, vegan, nutrient-rich, versatile and can be used in many different ways.

Tobia Teff is a brand founded in 2008 by Ethiopian-British husband and wife team Sefanit Sophie Sirak-Kebede & Meny Kebede. It is a family-run business and all of Tobia Teff's products are handmade and packed in their workshop in North West London. Tobia Teff's product range includes teff flour, teff flakes, teff bread, fermented flatbread made of teff and teff bars. We tried out a couple of their offerings - the teff flakes and the teff bars.

Teff Flakes are the teff grain roasted and flaked. It is packed with essential minerals (iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium), vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6 and C), fibre and protein and is great for breakfast especially for those who enjoy porridge or muesli. We used it as a replacement to oats while making porridge and it worked well. Add some fruits and nuts and it makes for a very nutritious muesli.

It is very versatile. I added a couple of tablespoons of the flakes in my favourite bread recipe and the loaf turned out good. More nutritious!

Teff Meksess are bars made teff flakes and coconut oil mixed with agave syrup or honey. These are gluten free alternatives to flapjack or other conventional cereal bars. Packed with vitamins and minerals, these nutrient dense bars are available in four flavours currently: Milk Chocolate Swirl, Agave & Cinnamon, Dark Chocolate Swirl, and Honey & Cinnamon. The texture is different from regular cereal bars or flapjack but the bars are wholesome and taste good.

A 750g pack of Teff flakes is priced at £7.50 while Teff Meksess is priced at £32.00 for 12 bars. Both are available to purchase from www.tobiateff.co.uk

Vacay Canned Craft Cocktails

Rounding up September's new finds is Vacay, a range of premixed, canned craft cocktails, created by a team of mixologists and culinary experts. At present there are four offerings - Moscow Mule, Tom Collins, Paloma and Blood Orange Hibiscus Vodka Soda.

• Moscow Mule: 6.5% ABV, 330ml. Triple distilled Misty Isle Vodka, blended with ginger beer, tangy lime juice and a dash of Angostura bitters.
• Tom Collins: 6.1%  ABV, 330ml. Award-winning 58 Gin, blended with floral and tangy Sicilian lemon juice, bubbly soda water and a dash of natural cane sugar. 
• Paloma: 5.7% ABV, 330ml. Award-wining Espolón Blanco Tequila, paired with sour-sweet pink grapefruit, tangy lime juice, bubbly soda water and a hint of natural cane sugar. 
• Blood Orange Hibiscus Vodka Soda: 5.2% ABV, 330ml. Ultra-smooth, triple distilled Misty Isle Vodka blended with sweet blood orange juice and a hint of hibiscus syrup, topped off with bubbly soda water. 

Made using all-natural ingredients, with top quality spirits and with no artificial flavours or sweeteners, these canned cocktails are also gluten-free and vegan.

We tried the Moscow Mule and loved it - invigorating and with the right amount of gingery kick. The packaging is great too.

A four pack costs £18.00 for Moscow Mule, Vodka Soda and Tom Collins and £19.50 for the Paloma.

Available to buy from www.haveavacay.com

Bonus: Degusta Box Limited-Edition Advent calendar

Discover the Degusta Box Limited-Edition Advent calendar: 24 innovative food and drink products for 24 days of festive foodie fun. Perfect for enjoying at home with your loved ones or as a present for someone special. Every day has a different delicious surprise in store for you.

Order the Advent Calendar here.