The Orchard (Tesco), Healthy Living and Frozen Veg

I very much enjoy being part of Tesco's Orchard  programme. It is a great opportunity to feel closer to the supermarket in which I do the bulk of my food shopping.  The programme invites you to try specific products and ranges, most commonly new launches.  You write reviews of the products and share these views, coupons and products with friends and family.   A lover of discovering new products and writing reviews it suits me very well.   I also  like that, one is sent discount coupons for money off which can be passed onto friends and family.

The campaign that is currently running is one for the healthy living, newly introduced frozen food products, frozen vegetables and herbs.   There was such a wide selection to choose from, I really was spoilt for choice.

Tesco Healthy Living Oriental Whole Food Mix

A great frozen ready meal style veg and grain mix.  It is packed full of veg including carrots, broccoli, pepper, baby-corn and soya beans.  So highly flavoured, there was no need to add extra spicing.  Slight warmth from chilli with soy and sesame being the key flavours.  Texture was provided by the whole cashews.  First way used, was to make sweet and sour- added a handful of bulgar wheat to the grain mix to bulk it out and served it as a side instead of the usual rice/noodles.  Mum and sister whom I was cooking for really enjoyed it.  The mix has a high ratio of veg to grains which is a positive. 

Tesco Petit Pois

Peas are peas, but these are very tasty and fresh.  They just pop and are sweeter than standard peas.  Tiny, they are such a versatile veg to add into dishes the favourite being veg curry.  Very much liked the zip lock style bag they come in, very convenient.  Found their £1.50 price to be excellent value for money

Tesco Baby Broad Beans

Again, another useful freezer standby.   These broad beans are so fresh, they have none of the bitterness that can sometimes be associated with the broad beans outer shell.  Great on the side of a dish, most often use them in stir fry's, salads, curries and chilli/bean stews. 

Tesco Healthy Living Lentil and Vegetable Soup

A thick and warming soup that is full of flavour and reminiscent of homemade.  Think this is due to there being a mix in the size of the chunky veg.  Plenty of it too.  Subtly spiced which allows the flavour of the veg to come through. 

Tesco Healthy Living Three Bean Soup

A light tomatoey soup, full of beans and veg- enjoy the addition of sweetcorn.  It is a highly flavoursome soup, with a bit of a Mexican edge.   It is  not too salty which is a nice change.  Find tinned soups generally err on the too salty side.

Tesco Healthy Lifestyle Balsamic Dressing

A delicious and tangy salad dressing, very low in calories and not at all oily.  Attracted by the packaging.  Athough it is a dressing it is a lovely dip for warm bread alongside olive oil.

Recipe: Crushed Cannellini Bean and Garlic Soup

I really love soup, so much!  Make a pot once per week.  Enjoy it as a meal but also as a snack, it really appeals to my savoury tastes.  Quite often have a mug as a late night snack before bed.  So comforting the warmth and savoury saltiness of it.  Was known to drink veg stock cubes when I was younnger!

 

  This soup below is one I make quite often.  A big fan of beans in all of their forms, tinned beans are a cupboard staple and there is so much that can be done with them.  The canellini beans add a bit of creaminess to the soup and make it pretty filling.  The flavours make for a nice combination and it is a very fresh soup.  It is so quick to put together, no soaking or long boiling here!  In total takes just shy of 1/2 an hour to make.  Due to the brief cooking all of the flavours come out.  If possible it is best to use fresh herbs, the herbs in the soup are what makes it really.