Garden Fresh Exotics was established in 2009 on Park Road in the heart of the West End of Glasgow, as a greengrocer and world food store – since then we have been serving the local community.
We now offer an unmatched selection of seasonal produce, as well as a huge selection of whole foods, nuts and seeds, lentils, spices and so much more – everything you need to live the fresh life.
The Gift Box
Garden Fresh Exotics have relaunched their home delivery service, and also their online store and asked me if I would like to check out their fruit and veg box.
I thought this was such a great idea, as getting fresh fruit and veg straight to your door is amazing plus they do a subscription service which for me is something everyone should do.
My mind started to race as to what could I make with whatever was coming, and many things came to mind.
The Delivery
As soon as I saw this I honestly did say WOW out loud!
How good does this look also it’s packed with many wonderful items!!
Everything was super fresh, smelled amazing and the whole box made my room smell so so good.
Now it was time to start thinking and see what I could make with everything, I can’t wait as it’s been a while since I did some home cooking.
What I made…
Many items came to mind as to what to make, but the first thing was a very healthy smoothie
The Garden Fresh Exotics Smoothie
I used :
1 x banana
Spinach
Grapes
1 x Cucumber
2 cups Orange juice
1 x Apple
1 x Avocado
I popped all these in and started the blender, once I felt it had been in long enough it was time to pour and taste.
I really loved this, and it was mega tasty. You start by getting a nice banana flavor followed by little hints of everything else.
As I said it’s very tasty and one I think you should try and will make again and again.
Bacon wrapped asparagus
I spotted some asparagus in the box and instantly thought of this, but the last time I forgot to season the asparagus so this time I would do it correctly.
INGREDIENTS
Asparagus
1 Tbs olive oil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic salt
Bacon
I am no chef but this is a very simple, quick, and tasty little treat.
I had the same amount of bacon strips as the asparagus.
Firstly wash the asparagus and cut the end off, then place it on a tray and drizzle some olive oil over the top.
Season with some black pepper and some garlic salt and rub till it covers all the asparagus.
I preheated my oven, and while doing that wrapped the bacon around the asparagus.
Once done I placed it in the oven for 10mins then took out and turned each asparagus, so the other side got cooked, and put it back in for another 10mins.
I then left it in for some extra time as I like my bacon a wee bit crispy, so this part is all down to you.
Plate up and enjoy.
What else did I make?
I used the onions and tomatoes to make the sauce for my pasta, and it tasted very very good.
Final Thoughts…
I have managed to make lots of different dishes with either a small amount of the items in the box or a few, and I loved everything I made as it all tasted very very good.
This was a great gift, and also it’s a great monthly both to get right to your door.
Everything was fresh, the box was packed! and the possibilities are endless as to what you can make with the contents.
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What’s in the box
The guys at Triyit UK sent me a wee email to say I matched for a new box, this is great as I have had a few boxes in the past and loved getting a great surprise when I opened it.
Asahi Japanese Zero Alcohol Beer
Mr Porky Crispy Strips
Fruity Factory Fruit Twists
Costa Coffee Latte
Harringtons Cat Food
This all looks good, and I am sure my cat Jasper will love the food.
The Products
Costa Coffee Latte Rich & Smooth
About : Enjoy your Costa favorites in a handy can ready to pick up straight from the chiller to take on the day. Introducing our core classics: rich Latte, creamy Vanilla Latte and smooth Caramel Latte. Sensationally smooooooth, proper coffee, in a can.
I have had these before, and actually very recently while I was at work.
These are great for your Costa Coffee fix on the go, or like me at work.
For me I got a very milky flavour to start with, followed by a light coffee and caramel flavour.
I didn’t find this too sugary like some people can, but I do have a sweet tooth so for me this was perfect.
If you like a strong coffee flavour this isn’t for you, but if you like a nice wee latte and like the sound of this check it out.
MY OVERALL RATING
★★★★
JAMAICA RUM VIBES Rum & Ginger (with Lime)
About : Spicing things up a little with our sparkling rum, ginger and a dash of refreshing juice lime. Perfectly blended with 100% authentic Jamaican white rum at 4.5%abv and contains no artificial sweetener, flavour, colour or added preservatives.
I love a wee rum every now and then, and when I got this as a wee extra in my Triyit Box I was very pleased to see it was rum and more so white rum.
I chilled this and then sat down with a movie and tried this.
Firstly this was a very nice light rum, and it was very refreshing. The taste of ginger was more of an aftertaste for me, mixed with just a hint of lime.
This was so good! I will be looking for this brand again and checking them out and the other flavours they do.
Highly recommended if you like a refreshing alcoholic drink, or a wee rum cocktail or looking to try something different.
MY OVERALL RATING
★★★★★
Harringtons Pet Food with tuna in jelly & with cod in jelly
About:At Harringtons we’re on a mission to make natural food the natural choice for every pet. Food that’s full of tasty natural goodness. Food that’s healthy, balanced and won’t break the bank. Natural food for all pets. That’s Harringtons.
Folks meet Alfie he’s a young boy with a big appetite, and I knew he would like to try these and also do a wee review for you.
Obviously, there were a lot of meows then purring after eating this, so let me translate all that for you.
He said “I was a very hungry boy as they were out all day, so I was glad to see them come home. They showed me something new, I gave it a good long sniff and it smelled good……I nibbled and nibbled again and found this very tasty….it made me a happy full boy”
I think he will look forward to trying the other packet.
MY OVERALL RATING
★★★★★
Asahi Super Dry ABV 0.0%
I am never really away from my car these days, so any time I go out or at events, I always try and get a non-alcoholic beer.
When I spotted there was one in the TriyIt box I was very happy and excited to try this one.
I chilled this and then sat down with a random movie.
I would have to put this up there as one of the better non-alcoholic beers, its light has a nice flavour and the aftertaste is not as metallic or sour as some other brands can be.
MY OVERALL RATING
★★★★
Mr Porky Crispy Strips
About : These beauties are like pork scratchings but have a bite just like crispy bacon. There’s no rivalling Crispy Strips to the podium, with a whopping 59g of protein per 100g, making it a proper high protein snack. Did we mention it’s also perfect as a keto diet friendly snack with only 0.4g of carbs per 100g.
Along with a beer tonight, I decided to grab this snack and chill with a movie.
On opening the packet these smelled SO SO good! and I couldn’t wait to dig right in.
These are super addictive! they are crispy and paced with a great pork flavour! they work great with a beer but t be honest they are much better on their own.
I can’t wait to check these out again!
MY OVERALL RATING
★★★★
The Fruit Factory Fruit Strings
Delicious fun Fruit Strings – Flavoured fruit laces, perfect for lunchboxes and a great on-the-go snack. Available in multipacks.
No artificial colours in our flavours
Perfectly portioned
Made with real fruit
Lunch box friendly
I don’t have any kids, but I am a big kid at heart so I grabbed a packet and checked it out.
You get a good amount of packets in this, one per day for a week at school.
On opening, these are mega long and reminded me of a log skinny snake.
I took a bit and ok they were okay, flavour wise I could taste all the flavours.
As I said this would be a perfect wee snack with a lunchbox for at school so I am sure wee kids would love this.
MY OVERALL RATING
★★★★
Final Thoughts…
As always these boxes are so much fun, and you always get great products!
This boxes products I enjoyed very much, and all of them I would be happy to have again.
Enjoy 10 to 15 products, many are completely new to the market! Receive your Degusta Box every month filled with goodies.
All for a cheaper price than you would pay in the shops!!
This Months Treats!
This month’s theme is ‘Breakfast, on the go & kick start the new year’
Cold Milled Flax Seeds by Linwoods
About: Linwoods Flaxseed can be easily incorporated into your daily diet to help provide the body with its all important nutrients. Linwoods Flaxseed packs a nutritional punch, with plenty of protein, fibre and Omega-3 among plenty of additional nutrients. Linwoods flaxseed is also prepared with great care through their unique cold milling process which unlocks the benefits of the seed for easy digestion whilst ensuring the full nutrients remain intact. By simply adding 20g of Linwoods blends to your daily breakfast, yogurt or salad you can make your meals even healthier.
FB: @LinwoodsHealthfoods IG: @linwoodshealthfoods
I love a good bowl of cereal in the morning, and when I saw you can add this to cereal I thought I will try that out in the morning.
I poured my cereal and added this on top, sat down and had my breakfast.
I tried some of this on its own, and it was ok…not too much flavour but it’s to add some extra protein, fibre to my morning bowl.
It was ok, I couldn’t taste it with my cereal but if it’s giving me more fibre and protein then that’s a win for me.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Corn Pulses & Quinoa Crackers by Quinola
About: We care about the impact we have on people, society and the environment. That’s why we only make super-tasty, nutritious food that is packed with goodness – no nasties. These crackers are perfect on their own or try them with hummus or even cream cheese!
FB: QuinolaUK IG: quinolauk
I love the Degusta Box as it allows me to try products that are great and also new to me.
This was another new brand and I couldn’t wait to try it and see how it tasted.
I first tried one on its own and then with a few different toppings like cheese, meat, caramelised onions etc and they all tasted really good.
This is another product I will be looking out for when I go to the supermarket.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Dark Choc Orange – 40g bar by Nine Brand
About : 9 benefits in every bar: Immune supporting seeds, Contains natural ingredients, High in fibre, 100% plant protein, High in Vitamin E, Source of magnesium, Gluten and wheat free, Vegan and a Source of Vitamin B1
FB: 9NINEbrand IG: 9ninebrand
I think this bar was in a previous Degusta Box but I didn’t mind as they are a great healthy snack.
I took a bite and remembered how much I liked it from the last time I tasted it.
Just like last time, I enjoyed every bite and also the nice flavour…chocolate orange is one of my fav flavours so I was very happy.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Low Sugar Granola Wholegrain Oats, Almonds and Seeds by Eat Natural
About: All the indulgence and variety of a great granola with a fraction of the sugar. The secret? Coconut nectar blossom, which brings a natural sweetness to plump whole grain oats, whole toasted almonds, crunchy buckwheat and creamy sunflower seeds. A generous scattering of toasted coconut shavings adds natural fibre.
FB: @EatNaturalBars IG: @eatnaturalbars
I was looking forward to trying this, but then I spotted almonds which I cant take…so I gave it to my parents to try and for them to tell me what they thought.
They told me this was very nice, and they used it with Greek Yogurt and it was very tasty.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Oat Barista by Califia Farms
FB: @califiafarmsuk IG: @califiafarmsuk
I have tried milk alternatives and really like soya, but I have never tried any Oat products so this would be new for me.
Since it mentioned “Barista” I made myself a coffee and poured this into a frother to then pour into my coffee.
This was really nice!
It tastes creamy but doesn’t have a strong flavour, it has a long shelf life (over a year before opening and 5 days after opening) and can be used in lots of different ways.
I will be trying this in other hot drinks.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes by Mutti
About: Mutti Polpa Finely Chopped Tomatoes are processed within 24 hours of harvesting to capture the taste of freshly picked 100% Italian sun-ripened tomatoes. It has a fresh flavour, rich texture, bright red colour and is suitable for long and short cooking times. It can even be enjoyed straight from the tin!
FB: @muttipomodorouk IG: @muttipomodorouk
Tonight I wanted to make something different, and I decided to make Spaghetti Bolignaise and I would use this product.
I was a bad blogger and forgot to take photos, but I can tell you it tasted really good. The sauce was thick and rich in taste.
I highly recommend this to use with your recipes and home cooking.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Roasted Hazelnut Chocolate bar by Prodigy Snacks
FB: @prodigysnacks IG: @prodigysnacks
Oh another chocolate bar….I was very excited but then I spotted it had hazelnuts so this was another one I would pass on to my parents to try and review for me.
They really liked it and liked the texture and crunch, my dad really liked the roasted hazelnut flour he found that came through very nicely.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
Sauce Sachets Multipack by Lee Kum Kee
FB: @LeeKumKeeEurope IG: @lkkeurope
How cool does this look?
This is a great wee package for you to make a few dishes following the instructions booklet and sauces.
I have not tried the recipes yet, but do keep watching as I will add them to my recipe to-do list.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Sour Cream and Chive Lentil ring (100g) by Harvest Snaps
About: Vegan Sour Cream and Chive Ring. Temptingly crunchy, oven-baked veggie snacks. These moreish red lentil rings with real onion are lovingly seasoned with vegan sour cream and chive seasoning. Deliciously mouth-watering. The perfect flavour combination of tangy, creamy, sour cream and savoury onion, garlic and chives and totally vegan.
IG: @harvestsnaps_uk
Ohhh crisps I love crisps, they are the snack you can easily have any time of the day.
This was a new brand for me, and I noticed they were only 88 calories so I knew I wouldn’t feel bad after opening and finishing them.
I opened the packet and a nice chive smell hit me…ohh these were going to be good I could tell.
I took a few and mmmm so good! they had a lovely flavour and texture and were extremely moreish!
Yip… I was bad and finished the packet in one sitting.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Squeezy Bottle Tomato Ketchup – 500gDr Wills
Tomato ketchup, is the classic all-rounder made properly. Sweetened naturally and packed full of quality ingredients and vine-ripened tomatoes, carefully chosen by us for the best possible taste. Full of flavour. No gunk, no junk.
FB: doctorwills IG: doctor_wills
I do love adding sauce to my burgers or on the side of the plate depending on what I have made myself for dinner.
I was very interested to try this since its “all natural”
You can really taste the difference with this, its a nice flavour and I actually prefer this to my other bottles.
I will be getting this again when I finish this.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Vitamin B12 Pink Grapefruit drink by Get More Vits
About: Crisp and refreshing Pink Grapefruit flavoured water not only tastes delicious but contains 5μg of vitamin B12 per bottle, that’s 200% of your recommended daily amount. Vitamin B12 helps tackle tiredness and fatigue, whilst supporting the immune and nervous systems. Sugar-free, low calorie and made with real pink grapefruit extract!
FB: getmorevits IG: @getmorevits
I was introduced to Get more Vits in a previous Degusta Box so I was happy to see the brand again.
I saw that it was Pink Grapefruit and thought hmmm not too sure if I will like it, but I am always up for trying something at least once.
I poured it out and took a few sips…oh ok this is not what I was expecting.
The flavour was actually very nice and not sour as I had imagined it would be.
I really enjoyed this, the flavour was fresh and would happily get this when I see it in the shops.
My Rating:
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Promo : Gifted
The review posted was not influenced in any way just because it was gifted, all comments and thoughts in this blog post are my 100% honest opinion.
