Efectiv Pro & Oats High Protein Flapjacks (Online)

There’s not a day that goes by when I don’t eat oats in some form or another. In fact, it was the food I missed most when in Malaysia earlier this year. Almost every morning is kick-started with a bowl of protein oats (proats if you will), but I also love granola and flapjacks too. Protein flapjacks however are often disappointing, and tend to be so far removed from real flapjacks that I’d rather have a real flapjack and get my protein elsewhere. I’m not averse to trying new products though and so when Efectiv contacted me a few weeks ago to ask if I’d like to try their new protein flapjacks and Dual bars, I accepted their kind invitation. After all, the protein bar market is rapidly evolving. Gone are the days of chewy bricks, thank goodness! 

Their flapjack range currently consists of three flavours: Chocolate Orange, Toffee Oat & Cherry Bakewell. Each 70g bar is less than 270 cals and contains 14g of protein (check the bottom of the review for the full macros). They’re made with gluten free oats and whey, with no palm oil or gelatine. Efectiv have also used natural flavours and sweeteners, and the flapjacks are GMO free and certified Halal. One massive bonus for me is that they contain no soya protein or polyols, making them much kinder on your stomach. This makes them higher in carbs, but also the perfect post-workout treat. I say treat, but that’s only right if they taste good… 

Cherry Bakewell

I’d normally save the flavour I’d anticipate would taste the best until last, but my preconceptions on what these bars would taste like wasn’t especially high and so I thought I’d give Efectiv the best chance possible. 

The first thought that struck me was how much closer to a real flapjack this bar looked. It was also a decent size too. The second realisation was just how soft the bar was - often protein flapjacks are either super dry or gluey, but this was neither. 

The texture was spot on. Soft and gooey, with a pleasant chew that wasn’t hard work. The cherry flavour however was milder than I’d have liked and I couldn’t help but think that either a layer of jam or chunks of dried cherries would improve the taste. It was still the best protein flapjack I’d tried to date though. 

8/10

Chocolate Orange

Unlike the Bakewell bar, this flapjack was dark in colour. Texturally it was very similar though. 

As for the flavour, this time it was much punchier, although I’d describe it more as cocoa orange as it lacked the milkiness that I’d associate with eating a bar of orange flavoured chocolate. In fact, the flavour kind of reminded me of something that Trek might make, but it was much tastier than Trek’s protein flapjacks. 

8/10

Toffee Oat

I saved this bar until last and found myself really looking forward to it. 

I wasn’t disappointed either. The bar tasted like a proper flapjack! It was gooey, sweet, soft and chewy with a lovely toffee undertone. In fact, I’d go as far as saying that I’d happily eat the Efectiv toffee & oats pro&pats flapjack instead of a normal flapjack and I’ll be hunting down more to try in the future!

9/10

All in all, I was mightily impressed with these protein flapjacks from Efectiv. I do feel like the flavour of the Cherry Bakewell bar could be improved slightly, but that’s just a mini moan! Thank you to Efectiv for sending me the samples. The flapjacks (and the new Dual bars, watch out for the review) are available from their website.

*as promised, here's the Macro breakdown:

Recipe: Lotus Biscoff (Caramelised Biscuit) Flapjacks

Now I don't normally make a habit of writing recipes, but given the amount of people asking for one since I posted a picture of my homemade flapjacks on Instagram yesterday I thought I'd make an exception.

I must look like a Biscoff addict, considering the only other (non-protein) recipe I've posted on here was the no-bake Biscoff cheesecakes I made for Christmas Day. I've been experimenting with the spread actually, and also made Biscoff cupcakes* for Bert's Birthday using She Who Bakes' recipe.

Anyway, I'd been craving gooey homemade flapjacks for a while and wondered whether Biscoff flapjacks would work. It just turns out that they were the best damn flapjacks I've ever made! If you're a fellow Biscoff addict then please do give this easy-peasy recipe a go. 

Ingredients (makes 8)

• 125g  Biscoff (I used smooth but I imagine crunchy would work just as well
• 125g  Butter
• 125g Golden Syrup
• 50g Soft brown sugar
• 250g  Porridge oats

Method

Heat the oven to Gas Mark 4 (180°C/ fan 160°C). I lined two loaf tins with baking paper, but I imagine a 20cm square cake tin would also work. 

Gently heat the butter, Biscoff, syrup and sugar together in a saucepan over a low heat, stirring until the better has melted and the sugar has dissolved. Pour in the oats and stir once more until the oats are fully coated. Turn off the heat. 

Pour the mixture into your tins and press down with the back of the spoon/spatula, making sure it's packed together. 

Bake in the oven for 25ish minutes -my oven is temperamental so I always have to guess- I suggest that you keep checking after 20 minutes. You want the mixture to be slightly firm to the touch, but not completely solid, as it will set further as it cools and we're aiming for a soft, chewy flapjack here. 

Remove from the oven and cut into squares/rectangles (or triangles if you fancy) with a sharp knife. Leave to cool in the tin. 

Enjoy!

*Here's how the cupcakes turned out...

NEW! Graze Merry Mince Pie Flapjack (Tesco)

Mid October I posted a review of Cadbury's new Winterful Layers of Joy pots, and received a comment from 'Eball TheWay' which concerned not using the 'C' word until "at THE VERY EARLIEST November." I imagined that Cadbury wasn't the C word and so I've been biding my time, trying to wait as long as humanly possible (for me anyway) before publishing my first CHRISTMAS themed post. There. It's done now. I've uttered the magic words. Not that you can ignore it anyway! My local Morrisons has been stocking mince pies since August bank holiday weekend -that's not an exaggeration. August is too early -even for me- but it's Bonfire Night today, and seeing as our ASDA has a 10ft Christmas Tree in its foyer proudly displaying the number of sleeps left until the big day -only 49 FYI- it's high time to embrace the festivities!

Graze's new Mince Pie flapjack got me in something of a tizzy this week. Emma is a brilliant (non blogging) snack hunter, and posted a story onto her Instagram account a few days ago of this new treat that she found in boots.

Mince pies? Love them! Flapjacks? Love them! Graze? Love them!

Winners all round. Except, could I find them anywhere? Could I heck. Cue the daily searches (and pestering) in the local Boots, Tesco, Sainsbury's, WHSmith, ASDA, and Tesco Express. I was on a mission. After three days of non-stop hunting, I gave in yesterday and asked my sister to buy and bring me one from Cardiff (we're meeting up for lunch today, I'm not quite that obsessed).

Lo and behold! I then spotted them only an hour later in the larger out-of-town Tesco whilst looking for the new Red Velvet filled Muffins to serve as a consolation prize. Hurrah! I might've squealed a little with excitement (much to my mince pie hating fiance's bemusement).

"Rustic rolled oat flapjack with dates and festive spice."

Dates are the only fruit in the Merry Mince Pie Flapjack, which I find a little odd considering that mince pies usually contain a plethora of dried fruit including sultanas, raisins and currants as well as Bramley Apple and candied peel. Still, I hoped the 2% 'festive spice mix' would be all the Christmas I needed.

As usual, the Graze flapjack comprised of three chunks. The texture was perfect: crumbly but with just enough moisture to hold the oats together. The spices were evident both from the colour of the flapjack and strong festive scent.

Biting into the flapjack I entered mixed spice heaven. The mixed spice Schwartz shaker in my rack is well used -I just love it on baked apples and in plum porridge. The abundance of the flavours permeated through the flapjack, giving a slight Mince Pie edge. There were also some sizeable date chunks embedded within the oats, which pleasantly broke up the texture every now and then.

Whilst I enjoyed every last morsel of Graze's Merry Mince Pie Flapjack, I'm not sure that it's the most accurate representation of the traditional Christmas Pastry. It has got my cogs going however and I'm left wondering whether I could recreate a better likeness by incorporating pastry chunks and real mincemeat into a classic flapjack recipe -I shall keep you updated!

As for Graze flapjacks, lemon drizzle is still my absolute favourite (a definite 10/10) and I implore you to try it if you haven't already. 

8/10. 

R Bar Flapjack Protein Bars: Cherry Almond, Apple & Blackberry Crumble & Maple Syrup (Cardiff Sports Nutrition)

A couple of months ago I received a lovely parcel full of goodies from the team at Reflex Nutrition. Inside the box was the protein coffee (which I loved and am now addicted to, check out my review if you want to find out more) and a box of each flavour of the new R Bar Flapjacks. I have to admit that I was super excited by the flavours, all of which appealed to me. 

I was informed at the time that Reflex's primary drive with the flapjacks was to produce a quality product in terms of being nutritionally sound. It was never intended to be a confectionary type bar, instead Reflex say that their "protein flapjacks offer unrivalled quality, incorporating nutritionally uncompromised ingredients. Each bar contains 18g protein, 7g fibre, 21g low GI carbohydrates, and just 2g sugar to keep you sustained before and after your training." If you want any more information on the thought process behind the flapjack bars, please pop over to their blog.

The first thing I noticed when I unwrapped the bars, was just how little they looked like traditional flapjacks. I had a horrible flashback to the PhD peanut butter bar at the beginning of the year, and hoped I could stomach them better.

Fortunately, all of the bars are soft, although they taste much more like traditional protein bars than traditional flapjacks. I much prefer them once warmed through in the microwave for 20 seconds -the same way I like my Quests & Carb Killas. My biggest issue is that the flavours in the Cherry Almond and Apple & Blackberry bars aren't very strong at all, meaning that they disappear somewhat against the more prominent taste of the milk protein. I appreciated that the fruit flavour comes from real freeze dried fruit, but it accounts for only 1% of the ingredients, so it's unsurprising that it lags behind. The Cherry Almond bar is also slightly oily to the touch, but it didn't taste greasy in the slightest. 

My absolute favourite bar by a country mile is the maple syrup, which was far bolder in taste. I love this bar warm, and it's one that I really look forward to. As far as macros go, the R Bar Protein Flapjacks are a winner, and as a bonus they're 'clean' and very filling after a good work out. You can buy them from any reputable sports retailer, my favourite being Cardiff Sports Nutrition (where you can buy them for just £1.49 per bar). 

Maple Syrup: 8/10
Cherry Almond: 6/10
Apple & Blackberry Crumble: 5/10

*A huge thank you to Reflex for sending me the samples to review. 

Blackfriars Bakery Flapjacks (Online)

So as I mentioned in my Lumberjack review, I was fortunate enough to receive a box load of goodies recently from BlackFriars Bakery to review which included an array of rather large flapjack bars. When I say large  -I mean it - at 110g each they're twice the size of the Graze flapjacks. The flavours Blackfriars sent me all sounded rather marvellous: original, chocolate, caramel toffee & fudge as well as a box of 5 smaller (30g) yoghurt flapjacks.

I posted the pictures on Instagram of my lovely stash, and immediately realised that there's a lot of love out there for Blackfriars, although it sounds like they're pretty hard to come across nowadays -especially as ALDI no longer stock them.


Chocolate

"Delicious Oat Flapjack Slice with a Chocolate Flavour Topping". 

I found the texture to be on the dry side, which meant the oats crumbled easily. As I prefer a moister, gooey flapjack I was a little disappointed. As expected, the chocolate topping tasted like cooking chocolate, and I was left feeling underwhelmed. It's not one I would buy again unfortunately.

4/10


Fudge

 "Indulgent Oat Flapjack Slice with Caramel Flavour Fudge Icing and a Chocolate Flavour Topping."

Sorry Blackfriars, but I couldn't really tell the difference between this one and the plain chocolate slice.

4/10

Yoghurt

"Delicious Oaty Flapjack with Yoghurt Flavour Topping"

I had high hopes for this flavour, especially given how delicious Blackfriars' yoghurt Lumberjack protein flapjack is, but Alas! This too was dry and a bit too bland. I did find the size a lot easier to manage though, and appreciated their individual wrapping. 

5/10

Caramel Toffee

"Scrumptious Oaty Flapjack with Caramel Toffee Flavour Topping."

This was more like it! Despite the lack of gooeyness, this slice had a much better taste! The topping reminded me of Caramac/Gold Bars and it was, without doubt, the best of the bunch. This was a flapjack I'd definintely have again!

7/10


Bakewell

"Delicious Almond Flavour Flapjack with a Mixed Fruit Jam Flavour Filling and White Chocolate Flavour Topping."

I was really excited by this flapjack. As anyone who follows me on instagram will know, I absolutely adore cherry bakewell, and often make a porridge version of the classic British dessert for breakfast (which FYI is insanely good). Almond infused flapjack sounded right up my alley, as did the jam and white chocolate... But once again I felt the quality of the ingredients let it down. The flavours were there, but they weren't bold enough. I found that the layers weren't thick enough either -especially the jam which seemed to get lost completely. 

5/10

Conclusion
I'm left feeling a little perplexed as to whom the target market is meant to be for these flapjacks. They're so large that they are almost a meal in themselves ( approx 500 cals per slice) so in my opinion they're too big for lunchboxes. I also felt that with so many delicious, high quality flapjacks around nowadays that these kind of missed the mark -especially when their new Lumberjack bars are so good! If you want to get your hands on some of BlackFriars' flapjacks however, they are available to purchase from their website. All of their flapjacks are vegetarian, and Blackfriars also manufactures a vegan range too. 

Thank you Blackfriars for the opportunity to try your flapjacks, and I apologise for the damning feedback -but I always promise to be honest. There is one last review in the series to come: Blackfriars cakes and cookies. Will they fair any better? Stay tuned to find out... 

Getbuzzing Banana Nut Free Flapjack (Holland & Barrett)

Hey stranger! If you regularly read this blog I just want to apologise for my lack of posts recently. My life has changed a lot of late (in a very good way!) and I just don't have enough hours in the day any more. So the posts won't be daily, but I'll still review as often as I can -promise!

Anyway, I bought this Banana Nut Free Flapjack from Holland & Barrett as part of the huge order I placed on a whim when desperately trying to track down the Bombay Firecracker Roasted Chickpeas. It appealed to me because I'm going through somewhat of a flapjack craze at the moment, and I'd already been tempted by them on a number of occasions in Waitrose. Somehow they had never made their way into my basket, so I seized the opportunity and bought one whilst on my H&B shopping spree!

So who are Getbuzzing? 

"Here at Getbuzzing, a family run business, we started making 100% Natural flapjacks to offer people snacks that are genuinely healthy and actually taste good. In 2009 we launched our range of 100% Natural Nut Free Getbuzzing flapjacks, which are a fantastic choice for those who want to look and feel good no matter what their busy lifestyles bring."

They also promise to go to extraordinary lengths to ensure that all of their products are completely nut free -good news if you suffer from allergies. Getbuzzing flapjacks are also 100% Natural, completely free of any artificial colourings, flavourings, preservatives or additives and are suitable for Vegetarians. Sounds good to me! 

The 62g bar smelt delicious; a fruity, almost tropical aroma emanated as soon as the wrapper was peeled back. I prefer flapjacks to be on the gooey, moist side and fortunately Getbuzzing must agree with me. The oats were fused together with the traditional golden syrup and butter mixture, resulting in an comfortingly sweet, soft and chewy bar. Banana and apricot injected an abundance of extra flavour into the fold. What more can I say? It was utterly scrumptious! 

I'm mightily impressed with the Getbuzzing banana flapjack. The trouble is, now my curiosity has been piqued by the discovery that the company also makes protein bars... 

9/10

NEW! Lumberjack Protein Packed Flapjacks (Online)

If you follow me on Instagram you may already know that I have recently returned to the gym after a break of a few years. With my mission to tone up and gain muscle mass, one of my concerns is how to get enough protein into my diet. I don't eat a huge amount of meat, and often prefer to have peanut butter at lunchtime instead of something more sensible. Fortunately there are a veritable plethora of high protein products available on the market now; some of which I've found to be utterly delicious (the vanilla and fruity Icelandic Skyr pots for example) and others I've found inedible (such as the B'Jammin PB&J and Protein Active Peanut Chia Blast bars). 

I was thrilled to recently receive a huge box of Blackfriars Bakery treats to review, which included a trio of Lumberjack Protein Packed Flapjacks. I'd never heard of Lumberjack before, but then I read the attached note and discovered that they are a new branch of the Leicester based company. I was a bit dubious about the flapjacks as I'd had such a bad experience with the PhD Protein+ Peanut Butter flapjack -so bad was it that it ended up in the bin! Would these be the same? I hoped not, especially as they came in such interesting sounding flavours.. Each of the flapjacks contains between 22-23% protein, are gluten free and suitable for vegetarians.

Ginger, Orange & Dark Chocolate

I love the packaging of all of these bars, they look really colourful and I imagine that they would really stand out on the shelf against their competitors.

As you can see, there was a decently thick layer of dark chocolate topping. It smelt like a normal flapjack, which sounds silly, but I was expecting the pungent chemical/whey protein odour that I'd experienced in the past. 

Biting into it, I would have been forgiven for thinking I was eating a regular flapjack. It was soft, squidgy and buttery -thanks to the inclusion of real butter. Thank the lord! The chocolate wasn't particularly dark, but I preferred it that way. Combined with the orange flavour which infused the oats, the flapjack tasted remarkably jaffa cake-esque. That was until I hit the ginger, which didn't enter every mouthful but occasionally injected it's warm, spicy tones into the bar. 

I was impressed.

8/10

Vanilla Flavour Fudge With Chia & Hemp Seeds

I was a bit surprised when I peeled back the wrapping and discovered the naked bar beneath, Where oh where was the fudgy topping I expected?

Once I had bitten off my first chunk, I forgave Lumberjack entirely. I'm not the world's biggest advocate of chia seeds (they seem a bit tasteless and therefore pointless to me) but the flavour and texture of the bar was amazing! The delightfully sweet vanilla fudge was omnipresent, and the crunchy texture from the seeds kept the bar just as interesting as the ginger did in the first flapjack. 

Another winner!

9/10

Yoghurt Flavour & Mixed Berries

I was actually a little concerned by the time I tried this last flavour in case it was disappointing in comparison to the others. I was therefore pleased when I unwrapped the flapjack and saw a thick yoghurt-y topping. This was looking good.

Sweet bejesus! One of my best friends makes the most incredible white chocolate and cranberry flapjacks, and I kid you not, these tasted so darn similar! I think I'm going to have to check that she's not Mrs Lumberjack in disguise. The tart cranberries and sweetened dried blueberries worked perfectly with the raspberry flavoured oats, offering the ultimate in dried fruit symphony. What made the flapjack taste even more indulgent was the yogurt topping, but that's pretty self explanatory seeing as yogurt coated raisins are one of the best snacks known to man. Note to self: must buy some ASAP.  

10/10

Conclusion

I've been mightily impressed with this new range of protein flapjacks from Lumberjack. They taste less like a health product and more like an indulgent treat. If I were you I'd head on over to Blackfriars' website ASAP -where you can get 10% off until the end of July by using the code 'LUMBERJACK10'.

Many thanks to Lumberjack for the free samples.

Graze Megapost: Sticky Toffee Pudding, Summer Berry Flapjack, Banana Bread, Apple & Cinnamon Flapjack, Belgian Speculoos and Banoffee Dippers

I was always one of those girls in the office who sniggered at the suckers who'd been duped into subscribing to Graze. The trouble is, I wasn't aware of what I was missing out on, and as they say "ignorance is bliss." I would have quite happily remained in my naïve state if it wasn't for Graze's recent-ish inclusion as part of the Boots Meal Deal. The lemon drizzle flapjack called to me, followed by the newer Cocoa & Vanilla protein flapjack. By the time I was nabbing my sister's peanut butter pretzel punnet from her I realised that I needed to sign up.

I was savvy though, and made full use of Graze's selection process to 'bin' all the healthy and/or savoury treats in favour of the naughtier punnets that I've jealously spotted popping up on Instagram. My first Graze box was a winner! Six heavenly looking treats that begged to me munched -or Grazed- upon pronto.

In normal weirdo Amy fashion I opted for the punnet that I thought I'd enjoy the least first, saving the best pack until last.

Banana Bread

I knew how good my Graze box was when the first box open contained one of my favourite flavours of cake. The miniature square was not much more than a mouthful, but at only 55cals would be the perfect solution for cake deprived slimmers.

I can't pretend that this was the best banana cake I've ever had, after all nothing beats fresh banana bread still warm from the oven. As a mass-manufactured treat it was pretty good however, and the inclusion of chopped hazelnuts and dates did ensure enough moistness.

7/10

Apple & Cinnamon Flapjack

I had actually meant to retrieve the summer berry flapjack instead, but in my dozy late evening state I opened this flavour before I realised what I was doing.

This treat didn't disappoint. As with the lemon drizzle flapjack the texture was perfect -soft, squidgy and sticky enough to hold it together without leaving a mess on my fingers. The cinnamon and apple came through in equal measures, mimicking the taste of my mum-in-laws homemade apple crumble. Oaty perfection.

9/10

Sticky Toffee Pudding

As suggested I warmed this up in the microwave, and as un-suggested I enjoyed it for dessert drowned in a giant pool of Ambrosia's new Deluxe Salted Caramel Custard. Just like the banana bread it was a dieter's portion, and it tasted like a 'light' version too. The gooey cake texture was lacking, but the toffee sauce was delicious. A so-so punnet, one that'll probably be 'binned' from future Graze boxes.

6/10

Summer Berry Flapjack

I don't think you can beat Graze's flapjacks. My fourth flapjack from them to date, and a lovely flavour too. The berry infused cranberries were packed with flavour, injecting fruity bursts into every mouthful. As I've come to expect the texture was on point too.

8/10

Banoffee Dippers

I've gone on and on about my love for all things banoffee, so it is perhaps unsurprising that I'd saved this punnet until almost last. It was worth the wait too: the shortbread was beautifully buttery and crumbly, but it held together enough to survive a good dunking in the toffee side. The dip was in fact so good that I ended up scooping out every last ml with my finger. Very unladylike I know.

9/10

Belgian Speculoos

I had to hoard this one, partly because I'd heard such great things about it, and also because Nibs (Nibbles 'N' Scribbles) didn't think I'd be able to resist it. I must admit that it was trying at times, ignoring my urges to rip open the pack of cinnamon pretzels and cookie dip, but I did it! Do I get a medal? No? Oh well. There was ample supply of dippers, which I excitedly stuck into the dip. I was welcomed with a beautifully crisp pretzel and naughtily scrummy speculoos. If you've ever tried Biscoff spread you'll get the gist... and if you haven't, why on earth not? It's incredible stuff.

The only trouble I found was that the ration of dip:dippers was way off. Normally with these style pots I run out of the former before the latter, but by the time I was finishing the punnet I was having to put up with meagre spread scrapings on the pretzels. More sir. Please sir.

8/10

Summary

Well, if you're even considering signing up to Graze I suggest you do so to avoid missing out for any longer -just make sure you edit your likes to ensure you end up with punnets you're likely to enjoy! If you're still not sure whether you want to commit, then you simply must try their Lemon Drizzle Flapjack (which is now available in most major supermarkets) I think it's still my favourite.

NEW! Graze Cocoa & Vanilla Protein Flapjack (Boots)

I regularly pick up Graze's wonderful Lemon Drizzle flapjack as part of my Monday Boots meal deal (courtesy of o2 priority). I'd go as far as saying that I can single handedly thank Graze for rekindling my love with the citrus fruit, so much so that I recently opted for Gu's lemon cheesecake* over any of their chocolatey puds -shocking right? With that thought in mind, imagine my excitement therefore when I spotted a new chocolate flapjack from Graze in Boots this week (well, cocoa but same difference). I had to try it at once! But then, I paused. It was a protein flapjack, and my experience of them thus far has been less than pleasant... 

Hmm. Do I risk a bad flapjack over one that I know I love? Of course I do!

"Whole British oat flapjack with cocoa, vanilla and protein crispies."

As usual, the flapjack was split into three equal chunks. I couldn't smell any cocoa, which was odd considering how pungent the lemon is in their drizzle flapjack. 

I bit into it, and realised that this was no ordinary flapjack. There were big and crunchy (soy protein) pieces embedded throughout which meant it was less moist and squidgy than what I was used to. At first I was a little non-plussed: the chocolate flavour wasn't particularly strong and the texture was different to what I expected. Never again I thought, it's back to the lemon drizzle next week..

But then, somehow, I got my head around the fact that, yes, it was different -but that doesn't necessarily  equate to bad. When I dropped the term 'flapjack' from the front of my mind, I started to enjoy it, and I mean really enjoy it. The cocoa flavouring gave the treat a more hot chocolatey taste, although I couldn't detect the vanilla. The combination of textures made me think of a Rice Krispies' Square + Flapjack hybrid; It was really quite delicious! 

I won't always choose this new flapjack above the lemon drizzle flavour, but I definitely will have it again. I don't eat a lot of meat so sometimes it's useful to get a bit of extra protein in, and at 9g per flapjack I can think of worse ways to top up! 

My experience of Graze has been so good that I'm actually considering signing up. Are any of you subscribers? What are the best boxes?

9/10

*Also marvellous and perfectly refreshing! 

NEW! Rhubarb Jumbles (ASDA)

This is certainly rhubarb week! But you'll have to forgive me because I finally found the Rhubarb Jumbles, the last pack on the shelf at the ASDA near my uni. I almost left them there as they would have to suffer an hour long journey back home, but seeing as I'd been checking my local store every day for the past week with no luck, I had to buy them.

 

"Astonishing! Tangy rhubarb compote, velvety mousse and crumbly flapjack... all in a pot? Why ever not!"

What I hadn't appreciated is that as well as mousse, compote, and flapjack, the pots also contain a layer of cheesecake batter. I mean, why on earth would you not shout about cheesecake batter? That's got to be the best bit hasn't it? Well, actually all four layers sounded pretty damn perfect to me...

Adorning the Rhubarb Jumble was a couple of flapjack pieces. I've mentioned before that recently I've fallen in love with the stuff, so I was pleased to find that it was in plentiful supply. The flapjack was lighter than expected -more crumbly than sticky, but yummy all the same.

The creamy coloured top layer was light, fluffy, and had an unexpected tang to it, which I rather enjoyed. The cheesecake batter was a cracking start to the Rhubarb Jumbles. Next up was a flapjack layer, offering an excellent textural contrast against the moussey top and fruit below. Again they came as chunks rather than a disk, and the flavours mingled well together. 

The rhubarb was sweeter than expected, but still kept some degree of sharpness. I was pleased to find that it wasn't jam-like in consistency, and retained some (albeit very soft) structural integrity. 

At the very bottom was another airy layer. It wasn't particularly strong in flavour, tasting more like whipped cream. The mousse was pleasant, but far from exceptional, and I can't help but think that the Rhubarb Jumbles would have been better finishing with the cheesecake batter.

If you're a rhubarb and custard fan, give ASDA's new rhubarb jumbles a go -especially while they're on offer (£1.50 for two). If not, then try their new Afternoon Tea Delights, which are equally as tasty.

9/10

Protein bars to avoid: B'Jammin PB&J (CSN) and PhD Protein Flapjack+ Peanut Butter (Lidl)

I've posted up a few reviews recently of high-protein products recently, such as: the wondrous peanut butter Lenny & Larry's complete cookie, the pretty average for goodness shakes chocolate milkshake, and the god damn awful protein active peanut chia blast bar, but I thought I'd write a few words about a couple of bars that I was less than impressed with. 

B'Jammin PB&J

I bought this at the same time as the Lenny's cookie, lured in by the thought of a healthy snack containing one of my favourite concoctions: peanut butter and jam. 

"B-Jammin’ goes where no bar has gone before. Each bar delivers advanced nutrition that includes high quality protein, real mouth-watering fruit carbs, and fiber that just simply tastes better. With 12-15 grams of net carbs, 12 grams of protein, 11-13 grams of fibre, you’ll be blown away by the taste and flavors in each bar."

The trouble began as soon as I unwrapped the bar. It's similarity to the Pedigree 'Jumbones' I feed my dog was astonishing. Looking completely like something chemically engineered, I can't say I was excited by it's appearance, but I persevered in the hope that it tasted better than it looked.

It didn't. It tasted as utterly false as it appeared, with a mind-bogglingly plasticine-like texture. The flavour was awful, I can't even begin to describe how artificial it tasted. I only endured one bite before it ended up in the bin. I can't believe I wasted £2.50 on this disgusting bar. 

0/10

PhD Protein Flapjack+ Peanut Butter

Unlike the B'Jammin bar, I didn't buy this protein flapjack from a dedicated sports shop, instead it jumped out at me in Lidl (of all places!). As you may have read, I've fallen back in love with flapjacks of late, but I've never come across a peanut butter one before. Suffice to say it wasn't this bar's nutritional benefits that led to me buying it, just the idea of a nutty, comforting flapjack.

"PhD Protein Flapjack+ is an ideal snack for any athlete looking to increase muscle mass and help replenish the body with quality, healthy calories after a hard bout of intense exercise or throughout the day to support an athletic lifestyle. Providing 19 grams of protein and featuring the versatile benefits of premium quality whey protein and milk protein isolate."

Again, alarm bells started to ring as soon as the wrapper was off. Where were the layers upon layers of oats? It looked all wrong. There were a few visible oats, but mostly it was an alienesque brown mass of questionable substance. 

I bit into it, and immediately realised that it would suffer the same fate as the B'Jammin bar. All I could taste was the milk protein isolate, with no hint of peanut butter. Its chewiness was the only link to a flapjack, but it was intolerable, and I only managed two mouthfuls.

0/10

Summary

These were a bad couple of bars, and I'd be tempted to never buy any more (save for the occasional Lenny's cookie purchase) but I've been told that Quest bars are out of this world! Are there any bars that you would recommend? Am I the only one who can't stand the taste of the B'Jammin bar & the protein+ flapjack or have you had a similar experience? Please leave me a comment, I'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences!

Banoffee Flapjack (Boots)

I'd forgotten just how much I love flapjacks until (thanks to O2 Priority) I got the chance to try any of the Graze boxes sold in Boots completely free of charge! I was in a bit of a dilemma  as I liked the sound of the chocolate dippers and strawberry & blueberry coins, but then I spotted the lemon drizzle box and my choice was made. 

The lemon drizzle Graze was exquisite, soft yet gooey with a sweet citrussy kick, and hands-down the best flapjack I'd had in years. It was so good that it made me consider signing up to Graze!

You know what its like when you've rekindled a love for an almost forgotten treat and suddenly become acutely aware of its presence? Well, I go into Boots every Monday for my £1 meal deal (thanks again O2) and for the first time, acknowledged their own-brand range of flapjacks -including a banoffee version. As a lover of anything banoffee, I couldn't resist!

'Oat flapjack with caramel and banana, topped with belgian chocolate.'

The flapjack was a sizeable slab, weighing in at 61g. There were three dried banana coins on the top, and a generous chocolatey drizzle. The gooey caramel layer had stuck to the packet in places, meaning that the slice had a slightly messy appearance. As I've said before, I don't believe that looks are a reflection of taste, so I eagerly got stuck in to my treat.

Unfortunately, the Boots flapjack tasted utterly different to its Graze cousin. It was stodgy, and overwhelmingly sweet, with the caramel layer compounding the problem. Instead of the luxuriously silky Dulce De Leche style caramel that I experienced with the Morrisons 'Millionaire's Shortbread Mash Up' ice cream, it was a gritty saccharine layer that wasn't pleasant. The banana element came solely from the three chips on top, so felt somewhat like a lazy afterthought.

I couldn't help but think the flapjack would've been improved from the caramel and banana flavours being rippled through the oats, instead of being clumsily added on top. It's such a shame, there was so much promise for the Boots Banoffee Flapjack, if only it'd been given the thought and execution it deserved.

3/10