Birds Eye Rice Fusions review

A few weeks ago I was contacted to review the new Birds Eye product - Rice Fusions. I must also state at the beginning I've not been paid to do this review so it's entirely, 100% my honest opinion.

This is new onto the market at retails at £1.89 a packet and in there you get two packs of rice, each one being a single serving. It comes in 4 flavours: Egg fried rice, Mediterranean vegetable, Country mushroom and Aromatic pilau.

The individual servings are in small pyramid like bags which help the rice to steam through. These go in the microwave and 2 sachets take 7 minutes on 750W - just enough time to cook a stir fry ! Easy.

This review is mainly about the Egg fried rice although we have also tried the mushroom and the Mediterranean vegetable. The mushroom was ok, nice but didn't blow us away. I didn't try the mediterranean vegetable one, but the speed with which the kids put it away I would say it was good. I have yet to try the pilau, I'm saving that for a curry next week !

So, onto my recipe. This is a bit of a make it up as you go type recipe but really quick and healthy. Great for a kids tea.

BARBECUE CHICKEN 
serves 2 kids but easily adapted

tsp olive oil
1/2 red onion sliced
1 clove garlic crushed
1/4 tsp easy ginger
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp soy sauce
dribble of worcestershire sauce or squirt of American mustard (optional)
juice 1/2 lemon
freshly ground black pepper
handful cold roast chicken or 1 chicken breast sliced and cooked
Frozen peas, sweetcorn, green beans or soya beans - whatever you have in or prefer !

Heat the olive oil and fry the onion, garlic and ginger until soft
Add all the sauce ingredients and bring to the boil
Add the chicken and veg and heat through, then serve on rice or with noodles

                                                                          ***************

So, despite son no 1's dislike of egg he ate this and enjoyed it. I was very impressed that the rice was perfectly cooked, fluffy and not at all sticky. It was tasty and even though the portions may be on the small side for some, it's not a bad way to control calories !!

Now, I will be brutally honest, this isn't something I'd ever normally buy. I may be rubbish at cooking rice but normally the Husband does it so we don't end up with overcooked mush ! I was pleasantly suprised though and I will even admit to now keeping a pack of the Egg fried rice in my freezer for emergencies or severe cases of "can't-be-arsed-itis".

Kick ass chilli

I've been blogging for sometime under another name, but I am going to combine my two blogs into one I think. I rarely have time to update one blog, let alone two but I hope that combining my blogs will help with the frequency of my posts.

So today is a snow day. We had a good few inches of snow here overnight, well behind the rest of the country but so is the nature of the East ! I tried valiantly to get into work this morning but after 20 mins and getting less than 1/2 a mile I gave up and came home. Instead of being at work and dealing with the sick who can be bothered to battle through the snow, I'm at home with my husband (who is at home because his school is shut) and two small boys.

So far today we've been to the park, played snowballs and made snow angels before coming home to hot chocolate. I think this afternoon will be a DVD afternoon and I fancy cooking a chilli - warming comfort food.

Kick ass chilli (serves 4)

1tbsp olive oil
2 onions chopped
3 cloves of garlic crushed
1-2 red chillis deseeded (if you wish) and chopped
1 tsp ground cumin
2tsp ground coriander
500g lean mince beef
Splosh of Lea & Perrins
2x400g chopped tomatoes
Large pinch of sugar
Large can of kidney beans drained
Square of dark chocolate
Very large squeeze of tomato puree
Chilli powder to taste, about 2 tsp
Seasoning

Heat the oil in a large pot and fry the onions, garlic and chillies until soft
Add the spices and fry for a few minutes
Add all the other ingredients plus 1/2-1 can of water
Simmer for at least an hour until thick and reduced
Taste and adjust seasoning before serving

Serve with rice or jacket potatoes and grated cheese / sour cream if you like !