We had our first delivery of desserts from Lodge Farm Kitchen this week  and I have to say they look very tempting nestled in our freezer! 

I love Lodge Farm because Louisa Stout who runs it is trying to do exactly what we are looking for in food at The Larder. She uses old fashioned cooking techniques, fresh ingredients locally sourced and tries to leave as small an imprint on the planet in the process as she can. Plus of course her desserts are delicious!

Louisa moved to Herefordshire  from Wimbledon after trying to work part-time there and run a restaurant from her sitting room in Lancashire. When the pig and the aga became too much they decided to take the leap and move full-time into food production and relocated to Herefordshire! Now she cooks her desserts in a converted stable block and she only uses ingredients that you would use at home and there are no added preservatives or colours. 

We are stocking 5 of Louisa's yummy desserts that can all be cooked from frozen. Next time life is too busy why not serve up one of her puds ?- we promise not to tell anyone that you didn't make it!

I met Jo Watkins from the Gower Coast in Wales at a food show in London last year. I entered a draw to win a bucket of her "bendylegs" granola and a couple of months later it arrived on my doorstep. I have been a fan ever since!

Jo first discovered granola whilst  in Australia and was impressed by their breakfast culture where the first meal of the day is considered one of the most important. On moving to Mumbles near Swansea she decided to have a go at making her own version and the house soon smelt wonderful with toasting cereal!

From making it for friends and family in 2012 bendylegs has grown to be sold widely along the Gower Coast in local shops and restaurants. I am pleased to say though that we are the first retail outlet outside of Wales to stock both her 600g original and gluten free varieties!

It is made by hand in small batches and she involves friends and family in producing, packing and distributing the granola. Those of you who, like me, love granola will be aware that many contain large amounts of honey or refined sugar. Not Bendylegs! Jo's granola also contains less fat than most varieties and only natural sugars, with no added salt or preservatives. 

Jo uses local apple juice from the Brecon Beacons and welsh rape seed oil, which contains about half the saturated fat of olive oil. It is also stacked with vitamin E and omega 3,6 and 9. Jo's also a doctor so she know what she is talking about when she talks about nutritional benefits. 

What I love is it helps to keep my blood sugar stable for a long period of time, putting off those troughs midmorning that are dangerous for snacking- especially where I work! 

Why call it "bendylegs" though I hear you ask? Well it is named in honour of her nephew Charlie, who complained walking back from the beach one day - " I can't walk up the hill I've got bendy legs" - obviously he didn't have Jo's granola for breakfast!

Jo has given us some samples of the granola so why not pop in and we would be happy to let you have a try and maybe we can help to sort out your own bendylegs!

No not me sadly! My latest discovery for a tasty snack!

Born to be yummy is a business started by Clare Panchoo, who as a nutritionist was irritated to discover the lack of healthy lunchbox snacks available to buy for her own children.

She has produced a selection of 4 cakes, each of which come in packs of 5. They have at least a third less sugar than you would expect, seventy percent less saturated fat and never have any added salt or artificial anything! 

The flavours are chocadoodlechoo, bonkers chocanana, ooeygooey chocolate brownies and flapple jacks. Great fun to say, especially if you make the kids ask for them by name!

The best thing about these though are the cleverly secreted fruits and vegetables! The brownies contain grated carrots, the flapple jacks have pineapple puree, the bonkers chocanana have mashed banana and the chocadoodlechoo have dried apricots. Your little ones will never know!!(PS also good for big ones who don't eat enough fruit and veg too!)

Each cake is individually wrapped so perfect for lunchboxes, swimming bags or keeping in your handbag for emergencies. 

I have a few samples, so do drop in and ask for one if you like, but make it quick as I think they will go fast!

Yesterday I was lucky enough to have Anjali from Choclatl in the shop to give me a tasting. She makes pure hot chocolate straight from the cacao bean. 

She explained to me that most hot chocolates are extremely processed. Often containing cocoa mass, lecithin, hydrogenated fat, palm oil, whey powder, salt, anti-caking agent etc etc... not good.

However her hot chocolate contains simply raw cacao and raw cane sugar. Simply done and simply tasty! They also make a Mayan blend which has blanched almonds and cinnamon bark added to this mix to give a little extra kick. 

But how easy would it be to make? Well, I took a block (yes it comes as a star or a pyramid, not a powder) home with me and gave it a go.

 I put the block in a saucepan with 300ml of boiling water and it melted down really quickly. This is what Anjali describes as a "bouillon". You can drink this as it is, or add warmed milk or cream to it depending on what suits your taste buds. I added about the same again of milk and it was a big hit in my house with adults and children alike. 

What did I like about Choclatl?

1/ Obviously the taste!None of that horrid aftertaste that you sometimes get with other drinking chocolates.

2/ It was no more tricky to make than a latte and I enjoyed the process of making it as I do when I grind my own coffee beans. There is something about it that builds the anticipation!

3/ You are drinking hot chocolate the way it originally was, the way the Mayans and the Aztecs would have enjoyed it. 

4/ Should you be able to resist the chocolate and water mix can be kept in your fridge for up to 10 days and dipped into whenever the urge for a really good hot chocolate strikes you!

Anjali's husband Gavin came across this type of hot chocolate on a work trip to Mexico and the more they investigated it the more convinced they were that England needed to be reintroduced to hot chocolate how it should be. They are passionate about what they do and are committed to lead one of the tastiest revolutions around! 

As they are based near Epsom I am delighted to support them here at The Larder. If you would like to try for yourself why not stop in and pick up a block for when those cold nights have drawn in and you really need a boost!