Planet Veggie

Innocent asked me if I wanted to try out their new veg pots and this morning a courier delivered to me a big box containing four to try, including their brand new Portuguese red pepper piri piri veg pot and a sneak preview of their Thai sweet chilli veg pot that launches in April.

Also in the box was a hessian bag containing fresh thyme and parsley plants (which can be put into an empty veg pot with some more compost and left on a sunny windowsill [remembering to water them every now and then], four wooden forks and some purple napkins with white polka-dots.

Lovely.

Each pot has a cardboard sleeve wrapped around it with heating instructions and on opening today’s pot of choice which was the Innocent Piri Piri Veg Pot, saw a serving suggestion of ‘try adding some cooked prawns’.

THIS KIND OF THING REALLY WINDS ME UP!

Bah.

According to the card that also came with the veg pots, since January their entire rage of Innocent veg pots has the Vegetarian Society’s special stamp of approval. The one I opened didn’t display the special stamp of approval, so I’m assuming that when it does, it won’t suggest serving it with a dead prawn or two.

I heated up my veg pot in the microwave as instructed (you can also heat it on the hob but it recommends it to be heated in the microwave: saves on washing up, too) and had a peek in the pot. Cubes of potato mingled with beans and red pepper in an orangey red sauce. I generally avoid cubed potatoes after an unfortunate experience involving some Bombay potato consumed a few years ago, but I won’t go into that now.

On the cardboard sleeve, it says it’s spicy. There was a hint of paprika but no real spiciness and definitely no chilli kick. Then again, I haven’t got much of a palate, and would definitely fail Masterchef’s taste test.

On the whole, it was fresh and tasty and not like a microwaved ready meal at all (apart from the fact it is a microwaved ready meal, obviously).

Recommended if you’ve forgotten your packed lunch and need something tasty, quick and easy to eat in the office (although I’m not a fan of people eating hot food in offices but I work alone at home and can stink the place out as much as I like).

Nutritional bit:

Naturally low in fat
300 calories
3 portions of your daily veg
High in fibre
Source of protein

Suitable for vegetarians and vegans (if you don’t follow their serving suggestion)