Review- M&S NEW Activehealth Slow Cooked Lamb & Crushed Potato Pie

I may spend the majority of the time moaning about M&S but in my experience, their actual food isn't to shabby at all - Especially the Ready Meals when you need something quick and easy! It was when I was on the hunt for such a thing that I stumbled upon this NEW activehealth Slow Cooked Lamb & Crushed Potato Pie. 

Pulled lamb with a tomato sauce topped with crushed potatoes, leeks and cheddar cheese. 

This is not just any Ready Meal.. It's a M&S added benefits, cholesterol lowing, Heart UK Approved Ready Meal. With such a "premium" product comes a hefty price tag, sadly one I didn't notice until going to pay - The 360g meal cost £4.25! I didn't know whether to laugh or cry.. So bought it anyway.

Now, I don't know if I actually need my cholesterol lowered by beta glucans but I do try and go for healthier meals rather than the likes of delicious Macaroni Cheese which I have no doubt is slowly killing me.. Luckily this bad boy has a tiny sprinkling of the cheesy stuff to keep me happy!  

I popped the meal on a baking tray and cooked as instructed for about 30 minutes in a 180ºC oven (Microwave go-ers can nuke for 4 minutes) and it came out beautifully - Bubbling away and gloriously golden brown on the top. 

As expected, the meal was scolding hot when I dug my fork in.. After some ferocious wafting of steam, I was finally able to get a picture of the meaty, tomatoey, potato goodness. All 3 of these elements were in abundance with particularly the amount of lamb coming as a surprise. The chunks were sizeable with a lovely flavour as well as being super soft and tender - There is no two ways about it being a slow cooked meat.. It was melt in the mouth! The tomato was also very potent with a fresh taste along with herbs and what I originally thought was some sort of spice.. Cinnamon perhaps, but nothing was listed in the ingredients. A load of leek was scattered throughout which still had some bite rather than being floppy and nondescript with good onion-y tones. Topping the lot was of course the potato - A mixture of both smashed and hole chunks of the soft stuff. I can't say the cheese was all that noticeable apart from in one mouthful but I didn't feel as though anything was missing as was. Warm, filling and delicious! 

Overall.. This Slow Cooked Lamb & Crushed Potato Pie is a complete winner! I am not sure how M&S have managed to concoct something low calorie with a whole host of health benefits and yet it still taste amazing - I really can find little fault in it. Yes, the price tag is a bit of a joke but I wouldn't hesitate in buying another. A lot of their meals tend to be reduced so hopefully I'll catch this one on a yellow sticker day.. And you do too! - It's a 4.5 out of 5 from me!